Season over, it’s time to take stock and think about the Milan to come. What do the Rossoneri need to close the gap with Inter? We talked about it with Enzo Gambaro, Italian champion with the Devil in 1992 and 1993. Exclusively for MilanNews.it.
Enzo Gambaro, the championship has ended and with it a cycle
“I start from the last two years which were negative. You achieved a fifth place and would have exited the Champions League. You didn’t valorise De Ketelaere who may not be a champion but is certainly a good player. Negative season. This year Milan were significantly strengthened by the club and important work has been done on the transfer market. However, some chronic defects have not been filled: a young striker was missing to alternate with Giroud, or a central midfielder who could hold the position more even if in this case he was. above all it was the coach’s idea not to want players with these characteristics. I believe that Milan had every chance to fight for the scudetto, but it is one thing to stay in the wake of the first place and another to get within 15-18 points of the champions. Italy. Ultimately they have been two negative seasons, even if there have been some good things with the arrival of good players: Pulisic is one of the best players in Serie A, Reijnders and Loftus-Cheek are good and then Chukwueze, who is a player of quality even if he was unable to express them to the fullest. We need to understand why.”
The relationship with Pioli ended a year early. Right choice? Or maybe late?
“Last year the club ‘married’ Pioli, removing the two managers (Maldini and Massara, ed.). In a choice of this kind, in theory, there would also be the possibility of hiring a new coach. Which was not the case. Evidently they thought that Pioli would find continuity. Then, for heaven’s sake, it could be even worse and just look at Napoli who did not qualify for the European cups greatest club in the history of football. So I think it’s right to bring the best as far as possible. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are Guardiola or Klopp, but also intermediate coaches who can build something important.”
We turn the page and look for the coach. The fans are calling on Conte, who will take another direction. Or at least a winning profile, which led to the protest against Lopetegui and the complaints about Fonseca
“The players win the matches, if they are strong the coaches’ job is not to do damage. When you have very strong players, even if you put in a coach who hasn’t trained much, he just needs to be intelligent, not do damage and he wins the same. Let’s take Ancelotti with Real Madrid: he has a great team, he is good because he doesn’t do damage. The lower the level, the more important the manager is in the race for salvation, because without the great player he has to come through important tactical situations. In the big ones it matters less, in the big Italian ones as there are clearly no longer the champions that were there in the past the coach has to put more of his effort into it.”
Do you like Fonseca?
“In his career, Fonseca has kept faith with what he has done. If we look closely at Roma, with fifth place, they achieved the best result in the league in recent years. Then, clearly: the Klopps, the Guardiolas, the Ancelottis are another matter but maybe they wouldn’t be suitable for this Milan. Ancelotti himself hasn’t had great luck at Napoli and Everton. Assuming he will arrive, I think he has the ability to give an idea of the game, however he has in his career in France. the issue of goals conceded has been greatly reduced. He is a coach who tries to make teams play well and has improved in defence, he will have to pay particular attention to his ideas and must be good at not having possession. He can do a very good job but reinforcements will be needed.”
What are the areas where we need to intervene immediately?
“We need a midfielder capable of acting as a buffer between defense and midfield. There was Krunic who in terms of characteristics could have been good, even if in terms of absolute qualities perhaps he wasn’t from Milan. Certainly a striker who knows how to score goals and collaborate with his teammates team. A quality central defender: you have a fast player like Tomori, you need someone who knows how to direct the defense and mark the man from the front.”
A Kjaer from the good times, so to speak
“Kjaer is one of the most important players in recent years. He wasn’t Baresi or Nesta, of course, but in his own small way he was 100% decisive. He was someone who knew how to manage the defence, he knew how to mark. Well, we need a Kjaer with ten years younger.”
The right back could also have a new interpreter: there is talk of Tiago Santos
“There is always a need to intervene, especially if you do negative things in recent years. Tiago Santos is a player that Fonseca knows well and could lend a hand, even if he will need some training. As I see it, the ideal is Di Lorenzo , but in his case I think he has a better chance of going from Giuntoli to Juventus.”
