AC Milan are patiently awaiting news regarding Sergio Conceicao’s future at Porto, which should reportedly become more clear in the next 48 hours.
According to what is being reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the meeting between Conceiçao and the new president André Villas-Boas should happen today or tomorrow at the latest.
Milan are watching with interest: if everything goes as expected, in the next few days the current Porto coach will become a free from contractual constraints and ready to take on a new challenge with the Rossoneri.
The agenda
Yesterday, at lunchtime, Villas-Boas took office as president of Porto. All the coaches and team captains were at the Dragao but Conceiçao and Pepe were missing.
This is perhaps now a huge shock, given that the team were training during the day as Villas-Boas himself explained, before he went on to speak about a ‘new era’ and a ‘change of direction’ for the club.
“I plan to go to the training complex on Wednesday or Thursday. I will meet the coach and the team,” he said. Therefore, the next 48 hours will be key and what seems most likely at present is that Conceiçao and Villas-Boas will meet and part ways.
Despite the renewal signed by Conceiçao shortly before the elections – when the old president Pinto da Costa was still in office – the deadline on the contract of the former Lazio, Parma and Inter man says 2028, but he can free himself unilaterally.
Jorge Mendes – the super agent who represents him and who together with Milan worked on the renewal of Rafa Leao a year ago – is pushing for him to join the Rossoneri.
Climbing the list
In the race to replace Stefano Pioli, Conceiçao quickly climbed positions above the other names in the running for at least a couple of reasons.
Firstly, he has a very respectable CV, full of trophies won – 10 in 7 seasons at Porto, including three league titles – and high-level experience in the Champions League.
Secondly, Conceiçao has the right personality to withstand the pressure of the environment, the right attitude to manage the dressing room and a certain tactical flexibility, because he uses a 4-2-3-1 that the squad know well but also has other systems.
Thirdly, there is the cost aspect: hiring Conceiçao would not cost as much as Antonio Conte or other huge names because he would sign the same contract – worth €4m net per season – that was initially tabled to Julen Lopetegui.
Since he has serie A experience as a player and good at developing young players, I think he deserves the job. What I am afraid of is a foreign coach for Milan.
If we are getting this guy, then back him, give him the players and a say in the transfer market, let him go about and get about his business.
Don’t get him, if all the transfers will be left to Moncada and Furlani, let the football expert deal with the football matters and we will flourish
Is this really an upgrade from Pioli? Feels like change for the sake of change.
Who knows? But it’s time to find out.
100% it feels this way and I agree it is. It will always remain to be seen how well a different coach would do with the players at his disposal, as I’m sure any incoming coach will have a new striker and a couple new players, which, to be frank, is probably needed more than a new coach right now.
Only time will tell, however, with that being said, Conceicao seems to have Porto playing good football and they always seem to develop young players in the way Benfica do and tbh that’s probably where pioli missed, as young players like simic and zeroli deserve a look in when compared to our current squad.
Pioli had 0 trophies before coaching Milan so yes an upgrade, especially given the CL experience.
Last time Conceicao won a league title (in Portugal), so did Pioli (in Italy).
Conceicao has never gotten past the quarter finals in CL, Pioli has.
Thats not a strong point and you know it. We don’t argue for the sake of it
Well the argument is Pioli had won nothing before Milan and I would say that achievement wise couple quarter finals and 1/8s is better than one semi final and failing twice to get out of the group with Milan.
Nobody knows how Conceicao will do with Milan, but to me looks like solid coach and Pioli is out of ideas and team been in stagnation last season and half. So we need to try something new.
The next 48 hours for the next 3 months will be decisive.
Mark my words