In his latest public speech, Gerry Cardinale was very clear. He dictated: “Our partners are the fans and I take this very seriously. In Italy it must be taken very seriously and I do it.” If you wanted to think badly, you might comment, it was immediately understood regarding the first contacts had with Lopetegui who was quickly “rejected” by the fans, whose moods, transmitted from Milan to the USA, have evidently changed the minds of the entire Milan management. Now they let us know that nothing decisive had been reached with the Spaniard and, judging from the sequence of events, that’s exactly what happened. If they had signed with Lopetegui, they would now no longer be able to back down. Better this way, one might add. However, the choice of Milan’s next coach is not yet in the public domain. The fact that new candidates and unpublished profiles emerge every day is clear confirmation of this. However, I believe that it is useful and constructive here to examine what the risks are of a profile capable of multiplying the current skepticism among fans.
There was no need for the interview Stellini gave to TeleLombardia to understand that Antonio Conte would have arrived in a hurry at Milanello and that all the clichés (“he asks for a rich market, he would send Leao away, etc”) about him have been swept away by the main collaborator of the Lecce coach. I don’t want to support the thesis of “either Conte or death” but I limit myself to stating the risks of not saying yes to the Apulian coach. I’ll start with the first of an economic nature: with Conte at Milan, Napoli would be shocked and would have to examine another candidate, perhaps Pioli, thus exempting Milan from paying him his (full) salary for next season. Let’s move on to the second: Conte at Napoli is able to immediately relaunch a team that has never been competitive this year and would be able to fight for the top places almost immediately. The third is the most picturesque: if you hold a referendum among Inter fans and a secret survey at the offices of the neroazzurro club you would discover that Conte’s arrival at Milanello would be experienced with particular concern.
Let’s now see the scenario without Conte. With the arrival of Mister X, barring a surprise choice, what could be the consequences? One: even in spite of a targeted football transfer market there would certainly be a lower number of season ticket holders while the influx to San Siro would depend on the first results of the prepared team. Two: the first disappointing draw or even the first unexpected defeat would create a climate of mistrust with vicious effects on the team who, let’s remember, next year will lose a couple of leaders of the dressing room, Kjaer and Giroud, exposing the other protagonists to serious responsibilities. Three: the choice, not supported by results, it would lead to a loss of trustso far entirely based on his career as a footballer, towards Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has never exposed himself in public and only published a photo with the writing “vision and mission” to try to reassure. You can’t govern Milan with a photo! It is true, however, that he must complete the transition to his new role but he must do it quickly because football waits for no one. Not even Ibra. Costacurta recently expressed an observation on his behalf that should be shared: according to the former Rossoneri player, now a Sky commentator, he should have pushed the most expert members of the group to go in front of the TV to explain the reason for the failures against Roma and in the derbies and not instead leave the floor to the second lines.
