Sergio Conceicao, Head Coach of AC Milan

Conceicao insists Milan players are behind him but admits issues are ‘not easy to change’

Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images

AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao has insisted he still feels the full backing of the squad, but once again questioned their motivation.

If the task was easy for Milan in the sense that they needed to beat Dinamo Zagreb to secure a top eight spot, the performance suggested that the players took the simplicity of it too lightly.

The Rossoneri played in one of the most important matches of the season without intensity and without attention, losing to the Croatian champions 2-1 with goals in each half from Baturina and Pjaca.

The mistake from Matteo Gabbia for the opening goal and the red card for Yunus Musah not long after set the tone, and Christian Pulisic’s equaliser would be in vain. The result? A 13th-placed finish, with Juventus or Feyenoord awaiting in the last 16.

Conceicao did not speak to the TV cameras at full-time and instead headed straight for his post-match press conference, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.

What happened?

“All the episodes of the match were against us, but with this I don’t want to hide the lack of aggression in the first half. When the base is missing it’s difficult: football is made of constant defensive and attacking duels. I’m not saying spectacular things, but it’s not easy to change.

“We reacted, but why are we forced to react? We had much more motivation than them. The preparation was detailed. Then everyone has to put their passion for football into it. Even the pitch wasn’t good, the refereeing wasn’t up to par. You can say everything, but I won’t.

“I also put Terracciano on the right. They’re facts, but I don’t want to get involved. For me, passion is more important, putting something more than yourself. Otherwise you can change coach, the best in the world can come, but it’s difficult.

“The problem is the base. Really: us, playing in a Champions League match like this, coming in the way that we did, it’s difficult…”

Santiago Gimenez got injured tonight…

“I will have a conversation with the management to understand where we need to improve. We are trying to find solutions that can help us, a little stronger. We still have everything in hand, both in the league and in the Champions League. We have everything to move forward.”

Was it the worst first half of your career?

“No, because despite our attitude they never got to the goal. I don’t even massacre Gabbia, who gave us so much. Musah’s first card was avoidable. A mistake and goal from them on the first shot. We as a team made these mistakes.

“Let’s put our hand on our conscience. I am here in front of you and I tell you that I am responsible. Then in the dressing room and we have to look each other in the face.”

Marko Pjaca of GNK Dinamo
Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images

Do the players believe in your ideas?

“I have no doubt. I will answer honestly. I saw players who were truly sorry and disappointed by this match. If the players did not believe in me, we would not have won the Supercoppa, in Como or against Parma with important reactions.

“We must change the way we start games. If those who play from the first minute are not available to do this, we will put others out there. There is trust between the staff and the players.”

Tags AC Milan Dinamo Zagreb Milan

28 Comments

  1. Here’s an idea, stop relying on tomori to do jobs he has clearly shown you he can’t do. Maybe use Jovic or Camarda since you’ve watched morata and Tammy be less than useless

      1. Yes but he’s never used in any competition. He’s had like a combined 12 minutes all season. Morata and Tammy can’t score at all, so why not do anything you can. Camarda as well would put in a better effort too

        1. ” Morata and Tammy can’t score at all, so why not do anything you can. Camarda as well would put in a better effort too”

          This. We’ve seen what these two can do. Or actually what THEY CAN’T DO! Camarda would have scored from the Okafor’s sitten 100%. WTF are we forced to watch Abraham & Morata waste million chances when we have a natural goal scorer sitting on the bench? Age doesn’t mean a thing if you can (or can’t) score goals. Let the actions speak for themselves FFS.

  2. so maybe the issues is not the coach ? so maybe the issues is not the player too eh ?
    so maybe is time for furlani, moncada and ibra to leave there f**ing jobs !!

    1. The management absolutely has to go. They’ve been over their heads since day 1 and it has been so obvious to everyone. Gerry is clueless but he has grown revenue drastically, this is important for a club. Conceicão has convinced me. We need proper management and we will be successful.

      1. Stop peddling the same bs. In case you hadn’t noticed, last year’s profit was only €4.06 million and that’s because of continued heavy player investment. The biggest irony is that we have garbage on the pitch and garbage fans off the pitch.

        When Abramovic took over Chelsea, with near limitless wealth, the fans got behind him and it took 2 years before they won the league.

        When the Qatari’s took over Man City, with near limitless wealth, the fans got behind them. It took 4 years before they won the league.

        RedBird have invested as much as possible while keeping the club in the black.

        We need a new stadium, the owners are actively trying to build a new stadium.

        We needed a bridge between the youth team and first team, Futuro was established.

        The contract of our most prized asset, Leao, was renewened, ensuring he didn’t leave on a free as others had.

        The team were going nowhere under Pioli. He was replaced.

        The team were going nowhere under Fonseca. He was replaced.

        Moncada has screwed up recruitment and the club are actively trying to correct these mistakes in the market.

        So WTF are you complaining for? The owners are new to the sport. Of course they’re going to make mistakes, but they make mistakes and try to correct them, so, again, WTF are you complaining for? Complain if they show no ambition. Complain if money isn’t being invested. Complain if coaches that need to be changed aren’t changed, but don’t complain when that isn’t the case.

  3. I can’t really blame the manager too much. Any top manager would struggle with this current Ac Milan squad, the mentality is not there. I have come to the realisation this is just where we are at the moment, big history and pedigree but very average squad with no identity in our play. I would not be surprised if Conceicao walks away from it all

  4. He has a bright coaching future ahead of him. As long as he leaves the RedBird circus as fast as possible. It’s an actual decease.

  5. Hei conceicao, do you really know how to coach a football team? For what I saw, the team you put on the pitch doesn’t have any strategy to play but chaos

  6. 4231 is no longer compatible for Milan. All other teams saw thru this 1 trick pony. Stop using 4231 and 433. It’s not MILAN DNA. Back to 442 4312. We need twin striker. Leao or Theo, either one to be sold.

    1. Conceicao should using 3241 like city did. But before, conceicao should change player mentality. More important to heading every games.

    1. when fonseca was complaining too, they said he was whining too much. Now, Sergio is constantly complaining of having no time: he knew that before taking the job didnt he?
      Then he should shut up and get on with the job he was hired to do. Many guys roasted Fonseca for his “harsh” treatment of Leao& theo, but they now realise he was in fact CORRECT. The players are listless and lethargic. Few players are playing as though something was at stake: they are hungry, but the rest are over-fed 9 to 5 staff.
      Its a poorly assembled team, poorly managed too.

  7. Sell Theo and Leao, and buy 4-5 players that Conceicao wants, so we can build the team surround him.

    Time to moving from Milan’s team that from Pioli’s era to Conceicao era.

    Time for the management sell our best assets, to rebuild new team and bring new iconic player for Milan.

      1. Theo is one of our best players but this year he’s a liability. I suspect it’s a fatigue thing after working tirelessly for Milan and France nonstop but he’s currently unable to provide the moments we need him to. Under Pioli he was the team’s best carrier of the ball, but he is never in those pockets of space this season. I think the man needs some proper recovery time away. Same for Morata.

        1. That’s not the reason. A woman made a false rape claim against him and it took 7 years for it to come to court. She was given a suspended sentance earlier this month. His brain is scrambled.

  8. People on this forum criticised Fonseca who questioned the effort and desire of the so called senior players, now Conceicao is doing same. These players are becoming a law unto themselves and Milan suffers for it

  9. Like I’ve said a year ago, a month ago and yesterday. Buy Baturina. If you didn’t watch him before now you saw him, do we need another Olmo situation where he goes to some club and then is valued 80M? It is evident. 21 years old, by the time he is the age of Reijnders he will be 3 times the player he is…

    1. But Moncada can be slapped in the face by a player like that, he won’t recommend him. He is 20M valuation, there is some French guy for 7M that won’t do anything ever but Milan could potentially save 15M buying him.

  10. they should try to increase the rhytm. it’s the slowest pace of milan in the last 3 yrs i think. it seems they too afraid to lose ball or dont have courage to go attacking. they only doing it when theyre behind the scoresheet because theres no other choice to do. the lazy stars (theao) is young and have high offer salary elsewhere its hard to rely on them. We also need to fix how we defend, starting with a good dm. rn theres no consistent cm to defend. the best is fofana but still not consistent. if we have to wait for the defense to recover their confidence we need to score more goals and now the strikers cant score when they had chances. so either you buy a cdm or a lethal striker. otherwise just change the formation

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