Stefano Pioli’s position as the head coach of AC Milan is under scrutiny and many fans are asking for his departure. However, as Luca Serafini argues, the Rossoneri need to evaluate the matter carefully before deciding a path forward.
Milan have claimed just two points in their last four league games, including losing a 2-0 lead twice (vs. Napoli and Lecce). Tensions are running high, in other words, and Pioli has been heavily questioned above all by the fans.
In his latest editorial for MilanNews, the MilanTV pundit Luca Serafini has shared his thoughts on the matter. To part ways with Pioli, as he puts it, Milan need a very good replacement lined up. If not, they could end up doing more harm than good.
“How do we evaluate the possibility of a sacking? First of all, by looking at the relationship between the manager and the team. It’s necessary to gather elements from both sides to understand if there still is trust, if there is empathy and if a joint path remains.
“From the outside, it would seem like all three are standing. The performances against PSG and (partially) against Napoli as well as Lecce wouldn’t have arrived if there was a crack, or an internal rift as maybe keyboard warriors have suggested. It’s up to the management to investigate meticulously.
“Then, of course, we also have to look at the results which is the first way to determine the situation. Personally, I continue to attribute the rollercoaster of this season to injuries, too many and repeated for a few years now.
“If we were to move towards a sacking, we would ultimately need to have a valid and credible replacement. Napoli looked at Tudor and then took Mazzarri. If you think that we can improve with a certain manager, go ahead! We can proceed to sack Pioli immediately. Otherwise, perhaps it would be appropriate to continue, as long as the pieces of the mosaic fit together and the situation doesn’t worsen,” he wrote.
Milan will face Fiorentina after the break and it will be a crucial game. The injuries need to come to an end, because the Rossoneri’s depth struggles have been highlighted once again. Therefore, finding a solution must be the sole priority for Pioli and his staff.
sometimes you gotta be proactive. Wait till it gets worse is loser talk.
He has 28 players at his disposal injuries are a shite excuse. You lead 2-0 and then it ends in 2-2. Are injuries at fault for that?
Ok – what better coach can replace Pioli? Would Zidane accept? Conte is on leave. Abate (you must be kidding?)
I agree with Serafini. I also believe anti Piolism is very much driven by a generational divide.
I think this man shares the salarybwitj pioli who never produces a single player from Primavera .
Pioli is the one who wants to line up krunic who was 4 yrrs on the bench and missplayed our best palyers
He is not the level of qcmilan coach.
If milan foes not fire him.right away they will rwgret.
Look CDk and Chejueza
Hr rwfused Singer from tirino and kept Florenzi
He is the enwmy of the project
how hard can it be to replace a coach who needed 20 years to win a trophy?
I agree with @flyingturtle here. You can’t blame bad game management on the injuries. There are many good managers we can get in place of Pioli who will do a much better job with the same team.
Terrible game management is a totally different problem than injuries. Additionally, having healthy players pick up injuries during a match is also on the coach and his coaching staff, not on the medical staff. Medical staff deal with ALREADY injured players, they are not responsible for physically conditioning healthy players before a match, do not be confused.
Cool. Give me 3 viable names.
Ancelotti didn’t launch a single player of the primavera into our 1st team. Should he have gotten fired earlier?
Krunic I don’t defend (we all have our views) But today, who would break into the 1st team from the primavera exactly?
Sure. Why not. It’s all hypothetical bs anyway. Löw, flick and fûcking Lopetegui. All 3 better than lord Pioli!
Tho Milan won’t hire a none Italian anyway. We’re modern, but not that modern…
Last I checked, Milan are still in a CL position. Inter were strongest and Juve have the better schedule. They are in their natural spot. All teams have injury problems.
There are some concerns. But this isn’t Berlusconni’s team. Expectations need to be tempered. Personally, I’d like to see Milan bow out of the CL and focus on the scudetto. But the $ from the CL is hard to resist.
Lopetegui would be a disaster in Milan. Like he was in his homeland at Madrid.
Low just specialized as the national team coach and does not seem hungry to coach a club team , especially one as big as Milan.
It’s only Flick that would seem to fit , with his similar 4-2-3-1 formation but he would need time to understand Italy and it’s still a gamble.
Right now it’s really the talented De Zerbi who would be an exciting coach for the team but he has become wanted around Europe ,making it very difficult.
@James Hornsby
“Ok – what better coach can replace Pioli? Would Zidane accept? Conte is on leave. Abate (you must be kidding?)
I agree with Serafini. I also believe anti Piolism is very much driven by a generational divide.”
I agree that finding a better replacement mid-season is going to be tough, but I don’t think the anti-Piolism is driven by a generational divide. I’ve been a Milan fan since 1990 and I think Pioli has taken us as far as he can. 2021-22 was an unexpected surprise. Last season we technically finished 5th, and this season with a revamped squad we’re seeing many of the same mistakes, like drubbings against Inter, not holding leads (Lecce), and losing to very low level opponents (Udinese).
@Jerry, I agree that De Zerbi is now unreachable, unless most of the top 6-8 EPL clubs retain their managers or decide to make a different choice. If De Zerbi is still available come July 2024, Milan should make a big push to get him. In the alternative there is an interesting profile by the name of Francesco Farioli, who for all intents and purposes seems to be like a De Zerbi three years ago. It could be worth the chance next summer before his profile gets even larger, depending on how Nice ends up.
Essentially, we’re in a weird purgatory where we’re clearly underperforming, but still currently meeting minimum requirements. As Mark says, we’re still top 4 and with a good chance to qualify from the CL group. Should we qualify and continue to stay in the top 4 it becomes difficult to sack Pioli mid-season, as much as I sometimes want this to happen. Yet, should we finish 3rd or 4th and get eliminated in the CL round of 16 (or earlier), I think it would be more than fair to part ways with Pioli in the summer and try something new. However, if we do finish top 4 and qualify for the CL knockouts I think the temptation for management to keep Pioli would also be quite heavy, and would be a continuation of this purgatory of not good enough to keep, not bad enough to dump.
There is only one Italian manager to be considered for ACM……. DEZERBI he is a product of ACM and with what he did in Seria A and Premier League who else is there?
Remember one thing about Pioli he could not last more that a few months with Inter and Fiorentina !
Mr Hornby reflect on this please. In the corporate world you are only as good as your last result
Knee Jerk reactions and lack of objectivity here. There is no available upgrade to Pioli willing to take over a team mid season. Good coaches don’t do that. Mazzari is taking over Napoli midway through – watch that disaster unfold then think for yourself.
Stick with Pioli until summer then re-evaluate.
De Zerbi…
Love the idea of De Zerbi.
But you don’t need me to expand on just how loopy it is to think a boss who has a contract (and likely a clause), tipped by Guardiola to replace him in the now biggest team in the world, would jump from one of the hottest properties in the NBA of football to currently the 3rd team of Europe’s 3rd/ 4th league in November?
Lopetegui would be a disaster like pioli was.
So i recon we’d get at least one cup out of him. I’m down for that. Just because someone failed at real doesn’t mean they’ll fail every time. Benitez failed at real. Would he be a disaster? He certainly won more silver than lord pioli ever did
Stick to pioli for now and if he cannot take us round 16 then no need to wait for him because he is not more than abate
Without chance how will you guys know that abate will suck even your pioli himself was given enough time and chances, if gordioula was not given chance at Barca you will not know him today or you guys know abate future
@ACM1899
“Knee Jerk reactions and lack of objectivity here. There is no available upgrade to Pioli willing to take over a team mid season. Good coaches don’t do that. Mazzari is taking over Napoli midway through – watch that disaster unfold then think for yourself.
Stick with Pioli until summer then re-evaluate.”
Wait, my crystal ball ain’t showing nada about Mazzari failing at Napoli. Oops! I don’t even have a crystal ball. As far as we can see, Napoli believe they have enough quality to be above where Garcia has put them. So, they replaced him. You’re just hoping Mazzari fails.
By the way, do you remember how Pioli arrived? Yeah! He replaced a certain Marco Giampaolo – and it wasn’t even mid season.
@Vero Rossonero I have always respected Pioli but, like yourself I think the club should make a big push for De Zerbi this summer to go to that next level.
Regarding Farioli, he also seems talented, reminiscent of De Zerbi and could be an emerging force. I’m sure the club are aware of the possibility that this is Pioli’s last year and won’t be unprepared but ,this surely will take place in the summer unless we go on a 10 game winless run(God forbid!).
Then again , if Pioli takes the team to the next round of the CL and wins a trophy in 2024 he will end up challenging Don Carlo for number of years as Milan Coach.
Even if we do make it out of the group, if we keep losing to udine and draws against lecce he gotta go. Sooner rather than later. The feb cl means shït if we end up losing cl next season because we can’t reach top 4. (Which we already failed to do last season, that’s a red flag if there ever was one)
@ flyingturtle No doubt about it, The management probably see CL qualification as priority number one and failure to make the top 4 will most likely cost Pioli his job.
And who are those keyboard warriors in the fourth paragraph?