AC Milan might be set to undergo some big changes this summer but one figure who will remain into the new era is Daniele Bonera, and the club have a role lined up for him.
La Gazzetta dello Sport speak about the current first team coach as being someone who feels an immense sense of attachment to Milan, something that carried over from his playing days at the club which lasted nearly a decade. They recap his journey to the present day, starting with his return.
Recalled in 2019
Bonera is classified as Pioli’s technical collaborator, but it would be more correct to define him with the generic term: technical collaborator to the head coach, because he did not come to Milan with Pioli and rather he was already there.
And he will still be there, even now that Pioli is at the end of his tenure. He returned to Milanello in the summer of 2019, after his last experience as a player with Villarreal, and was named in Marco Giampaolo’s staff.
Also in this case, with a peculiarity: he was not a ‘Giampaolo’s man’ but rather it was Milan that called him. They felt that after the chaos of the Yonghong Li era there was a need for someone who knew the club well, was trustworthy, serious and above all could be used by the coach on duty.
It would probably be more accurate then to define Bonera as an independent figure, linked in practice only to the club. Thus, Daniele remained in his place when Giampaolo was sacked, and he will again now Pioli is close to leaving.
Silence, experience and a license
Bonera is a silent but experienced figure, reserved but incisive, who at a certain point added the UEFA Pro license to his CV. Sooner or later that will come in handy, all while Pioli has learned to trust him more and more, month after month.
The former defender moved from the stands to experience the matches in the dugout, in the heart of the team, and was even more involved in the weekly work. This has not gone unnoticed by those who plan for the future.
In fact, Bonera is currently the main candidate to become the head coach of the Under 23 team, and before that he could take charge of the friendly match in Australia on May 31st against Roma if Pioli were to have left by then.
The battle with Rino
However, it wouldn’t be the first time that he has taken charge of a game. In November 2020, in the midst of the pandemic – with Pioli and deputy Murelli testing positive for Covid – Bonera was chosen to officially lead the Rossoneri against Napoli.
He was the head coach for the day against Gennaro Gattuso’s side and then it ended up being three games with fixtures against Lille and Fiorentina following. He emerged undefeated, for the record: two wins and a draw.
Another interesting curiosity is that Bonera also managed Zlatan Ibrahimovic who scored a brace in the win over Napoli and who is now his boss. He is waiting to speak with the management, in order to understand his role for next season after Pioli’s departure. Rven if it were the U23s, it would still be Milan.
“Coaching Milan is everyone’s dream, but I think there’s quite a waiting list and I have to get in line,” Bonera told the paper three years ago.
“Now, thanks also to Pioli, I have a degree of preparation to be able to manage situations not only on the pitch, but also in the locker room. If a call came I would evaluate it.”
Throughout his career as a player, he has been a polite and silent cog in the dressing room, he is the type of player who is not flashy or outspoken, who do their work silently and efficiently, and they are often not noticed, he was a good a competent player who put his head down and worked.
Even on the day he was coach for a day against Napoli, he was calm, collected and showed signs of intelligence, tactical and technical knowledge….
Good competent player? You haven’t seen him play have you? Are you a bot?
Who prepped the team for the Napoli game, him or Pioli? U guys r funny
I knew Bonera when he was in Brescia, not even Parma, from where he headed to Milan, your stupidly and ignorance will be the death of you, that’s the problem with all these new fans who know nothing about Milan, either you like it or not he was a good player who is a UCL and serie’ a winner, what have you achieved in your own miserable inbred life, even if Pioli prepped the squad, who made all the decisions, and was it Pioli at the touchline urging him to be relaxed….?
U upset I said bot or something so u have to throw insults?
New fan? I’ve been watching Milan since the late 80s. What are you on about? If anything, you sound like noob. Being a UCL and Serie A winner doesn’t mean jack if you’re a bus rider. Rodney Strasser was Serie A winner too (do u remember him?). Matter of fact Brocchi was two times UCL winner making him better than Bonera and he’s a manager…..so maybe hire him instead based on your logic? Bonera was never a protagonist in those trophies he won. Once Nesta came back from injury in 07 (which Kaka basically won for us almost by himself), he was immediately on the bench for the rest of the UCL. Bonera sucks bro. No pace, can’t jump, positionally bad. Once Maldini and Nesta left, he was exposed for the trash he was.
Anytime his name was on the team sheet it was depressing. Check out the games we played vs man Utd in the UCL. Can’t jump to save his life, left his man with acres of space. I recall one time he came on for Antonini and we immediately shipped 2 goals. He was terrible and a banter era symbol. You must’ve forgot? In which world was Bonera ever great for Milan???? U know they used to call him Boneheadera right? I don’t know if you remember but back during his time most fans wanted Fester to buy a proper centre back and he got booed regularly. Look at the comment below…..Lord Bonera returns (hint: that’s sarcastic).
U based his coaching abilities off of a couple of games he coached on the sidelines? Leave a whole coach who actually coached youngsters for someone whose CV is replaced Pioli during suspension. LMAO 😂 Ok, proceed with your logic my friend.
That’s what we’re doing now? Counting games as a fill-in as coaching experience 😂. That’s called a reach.
Let’s not even try to butter up his time as a player either. Seeing him repeatedly in the starting lineup evoked a feeling of disgust 🤮
The return of lord bonera is nigh!!!