Journalist Franco Ordine has claimed that Antonio Conte showed during his first press conference with Napoli exactly why AC Milan did not push to hire him.
As soon as it became apparent that Stefano Pioli would not be continuing as the head coach, the newspapers and other media outlets wasted no time in linking Milan with both Conte and Thiago Motta, among other names.
Milan opted to hire Paulo Fonseca as their head coach and it must be said that he arrives amid a mixed reaction, with some believing that his CV and his failure to do anything of note at Roma mean he is not the kind of appointment an ambitious club should make.
However, others think he can build on the platform in place and that it is a hire that does not require a massive overhaul in the same way that Conte might. He uses a three-man defence, for example, and usually demands several big signings.
Ordine published his weekly column for MilanNews and it actually led with a consideration on Conte, whose comments in his Napoli unveiling presser have caused a bit of a stir.
“Inevitable to start with Antonio Conte. I have the clear impression that he has, indirectly, explained in a didactic way the reason why Ibra and Milan never consulted him,” he began.
“The coach from Lecce was clear and precise on the subject: ‘I am a manager, I want to have a say, maybe in some places where it isn’t right. I told ADL that I decide who stays and who leaves’. In short, he asked for and received carte blanche.
“And putting the entire club in the hands of a coach is a luxury that Napoli can afford, returning from a disastrous season and its president accused of having ‘wrecked’ Napoli’s previous season. It seems to me at this point that even the most avid ‘widower’ of Antonio Conte can put his mind at rest: he wasn’t the right man, at least for this Milan.
“Yes, because as in Berlusconi’s past (Galliani was at the wheel and no one else could dictate the direction of travel other than president Silvio Berlusconi), the Rossoneri have never allowed a coach to be above the club.”
Milan is bigger than conte, inter and juve as far as global appeal is concern , so Milan can allow a local champion coach to come and dictate! A juventini for that matter! Even as iconic and wildly and internationally acclaimed Paolo Maldini wasn’t allowed that luxury…much less someone with a poor international standing and European pedigree….I can’t wait for the drama that will ensure between him and De Laurentis…
Europian pedigree?
We Are in Europe
I give them until october
Can’t I meant to say!
Not the Coach is the real Problem of lame duck Milan
The Problem are ownership and Management
You mean all the articles on here about how Ibra wanted to bring in Conte were complete made up, speculative bullsh!t just to generate clicks? Shocking.
well Klopp, Guardiola or in the past Sir Alex Ferguson..all of them have/had a similar role in their clubs
they decide who stays and who’s gonna be signed ( for example: Pep who decided that Cancelo had to leave, no matter what)
that makes them big clubs
while Milan has still this banter club attitude
Sadly, Milan need a manager, not a couch. Ibra is no Maldini and this is not few years ago.