Gennaro Gattuso has revealed the amount that he gave up when he was sacked as AC Milan manager to ensure his staff got paid.
Gattuso was the Primavera head coach before being promoted to first team boss on an initial interim basis after Vincenzo Montella’s sacking in the 2017-18 season, and after finishing 6th in that campaign he followed it up with a near-miss as Milan were edged out on Champions League qualification by a point after the final game of the season.
After a lot of speculation about what that might mean for his future, he decided to resign from his role and was eventually replaced by Marco Giampaolo in what turned out to be a disastrous move.
Calciomercato.com were among the sources to report that the former Milan midfielder made just one request before leaving though and that was that the €5.5m net he would have been owed if sacked instead went to paying the two-year salaries of all of his backroom staff.
In an interview with Il Corriere della Sera, Gattuso looked back on his experience and confirmed that the figure floated in the media was correct.
“I am very grateful to Milan. If I am what I am, I owe it to that club, to those colours that I have always loved. I didn’t want to be a burden and I wanted to go away on tiptoe,” he admitted (via Calciomercato.com).
“The figure?” Five and a half million net. A part went to pay the staff who otherwise, with my exit, would have remained and it was not fair. But it didn’t bother me that much. Milan, as a player and as a coach, transformed my life.
“I cannot forget when, after the victory in the 1990 European Cup, my father took me to parade in the town with the Rossoneri shirt on. I was proud to wear it, although obviously it was a replica, not an original.”
Mad respect to the man. He may not be the greatest tactician yet, but the loyalty to the club and that personality will ALWAYS Deserve respect.
He loves AC Milan , maybe he is not good as coach but he have good attitude
Man with high honor, he earn our most respect.
That statement is a testament to those Milan teams , it was about the colors. It was a honor to wear them and it reflected in their brotherhood and unity on and off the pitch. Forza Milan and numero 8 forever.
The real Milanista
Other players should know how they should behave before they say themselves as Milanista
Bow to Gattuso
Forza Milan
Forza Gattuso
Gattuso differs significantly from other young managers. He is still an old-school-style gentleman — a man of honor and word.
He never blames others but himself if things go wrong. That’s what I respect.
By the way, he was a good manager at ACM considering the obstacles he had to face: financial limits, FFP struggles, and he also played with a squad he didn’t choose.
Anyway, he did his best. We still remember we had the best defensive line when he was our manager. And he was the first manager in Italy who discovered how to handle Gasperini’s Atalanta.
He is actually a good manager. If new club owners let him build his squad he will become a great one.
Good luck in Valencia Rino!