Former AC Milan manager Fabio Capello has hit out at the club’s ownership for the sacking of Paolo Maldini over the summer, drawing comparisons with Jose Mourinho’s firing today.
Less than 48 hours after the final game of the 2022-23 season against Hellas Verona at San Siro, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara were sacked as the technical and sporting director arousing questions about the plans moving forward.
The reasons for the fall-out between Maldini and RedBird Capital were debated at length, but many pointed the finger at the ownership and said that Maldini had not been treated in an appropriate way given his club legend status.
Fast forward to today, and Mourinho was given his marching orders by Roma. The 3-1 defeat against Milan on Sunday proved to be the final straw, with the Giallorossi sat in ninth place with eight wins from 20 league games.
Capello was the head coach of both Roma and Milan in the 1990s and 2000s, as well as a player for both too, and he spoke to Sky about American ownerships.
“I think that these American companies work without respecting the people they collaborate with. We saw it at Milan with Maldini and today in Trigoria with Mourinho,” he began (via Calciomercato.com).
“There is no sensitivity on their part, but only business. On the other hand, I think that respect is also needed, perhaps by reaching an agreement first and separately and not with a statement and a phone call.
“That something wasn’t working was clear from the fact that they didn’t respond to his requests. They treated him in the least respectful way and we are talking about one of the most important coaches in history. It also happened to me in Russia, where they warned me at the airport.
“De Rossi replacing Mourinho? There were difficulties in terms of numbers with many players unavailable, but it is an opportunity for De Rossi to start as he did as a player in Roma with me. Like me he started in SPAL and we have something in common.
“It will be difficult, but knowing the Roman environment he has to show his worth. As a footballer he was very good, now he has to show it as a coach.
“He has to work on the players and show that they are a real team and the fans will have to support the team much more.”
Maldini hasn’t been exactly respectful either and it is not the first management he has fallen out with.
The new owners gave him a season, it didn’t work … happens, doesn’t mean either side is the personified evil.
He just criticized the owner & managers ‘s lack of ambitions
“doesn’t mean either side is the personified evil._
Also: Maldini hasn’t been exactly respectful
Smh
From Goal.com and Football Italia.
“It seems to be that these American owners have a strange way of handling things, with no respect for those who work for them,” said the ex-Italian coach.
“They are disrespectful because we saw how Maldini was sacked with a phone call, and now they did the same with Mourinho, who was at Trigoria and was told that he was no longer in charge.”
Wasn’t it reported that Cardinale and Maldini met face to face when the firing happened?
Why is this old man fabricating lies?
How are they supposed to be fired?
Should they lay down the red carpet, throw them a parade?
Mourinho has missed 8 games because of suspensions just this season.
He constantly acts like a clown,
Especially after the Europa final, putting the safety of the referee and his family in danger.
He has the 3rd highest wage bill in serie A.
Currently sits 9th in the league.
Failed to qualify for the ucl the last 2 years.
And his team is playing awful football.
Firing coach that has done all of that apparently is unacceptable and disrespectful.
But you can tell that this is personal for him because he got the boot at the airport, if that is actually true.
Was it respectful when Capello forced his way away from Roma to go to Juventus?
How about when he left Juventus, who were relegated trying to help him win those 2 scudettis with cheating, to go to Real Madrid?
Where was your respect for those you worked for?
It’s not fun when the boot is on the other foot.
I understand the lack of empathy, business is business and their status for past accomplishments as players to me shouldn’t be a reason not to make decisions that are needed.
The problem is, Americans are not offering their coaches and directors the tools required to meet objectives they set. They tie their hands, then make them the scapegoats for their lack of ambition, or knowledge in their management. These squads are built in bit parts with a hodge podge of whatever they can get their hands on within the most minimal and restrictive parameters, then expect the a return that doesn’t align with those levels of investment. These teams are not complete or sufficiently equipped to compete on multiple fronts.
Well said. The pressure also comes from fans who expect so much more than they should. Roma admittedly have the 3rd highest wage bill this year in serie a so clearly something has to be changed, however, Milan are 4th and firmly comfortable in 3rd place yet the supporters and directors think we somehow are better than inter who’s benchwarmers would walk into our squad, or Juve who have no European commitments.
People need to stop overrating inter players. The difference in squad quality between Milan and inter is made by Lautaro. The rest of the squad player by player is equal.
What inter bench warmer would walk in the Milan squad? Who? Bum as Fratessi, or maybe the great Arnautovic?
Inter has been playing great this season. Lautaro has been playing out of his mind, probably the best player in Europe this season, Milan has had a 1000 injuries, all defenders injured, coach sabotaging his own team with idiotic lineup changes, best player plays like crap, and yet inter only has 9 points advantage over Milan. All that with inter-earning points in the 2 of the last 3 games thanks to refs help.
Tell me again how can inter bench warmers walk into Milan’s squad.
Yes, Fratessi would walk into the Milan squad, and they have considerably more quality in their first 11. Their squad is complete unlike ours this season, because they have competent directors.
Stop licking American backsides all day long. They may know how to do business but they have a lot to learn if they actually WANT to win trophies. Maldini brought them one, but I don’t see them capable of winning another by themselves for a long time.
Thuram been better than Chuk abd Okafor combined. Barella and Hakan alone can destroy our midfield, add Frattesi…Their team’s best players outperform ours. Not a rocket scientist needs to confirm that
Inter midfield outplays Milan midfield every game even when Tonali and Bennacer were there because of their team set up not because they are better players.
People keep asking for a DM but if you look at Inter’s midfield none of their midfielders is a DM. All of them are offensive minded players. Hakan and Mikhitaryan spent most of their careers as n10, and Barella is definitely not good at defending, yet their midfield works because of their style of play. Their wingbacks are not good at defending individually either.
Why do you think people want Pioli fired?
Milan man by man individually has better CBs when healthy than inter , yet inter defense is the best in the league, why, because of the way they are set up. They play as a team while Pioli has Milan defenders play 1v1.
And why are you comparing inter starting forward Thuram with 2 Milan bench players?
Don’t be afraid. Compare him with Leao. That’s why I mentioned above that Milan is only 9 points behind even though Leao has been crap and not pulling his own weight.
Inter’s best player has 18 goals, while Milan’s has 3, and yet Milan is only 9 points behind.
I understand your point Z.
But you see this statement “Barella is definitely not good at defending” needs to be reviewed.
I remember last year, I had a lengthy conversation here with some fans. I told them that Barella is a modern Complete Right Central Midfielder who can comfortably defend and attack, but because of our lack of understanding of football, people just went online and Googled Barella’s playing position, and hence he is a “mezzala” and as such they said he’s not a Central Midfielder but rather he’s a “half winger”. I just laughed because they have no understanding of football. Some said he’s a winger, some said he’s a striker. I told them, a mezzala is a RCM, and a RCM is a CM, simple as that.
Inter milan is reaping off the versatility of Barella today, since Brozovic left, Barella does Inter Milan’s DM duties, he does it effortlessly that he doesn’t need to change positions with Hakan. I see a future for them when Aslani after studying the role perfectly will send Hakan to the bench, then Barella can relieve some defensive duties.
@Z did u just say that Barella isn’t good at defending???? Lol 😂 he just enforces the midfield right 😅
Forget about the league standing, the player have fought hard for that, don’t be deceived.
Do you enjoy watching Milan play?
If you say we shouldn’t ask for more from this team, especially as it regard playing style, then I have no word for you.
Ok. What about when Napoli fires garcia. Was it disrespectful?
I think this is lame af. Muricans come to italy to spend money by buying clubs and get treated like this from them in return. I dont even like muricans all that much. Who was it that ran those clubs to the ground and why no italians bought them?
All they do is whine while dreaming of the golden days while their league sinks deeper and deepr behind becasue you cant even build a foking stadium to improve your club.. takes a decade to do something
The only objectives these people have is MAKING MONEY FOR THERE INVESTORS at the same time seriously damage those clubs by constantly cost cutting using ffp as an excuse.
The last thing the league needed was Jose to go the last thing the league needs is further cost cutting the last thing the league needs is more american investors but sadly unless big changes are made and supporters fans followers actually do something and stop excepting this then the future for the rest of this decade is going to be all to familiar.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and even Atalanta are all owned by Americans.
Don’t mix PL into this, they’re a Super League in terms of marketing and sales compared to any league in the world. Returns on investments in clubs like Pool, Chelsea and Arsenal are immediate and huge. Italy is decades behind them and it will never be on the same level as it was in the 90’s or compared to PL.
Serie A clubs earn sh*t from tickets, television rights and marketing. They patch these old stadiums they don’t even own. They rely solely on CL qualifications in order to maintain balanced books and compete with other big guns from other leagues.
You took a whole time to explain the Serie A without linking it to the Americans.
Are the Americans to blame that Serie A clubs don’t earn much from tickets, television rights and marketing?
Are they to blame that the stadiums are old?
Is it the fault of the Americans that in the last 20 years the Lega Serie A have failed as a federation to make decisions that will grow the league?
I mean, Italy has more population than England, and also Spain, Italy has more economic and financial potential than these countries, but poor decisions and management which affects Italy as a country is reflected in the Serie A.
Imagine a legislation which compels club owners to mandatorily include athletes track should they ever think of constructing a stadium. Do you see that in England and Spain?
Americans have no hand in the over 20 years dilapidation of the Serie A please. Be educated.
The Lega positions itself more on political ideas than football development.
Until they priortise football development and the business around it rather than political ideologies, Italian league will never get back better.
Now, Italy has scrapped the Growth Decree, watch how the league recede its growth in the last few years.
1. Old stadium
2. Poor public transport in Italy to the stadium
3. Poor marketing of the league
4. Numbers 1 and 3 results in poor sponsorship and low TV rights.
These are the basic problems with the Serie A, and these have absolutely nothing to do with the Americans who have brought in their money to invest despite the poor business and economic environment for investors.
Have you asked yourself, are there no billionaires in Italy? Why are they not investing in these clubs?
I’m merely discussing why PL is more attractive for American investments than Italy and why success in their investment there is almost guaranteed unlike in Italy and therefore these two leagues in term of investments and return, are not comparable. At all. So you’re just wasting time with your litanies.
Where is your education Ted?
I simply highlighted a few clubs owned by Americans which can be considered well to do.
You just dived in to tell me not to mix PL and that they are Super League, and I find it difficult to understand the the intellect or the correlation of that with the ongoing conversation.
You clearly seem not to understand business, do you know the amount of debt being owed by teams in the EPL? Your so called Super League with immediate ROI?
We’re talking business, you’re talking sh*t.
Oh man I’ve never before seen such arrogance combined with complexity. What has eduction to do with this discussion? Do you feel threatend or something? You don’t even read properly my explanation without being complexed on education level.
Not understanding business? You clearly don’t understand the corelation between profit generated and debts owned, let alone the value of brand names of these PL clubs.
Peace out Ted.
I thought you were American.
Stop being delusional Ted, a business with immediate ROI need no loans or debt especially when they aren’t expanding anything.
And so you know, your level of education not certificate tends to creep in in our daily conversation and argument as humans, know this and find peace.
Yep, and Italians are to blame. This article is quoting an Italian who is b*tching about the American way of doing things. How do you think the PL got to be where it is (who did the USA get to be where it is (for better or for worse))? Which country in Europe most closely follows the “American Way” of doing business, etc.? Would this not be England? Like my dad always likes to say about ordering food at a New York deli, “If it’s your turn and you don’t know what to say, then it’s NEXT.” This is why there’s 21.7% unemployment amongst those
[strangely cut off my post]
….
This management has made investments into this team and brought financial stability. Don’t know what you’re going on about
Mou was on his way out. With or without American owners. Stop it, Fabio.
Maldini lost too many players for zero. He did even worse with CDK, who clearly wasn’t a fit for this team.
Also this new ownership brought financial stability to this team.
Dont forget about Pioli, he is the one that give him new contract and want to fired him 4 months later
Stop capping Capello. That is the nature of the business and he should know better about it..They fired Ancelotti after he won’t them a title, same with Ranieri at Leicester. Others for much much less. They didn’t like Maldini’s performance or personality, whether we disagree with it or not but they are the owners and can do what is necessary to protect their interests.
Dunno what u mean by Maldini losing players..was it Maldini dat set d salary cap or what…. We Lost players who were outside d salary cap .. and replaced Dem with better players.. . And as for CDK, it’s obvious as it stands dat your dullard of a coach nearly killed his career, d same CDK will earn Milan at least 28m… Can u say d same thing for chukwueze? how much can u sell chukwueze now? Abeg comment on d issue not on Maldini… Maldini has done more good for Milan than u can ever achieve in ur life
What I mean? Kessie, Donnarumma, and so many others lost on free transfers because he couldn’t close a deal correctly. CDK has three goals in the league for Atalanta. Really lighting everything up not. You’re crazy. Also Chukwueze has already done more for Milan than CDK. And this is a fact.
Do u not read that Maldini doesn’t have a say what the salary cap is, the owners and the real upper management do (Furlani, Scaroni). That’s the parameters they had to work with.
The Lega positions itself more on political ideas than football development.
Until they priortise football development and the business around it rather than political ideologies, Italian league will never get back better.
Now, Italy has scrapped the Growth Decree, watch how the league recede its growth in the last few years.
1. Old stadium
2. Poor public transport in Italy to the stadium
3. Poor marketing of the league
4. Numbers 1 and 3 results in poor sponsorship and low TV rights.
These are the basic problems with the Serie A, and these have absolutely nothing to do with the Americans who have brought in their money to invest despite the poor business and economic environment for investors.
Have you asked yourself, are there no billionaires in Italy? Why are they not investing in these clubs?
A bit of bias there from Capello. He is not the poster child for empathy either.
I don’t think anyone would deny that Mourinho has been on a downward trajectory since leaving Chelsea. When Roma brought him in I knew they would suffer to the betterment of Milan. His tactics are old, the game has passed him by and he hasn’t adapted to the modern game. He has a place in the footballing annals but his time has past, sacking him was the right decision.
I am not sure why Fabio is making an American connection other than to set fans against the ownership based on nationality/they are not one of us. If Fabio has issues with these owners going to the nationality means you really don’t know the people you are talking about. If I understand correctly Americans own teams 3rd on the table Milan and 4th on the table Fiorentina that’s 2 of the top 4. Say what you want but I don’t think these owners are trying to drain money from the clubs but build a little more responsibly. I am not on the board meetings so it’s hard to say what is discussed and everyone is entitled to an opinion but that’s what they are opinions. I want Cardinale to do everything he can to get Milan back on top and its sad that he parted ways with Maldini but at some point we must move forward and decide whether or not we want to support the club.
Agree
Why are we having this debate? Sacking a coach/manager is a common thing, it happens all the time, it’s been happening since a long time. It doesn’t matter whether the league is Serie-A, EPL, Laliga, Bundesliga, etc. It doesn’t matter whether the club owner is Americans, Italians, British, Russians, Chinese, and so on. If you can’t bring your team to the top, then you’ll get sacked. It’s as simple as that.