After the game between AC Milan and Red Star Belgrade, which the former won 2-1, Paulo Fonseca spoke to the media. He was very honest with his assessment, almost to the point of sounding despondent.
It certainly wasn’t a good performance by the Rossoneri, despite the lovely opener of Rafael Leao in the first half. Red Star had 48% possession and also managed to find ways through the Milan defence, making the most of a mistake in the second half to equalise.
While Tammy Abraham eventually scored the winner, there weren’t that many positives to take from the game and Fonseca highlighted this after the full-time whistle. Speaking to Sky Italia, as transcribed by MilanNews, he painted a very pessimistic view.
On the performance…
“I’m a person who isn’t satisfied with just the result. Obviously the most important thing is that we won and that we are in a good position but that’s also it, some things seem difficult to change. I’m tired of struggling with these things, I’m not satisfied with the team’s performance.”
What will you tell the team?
“I don’t want to talk too much, I want to analyse but there are things that are clear to me.”
Is it a technical or tactical problem?
“It’s not a tactical or technical issue. We arrived at this decisive match for us, with this feeling.”
On the lack of continuity…
“The problem is that our team is a roller coaster. Today we are fine, tomorrow I don’t know. It’s like tossing a coin and waiting to see what happens. It’s almost impressive.”
On the measures to be taken…
“I know that I work every day to prepare the team, to do well. I don’t know if everyone in the team can say the same. We had the obligation to arrive today and do everything to win the match. And we didn’t do it.”
Do you think you will make any decisions if your message isn’t received by the team?
“I have to talk to the team about what happened on the pitch. They also have to understand that this cannot happen.”
Milan will be up against Genoa next, with the game scheduled for Sunday, and there is no other option but to win. The Serie A standings are not looking as good as the Champions League standings for the Rossoneri, so change is needed.
The whole team can’t be underperforming all at once. The common thread here is the man in charge. Maybe he needs reflection.
Exactly my thoughts. If it were just Theo and 1-2 others it would be “normal”. But it’s the whole fng team now! Everyone is playing poorly. It can’t be 100% on the players anymore.
How can it be the coach fault that his players cant pass or run or score? 18 chances and 2 goals.
Its not the coach fault at all.
@Fries ,
18 chances? Did you even watch the game or you just checked the clueless livescore app which add a chance to stats even if you shot from the center of field?
4/5 of the players were there last season. They were considerably better a year ago. Basically everyone has been in decline. And there is no team at all anymore. Just individuals who (somewhat) play for themselves.
And that is the coach fault that his players dont wanna play as a team?
Well… Pioli managed to do that. Fonseca doesn’t. So there’s that obvious thing.
I’m glad he acknowledges the problem, finally
He’s lost the team. I’m normally die hard believer and hope the best will happen but he’s not the right man for the job. Idk if that means letting him go now but we need a better coach. People cut through his tactics and midfield like cheese just like they did at Roma.
Again he is throwing the players under the bus, when it’s mostly his fault.
Agreed. I defended him earlier in the season but you can’t talk about your players like this to the media. You can say it to their faces but you don’t air it out in the open like this. At this point they should make a change. Doubt they will though.
The team has been toxic since Pioli let them get away with everything. Coaches like Conte would gut this team, the only players that would be left would be Gabbia, Reijnders and Fofana.
So, what’s wrong with Gabbia and Pulisic then?
He say it.. he don’t know what he needs to do for consistent and is tired from changing mentality and balance of the team from match to match… what more they need…
This is his first big club.. yea he give us great victory against Real and Inter and yes in some points he has credits… Leao is back, Pulisic is better then last season and also Raijnders is much better then last year.. but it still nothing because he has evident problems with midtable teams and as we know , from top 8 teams he has just 1 win and 2 draws…. 5 lose… this isn’t the way how to fight for scudetto ( or even top 4) .. and with this lack of consistency and actual injuries ( Pulisic , Morata, RLC) its hard to think he win next 3 matches…
players are players. You need to use best players to make difference in game, and from potentials and weaker players, to make better and better.
Fonseca downgraded our players. There is no game play in this team. And youngest cant be seen.
This is the reason why even if he win, he needs to go.. he want to talk with players about match problems and what was bad, but it doesnt help and now I don’t know who he wants to play against Genoa …
Our players are not that bad, like I sad there are some positives, but game style is horrible , play with Cverna Zvezda for 3 points in last 3 minutes is really bad, matches like this need to finish with score 3:0..
He may not be a great coach, but he is right. He actually saw the problem quite early on, but the media and fan backlash lead him to trust again those very same players he is probably hinting at.
We have a horribly constructed team and a pseudo-management that does literally nothing all day long, they have dream jobs actually. The cowboy crook should move on with his incompetent yes-men, there’s no other hope for our dear Milan. He is destroying the club.
Thank you
Yup, not that I rate Fonseca but…
The fact that we didn’t sell this clown Leao for 100M says it all
The fact that Clownabria is still at the club and captain is a joke
God, I miss Berlusconi
I would bring back Galliani at this point but he’s dedicated to managing Monza
Ibra is a clown, nobody respects Cardinale, Furlani is a weirdo, Moncada is a literal mong
Yeah lets bring back berlusconi and gallani and only get free agents old players so we can be called the retirement home again and buy Kevin constants, keisuke Hondas and Essien when he is 34 and in bad shape.. lets do it.. it will be fun..
Some people in here forget fast.. you dont remember berlusconis last 8 seasons? 10 place, 7 place, 8 place 6 place and so on..
Get the f out of here.
3 points better than nothing. We are talking about a team that we should easily beat.
To finish in top 8 you need to score goals. In the end it will count on the standings. +1 against a bottom team isn’t good enough. Waste of opportunities in this game and the previous one.
It would not be better under Fonseca. The time is up. He isn’t good enough to make a winner team as Pioli did with the players he had available.
3 points better than nothing. We are talking about a team that we should easily beat.
To finish in top 8 you need to score goals. In the end it will count on the standings. +1 against a bottom team isn’t good enough. Waste of opportunities in this game and the previous one.
It would not be better under Fonseca. The time is up. He isn’t good enough to make a winner team as Pioli did with the players he had available..
As if Pioli is such a winner. When he came to the club we lost everything, even 5-0 against Atalanta. When Zlatan came, it went much better. But in the topgames we couldnt win. losing so many times against Inter is unaccaptable. Also the Europe League matches against Roma were dramatic.
Wow. Those are some dangerous words to put out there in the media.
If he’s going to make statements like that we are heading for a scenario of either him or a group of players leaving in January.
It’s always easier to change a coach than a playing group when you start making ultimatums.
Our players are not bad, I think our attack has great potential ( Leao, Morata, Pulisic) midfield is better from game to game, defence definitely need improved…
With better experienced coach we would play definitely better. Even with Alegri we would have more wins then with him. ( yes I know his style is more horrible then Fonseca’s)
The players are under contract and earns millions.. they cant just leave because they feel hurted like little childrens.
They should man up.
Problem with the team is the players are all sissies there is no leader and no one with any grinta.
This guy’s always talk like he’s not the coach and as I’d he can’t influence the very outcome of what he has the problem with
Sack this clown Fonseca,nobody will watch this patetic game.We win because luck not because strategy. Worst Milan couch ever.
Fonseca is a buffoon, an idiot, and a mediocre coach. Once you say what he said either he has to go or a group of player has to go. The sooner he is fired the better.
I have stopped watching Milan’s game, too painful. I will start watching them again once Fonseca is gone.
Never heard a manager who consistently fails to take any accountability more than Fonseca. Embarassing
Consistently throws players under the bus.
“ The problem is that our team is a roller coaster. Today we are fine, tomorrow I don’t know. It’s like tossing a coin and waiting to see what happens. It’s almost impressive.”
What would be “impressive”is if he was able to figure it out – you know – basically do the job of a manager and what you are getting paid for. If the manager doesn’t know then we are doomed
Its true. He speaks the truth.. if players cant pass, store or run there is nothing any coach can do.
I swear this dude says things in third person or something. I can t wait for him to criticize the coach…..oh wait that’s me lol 😂
I’d like to know form all these Fonseca fans who are the players he improved under his watch and then compare to those who’ve distinctly regressed. I’m sure the latter list is longer and the former probably non existent
Acmilan should go and make signings this January we are lacking quality players Acmilan should sign tonali and Warren Bondo,bring Ryan cherki and mastureno then bring leao deputy another thing again is the our midfield is lacking Acmilan should use benercer as double pivot with Fofana then Reijnder should play as an attacking midfielder I advised chukwueze and leao should play from start all the remaining matches in this December thank you our defence was superb and solid thanks to Gabbia and thiaw
Sack fonseca and the gang of four this morning …. it is already too late …. anyone from mancini, allegri or sarri will do BUT PLEASE HURRY ….
I believe the best thing this Management and Fonseca can do is to restructure the players contracts in a way that there are rewards and punishments financially, since today’s players are cash motivated.
I strongly believe that in any sphere of life in this world where there’s no rule, there’s seems to be no offenders and as regards AC Milan I don’t think there’s any principles the players are guided by.
I again strongly believe that since the footballers of today are financially motivated that should also be the element by which they are punished.
If good performances attract additional money in bonuses then average performances and terrible performances should attract equally extra heavy charges from their respective weekly pay and the decision should be convey to them in meeting before the season began and reminder should be done immediately äfter the January transfer window.
I believe with this in place the team would improve immensely.
Thanks.
Why is it wrong for him to address the problems of the squad in public, it’s very apparent to anyone who watches, he needs to put his foot down, with complete support of the management, I learnt Calabria was angry, and refused to shake the Coach, in the first place he should not even be playing, the Coach should have used Terraciano, both he and the management should be brave enough to include players from the Futuro team permanently into the team, and use them in a way to make the snr players wake up, players are spoilt brats that needs to be put in their place.
“Why is it wrong for him to address the problems of the squad in public, ” because certain things as a coach you deal with internally. This just throws players under the bus and creates even more pressure from the media. A proper coach doesn’t do this.
You talk of Calabria, what exactly has he done wrong except being effectively stripped of his position for a worse player and undermined as a captain by the coach.
If you didn’t spot the trend, this is yet another player (along with Theo, Leao, Okafor, Jovic) who has regressed under him as coach
As a coach he is an embarrassment, he chooses to start 3 deadweight players like Calabria, Musah and RLC what do you expect? Don’t tell me that our youth development don’t have players better than these frauds at the moment, i fail to believe that.
If truly Calabria behaved in the way the Media is saying, the first thing both the management and the Coach needs to do is strip him of the captaincy, then banish him from the first him, and allow his contract to end.
Gabbia should be made the Captain immediately…,
I’ve read some comments here, and glanced through some.
It shows why it’s good for the club owners not to listen to the fans. Pioli’s team plays trash and maybe win ugly, and he praises his team. We say he’s deluded and mental.
Another coach comes and has thesame results, and he’s honest about the things, we say he doesn’t have respect for his team.
We are an amazing bunch of fellows really.
Anyway, I didn’t watch the match, and from all I’ve read, it means we really played a poor game.
The team was set up well, with the exception of Calabria, who was angry and refused to shake the Coach when he was substituted, all these fans need to stop attacking this man, honestly I have noticed it’s the players that let him down, it’s glaring for everyone to see, so why should he keep silent, the first thing to do is banish Calabria from the snr side, and appoint Gabbia as captain, then he needs to introduce more young players to the team as he said…
Honestly Mr Fonseca is time you take the blame. Like why do you keep playing the same 4231 formation that we are clearly not suited for. Forcing players out of their natural positions and somehow expect a great performance???? Let’s be realistic now???
He’s the coach and he cannot control his team. This is terrible tbh
several players zoned out after the first goal. if Fonseca was to bring out the big stick, who is replacing them with?
Theo has no replacement, for Leao? okafor is out injured. to make matters worse: 2 more injuries in the first half and moreso we have a sleeping, visionless management.
its total chaos. its quite a relief we even won yesterday. i would pray that at some point zeroli or liberali could play. if they played bad, we could excuse them as being young. But guys in the senior team are playing terrible.
We have to admit that the whole team approached with the same superficiality and superiority, without involvement a game with a team that they see inferior. That’s it
already a pattern we see repeating itself every time we encounter an opponent our players consider inferior. This thing gets on my nerves, I can’t stand the arrogance and gratuitous superiority of most of our players who are themselves losers who have won nothing in their football lives. Where such arrogance comes from, I don’t know, maybe from their mediocrity and lack of education and their weak characters.
I’ve said it last season when we eliminated by Roma in the EL and I’ll say it again: when almost every onfield player is either performing badly or at best is average, it’s about time we question the system and the man behind the system aka the coach.
We have too many games with horrible performances but lucky wins and games with straight up deserved losses and draws but the coach not to be held accountable. We have won 11 games out of 21 this season, almost a 50% win rate. We’ve had 2 greats wins (Real Madrid and Inter) and all the other 9 wins were either lucky/horrible to watch (Udinese, Brugges, Monza, Slovan Bratislava and Crvena Zvezda) or against tomato cans (Venezia, Lecce, Cagliari and the reserve team of Sassuolo). We’ve lost points to the likes of Parma, Torino and Cagliari.
His persistence with using a 4-2-3-1, using Pulisic as a CAM, Musah as a RW, starting Musah, having both fullbacks play symmetrical, having a high line and play a possession style even though he saw HIMSELF that our 2 best games were with a counterattacking style with Pulisic as a RW is quite impressive and not in a good way.
Also, regardless of his opinions, but throwing his players under the bus game in game out is unacceptable. Player criticism should be kept in the locker room, it doesn’t belong to the media.
Now both things can be true at the same time: which are the coach being bad (he is) and the players not being serious, not performing as they should, showing bad behaviours,…. So saying one isn’t denying the other
I disagree with Fonseca, our issue is not only about the mentality but tactics and the squad itself.
The way we play is very unbalanced, the system he’s trying to implement and the players we have are not compatible. I was calling to give him time till december, and for me it shows clearly that he is not the right guy for the job.
Let’s suppose a coach that failed with Salernitana, should he be given a better team like Genoa or Torino? And if he fails with them, should we give him a chance with Roma or Lazio? And if he fails, should we give him a big team?
Or should he prove his abilities within the limits of the players’ capabilities in order to be promoted?
With Fonseca as a coach you need someone to be listened and respected as a manager. Milan have no this character.. Milan has Zlatan, but he is not a leader, he is a boss. And Zlatan not there every day.
Moncada is a person like Ricky Massara, good person but cannot give advice related to performance on field.
But if you have Conte, Pep or Mou… you have them both. Because they are not only a coach.