More managerial musical chairs

There was a footballing time, and who knows if it was a very good time, when the road from La Coruna in Spain almost never led to Barcelona, Florence or even Verona. Yet the heroic efforts of newly-crowned Spanish champions Deportivo La Coruna have set in motion a series of shock waves that have already washed up on the shores of Barcelona and which could yet make themselves felt in Verona tonight.

Barcelona's difficulty could well be Marcello Lippi's opportunity. Barcelona's controversial president, Jose Luis Nunez, and their even more controversial Dutch coach, Louis Van Gaal, were the first casualties of La Coruna's unprecedented title win.

While the good burghers of La Coruna were having a high old time, celebrating the first league title of their club's 94-year existence, Nunez and Van Gaal were handing in their cards.

Van Gaal's departure has added huge momentum to a game of managerial musical chairs that could gain further impetus in Verona tonight.

Inter Milan meet Parma in Verona tonight in a play-off for the last of Italy's four Champions League spots for next season. Parma's end of season form makes them the obvious favourites while Inter, in losing the Italian Cup to champions Lazio last Thursday, suggested that they are currently in a grim state.

If Parma were to win tonight, consigning Inter to a UEFA Cup place next season, then it is possible that their coach, Marcello Lippi, will, too, resign. Indeed, there are those who claim that, win or lose tonight, Lippi will be resigning, thus leaving himself free to take over at - yes - Barcelona.

Nor are Inter likely to put many obstacles in the way of a coach whom they signed only 12 months ago, amidst much fanfare and talk about commitment to a long-term rebuilding process. A disappointing season, culminating in a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Lazio last Thursday (Lazio won 2-1 on aggregate) and exacerbated by injuries to key players such as strikers Christian Vieri and Brazilian Ronaldo, seems to have put paid to those plans.

Furthermore, Inter may well have Lippi's replacement ready and waiting in the person of Giovanni Trapattoni, who resigned from Fiorentina last week.

Trapattoni 's departure brings us full circle back to both Verona and on to Spain, since among those tipped to succeed him at Fiorentina are current Verona coach Cesare Prandelli and ex-Atletico Madrid and Valencia coach, Claudio Ranieri.

Atletico's season ended miserably with the club's first relegation since 1934.

While Atletico lament, while Trapattoni-Lippi-Ranieri etc join in the musical chairs, one club is celebrating this week - Deportivo.

Winners of 16 of their 19 home games, inspired by Brazilian Djalminha and by coach Irureta, Deportivo had been in the championship vanguard right from the beginning of the season. This weekend's win makes up for the bitter disappointment of six seasons ago when a penalty kick miss in the last minute of the last game of the season saw them lose the title to - guess who - Barcelona.

The wheels keep on going round.