Paulo Fonseca has offered a comment on his short time as the head coach of AC Milan, hinting that he needed more time to instil his methods.
Fonseca was appointed by Milan but lost his job four days after Christmas, following just 24 games in charge. The Rossoneri were eighth in Serie A at the time, and the new boss Sérgio Conceição has not done any better, given that the team are now ninth.
Since leaving and returning to Ligue 1, the ex-Lille boss has found the magic formula to revive their Lyon and get them into the Champions League places.
A touchline ban is what made the biggest headlines, but in his first 11 official matches, Fonseca has recorded eight wins leading to suggestions of possible regret at Milan.
The Guardian have done an interview with Fonseca on the day of Lyon’s Europa League meeting with Manchester United.
They state that he ‘does not want to engage in detail about that half-year or the circumstances of his departure, largely out of respect for his compatriot’, but he spoke of needing more time.
“We can see the past decade of Milan, they won Serie A once. It’s a difficult moment for them. I had a lot of pleasure being there and I’m really sorry I didn’t have time to continue my work,” he said.
“I think the mentality in Italy is totally different from England, where you give time to the coach. But it’s the way they live football there.”
Sacking him was idiotic. He collected more points than his successor amd hat better run in CL. Our management is clueless and the reason for the misery. Get them sack altogether. Look how Inter management performs and brings assurance and calmness. I can’t identify myself with this Milan anymore. They killed our joy. They are killing Milan. No amuuricans anymore.
“Sacking him was idiotic. He collected more points than his successor amd hat better run in CL.”
As if someone can have prior knowledge to our his successor will perform, right ?
He was sacked because he put us 8th and jeopardized our chances to get to an UCL spot next season.
Conceição is obviously worse right now, but let’s not pretend Fonseca managed to get to the minimum standard for what is a good season.
He had a bad start (after a promising preseason) but then stabilised the defence and was improving results.
Management decision to sack him was driven by timing to avoid paying an extra 12 months salary if he was sacked before 6 months.
Can you honestly say that you don’t think we would be better 9th place and eliminated in UCL knock-out to Feyenoord level opposition if Fonseca had been given more time.
Conceicao’s points per game is significantly worse. His goal difference is just +4 after 22 games.
We are leaking so many bad goals.
From someone who was supposed to be a defensive genius.
Was ANYONE satisfied with Fonseca or his results? Yes. Inter. No one else. That’s why he was sacked. Too bad it wasn’t the coach’s fault as Sergio has proved but that’s another story.
how many teams have beaten Real Madrid 1:3 on their home ground this season?
Milan had two good matches under him. Real & Inter. Failed the get results against such greats as Parma, Torino, etc.
Real was in a bad place when the match was played and played horribly against Milan. It was more about them playing bad than Milan being the superior team or Fonseca outsmarting Carletto.
Re Fonseca only had 2 good games.
Not right. You are glossing over history. His sides beat
Venezia 4 nil.
Lecce 3 nil.
Sassuolo 6 to 1 coppa.
I.e. his teams were able to dominate and clinch many games they should easily win.
Closest thing Conceicao has done was a 2 nil over Empoli
3 to 1 Roma in coppa.
Overall the GD was much higher under Fonseca.
And he did actually get a result against Torino with a draw.
Any other results against Torino this season.
Ultimately things were far from perfect but
1. If you start a major new style project. You’ve got to give it time.
2. If you are going to sack a coach mid season. You better be damn sure the new guy is going to right the ship.
Apart from the super cup. Which is a bit of a joke. We came 2nd last year so didn’t deserve to be there.
This has been just awful.
Improving results you say ?
Outside from the first 3 games against Torino, Parma and Lazio, Fonseca’s results were more or less the same, no improvment and no plumetting. Last time we won 3 serie A games in a row was in September, and Fonseca stayed till December.
The defense did improve in the last few games but the attack got worse. We played 4 serie A games in December and only won 1, scoring a total of 3 goals. We didn’t get closer to 4th place, we got further away from it, how is that an improvment ?
Conceição is obviously worse but this comparison misses the point. It’s not like, when we sacked Fonseca, we could foresee what the next results would be, it was a matter of making a decision, to keep a coach who got us away from 4th place or to continue with him.
For me, there is no point in keeping a coach who from July to December only managed 12 wins in 24 games and got us 8th, I don’t see a big difference between 8th, 9th and 17th, so might as well try to see if the next coach could do better. Unfortunately Conceição couldn’t do better.
Exactly.
He also had us within striking distance of a top 8 finish in UCL. Only 2 wins needed in the last 2 games which were our 2 weakest opponents on paper. A situation that Conceicao’s teams squandered.
Agree that our Serie a results weren’t good enough. HIs results were improving. Across all comps in this last 15 games his points per game was just over 2.
That is why I think he deserved more time.
Instead we sack him on a time scale that was driven by the desire to save money on his exit payout (6 month clause) and appoint a new coach with a totally different game plan. And at a point where we know he is going to have to play a game every 3 days for the 2 months.
Meanwhile Fonseca has Lyon on track for a good season finish and we have Conceicao and an imploding season where we won’t even qualify for Conference League.
But sure he was right to be sacked.
When you get a new coach with the expectation that he will transform your playing style. It’s only right that you march him just prior to 6 months when everything hasn’t clicked 100% yet and he is having to undo a team of Prima donas that have been instructed for 4 seasons to rely on individual talent. And that stars don’t need to track back. Even when they play LB.
Don’t compare Ligue 1 with Séria A please, Fonseca won more match with Lyon because the France Champion is weak don’t be blind even Roma sacked him long ago