Ranieri takes over Internazionale helm

FC Internazionale Milano have appointed Claudio Ranieri as coach the day after Gian Piero Gasperini's departure.

Ranieri has signed a contract until June 2013 having left the AS Roma helm in February. He takes over a club yet to win this season, with the Nerazzurri having lost the Italian Super Cup to AC Milan, been beaten 1-0 at home in their UEFA Champions League opener by Trabzonspor AŞ, and secured only one point from three Serie A games, including a 3-1 defeat at newcomers Novara Calcio on Tuesday.

"Gasperini had his own ideas but didn't manage to make them work. What I want to do is to make this team play as they know best, with all their talent," said Ranieri on Wednesday night before the deal was announced. "Inter have had a bad start to the season and I want to talk to the players to understand why. I will have to restore enthusiasm and wake the team up – I believe they have a lot to give and we must show it."

The 59-year-old Ranieri coached several lower-league sides before guiding Cagliari Calcio to Serie A promotion in 1991. He subsequently went to SSC Napoli and then ACF Fiorentina in 1993, steering the Viola to another Serie A promotion, an Italian Cup and a Super Cup. Ranieri also had spells abroad with Valencia CF, Club Atlético de Madrid and Chelsea FC before returning to Italy with Parma FC. He coached Inter's arch-rivals Juventus between 2007 and 2009, moving to Roma in September of the latter year.

His Inter reign begins with a trip to Bologna FC on Saturday before Tuesday's UEFA Champions League visit to PFC CSKA Moskva.