AC Milan have lacked a lot of the characteristics of old this season, and arguably for a lot longer. A fault which former sporting director Ariedo Braids feels lies with the management.
Despite the on-field issues, the big problems for the fans this season have been directed towards those in charge of the club, after all, there is a belief that they are the ones accountable for the current depressing picture that Milan have painted.
Protests have been common throughout the season with action being taken in San Siro, near Casa Milan and even at the anniversary dinner, where some senior members avoided being in the eyeline of the Curva Sud.
Now, with Champions League effectively a dream, the Rossoneri are vulnerable to more fan protests, and this is not a good look for a club that have tried to look after their brand for so long.
As a result of the situation, Milan News spoke to Braida, a man who knows everything about success, and he did not hold back.
Ariedo Braida, the situation at Milan is falling apart. From the outside, what idea did you get?
“When things are going well, it seems like everything should always go swimmingly and that there are no dark times. Then suddenly things stop working.
“In football, crises come unexpectedly, you struggle to understand what’s going on. That’s what’s happening at Milan at the moment.”
More and more people are in the dock: from the ownership to the management to the players…
“There are many aspects to consider, not just one. At this moment in Milan there is an identity crisis. I am a Milanista and I suffer, I don’t want to criticise. However, I am saying that we need to recreate a group through a sense of belonging.
“It sounds banal, but it’s something really important. If you don’t have certain values, everything falls apart.”
Are you referring to the management or the team?
“I’m referring to the environment as a whole. From the highest summit to the base of the pyramid. Milan has a great history, a great past. After Real Madrid, it is the team that has won the most Champions Leagues.
“You have to understand the importance of wearing this jersey, the sense of responsibility in representing this club. The great Milan has built its successes through a sense of belonging, through a clear identity.”
Only a year ago Milan came second…
“Crises always come, they come to everyone. Look at Manchester City. Knowing how to find solutions makes the difference.
“In this aspect, Milan lacks the necessary experience. And experience is important, maybe not the most important thing, but it certainly helps you. And it’s something you can’t buy.”
Would Ibrahimovic and Moncada need an experienced figure to work alongside them?
“In a few years they will be much better than they are now. But they need to understand what Milan is. Then we all make mistakes, but you also need the talent to understand who can play or not at San Siro.”
Are you referring to anyone in particular?
“I’m not naming names because it’s not good, but I’m just saying that San Siro is not for everyone. And there are players who don’t have the talent, the class to do it. That’s it, you have to guess which players can play and which can’t.”
You spoke of identity: many point out that the original sin was the departure of Paolo Maldini…
“Maldini is a missing figure and it’s a shame. Because he wrote history and has the Milan culture. This is the point: you need people who have the Milan culture. People like him who can inculcate it thanks to his sense of belonging, his identity, his experience, what he has contributed to writing.”
Your Milan experienced two terrible years between 1996 and 1998: an 11th and a 10th place despite the undoubted quality of the squad. In the summer of 1998 you revolutionised the team and the Scudetto arrived…
“We made a breakthrough choice with Zaccheroni playing with 3, after Milan had always played with 4 at the back. But beyond the modules, you need a coach to have the ability to break the deadlock with a leap, with a gimmick.
“Ancelotti, for example, invented Pirlo in front of the defence. The coach must know how to develop new situations, because football is in constant movement, it is not static.”
Conceiçao seems to be in big trouble…
“I don’t allow myself to judge him. He knows he has made some mistakes, as is normal. The point is to be able to find solutions. And that’s what I wish him, for his and Milan’s sake. Unfortunately, this year we’re suffering, the year is disappointing.”
In closing: the fans have also contested the ownership in Bologna, right from the start of the meeting. The facts say that since Berlusconi’s departure, Milan has only won one championship…
“Men like Berlusconi are of such a level that replacing them is difficult. Today one may have the ambition, but it is not enough.”
Maldini will not comeback, not when Gerry and his clowns are still in Milan.
Braida: “Maldini is a missing figure and it’s a shame. Because he wrote history and has the Milan culture. Who have sense of belonging.”
Gerry cardinale: “i have kick out maldini. I have abandon his son. Maldini legacies has ended up. It is time for new legacy, ibrahimovic legacy, his son in coming.”
Gerry cardinale: “ibrahimovic is my golden son, i trust him 100%.”
” I’m just saying that San Siro is not for everyone. And there are players who don’t have the talent, the class to do it. That’s it, you have to guess which players can play and which can’t.” they also need to be helped to get there and moulded as such. The shirt is heavy, Maldini helped lighten it for some. That’s why certain players like Tonali and Kessie were able to play in that sort of environment
Not just Tonali and Kessie but Maldini advices also works for Theo and many young players like Kalulu, Alexis, Brahim, Pobega, Gabbia etc. Even Tomori plays much better in his 1st and 2nd season compare to now and i think one of the reason was because of Maldini.
I completely agree.
Totally, if they removed De Ketelaere in one season there is no any reason why would we have expensive players like Chukwueze in this team any more…
Push redbird out of milan next season, cardinale only to much talk about shit. See milan now after whatever his doing
Two clowns destroy the club big ego small birds….
Milan is living in the past. No to Maldini return. Move on and appoint an experienced sporting director who knows how to build a winning team.
This is why Milan keep getting it wrong. Too much nostalgia with past players. Get competent experience people in management who can select the right coach and players to take the club forward. Stop living in the past. Smh
Having Maldini has nothing with living in the past. If it was a different person and not Maldini who won the last scudetto and achieved all he did, and then a new owner comes in and kicks him out unceremoniously, the outrage will be the same. It’s all ego like Nathan Page – unfortunately that’s only good with NXT wrestling.
The problem with Milan is the egomaniac owner and his equally egotistical lapdog, Ibra. A team is built over time. You need continuity. What we’re seeing is a systematic dismantling of what Maldini built just to prove an unprovable point.
I don’t want Maldini back as much as I love the guy and greatly appreciate what he did a few years ago. Well at least not back in the current iteration of the club. I just want competence and experience at the managerial level first and foremost. There are many ways and players to fill the club attachment portion
Cardinale couldn’t stand the fact that Maldini had a larger than life image. So, cut him to size. Fire him and show him who is boss, after he’s the new owner of AC Milan. When he saw the backlash, he hired his fraternal twin Ibra who he thinks is a Milan legend and can conveniently deflect the flask.
Newsflash: Ibra IS NOT a Milan legend. Show me his trophy haul with Milan for starters. How many Champions League did he win with Milan? Scratch that how many Champions League did he win anywhere, anyway?
The only thing Ibra had was ego and it’s the same thing that’s playing out here with Milan. Rather stay with the core of the team and build gradually, he and his paymaster decide to unhinge everything. In his warped mind, he believes he can build a team from scratch. So, he started a systematic dismantling of the team built by Maldini. It looked like they were strengthening the team. Isn’t that what we were told with Tonali’s sale?
At the beginning of this season it was Kalulu and Saelemaekers turn to leave. Guess who came in Emerson Royale! If we say Calabria is not good enough, how is it that Kalulu and Saelemaekers are not adequate replacement instead of Emerson Royale?
January transfer deadline day: ship out Bennacer and bring in an injured Bondo. Masterclass, I must say. Make it look like Bennacer asked to leave. Wasn’t it the same way Tonali asked to leave? Bennacer asked to leave on transfer deadline day?! Tell it to the marines.
By the end of the season, one or two of Maignan, Théo, Tomori or Leao will leave.
If you can’t see the subtle hint that something fundamental is wrong with Milan. Perhaps, there’s a hint of players silent protest against the management. Yes, they pay them as some will argue. But bear in mind these guys can still get good salaries elsewhere. Theo can. Maignan can and Leao certainly can.
But you guys can keep complaining about the coach and all. Until Cardinale and his pet-poodle Ibra leave, it’s a hard road to travel for Milan fans
@ Nino you just nailed it… Many knows the truth but like ibra lacks courage to speak up…Zion train will reflect on that….
For us Milan fans, Cardinale is nothing but a money bag and his employers( servants)have no choice but to serve… We can only hope a balanced human being who has a heart to win and also a mind to balance the account comes along… Not some greedy money shark
Nailed it 🤝
F*ck Cardinale and his lapdog Ibra 👎👎
The architect of Milan’s golden era has spoken. These clowns should take notes.
Sadly the clowns won’t take any notice.
These people aren’t stupid they know precisely what that are doing along with others in Italy.
Unfortunately the way Berlusconi did it gives today’s so called Milan fans nightmares because of all the BILLIONS AND BILLIONS HE WASTED 😧
PEOPLE SUCH AS BRAIDA HAS BEEN A POINT I’VE MADE FOR YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLUB BEING RUN CORRECTLY NOT JUST ON THE PITCH NOW TAKE A LOOK WHO WE HAVE OFF THE PITCH WHEN COMPARED TO UNDER BERLUSCONI AND THAT’S BEFORE YOU LOOK ON IT BUT HANG ON THAT’S ALL HISTORY IT’S POINTLESS THEY RUINED EVERYTHING BLAH BLAH BLAH 😭😭😭.
Why are you using caps so often?
They don’t take notes from anyone. Its cardinale’s way or the highway. Look where it got us. Wish they sell the club ASAP.
This players doesn’t have the class or talent to be in Milan.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Jovic
Chukwueze
Emerson Royal
Tomori
Thiaw
Terracciano
Yunus Musah
Tammy Abraham
Matteo Gabbia
Alex Jimenez
The defense is a disaster. That’s why it is easy to score against us. The midfielders can’t assist or create anything. They are to predictable and slow.
We don’t need Maldini back. We just need a competent management group with a competent sporting director and people from the world of football to run a football club. It’s not rocket science.
Competence is great, but Maldini is like having LeBron James on your basketball team—sure, other players are good, but they’re not slam-dunking greatness and make other players dreaming of joining your team.
Look at Man United with Dan Ashworth, who’s famous but not exactly bringing home the trophies. Maldini, on the other hand, is football royalty with a winning touch that brought Milan back to competing on scudetto and CL.
Just remember who replied to Spalletti when he yelled at Leao in the famous 4-0 game, when was the last time you have heard of a manager protecting the players and stay close to them like that.
True but Maldini was a questionable SD. If there’s a technical director role he could fill, for squad development then he’d be a great fit. Would he come as a glorified cheerleader?
He will kill it waving pom poms 😂😂
Maldini would have been great in Ibra position. Or part of scout like Zidane started at Madrid
He wasn’t even a sporting director. 🤣
What is questionable about Maldini? Origi? Who else?CdK? Definitely not. He won Europa the following season with Atalanta.
What else do you have that makes Maldini questionable? Donnarumma, Hakan and Kessie? That’s the usual argument. Let me help you expand the field.
Did you know Milan gave out Pepe Reina free to Lazio?
Did you know Lucas Biglia played out his contract?
Everyone who blames Maldini for the not selling Hakan, Donna and Kessie is just plain dumb. Even Gazidis has dispelled all the allegations against Maldini, but you guys are high on Cardinale’s fart. You forget that Fassone and Mirabelli signed those players to ridiculous contracts that handicapped even Elliot.
It was NOT Maldini refusing to sell. The players refused to take pay cuts and chose to see out their contracts. Add Romagnoli to it. He ran out his contract.
I couldn’t agree more
Bring back Maldini but redbird must go first
Too much talking and intervention in coaching.
Let the coach do his magic along supervision of Italian Milan Legend : Maldini or Baresi
He is 💯 CORRECT
Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
We are INSANE under this current ownership and management group
Bring Maldini back.
Enough with these managerial experiments and get the person that brought the team back to win a scudetto and be in top 4 regularly.
The cuckold Gerry Cardinale should sell the club before he destroys it completely by sacking a coach who came in just 2 months ago and already won a trophy. The American clowns have no idea about football and should leave it to some Arabs or better owners.
“Maldini is a missing figure and it’s a shame. Because he wrote history and has the Milan culture. This is the point: you need people who have the Milan culture. People like him who can inculcate it thanks to his sense of belonging, his identity, his experience, what he has contributed to writing.”
This is beyond pathethic, the club is dead. There is absolute no reason to wasted money or have any kind of hope with the current owner.
Have the peace of mind and let go, at least for another decade. 2012 until Maldini took charge was too heavy on the heart. Take care fellow Milanistas, Forza Milan per tutti
Maldini and Massara dosent get nearly as much credit for what they did in the Pioli-era as they deserves.. Maldini stood his ground against Gazidis Ragnick-project and manage to built a scudetto-competetive team in a time when Milan didnt spend much on transfers… The increased value in the squad from 2019 – 2022 was very impressive.
As a director Maldini is a remarkable talent and balancing his lack of experience with Massara worked well.. Its a true shame that Furlani managed to push Maldini out of the club..
Cardinale is a clown.
I wouldn’t mind having Braida back as well. He did well in Milan’s management the last time he was here
Weldone maldini comeback
Redbird knows nothing about football I guess,they have destroyed almost everything at Milan as a Club they have brought more harm than good to the Club….
Money can only take you so far. For AC Milan ownership and management clowns only know how to waste it to destroy the club. Changes are badly needed and bring Paolo Maldini is a step forward !!!