Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a player has a special place in the hearts of AC Milan fans for over a decade, but he is under a new-found scrutiny now he is behind a desk.
Ibrahimovic and Paolo Maldini’s return signified a new and positive era for the club, a quick rise from 2020-23, restoring a directionless but of course huge and historic club in such a short amount of time. Yet it all seems to be crumbling just as fast.
From transfer market decisions to technical decisions, and so on. It seems that Zlatan’s role with the club is rather unexplainable. Is he a PR man, or is he the CEO, does he have the final say on major sporting decisions? There are far too many questions to be answered and Zvonimir Boban himself is still waiting on them based on their last conversation.
It’s difficult to view him as a director/executive so soon, he seemingly hopped into his new career almost immediately. We are talking about an all-time great player with massive success who had just retired, not even less than a year later he joined one of the biggest clubs in the world as a gigantic figurehead.
Regardless of the club size that is difficult in itself, and then to do it at a club like Milan in the situation it was in is even more stressful. Factor in Maldini’s sacking and the backing of the owner who is rather not well-accepted by the fans, Zlatan had an uphill battle from the start regardless of his standing as a former player.
Milan are not a club that can afford a figurehead to learn on the job, this doesn’t represent stability. In turn, this also harms another legend’s legacy. His playing career can only matter so much when the club suffers from his PR squabbles and sporting decisions in a time of high volatility between supporters and the club.
It was fine to enjoy Zlatan’s press conferences of animal jokes and third-person narration, because he could carry the team on his back to a Scudetto and score 28 goals in Serie A, so why would any of us care?
Zlatan has to know he can’t back up the way he speaks anymore on the pitch. He can only stand afar and hope that his decisions are going to be a success. The optical nightmare that is at Milanello never seems to end, Zlatan is doing Live Streams with iShowSpeed one day and then making managerial decisions based on fan backlash, the next (see the Julen Lopetegui debacle).
When Milan are 14 points off top spot in the league, sitting in eighth, having the Curva Sud protest, and having just sacked their manager after sending him up for a post-match press conference, these lion comments are no longer funny and greatly irritating to many.
What is the ultimate goal here for Ibrahimovic, is it to lead Milan to glory like he did in his playing days or is this a circus act where he becomes the main attraction while the performances become a sideshow?
The events of this past weekend don’t shed any positive light on those working for the club, they came across as cowards and people who are way in over their heads. Define your role, be classy, and have the respect of the fans in mind when you make decisions publicly and privately.
In moments of crisis people look and turn to their leaders. Zlatan’s legacy is hanging in the balance and it starts with the Supercoppa Italiana, the first game for a new coach we presume he had a big hand in choosing.
Will these past few months be about learning and growing, or will it be one return too many for the former striker?
He had no role in choosing the coach, do you not read this website? Ibrahmovic wanted Conte, Moncada wanted Fonseca. Ibrahimovic wanted Sarri, Cardinale wanted Conceicao. The only decision he’s been allowed to make is Futuro coach and hiring his garbage friend Kirovski. He has no real power and I’m sure will be gone at the end of the season.
Moncada should go back to only scouting, Furlani should leave asap and Zlatan should follow him or, at best, serve as some sort of middle man between players and coach. And the most important of all – we need a ‘Marotta’ or a ‘Percassi’ at the help of the operating structure.
Furlani deals with contracts. Why on Earth should he leave? He’s the one guy doing his job well. Moncada is still the scout, what should he go back to doing?!?!
No one knows what the eff Ibra’s role is. I don’t even think Ibra himself understands what he is supposed to be doing. Seems like he defaulted to being the man in front of the camera while the others lurk in the shadows.
As for Cardinale, wouldn’t even be that har to steer this thing back on course, by simply hiring “football” people. Not Ibra and Furlani. Someone like D’Amico to direct the whole thing and a footballing CEO.
But that would require progress checks, which Cardinale doesn’t do enough of.
Ibra’s role also affects recruiting new coaches. Many good coaches do not want to come to a situation where a scowling Zlatan is always looking over their shoulder, and to a situation where the media — even when they hate Zlatan — still love to publicize the fact that he is scowling and looking over the coach’s shoulder.
Sadly Ibra is just a PR Puppet brought here in a feeble attempt to appease the fans after the abrupt (and classless) manner in which they fired Maldini. That is it.
He has no real power, he just pretends with his childish “he is god” comments and his stupid jokes. Nobody wants to hear that anymore. Do your job and help the club or STFU and leave.
What’s even worse, is that he doesn’t seem to want to learn and be involved. He doesn’t show up to every game; he’s not at Milanello each day (like M&M were); and he even went on vacation the last 2 weeks of the summer transfer window. What dedication! 🤡
He is just collecting a fat paycheck like that fat old bug-eyed walrus Sacroni. Both are USELESS.
I saw how eager he was to come out to bask in the limelight after the game was won. However he sneaked into the venue of 125th anniversary dinner through the side entrance – unwilling to meet the protesting fans. He also gives a smug apology for sending Fonseca to the press, knowing fully well he had been fired.
He shows the same characteristics Maldini revealed Scaroni had: hogging the limelight when things were good but leaving the stadium before a bad game ends, and Milan were loosing or playing badly.
Why was the “god” not man enough to face the fans for his failures, refusing to take questions when Conceicao was presented?
He, like the “bosses” are cowards.
Sure they are and you are a real stand up guy who stands for every misstake you make 🤭
Ibra’s role is a shield. The board surprisingly can’t communicate with the fans. They wanted someone confident and is respected by fans, to talk to fans. Scaroni, Furlani and Cardinale are the reason for everything happening to us.
I would add Moncada to the list as well even though he is a good scout. He is just being used incorrectly. He should have no say in coach recruiting but just finding unknown talents across the 🌎. He is more focused on France, England and Germany talents… We need someone who can find unknown talents from South America as well.