Journalist Franco Ordine believes that the biggest mistake that AC Milan made in the summer was not letting certain players leave but rather choosing Paulo Fonseca as the head coach.
After the Derby della Madonnina win against Inter it appeared as though Milan were a team on the rise. Fonseca had come up with a new system that seemed to be working, and confidence was beginning to build heading towards the next international break.
However, it proved to be a false dawn as the Rossoneri lost 1-0 against Bayer Leverkusen and then 2-1 against Fiorentina, meaning they are on three wins in nine under Fonseca across all competitions. The results and the actions of the players in the field has led to suggestions the coach is under pressure.
Ordine published his weekly column for MilanNews and he did not mince his words regarding what his thoughts are on the leadership’s decision to hire Fonseca rather than a more authoritative name.
“That the latest version of Milan has collected a good number of serious errors is indisputable. In terms of the mercato for example: the sale of Kalulu (mortal sin) solving a problem for Juve, that of Adli with a midfield then reduced to the bone by Bennacer’s injury.
“The lack of a replacement for Hernandez (Jimenez hit by Ibra but then injured, Bartesaghi busy with Milan Futuro), Daniel Maldini given to Monza are just some of the arguments used by those who have the defect of forgetting the same errors committed in the past for example by the management that brought Mandzukic, Castillejo, Dest, Origi etc. to Milanello and the list could go on for a long time.
“The mother of all errors however remains the choice of coach Fonseca whose entry into Milanello was marked by general skepticism. That climate did not remain outside the gates, it entered the Rossoneri enclosure to the point of infecting the team group without the physical presence of Ibra and Moncada being able to somehow defeat it.
“Fonseca is not in question at the moment (but they will not defend him at all costs, it is good to understand that) as Boban and Maldini did at the time with Giampaolo dismissed after 7 rounds.
“Paradoxically, it comes to say that Fonseca’s current defenders are perhaps driven by the fear that a possible dismissal could lead to the choice of another Fonseca-like coach, like Juric at Roma to be clear. Sarri is not liked and on the other hand his football to be learned by heart takes too long. The only one suited to the task may be Max Allegri.”
GRACIAS ORDINE!!! SOLO LOS CIEGOS!!!! CONFÍAN EN ESTE DT campeón de Ucrania 🤡🇵🇹🤮
“coach Fonseca whose entry into Milanello was marked by general skepticism” – and what does he think would have been the general opinion on Allegri? I have the feeling I have read this article like 10 times in the last month, we are just adding more recent details. If we start playing Allegri’s style I wish all the best to the team but won’t spend 2-4 hours weekly on games that hurt my eyes.
Worth it or not, good or bad choice, Fonseca is here so we give him time. Building a team is a complex process – don’t expect a better outcome if a new average Joe coach comes mid-season when there’s already too much tension for limited reasons and has to adapt to the current squad.
And before I get outright attacks on what I said – yes, games like Fiorentina hurt my eyes as well, but a game like Leverkusen gives me at least hopes of exciting football possible, even if it was a loss. We also outplayed Inter, which has never happened under Pioli (even in the couple of games we won).
I agree if something is not working, no reason to keep hoping on it and to reduce the possible damages, but I don’t agree that’s definitely the case at the moment.
Let’s put less emotion and be a bit more pragmatic – replacing a manager for the sake of doing it mid-season, while there is already a lot of tension and pressure on the whole management – 9/10 cases wouldn’t work out well.
nope, allegri is too negative and usually a second stint comeback never turn into good story
Fonseca should be given the chance and he has demonstrated that he is not stubborn like Pioli and will change players and formation if the team is not getting the desired results.
What needs to change at Milan is the management team. We need a CEO and Sporting Director with Football knowledge and experience to choose the right players for the system the coach wants to play.
Ibra, Moncada and Furlani needs to go. Then we can look at the players like RLC, Chukwueze, Jovic, Abraham,Emerson and Calabria who in my opinion needs to go.
Without better quality players there’s no need to talk about changing the coach. Our recruitment team sucks.
Mostly agree. Ibra in my opinion doesn’t hurt us in the big picture, because I doubt he is a sporting director in reality. He is the face of Cardinale (in PR sense) that can also help the players, though they don’t seem too motivated lately. But we need an adequate sporting director for sure and if that means cutting Ibra so be it. But I think he’ll be the last to go from the bunch and when he decides to.
Abraham is a good bench depth player if he is fine with that. In some games he will be the best option for leading the attack. Swapping in the last moment for Alexis for the season was a good move for the club.
Agrees. Why would we replace Fonseca—whose offensive changes have made Milan mibh better in that regard, whist defense is the same awful it was last year—with Allegri, whose offensive “brilliance” is a absent as Pioli’s was with this group, while we do not have the horses for the kind of defense Allegri prefers. It will be last year all over again: no goals for us, plenty of goals for our opponents.
Time to fire Fonseca, the longer we wait to fire Fonseca, the worse it is going to be.
Says something stupid then says something even more stupid. Allegri couldn’t coach a high school team to victory let alone a proper club..
Tho depending, or not, how the season ends the board really must revalue the people that were hired or promoted to do certain jobs. At the moment they don’t look very competent. Looking at you Moncada. Ibra also needs to pack and do like Jack