AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca made the decision to change something in the dressing room in the hopes it would inspire his players, and Sunday’s derby win suggested that it did.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Fonseca and his staff instructed the club to put the word ‘courage’ above the individual seats of all 25 players called up for the derby, but in their native languages.
On Sunday, Inter were playing at ‘home’ and – as agreed between the two clubs – Simone Inzaghi’s team kept both their own locker room and the one that Milan usually uses when they play home matches at San Siro.
Fonseca’s men prepared in the ‘big room’ reserved for away teams that the Portuguese asked to personalise: each player’s spot was marked with their shirt number, the Milan crest and the word ‘courage’ written in the language spoken by the player in question.
A curiosity: courage is written the same in English and French, but the Dutch, Serbian, German and Portuguese versions was present. The message was clear: everyone should go out onto the pitch without fear of the Italian champions.
It is just one of a number of things intended to galvanise team spirit, including the over 90-minute chat that the coach had with the players on Wednesday about the season so far and the barbecue at Milanello on Friday.
Then there was the final party. The team were on the field to receive the chants of the Curva Sud and when they returned to the dressing room they found the physiotherapists, members of the coaching staff, the warehouse workers and the managers who welcomed them with huge and applause. The finale included dinner and music in a well-known venue in the city.
My respect for Fonseca went up exponentially. These initiatives are great and it seems like he was successful in shaking up the team and promoting unity and fighting spirit.
now management needs to step up in winter and fix the few leaking spots… RLC out!
Good move. Before every game I’d also play a montage of Gattuso getting in players’ faces and Inzaghi screaming after scoring.
Lifting trophies, memorable wins and baresi farewell game… so that everyone knows how milan treats legends
Before the derby every one criticized fonseca and management for hiring him. The win against inter has changed their mind, let’s see in the mid season where milan stand in the table. Above inter or below it. Will the critics and insult are coming back or not..
Maybe he watched Ted Lasso to get some inspiration. Please grow a moustache Paulo.
The one above Leao’s should have said “effort”.
Sorry, I mean “esforço”.
Kinda like Ted Lasso ‘believe’ sign
the truth is critics work so as encouraging words. A club big as milan need series of consistent win to remain unified. which we weren’t giving.
The coach knows the situation he was walking into before he left lille.
i like him more bcos he has proved that he his Aware. he notice what is wrong and he his a master tactician and handling pressure like this. i mean you can’t forge diamonds with silver heat. we will keep drilling him good or bad till we win it all.
Forza milan Forza Fonseca
It’s like Arteta who’s showing his players mocking tweets and videos from other footballers about them. Nice trick.
Funny, there’s no mention of Italian! Does anyone in management know THAT language?