This afternoon, Massimiliano Allegri held his pre-match press conference ahead of Hellas Verona vs. AC Milan and there were several talking points.
It has been an interesting run from Allegri in recent weeks. Considering the recent links to the Italian national team job, the Italian has been box office in his press conferences. Even when you consider the recent results, it has been a must-watch.
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Whilst there have been some positive signs regarding his Milan future in the past week, questions were still asked about his future. However, that was not all.
It is undeniable that his side have struggled recently. Against Udinese, it was shown as clear as day. A 3-0 defeat with a lot of his core principles missing from the Rossoneri’s performance. So, a bounce back is needed.
Allegri’s pre-Verona press conference
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game in Verona, the Italian was asked plenty of questions about his future and the team and his words were relayed by MilanNews.
Let’s start with the match…
“Tomorrow we’re playing after two defeats, in which we haven’t scored because we’ve gone three of our last four games without scoring. Tomorrow is an important match because we need to get back to winning ways, against a team of counterattacking players who are still very much alive.
“We need a team performance. There are difficult moments in the season, and we need to face them calmly and do things in an orderly manner: against Udinese, we were disorganised. There are six games left, and tomorrow is an important match for our goal.
“We just need to play calm football, with great compactness and order.”
Did Gabbia’s words on behalf of the locker room please you?
“Aside from the fact that they made me very happy. I think we’ve all gotten to this point together, starting with the players: at most, I’ll let them lose every now and then… The club has always been there; yesterday, Furlani was even there and had lunch with us.
“In September, no one talks about objectives; in March, the goal is there, and you want to reach it in one fell swoop: you have to take one small step at a time and stay organised and calm. A team that goes 24 games without losing is a team with technical and moral values.
“The advantage is that we’ve all recovered, and for this final, the overall objective must be greater than personal ones.”
On the boos at Leao…
“Leao certainly needed a bit of booing; he understood that life doesn’t always go smoothly. He’ll have a good reaction: he had a good week of training like everyone else. I’m convinced the forwards will start scoring again.
“The team will have to get back to playing in order. Against Udinese, we weren’t even on the defensive for a minute: we were too disorganised.”
Will his permanence be tied to that of the great champions in the squad?
“I don’t know. I only know one thing: right now, all our energies must be focused on the final objective. Club, players, coaches, staff. We all work for the club. Above all, there’s always the club, AC Milan. Throughout history, managers, presidents, and players have passed, but the only thing that remains is the club.
“We all have to work for the club. I’ve always been close to the boys: for me, my players are the best of all. They need to be supported, and they need to support me, as they have done. I think the club has worked very well this summer.
“We have a squad of excellent players, including some extraordinary ones: it’s a good foundation, and to strengthen this foundation, we need to reach the Champions League. There are two steps: first, reach the Champions League, and then plan for the future.”
Are the pursuers arriving?
“First, we need to win. Second, Como didn’t win yesterday, but Juventus are three points behind and Roma are six points behind. 63 points aren’t enough to qualify for the Champions League: tomorrow we face Verona, and once that’s over, we’ll focus on Juventus and then Sassuolo.”
Are there any fears or worries that you might leave Milan or join the national team? What’s your idea: stay?
“Everyone’s been talking these past few weeks. The only ones who aren’t are my friends in Livorno. But that’s normal. Every year, you get to this point and you say, ‘This is the way it goes, that’s the way it goes,’ and that’s the way football is also beautiful.
“In football, anything can happen, even in matches. What matters is the end result, through performances. Right now, the objective is clear. I repeat, my coaching history speaks for itself: I spent four years at AC Milan, eight years at Juventus, and then I returned to AC Milan.
“For me, so many changes haven’t been in my DNA. I like working at a club that is a business, which must be managed as such: it must be made competitive and at the same time sustainable. To do this, we can’t do everything in one day.
“We need to plan, analyse, see the mistakes that have been made, and move forward.”
What steps does Milan need to take to grow?
“A football club must be competitive and sustainable, but everything revolves around the result. It’s simple. If you get a result, the club becomes stronger. The AC Milan brand is one of the most important in the world, but it depends on the result.
“We have a responsibility to position AC Milan in Europe, because if it’s not positioned there, it’s difficult for the club to develop in any other way. Everything revolves around the result: when you lose, you spend a week feeling pissed off; think about the club when you don’t reach your goal…”
What should the team and the club do to improve?
“The strength of a club, and consequently of a team, lies in recognising and working on its limitations. If you recognise this, you can achieve better results. There’s data from 20 years in the Champions League where the top four semifinalists are the first, second, third, and fourth in revenue.
“If you can’t get there financially, you need a strategy, knowing that your limitations can become strengths. This is what happened for the team for 24 games: we worked hard on our limitations, which had become our strengths.
“The margin for error is smaller, compared to someone who can spend €300m and you can spend €50m. We mustn’t get overwhelmed by events, we mustn’t think we can win the Champions League in two years: the ambition is the same, but the reality is different.”
At the table with Furlani, what do you say?
“These are meetings, like the ones we had at the office two days ago, where we talk about the season and what went well and what didn’t. Then they’ll be put on the table when we reach our objective, which could be achieved even on the final day.
“Winning is important, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean we won’t qualify for the Champions League… Then at lunch we discuss the situation, and it’s normal that after three defeats in four games, we ask ourselves questions.
“The boys had a good week, and in moments like these, you could lose some of the certainties you’ve acquired, but that shouldn’t happen.”
Why doesn’t he say, “I want to stay?” Why doesn’t the club say he’ll be AC Milan’s coach next year?
“I’ve said it before. My story is that I spent 15 years between Milan and Turin, part of two great clubs where I worked with great managers. The first step is the objective of the Champions League and then planning for the future, which already started last year when half the squad changed.
“Then, we all dreamed of competing with Inter, but without losing sight of our objective: we have to focus on that. I’m tied to Milan, and usually when we started at the beginning of the season, we had to already think about next year: once this year’s team was built, the next year’s build had already begun.
“But we have to get to the Champions League. We don’t have to look three months ahead, but two years.
Did Chivu’s words bother you?
“I have to congratulate Chivu, who’s done a great job and is close to achieving his goal. Winning the Scudetto in his first year is a great satisfaction, I think. As for the rest, we’ll have to see in what context he said it… But he deserves nothing but praise.”
Condò says that coaches have often talked more about the Champions League than the league: he sees this attitude in the plans of clubs that have lowered their sights by talking only about the Champions League. Is this an evasion of responsibility?
“It depends on the situation and the context. It’s normal for Inter to have the Scudetto as their goal: last year they missed out by one point and have been fighting for it for six years. If they win it, it will be their third in the last six, with two Champions League finals.
“Then, if we qualify for the Champions League, next year we need to raise the bar to improve on this year’s position. If you’re at the top, you don’t say you’re fighting for a Champions League spot: if you’re the strongest, you have to say you’re fighting for the Scudetto.
“For us, reaching the Champions League is a good result; next year we need to have the ambition to improve on this year’s result.”
So next year you’ll say we’re aiming for the Scudetto?
“For now, we’re getting into the Champions League, then we’ll see what our ambitions are for next year. When you work for AC Milan, you always have to have the highest ambition. Then there’s the reality.
“You’ve changed half the team, players who need to fit in, players who don’t seem to have performed as well… But the ambition remains to get into the Champions League and improve on what we’ve done this year.”
Jurnalists are idiots. Ask Alegri stupid things about next year.That idiots doing.
If Leao and Pulisic not start play and score we not take 4 place.
Its not about coach its about players.
Who will come ahead of Milan? Milan can probably lose half of the games until end of season and still stay 4th.
Allegri’s intention seems pretty clear. That he wants to stay at Milan, and it’s not for just 1-2 years. He already said that he spent more than 12 years for just 2 clubs. He already said that he didn’t enjoy too many changes. He already said he prefer working in a club. The stirring by media is just too much.
And I sincerely hope that next season he’ll get more involvement in the club’s transfer decisions.