Pistocchi spoke to MilanLive.it about Milan’s situation, covering various topics: from Ibra’s conference to the choice to focus on Fonseca as coach.
The Milan is coming off a season that fell short of expectations and the fans expect a relaunch in style in the next one. L’Inter it reached the second star first and the objective must be to win the 20th Scudetto, as well as to perform well in the new Champions League format.
Last week Zlatan Ibrahimovic he held a press conference in which he clearly said that the club has a winning project, so now the facts are awaited. One of the choices announced is the hiring of Paulo Fonseca as the new coach, a name that does not convince a large part of the fans. We spoke with the journalist about this and other topics Maurizio Pistocchi.
Pistocchi: “Typical American Milan scheme, Fonseca suitable for the squad”
What do you think of Ibrahimovic’s press conference?
“It was a press conference with little news and many declarations of intent. Ibrahimovic was keen to make it clear what the club’s guidelines are. Instead of the club, I would have waited to be able to announce one or two signings at the same time. Ibra reiterated his role and his will without going into too much detail, a programmatic speech that fits. Sooner or later we will understand what Zlatan’s true role is, whether he has the right to choose the players or whether, as it seems, there is teamwork. When there are multiple heads making decisions it is not easy to agree. The Milan scheme is typical of American sport, where there is not just one person who decides, the choices are made in a collegial manner. However, now we need facts to follow up on good intentions.”
In your opinion, did the fans come away a little reassured by Ibrahimovic’s words?
“Let’s wait for the facts. We need to understand what the technical choices will be, what market there will be and whether there will be any important sales. Fans must understand that they must stop considering players as symbols of the clubs, today they are professionals who go where they get paid the most. The attachment to the shirt is only present in very few cases“.
Can Milan’s corporate model be successful?
“I believe that to win you need a total identity of views between the management who allocates the resources, those who make the technical choices and the coach. It takes a combination of these three factors. The club gives the lines, deciding whether to focus on ready players or on young people to train. Those who make the market must not make wrong choices. The coach must have winning ideas, must share them with the team and must not ask the players for things that they do not evaluate positively. Today the coach must be a manager who must know how to manage human resources. Maldini was good at this, and with his important presence he had involved the group around what have always been Milan’s ideals“.
Are you convinced by the hiring of Paulo Fonseca?
“I believe that the fans must not make negative comments before seeing the team on the pitch, they must give the coach time to work. I remember when Sacchi arrived at Milan, he initially had many difficulties and the entire Italian press called for his dismissal. Berlusconi went into the locker room to say that he was the coach and that he too would stay the following season, while of the players only those who would follow him would remain. That was decisive. I had recommended five names on social media and Fonseca wasn’t there, because I was thinking of a manager with Guardiola’s mentality. My favorites were De Zerbi and Rose. I believe the Portuguese was chosen because he is a little more mature and has football ideas that adapt quite well to the Milan squad. You can’t hire a coach who wants to change ten players. Among other things, Fonseca scored more points at Roma than Mourinho and with a less strong team than those of his successors. He didn’t fail. We will need to have patience and create the right chemistry between each member of Milan. It is essential to have a clear idea of the game and a valid alternative for each role. To win it is not enough to put money on the market and to be successful in Italy it is important to have a core of strong Italian players, they are the ones who drive the group. Finally, I think that at Milan it is necessary to rebuild the medical sector, there have been too many muscle injuries“.
Zirkzee, Leao, commissions, Theo and Under 23
There is a lot of talk about Zirkzee as a possible future AC Milan striker: is he the right profile?
“My sources have been telling me for some time that Zirkzee will go to Juventus. If there is a demand for commissions of a certain type, it is quite evident that these arrangements have been in place for some time. It’s not like you arrive in June to sign a player like him and you don’t already have an agreement with the agent. Zirkzee is very strong, but I would make a different choice. For example, I really like a center forward with Sesko’s characteristics. However, you can play football and win even with a false 9. It all depends on the game system and the coach. The biggest doubt about Milan in the future is not linked to the first striker, but to Leao’s actual potential to be decisive.”
What are your thoughts on Rafa Leao?
“He is a player who has extraordinary qualities, out of the ordinary, but he doesn’t seem very focused on his career. He alternates performances from a great footballer to mediocre ones. He struggles to connect with the team. He has potential as a top player, in some respects he reminds me of Thierry Henry, but he needs to become much more decisive in front of goal“.
There is a lot of talk about the problem of agent commissions, how can it be resolved?
“The only people who can decide to change the system are the club presidents. As long as there is someone willing to pay any amount to have a player, there will be nothing to be done about commissions. I know how the system works, there are agents who buy players by giving suitcases of money to their parents. It happened in the past and it also happens now, there is a round of purchasing of powers of attorney which is scandalous. It’s not something that can be solved just by trying to impose new rules. We need a gentlemen’s agreement between the presidents, but it is impossible for it to happen.”
Ibrahimovic declared that Theo Hernandez will remain at Milan, then the player explained that his future will be decided after the European Championship. What do you think of this story?
“A manager cannot say that a player is staying, because then he loses credibility if the transfer occurs. Making that type of announcement risks putting you at odds with the player himself. If Theo Hernandez had a request from Real Madrid, do you think he wouldn’t leave?“.
Next season, Milan should field an Under 23 team in the Serie C championship. Is this a project you like?
“The Under 23 is an excellent intuition and has given excellent results, in particular at Juventus. It can be an important resource. But from a sporting point of view I don’t like it, because the team has the limit of not being able to be promoted to Serie A level. It’s a denial of the principle of sport, because it doesn’t allow you to make a complete climb. Serie B is his limit. For me, on an ethical level it is a contradiction.”
