One of the themes of Stefano Pioli’s tenure at AC Milan so far has been his ability to get the most out of the squad even in times of crisis.
La Gazzetta dello Sport begin a report on Pioli’s methods by mentioning the fact there was a mandatory lunch today at Milanello, which is one of the more important times as the team all sit together and shares ideas and discussions.
There is the concept of being a ‘hero for a day’ in the squad as Matteo Gabbia found out as he scored the winner and helped keep a clean sheet against Dinamo Zagreb. Fode Ballo-Touré’s winner in Empoli and the two blocks by Malick Thiaw in Verona are similar examples.
The point is that everyone feels important in Pioli’s group and not in a cliche way either. Reaching the Scudetto target could have taken some fire out of the bellies of some players, especially given there are 30 in the squad and keeping them all motivated is complex, but it seems the group are cemented more and more as the weeks pass.
Pioli never misses an opportunity to praise the team’s attitude and to stress that he does not have 11 ‘starters’ but rather a squad full of players who could start. Contributions have come from everywhere, especially during times of emergency like the various injury crises that have been battled.
The post-training lunches and the hotel meetings at away days give the opportunity to share ideas and keep building on the strong bonds, and there is a reason it is not uncommon to see players training at Milanello even on rest days.
The coach leverages the players’ sense of responsibility, maximising confidence in their professionalism. Directors Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are a regular presence at Milanello, to view the training sessions and stay close to the team which only adds to the unity.
Finally, there is the element of protection as Pioli will always protect from criticism those who are not yet up to expectations as we are seeing with Charles De Ketelaere. It is a fundamental aspect if more moments like Gabbia’s goal in Zagreb are sought, as it demonstrates a group united in the cause of winning for Milan.
