GdS: Cardinale meets the management – what was discussed after Fonseca’s poor start

AC Milan have not had the best of starts to the season under new head coach Paulo Fonseca, and a report claims that Gerry Cardinale met with the management yesterday at Milanello.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning, the results are worrying but the performances and the attitudes of certain players are even more so. Cardinale was at the training ground yesterday, and he reiterated his trust in the coach in a calm and constructive discussion.

Of course an immediate change of pace is needed to avoid things becoming too sour, because Cardinale cannot be satisfied, something that was transmitted to the coach in yesterday’s long discussion.

A fleeting visit

Cardinale was already in Italy and wanted to include a visit to Milanello among the appointments on his agenda. From there he then left for the United States.

He also gathered the rest of the management, while he did not meet the team who trained in the afternoon. The discussion involved the CEO Furlani (with whom Cardinale then left Milanello), the sports director Moncada and obviously Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Senior Advisor of the ownership.

The lunch involved a main course was the slow start of the team and all the limitations that have held it back so far. Fonseca publicly took full responsibility, explaining – and he also did it privately with Cardinale – the reasons that have in his opinion affected the pace of the start.

The different condition of the players in the group, the change in playing philosophy that requires time to be assimilated and the absences of many of the players that will form his starting XI were cited as key factors.

Theo on the bench against Torino, to Morata’s injury, plus Emerson and Fofana on the pitch for only a few minutes so far were mentioned, in addition to the lack of time together on the training field.

Trust re-iterated

Fonseca was chosen by Cardinale, who was well impressed by the Portuguese since the first talks, and two bad games won’t result in that being ripped up. However, a decisive change of pace is needed especially in the manner of the performances.

The Portuguese coach was not happy with much on Saturday in the defeat to Parma and – during lunch – the post-match statements were also discussed. The talks were constructive, but it is strange to think that after just two games it’s already necessary to sit down and talk.

The team’s next commitment will be against Lazio, Cardinale will follow on TV waiting for a first smile because what has been seen so far has only brought disappointment. Building a new Milan inevitably requires a settling-in phase, but the Rossoneri are already five points behind Juventus, for example.