Vincenzo Vergine’s time as the head of AC Milan’s youth sector could last less than a year because Zlatan Ibrahimovic is thinking about bringing in his own man, a report claims.
Vergine took the role vacated by Angelo Carbone’s departure as the Head of the Youth Sector last September having held the same position for 13 years at Fiorentina and then for the last two years at Roma. At the time, it was rightly viewed as an ambitious appointment given his success with Roma.
The journalist Enrico Currò focused spoke about the power that Ibrahimovic now has in a piece for La Repubblica (via Radio Rossonera), and he also mentioned something interesting about the future of the youth sector.
He states that Zlatan has ‘engaged in a tug-of-war with the head of the youth sector Vergine’, whose farewell after less than a year of work (he arrived in September 2023) is ‘imminent’. In his place, a director from Ajax is expected to arrive.
It comes after Sky reported last week that Ibrahimovic wishes to implement the ‘Ajax model’ at Milan, one which is centred around a certain type of youth development, and it seems he has a precise vision in mind for how it can be achieved.
Hmm. So, this is going to be interesting. The Ajax model stipulates that all youth levels train in the same fashion and use the same formation as the first team. To that end Ajax has chosen and has stuck with 4-3-3 forever. Is it smart to commit to one system so totally? I feel like this will limit tactical flexibility and also limit the choice in managers (and the choices managers can make, see tactical flexibility). It is an interesting idea, but there are no examples of major clubs in top 5 leagues that have committed to this strategy, to my knowledge.
barca is a good example and considering that we intend to have an u23 team this really does make a lot of sense to me and ive been an advocate for us doing this for at least 2 decades. It will make it so much easier to promote and integrate youngsters into which teams they get promoted to.
I would also argue that if a coach is sacked its easier to build upon the work already done by the previous one rather than starting from scratch again and having to make major rewamps of the squads also potentially saving us expenditure in the process.
This worked for Barca when they got Messi, never before, never after.
Ajax in the other hand is a machine of making money from their young talent but not achieving anything internationally.
Not a fan of this losing models.
never before and never after, really ? la masia is world renowned and was it long before messi and will be it long after his retires.
Ajax is the inspiration for the spaniards. Considering the money in modern football its difficult for them to win cl but they have actually won the european cup/cl 4 times and the last one was when they beat us in the 95 so not to be rude i actually do question whether you actually knows what you are talking about.
I don’t think this is tied to any one formation, but to an overall more effective development of youth players, not among other youth, but in lower leagues where the competition is “stiffer” and the kids would play against professionals.
Ajax’s last champions was in 1994, they became the international model for developing youth talent to sell it. Same as Borussia, Salzburgo, etc..
They don’t care about winning or tactical alternatives, they care about making a player look good in a position and sell it.
I hope someone stops Zlatan
Cruyff took the model and implemented it at Barca…it doesn’t require selling the players…it is the structure in which they are educated… you can keep them….
Good move.
Milan and Italy in general need someone from outside to help them with their youth sectors. Whatever methods and models they use in Italy obviously don’t work because there is less and less home grown talent coming up thru the ranks.
Ajax youth models is one of the best, if not the best in Europe, alongside Barca from the top clubs.
You do know they were built by the same person right…
I thought they had said Vergine was like a youth sector guru of sorts. Sigh. Another change. Best they gave the club back to Elliot lol. They had more stability
As long as they bring Maldini back only as Motivational Speaker, since he is only good talking not doing
???
Why Maldini?
I said Elliot. We just brought in Vergine last year and now they want to axe him less than one year on. That’s poor planning. And indicates issues within management to land on the same targets
If true, it’s a very risky move, you want to have the Ajax model, fine but don’t undermine the existing personnel, train the Italian people to do it. Instead of trying to have a complete revolution, try building brick by brick. It takes a lot more time and patience but it’s more stable.
Ibra has very strong opinions about things. If you are not open to compromises in most cases you end up either as a visionary or as a fool.
I really don’t see Ibra as the man to be planning the youth sector. He moved all over during his career and would not have had a close relationship with the development side of things.
I also think it should be the Milan model not the Ajax model, that is why they and Barca etc have so much success, they have their own style that suits them.
Also incase anyone has not noticed our Primavera side got to Semis of the youth league last year and again this year (despite many players unavailable due to 1st team commitments).
So I think the youth set up is doing very, very well.
Historically we have produced some gems, like Maldini.
The difference in Ajax and Barca is the youth are given a chance!
Are you really sure you understand football better than Maldini?
sure, they should fire and hire, they pay the bills. The ajax model is basically a train to sell model. Plenty of excitement ahead!
Scrolled around and thought this might be useful to post…obviously its old given the players named but its a decent summary of what Cruyffs philosophy was at ajax and barca..
Ajax plays according to one system at all levels
This means that when a youth player progresses to a different team or the first team, they know what is expected of them in whatever position they play. This makes it easy for youngsters to start for the main squad, the bar to play in the first team is low.
Development comes before results
Ajax doesn’t care about results when it comes to the youth teams (even the second team which plays in the second league). Although, because of the level, the youth teams almost always play for the title and often win the title, this is not what the coaches and players are judged on. It’s about the development of the youngsters.
All youth players are always stimulated by playing against the highest possible resistance
In line with the previous point that development comes first, the players are always played at the highest possible level given what they are showing on the pitch. For instance, Gravenberch is 16 and already made his debut for the first team + regularly plays for the second team (under 23). Naci Unüvar, another big talent, is a starter for the under 19 squad at just 15 years old. Whenever a talent is showing that it’s becoming too easy for him to compete at the current level they are moved up to an older age bracket to play against more resistance forcing them to adapt their game.
Constant innovation
Ajax is constantly innovating. For instance, many of the big players from the past learned their skills and technique by playing on the street. Playing on the street, especially as a young boy, you’ll often play against bigger and older kids. Technique is the only way to beat them and avoid any physical contact, as falling on the street is not pleasant. However, the younger generations don’t play outside as much anymore so they are missing this vital part in their development. So with the youngest teams Ajax regularly holds training session out in the parking lot, or similar to bring this element back in their development. Another innovation is that Ajax introduced the Twin Games for the youngest kids, these are matches played on much smaller pitches with smaller teams (you still have the same size team, but you play two matches at the same time on a much smaller pitch) meaning that the kids will get to have a lot more contact with the ball, experience certain situations a lot more often and so have a better chance to learn and develop
Excellent youth scouting
The youth scouting division at Ajax is excellent at all ages. From scouting talented youngster are early ages to scouting talented youngsters that just need to finish their development (Eriksen, de Jong, etc.). Because there are always so many talented youngsters, competition on any position in the youth is high, ensuring only the strongest (technique, talent, intelligence and mental fortitude) can make it.
Philosophy
Above all, Ajax stands for a certain philosophy of how football is supposed to be played and no coach (a passerby at the club) can change this (unless you want to lose your job in record time). The Ajax philosophy (4–3–3, attacking football with high pressure) requires technically gifted players, it requires a play maker and wingers that can get past their man, it requires defenders and goalkeepers that are comfortable on the ball as well as off the ball. I cannot stress how important it is to have a certain philosophy as a club that you are sticking by if you want to have a good youth academy with a steady through put. Of course you need excellent scouting, excellent coaching and facilities and be able to attract the most talented. But without a philosophy you won’t be able to develop for the first squad as easily. Take Madrid for example, under Mourinho they played a completely different style of football than under Zidane.
As mentioned earlier that one philosophy allows youth players to easily slot into the first team because they have been playing the same game their entire lives. They know what is expected of them in their position and are comfortable, allowing them to focus on their performance and displaying their skills without worrying about all the tactical assignments they get.