Maldini on sacking Giampaolo for Pioli: “We don’t want to wait 10 years to be competitive”

By Oliver Fisher -

AC Milan director Paolo Maldini has revealed some of the motivations for sacking head coach Marco Giampaolo in favour of Stefano Pioli.

Milan confirmed on Tuesday evening that Giampaolo had been sacked after just 111 days in charge – the shortest reign of any manager in the club’s history.

Despite links with Luciano Spalletti at first, everything was agreed with Pioli who arrived at Casa Milan this morning to sign his contract.

The club confirmed his appointment via a statement on their official website, and it is believed that the former Lazio, Inter and Fiorentina bosshas signed a two-year deal with a couple of interesting clauses.

Pioli was officially presented in front of the media on Wednesday afternoon, and Maldini was put in the firing line by journalists.

“We do not want to wait 10 years to become competitive,” he told reporters, as per MilanNews.it.

“We have been professionals since we are 16 years old, we took life in the hands of young people. This is a moment in our lives that we live in a serene way.

“This is not a gamble, we want to be protagonists this season, we don’t want to have a wasted season.

“I thank Marco for his professionalism. I’m sorry that 3-4 months ago we were here with him talking about him, but now we have taken another path. 

“This was a considered and shared choice, if we go back it was a right choice for a young team. It just didn’t work.

“I defended Marco because it was right to defend him. We defended him until we changed our mind.

“It was perhaps easier to let another month pass, but with a whole championship in front of us we couldn’t risk wasting a season.

On the psychology of the players, he added: “I think the [mentally] blocked players are a consequence of the situation.

“The history of Milan, the pressure of San Siro may have affected some of our players.”


READ MORE: An own-goal for Milan – They appoint Pioli and also lose the fans

Tags AC Milan Paolo Maldini
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