AC Milan are preparing for their final game of the 2023-24 Serie A season, one which will see Stefano Pioli on the San Siro touchline as the Rossoneri’s head coach for the last time, and a report has claimed that there is now a clear favourite to succeed him.
The tale of this season will have a theme of Pioli’s job security. At best times, it was ‘he might keep his job’. At the worst? It was a stream of social media hashtags, questions about his future, and questions about the board’s ability to make decisions.
However, this theme will not replicate. Nothing has been confirmed, but the writing is on the wall, it is covered, yet the message is known and pre-planned. The management have refused to decide on his future until the season’s conclusion, but reports of talks with other managers and Pioli’s talks with other clubs suggest that both parties have known the fate for some time.
Now, there is a need to find his successor, and Sky journalist Peppe Di Stefano has spoken about the candidate that Milan want, and his words have been relayed by Radio Rossonera.
“Yesterday there was the meeting between Lille and Fonseca with the club offering him a contract renewal that the coach is not expected to accept. Tomorrow there will also be the final meeting between Fonseca and Marseille, but there is little hope that the coach will accept.
“Milan hopes that it will not go through in order to take the decisive step. If there is time to close in the week, Milan will do it. The ambiguous situation is that Milan after playing Salernitana will leave for Australia, but we need to understand if the agreement with Stefano Pioli will be resolved first, otherwise he will leave with Milan for Australia. The only name for the successor is that of Paulo Fonseca.”
Well, I hope if it comes to pass then everyone gets behind him and gives full support next season, no point writing him off so soon if this is the choice that’s been agreed upon.
Lets be honest, the curva wont back up the Los Lopetegos that are being discussed by the media, as well as most of the fans. Whats the point then in changing Pioli when you actually replace him with more or less the same coach – same atacking output and same defensive woes. I think their idea will backfire – they decided to listen to the uprising of the fans against Pioli, by hiring his brother from another mother.
And you know what most of the fans are angry about? Not that Fonseca is the chosen one or MVB – its that Gerry comes all big talk about titles etc and lets be honest Los Lopetegos aint brining any titles
No one will back Noneseca. Instead, he will be heavily criticized alongside the management including Zlatan of course at the first defeat.
This has already happened in Roma in Noneseca’s last season there which pushed Roma’s management to hire Mourinho.
And ironically enough Noneseca was hired to get the team back on before 2017/2018 track after a disappointing 2017/2018 campaign
And frankly that’s pathetic. Why pre-judge someone who the club put in place before a ball is kicked and a team put out? He wouldn’t be my first choice but the idiots wanting him to fail so they can be proven right are just a waste of space.
Coaches learn, develop and improve. Id rather keep Pioli but if we go for Fonseca the guy deserves a chance and some respect.
I’ll back him. For at least half a season. Unless we play absolutely horrendous
I bet Milan already has their coach picked. Media is just picking up on crumbs for a distraction. In fact I would bet its a name not mentioned much.
If you pay attention, the better options aren’t in the circulation much… I hope it’s a clue. I just can’t shake off the fact that pretty early on there were Conte contacts to the point of him setting up a dinner with all his staff in Milan. And this was EARLY into this carousel.
The rest has been an orchestrated merry-go-round.
I think you’re right. I’m not hearing any other club being linked with Conte, and I think it’s because he has already signed with us. The management simply doesn’t want to upset some fans and get everyone else too excited about expectations, especially while the season is still going on with Pioli. But if I’m wrong and we get someone like Fonseca, we will be worse than under Pioli. I hope he’s just a red herring.
I’d much rather have Fonseca than Conte. At least the guy tries to make the club better.
At this point I hope your right. But milan is a circus and I truly believe they’re after all these names and they’re looking for the best coach for the cheapest amount and the one who will say yes right away.
We might end up with Conte or another name who was not so much mentioned. But not because there was a master plan which took place some time ago.
Unless you imply that the story with Lopertegui was fake (it wasn’t since it was confirmed by Lopertegui’s assistant amongst others) or our management played some kind of poker game with him to blindside the competition.
Yeah I could even believe they are still in the open mind about phase. I assume they will meet with Pioli and co several times before all is said and done. All of you on here say results matter and in the grand scheme of things it’s hard to argue with 1st, 4th and 2nd.
Personally I think the time is right to move on but who knows. Maybe there was an informal conversation with a certain coach who’s taking the next year off and Pioli is given one last ride (I know it’s a pipe dream). The facts are the media is full of s***. Everything that’s published in the tabloids is click bait. And thank god we get to be upset over finishing second instead of 10th
I hope your gut feel on this is right @ACM. The names being mentioned leaves me cold
Everybody just talking the final decision is up Cardinals and his team with support or no.
Sometimes I wonder if the management is ok, all the names mentioned here worst then Pioli accept for Antonio conti.
What about the physical coach and medical staff
A coach is only better when he has full team for a complete season, the ups and down is too much for Pioli.
Pioli is a better coach but needs good back up.
Paulo Fonseca je suis pas convaincu, De Zerbi est bon mais j’ai une crainte ses équipes sont hyper offensives ce qui fait qu’elles encaissent beaucoup de buts en clair il n’y a pas d’équilibre entre le côté défensif et offensif. On ne gagne pas de compétitions en prenant but sur but j’espère qu’il pourra régler ce problème. En clair si on a pas Motta je prends De Zerbi
It’s pathetic!