Ruben Amorim has only been working at Milanello for a few days, but his imprint is already starting to be seen.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning that Amorim’s Milan is starting to take shape: from the principles of his style of play to the training sessions themselves, there are many things that he has changed compared to his predecessor Massimiliano Allegri.
A new style
Milan have chosen to start fresh with a foreign coach, one whose trademark style is attacking football and who, perhaps, is eager for redemption following a disappointing stint at another top European club. He does have a few issues to resolve, and he is straight to work.
Amorim wants to relaunch himself after a tough time in Manchester. He chose Milan and Milan chose him among many options. To start the 3-4-2-1 transition, the management backed Amorim with the signings of Goncalo Ramos and Mario Gila.
The former PSG centre-forward was first on the coach’s personal preference list, and he was involved in almost all transfer meetings. Cardinale wants to know his opinion to put him in the best conditions and to transform the theory of the attacking game into practice and, above all, results.
The objectives are also new: a spot in the Champions League is obviously the priority, but Amorim has publicly confessed that he wants to be the coach that wins the second star Scudetto.
Living at Milanello
The search for a house that meets Amorim’s needs in the city continues. His real estate appointments are concentrated in the most central areas of the city, a way to fully experience Milan and the mood of the environment.
The best way to get in touch with the new reality is to know and be able to express yourself in the new language. Amorim has a squad largely made up of foreigners and he himself expresses himself in perfect English.
English is also needed to speak with Gerry Cardinale, the American owner, and with the foreign management. It’s not enough for him though: Ruben is already taking Italian lessons and has set himself the goal of learning it in record time.
On the day of the presentation he addressed a few words to the new audience in our language. In the meantime, between the commitments of the first Rossoneri days and the upcoming intercontinental business trips, the coach will live in Milanello.
Being based at the training ground also helps him for logistical and convenience reasons: here every morning, by 08:30, the team must show up for breakfast together. Afterwards they go out onto the field for the day’s training.
Togetherness
“For anything you might need, I’m here. Always available.” With these words Amorim introduced himself to the group gathered in Milanello. A message of total openness to the team: as a former player, he knows the internal dynamics.
It is not a given that he would also receive the same availability in return, but it is what the coach was most impressed and proud of. He found a perfect attitude from the team: the players collect his ideas, are curious and participate in new proposals.
The first impressions are positive and the response from the field is the one the coach was waiting for with the most apprehension. The enthusiasm he found in the group was more than comforting.
He was impressed by the presence of the club, and by the organisation he found around the team. In addition to the proximity of the owners, who wanted to please him with the first market moves, it is in everyday life and in small actions that the coach finds protection and support.
Intensity and conditioning
Full-pitch pressing, immediate ball recovery, and a quest to dominate the game: Amorim has outlined the cornerstones of his footballing philosophy. He began translating these ideas onto the pitch just five days ago, without feeling the need to rush things.
Those who view pre-season training as synonymous with grueling toil and overtaxed muscles will find no such approach here. The principles remain, but the coach has his own way of cultivating them: a single daily session – held in the morning – that is not necessarily long or physically exhausting.
He alternates shorter workouts with more intense sessions, all while focusing on his vision for the future. The ball is always involved, and Amorim (a former midfielder) often finds himself right in the thick of the action, actively participating in drills and even the opening rondo.
He is not a coach who merely issues instructions. He moves with the squad and plays a far more central role than the rest of the staff. In just eight days, he faces his first official outing: an international debut against Celtic, kicking off at 16:00 CEST.
While match fitness is still a work in progress and many key players of this new era will be missing, Milan fans will still get a glimpse of what lies ahead.