Paulo Fonseca is reportedly in a similar position that he entered the last international break – his job is not secure. Today, Franco Ordine has questioned why this might be, and he reached an intriguing conclusion.
The security of Fonseca is an ongoing topic, and even in the summer, he never really seemed to have everyone involved with the club on his side. With rumours of a split with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, poor results, and now another installation of problems, the Portuguese head coach is facing a replay.
When the last international break took place, Milan were winless in their first three games and Fonseca’s future was hinging on the Champions League game against Liverpool, and the derby. Of course, we know what happened there, but there are no fixtures to provide another significant boost.
Whilst the game against Napoli could spur the side on, if the Diavolo do not return with purpose then questions will only grow in volume.
In his column for Il Giornale, Ordine discussed several things, most notably whether other figures have played a part in Fonseca’s instability, and his words have been relayed by Radio Rossonera.
“The key to the interpretation of Fonseca’s outburst is twofold: according to some, he wanted, for the first time, to make known to the outside world the responsibilities of his own players without realising that in doing so he had dealt a solemn blow to his own credibility with the public.
“Even the red card received by Theo, captain, at the end of the match is another sign of a wrong reaction, like that of Pulisic after his substitution. It shows the lack of recognition of the coach’s authority,” Ordine suggested.
“With two guys like Fabio Capello or Antonio Conte could this ever have happened? Furlani and Ibra’s sombre silence at the end of the match is a signal to be decoded in the coming hours. Including the break, they will be decisive in understanding whether the club will take sides behind Fonseca’s rant or whether it will be that very statement that triggers a different assessment.”