Sportitalia director Michele Criscitiello has criticised the AC Milan ownership for perceived confusion regarding their process of hiring a new head coach, revealing some information about two potential candidates.
Milan are looking for the right man to replace Stefano Pioli and the latest name in the frame is Roberto De Zerbi after the previous links to Julen Lopetegui, Sergio Conceicao, Paulo Fonseca and others.
Brighton announced on Friday that they will part ways with their boss at the end of the season after two years together, meaning that the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United yesterday was his last game in charge.
SportMediaset reported today that there have been contacts between the Rossoneri and De Zerbi’s entourage in the last few hours to understand whether the conditions exist to move forward.
Criscitiello spoke during his weekly column for Sportitalia and he began by talking about De Zerbi’s decision to leave Brighton and how that might change Milan’s approach.
“Behind his choice there is no Bayern, Milan, Barcelona, Juve or United. There is just a different idea of football that no longer matches that of the club. He leaves and doesn’t look at the money. Unique on this planet,” he said.
“Now he will wait for the project he likes, the team he likes and he will not, as always, choose a lot to coach. He accepted Brighton due to the characteristics of the players and said no to Bologna because at that moment Sinisa was ill and didn’t feel like taking his place after the dismissal of the former Bologna coach.
“The real madness is Milan: you have the opportunity and the right and involuntary fit to take De Zerbi and go for Fonseca who promises to be a Garcia-Napoli encore. Fonseca is an excellent coach but Milan must understand that they need experience and knowledge.
“Fonseca is one of the many wrong names that Milan are following. Now the former Roma manager is back in pole position but if you want to fight with Juventus’ evolution and want to stop Inter’s growth you can’t do it with Fonseca and gambling.
“In this Milan we need certainties and if the club is not able to provide them they must say so publicly. If Conte and De Zerbi let you know that going to Milanello would be an honour for them and you don’t even have a chat, it means that you haven’t understood the value of the Rossoneri club.”