Journalist Andrea Longoni has criticised the AC Milan management for their slow movement in the mercato, while also urging them to go and get Antonio Conte to replace Stefano Pioli.
There has been a lot of speculation over the past few weeks claiming that Pioli is very unlikely to be the manager at Milan heading into next season, with a separation after nearly five years more probably.
In turn, various sources have claimed that Conte could be targeted as his replacement given he has been out of work since leaving Spurs towards the end of last season.
Fabrizio Romano even addressed those rumours earlier this morning, but in the meantime Pioli must try rescue what is left of the current campaign, all while the management try and bolster the squad.
Longoni spoke in his weekly column for MilanNews about how Milan’s season is unfolding and he pointed a finger at those in charge for not bringing in the right players quickly enough nor selling Rade Krunic at the right moment.
“There is very little left between now and May. In the league all that remains is to ask at least not to put a Champions League place in question,” he began.
“Looking at the table, you could hardly risk it, but you need to keep your attention threshold high. For example, no surprises tonight against Roma: in fact, it could be an opportunity to definitively eliminate them from a possible comeback.
“Then there’s the Europa League: but playing like Wednesday you’re not going anywhere, you have to be objective.
“The disappointment of the elimination in the Coppa Italia is still strong: truly a great shame, because if in other years it didn’t rightly have who knows what importance, this season, having reached this point out of the Champions League and the Scudetto race, it had to become the real goal. What a pity.
“A disappointment that highlighted serious faults at all levels. From President Scaroni who asks himself before the match whether it is a necessary competition. Yes, because this club also lacks empathy.
“And you certainly don’t win over the fans with these phrases, or those uttered by him a few weeks earlier: ‘The Scudetto is a bonus’.
“The faults of the management. I’m sorry to point it out, but they do not convey ambition. At Inter Cuadrado gets hurt and they buy Buchanan.
“In Milan, among others, Kalulu, Thiaw and Tomori get hurt (with Kjaer to manage): the answer is the return of Gabbia, who last year was fifth choice.
“Will a centre-back arrive? Yes, but one had to be secured in December and used immediately in January.
“And then there’s Pioli. On Wednesday the team fielded seemed experimental: but certainties and not inventions were needed. The match left a clear sense of tactical confusion.
“The epilogue of the Krunic affair also ends up in his dossier: taken off the transfer market to make him central to his project in the summer, out of the squad 4 months later and sold off.
“In this regard, it must be said that good management must also understand when is the best time to sell its players: for the Bosnian it was certainly not January, but August.
“We need a shock to the whole environment, looking towards next season. To regenerate the team, to make the fans rediscover enthusiasm and finally convey true ambition. There is only one name: Antonio Conte from Lecce.”
Is longoni the the medial Proxy of conte?
This guy hasn’t written a positive article all season. Maybe beause we haven’t had a very pisitive season. But he seems a bit too sour. And I definately don’t want Conte to come in. I agree though that Scaroni says many stupid things.
Man, Conte sure has a ĺot of buddies in the media pushing for this. Almost none of the fans actually want this because we know what a mess he will leave the team in. What after that, Mourinho? No thanks. These guys are the past, not the future.
The media is trying to bully Milan into hiring Conte because it will provide them with so much content to write or talk about. Conte and Milan’s current leadership could not be a better match for the news cycle.
Conte! Is certainly a no no! As much as I detest this current management and coaching setup with every ounce of air, I cannot behold and fathom Conte as Milan manager! I will rather continue with my idealess Pioli and hope for the best than the disruptive Conte! His record speaks for him, left juventus few days to the season! Got sacked by Chelsea because of Diego Costa feud Chelsea best player as at that time, left inter Milan because he won a scudetto and feel he deserved every player he asked for, got fired by Daniel levy when all he could do at Tottenham was defend and counter! A style totally opposite to the spurs footballing philosophy, now he wants to come to MILAN! we don’t want you Mr Conte! You are just another disaster waiting to happen, everywhere you go , you sow hate and calamity! Thank you and go back to your juventus!
All articles mention the same three candidates over and over. While of the three I favor Motta over the scorched-earth Conte, the fact that only three candidates are persistently mentioned shows a lack of imagination and is part of the current problem. There are other qualified candidates. It reminds me of idealistic and unrealistic people who believe there is only one “soulmate” for them in the world. Broaden the search. Cast a wider net for manager candidates.
At least calling out the upper management. He shouldn’t stop either. They are let off scott free while Pioli takes the heat. The same way Maldini did for their lack of understanding when it comes to the management of a football team. When number crunchers think they can defy the way a team needs to operate to succeed and squeeze everything past the last drop, thwy are learning a lesson, it won’t go unoticed.
How did he dare question the ambition of this management? They say it over and over again: “we are ambitious”. That should be enough. Jerry has nothing to prove, he’s the best stadium builder in the world.
Anyway Scaroni said it loud and clear last summer, la Gazza said it today, the goal is 4th place so we’re good so far.
Conte ? No Sir , no thank you
Bring A. Conte to Milan ✊✊