Journalist Mauro Suma has argued that the media narrative surrounding the hiring of Paulo Fonseca compared to some of the other names that were doing the rounds.
Fonseca was announced as AC Milan’s new manager earlier in the month, replacing Stefano Pioli, and the fans are eager to see what he can do with the team but also apprehensive about his body of work.
What should they expect? We took a look at the tactical aspect of Fonseca’s philosophy during a recent feature, but before a ball is kicked there is a very important summer mercato to come with reinforcements needed in several departments.
Nonetheless, it would be fair to say that the Portuguese coach arrives amid a backdrop of scepticism and the best way to turn that around is with results.
Suma gave his thoughts on some of the discourse that currently surrounds Fonseca and the decision from Milan to go for him during an editorial for MilanNews.
“Let’s be clear, if De Zerbi had arrived I would have been happy, because I know how professional he is, how intense he is, how much of a Milan fan he is and how well his staff works, among which his friend Andrea Maldera stands out, for whose father he did so much,” he said.
“But since Roberto didn’t arrive – and if he had arrived he would still have done well in ‘his’ Milanello – I would simply like to instil doubt in the famous ‘narration’ and the mythological ‘perception’. But, in short, someone will be good enough to explain to a corporate idiot like me why De Zerbi won a trophy at Shakhtar and is a genius, while Fonseca won 7 and is poor…
“Of course, Fonseca was in Donetsk three years and De Zerbi didn’t even finish the first due to the outbreak of the war, still leaving Shakhtar in first place, but all things considered, there can’t be such a large chasm between the two.
“I would have been very happy, I confess candidly, even if Thiago Motta had arrived at Milan. Because the one in Bologna is the second miracle of his career, after achieving survival with Spezia. Thiago is very good and very strong, absolutely.
“But dear narration and dear perception, can you explain to me why if you finish fifth with Bologna you are a genius and if instead you finish fourth with Lille you are poor?
“Fonseca may have obtained 70 points with Roma (then Mourinho and De Rossi both got 63) but the Special One won the Conference League. And Fonseca instead stopped in the Europa League semi-finals against Manchester United.
“Sure, true, he conceded seven at Old Trafford. But they [Roma] had also conceded that many during the good Spalletti days a few years earlier in the Champions League in 2007, yet his career and his life went on.
“Ah, so what does Suma tell us, that we got the best coach of all time and in the entire solar system? No, of course not! But since football can always be seen from a hundred million different angles, it was my only attempt to ask Mrs. Narration and Mr. Perceived for a small, and reasonable, respite.
“A common sense truce. Waiting for the market, waiting for the job and waiting for the field. Thank you.”