Pioli discusses Milan’s growth, youth project and his future: “The contract doesn’t expire”

By Isak Möller -

After seven games, AC Milan are in a very good spot in the league with 19 points collected, two points short of Napoli in first place. Stefano Pioli can be pleased, in other words, as they have indeed started strong. 

The Rossoneri will take on Hellas Verona after the international break and compared to some of their rivals, the schedule will be a bit easier for them in the next three games. This was to be expected, as they have already faced Lazio, Juventus and Atalanta.

Either way, the growth of the team is certainly there to see for everyone. On this day in 2019, Milan decided to hire Stefano Pioli as their new head coach. They faced a lot of backlash initially, but has turned out to be a great decision.

In an interview with today’s edition of Il Giornale, as cited by MilanNews, Pioli was asked about the team’s growth, his future, the Scudetto and the youth project that has been in place ever since he joined.

On the growth…

“Already in January 2020, I saw the change, which coincided with the arrival of Ibra and Kjaer. During the lockdown, it may seem curious, we had plenty of time to tune in remotely. When we returned to Milanello, the feeling we got is that we knew each other better.”

On the past and his future…

“I have never felt precarious. Because I always believed the words spoken by Gazidis a few hours before the match against Genoa. He said in front of the players: ‘We are all under scrutiny, we give everything and in the end, it will be decided, do not listen to the media because no choice has been made’.

“So I never felt on the way out of Milan, not even when I was reading the headlines on Rangnick. In my head, the contract doesn’t expire. I have a symbiotic relationship with Maldini, Massara and Gazidis. I’m doing well at Milanello and we all have the same ambitions.”

On the Scudetto…

“Milan have grown a lot and still have room for improvement but the panorama of Scudetto contenders has not changed: the candidates are always the same, five or six, with Juve who will soon be back up there, and Atalanta who are used to slow starts. It will be essential for Milan to demonstrate decisive quality: continuity in the results. 18 months of excellent performances are not enough to win.”

The youth project is paying off…

“Young players need two elements to make a breakthrough: talent – and there is plenty of it here – and time. You never know when they will mature. I found on July 8, the day of the resumption, Leao, Diaz and Tonali, very different from those I had left on May 23.”

Milan also need experience…

“We have pulled the necks of Leao and Rebic in these last games. It is unthinkable that they can play 50 games 10 months in a row. Therefore Ibra and Giroud will be very useful. And this is where my job comes in, resource management: understanding when to sideline one and let the other in, especially when returning from the national teams. I can’t wait for Messias and Bakayoko to recover. Messias has quality, is intelligent and will amaze because is capable of playing in two roles.”

READ MORE: Milan could snatch Inter star in Calhanoglu-esque move – the latest

Tags AC Milan Stefano Pioli

1 Comment

  1. Kudos to you Pioli for never giving up despite the continuous headlines on Ralf’s arrival… You are more than a coach! Kudos… We are moving to greater heights together. Forza Milan! ❤️🖤

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