These days we do nothing but talk about Pioli’s possible successor, which I very much agree with, also because I believe that the cycle of the good Stefano has ended not just now but for quite a while and we are dragging this problem along long since. But let’s go in order.
On 22 May 2022, Milan won one of the best scudettos in its history, personally I place it in second place after the one in 1988. A tricolor that made us rejoice and celebrate a lot because winning it in a comeback over our cousins is something priceless. In those festive days everything seemed to be going well, Elliott had righted the boat on an economic level, he guaranteed an economic solidity that gave us hope for calm horizons and we hoped to open a winning cycle. The team, despite some free transfer losses, was good and simply needed to be improved. I honestly believe that this is a thought that many of us have had.
“Today, Milan with a high-level strategic vision can go on to compete with the biggest teams next year. If instead we chose a maintenance vision, without investments, without an idea from Milan, we would remain in limbo among the best six or seven teams in Italy to try to win the Scudetto again and qualify for the Champions League. This is why it is time for the Elliott owners, or the one that could arrive, to close the three-year period and understand what strategy they want for the future. With two or three important purchases and the consolidation of the players we have we can compete for something bigger in the Champions League.” (Paolo Maldini)
Then like a bolt from the blue Maldini released the famous interview with the Gazzetta on 27 May 2022, in the midst of the Rossoneri celebrations. Many have criticized the timing and methods, I won’t go into this context, but rereading them two years later gives me shivers. Then I didn’t understand what, or perhaps I didn’t want to understand, intoxicated by the victory, what he meant but now I do, and in a very clear way.
In fact, Pioli’s cycle should have ended there, because the Coach was the right coach to restart from a rather difficult situation, that championship remains an incredible achievement but above all thanks to Ibra, who in that season really moved the balances, and by Paolo Maldini. And there the first tear occurs. Because there will be a long renewal for Maldini, also due to the advent of Cardinale, and the market being what it was. But at that precise moment it was necessary to change Mister, it was necessary to have the courage, because it was one thing to play free and carefree, it was another thing to play to reconfirm yourself and always demand more.
And there we really clashed with the American will, which is conservative. And then there were all the situations of last summer and this season.
I’m not pro Maldini, even though he represents a lot to me, but I’m annoyed with the fact that he wasn’t replaced on a technical level, and was handled as a scapegoat because he didn’t want to work in the team. Who knows if it’s true then.
In fact, this Milan lacks the entire technical area, there is a lack or lack of people who understand football, but this is our way of thinking. I remain equally convinced that they don’t want anyone in the club who understands football because it wouldn’t suit them. Theirs is a conscious and rational choice, they just have to get by in mediocrity, the Champions League qualification obtained is their Masterclass.
You will tell me they took Ibra, yes true but you don’t actually understand his role. She is not present in the Rossoneri organization chart and above all she never speaks. It would be interesting to understand what he thinks, it’s always a hypothesis, but as he is not a Milan man but a RedBird man, he is most likely not authorized to speak. In him the disoriented Rossoneri fan clings.
Currently the problem is not Julen Lopetegui, an honest coach, nothing more, but the fact remains that he is simply the picture of the mediocrity in which they want to keep us. With the Spanish coach do we make a leap in quality compared to Pioli? From my point of view I don’t think so, and I remain convinced that if Pioli hadn’t failed against Roma in the Europa League and hadn’t delivered the scudetto to Inter in the derby, losing sixth in a row among other things, he would have remained in the saddle to complete the his contract, and that damned renewal was Maldini’s real big mistake.
Why do I think they would have kept Pioli? Primo still has one year left on his contract, Secondo has achieved his seasonal goal: comfortable Champions League qualification, scoring even more points than last year. It doesn’t matter if we came within twenty points of first place.
Although the change is being made two years late, in fact it is a change dictated more by the situations than by a real and clear need of the club which, as previously mentioned, would have continued blissfully with the Parma coach. The Rossoneri board has understood that it can no longer keep Pioli, also because for them it would be a sensational own goal, but nevertheless they continue on their path, regardless of the thoughts of the fans. Who instead asks him for a signal, he wants something more, neither more nor less, Maldini asked and hoped for two years ago. This is why many want Conte, partly because he is free and because there would certainly be a leap forward in many aspects. Something to hold on to and someone to trust, because at this moment the Rossoneri fans have no trust in the club.
But why don’t the Americans want Conte? Just because he’s demanding and he wants a lot of money? I firmly believe it’s all smoke and mirrors, that’s what they want us to believe. They want to pass the buck as they always have. They don’t want Conte or Klopp because it would clash with their real objectives. And this is the battle to be fought.
Surely with the Count of the situation there is no certainty of winning, but with him you would become competitive again and certain technical performances and certain skits would disappear from the field. The sacred fire would return. The Salento coach could also lay those foundations for subsequent victories, see Inter.
Because in the end you ask to return to compete and have the chance to play it all the way.
It may be that Ibra supported his friend Conte but he has to clash with the financial and above all ideological constraints imposed by society. As far as I’m concerned, if he endorses certain choices he becomes an accomplice of the Americans. And I would expect his resignation.
Personally I would also be satisfied with Motta, the least bet of the many names that are following one another these days, but he will most likely go to Juventus with Conte at Napoli and thus two direct rivals will strengthen each other.
Look, the problem is not to go back to winning immediately, but to go back to competing, and I would even be willing to wait five years before winning, but in the meantime I would like to see things done with a certain logic and competent planning.
But rest assured that this will not happen because the entire technical framework is completely missing and will continue to be missing because as I have already said many times, they are not interested in the technical part but only in the economic-financial part. And you can be sure that they are having lots of fun with the trinkets because the stadium issue is taking too long for their tastes.
So make yourself comfortable that this summer we will see some good ones, at least one big player will be sold because with that they have to make a transfer as well as a few euros collected from De Kateleare and Saelemakers. But not to take players of substance but young people with great hopes found somewhere by the super talent scout Moncada, who still lives on the income from having discovered Mbappè.
Like it or not, we are slaves to these characters, where they are more concerned with deciding the color of the fourth shirt and seeing the sales numbers instead of looking at whether a player is valid or not. And in all of this they have scientifically eliminated our passion and pride.
Until the merchants are driven out of the temple, this is and will always be our situation.
As always
W Milan, the real one.
Harlock
