Arrigo Sacchi has shared his thoughts on AC Milan quite frequently this season, but his latest interview has certainly highlighted the gravity of the season. As he sees it, another revolution is now inevitable, with some golden rules to follow.
Sacchi is one of the most successful managers in Milan’s history and he has the club in his heart. As such, watching the chaos of this season, he has had a lot to say in his interviews and columns for Gazzetta dello Sport.
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The most recent interview (see photo below), however, is certainly one of the best as the former manager discussed where Milan should go next. Another revolution is now inevitable, while the Rossoneri must follow three golden rules to make sure they don’t get it wrong again.
On the Bologna game…
“This Milan is not a team. I say this with regret, because you know how much I love this club, but unfortunately you can’t escape the evidence. In Bologna there were eleven players scattered around the pitch, with nothing to keep them together, without a game, without an idea.”
So what should be done?
“At this point, there is only one thing left: another revolution. In the hope that, in this case, it is done with wisdom and following the golden rules that are the basis of building a team.”
What are these rules?
“Three, not one more. The first: we need a club with clear ideas. The second: the club must choose the coach and support him from the first to the last day. The third: the players must be chosen by the coach, based on his tactical beliefs.”
Has Conceicao finished his adventure?
“It would be unfair to attribute all the responsibility for the current situation to the Portuguese coach, who arrived shortly after Christmas. Just as it would have been unfair to place all the blame on Paulo Fonseca for the results achieved in the first part of the season. The mistakes, as always, must be divided, in more or less equal parts, between the directors, the coach and the players.”
The question remained unanswered: is Conceicao done?
“I don’t think the club sees a future with him, but that’s my impression. As an external observer and a lover of Milan, I point out a few things: in the summer, the Rossoneri wanted a coach, Lopetegui, who was rejected by the fans. They switched to Fonseca. They bought five foreign players. Then they sent Fonseca away, took Conceicao and signed five more players. The result is the same: Milan never became a team.”
Why, in your opinion?
“Because to build a team you need a club that has clear ideas, and these ideas must be transmitted to the coach who has the task of making the players understand them. I’ll give you an example: Berlusconi, when he hired me, told me that he wanted to win and convince through spectacular play. I explained to him what I had in mind and he supported me at every moment.
“He had already bought Gullit and Van Basten, I asked him for three boys who came from Parma, Mussi, Bianchi and Bortolazzi, one who had spent a lot of time on the bench at Udinese, Colombo, and I wanted Ancelotti at all costs, about whom the president had doubts due to his physical problems. I told him: ‘You buy me Ancelotti and we will win the league’.
“He obliged me and I kept my word. And the following year, before buying Rijkaard, I sent him to follow a trusted man of mine for two weeks. Do today’s managers behave like this? I don’t know, but I have some doubts. To make a good team you need reliable men. On and off the pitch.”
Who would you bet on for the bench next season?
“I’m thinking of Sarri or Conte. I also like Baroni from Lazio, and I’m following Fabregas’ growth with attention and curiosity. The important thing is that a coach comes who gives a clear style of play.”
Juve aren’t doing well either. What do you think?
“Thiago Motta is a hard worker, but it seems to me that he ended up in an environment where the players believe they’ve already arrived. I don’t see, in their behaviour on the pitch, that humility and spirit of sacrifice that are necessary to achieve success. At Juve they tried to make a cultural revolution, but they’re stuck in the middle.”
This morning, the pink newspaper also reported that Cesc Fabregas is the favourite to replace Sergio Conceicao for next season. As a young coach, he has impressed a lot with Como and he would bring a certain structure, having a very set game and style.
Bring in Fabregas! He commands good style of play. That’s what we need. Then sale theo and Leao. These two actually believe they have arrived. Just let them go
Yeah, people bashed Fonseca for his lack of trophies and experience. You want to bring the total newbie who has coached a small team that is standing on 13th position? Yeah, sounds like we’ve got the winner here. 😀 😀 😀 😀
If there will be a new coach next season and there is a possibility of Conte leaving because of the genius president of Napoli they should take him.
Milan is not a team because both Fonseca and Conceição are trying to make the players fit their playing styles instead of using the best system that works for the players they have.
Also Milan management consistently signs midfielders who mezzalas. No defensive midfielder and no attacking midfielder BUT yet still Fonseca and Conceição insist on playing 4231 INSTEAD of 433 which is the obvious formation for the midfield players we have in the team.
BIG CHANGE is needed at the top. Out Ibra and Moncada. They don’t know what they are doing and Milan need an experienced sporting director to fix this problem.
Sack Conceição NOW. Bring in Tassotti as interim coach and get Ancelotti this summer. Because this is his last season at Real Madrid.
Ancelotti will work wonders with these players. No need to sell Theo and Leao. Only Maignan, Tomori, Emerson, Okafor, Chukwueze, Jovic, Abraham and possibly RLC because of his poor fitness record should leave this summer.
Mostly agree with you. But I doubt Ancelotti comes back.
His next move would be to a National Team. I don’t think he has it in him to work with developing players which we have a lot of. At this stage in his career I think he wants to work with and manage established stars. Next Level Game.
But I do think we need an Italian coach. Fabregas feels like a Spanish DeZerbi.
Not only what Arrigo said is inappropriate, but he is wrong , instead of supporting the team, he is saying all these things, it’s wrong
Yeah. You have all the credibility and trophies to back up your claims. What has Sacchi ever done? Does he even understand football? Have they ever even suggested he was one of the best coaches in the history of football? Oh right, they have! My bad. 😀 😀 😀
Blind supporter. Do you even understand what he said?
I’m not totally sold on Cesc but I think we do need someone of his profile to truly restart the project… A young manager with fresh ideas
Fonseca played the best attacking and cohesive football Milan had played since the peak Piolis great season at Milan where he won the scudetto. Fonseca had clear ideas of how he wanted the team to play. Games with Madrid, sassuolo, lecce, inter, Venezia and a few in the champions league were evident. He wasn’t the top of the best coaches but he knew exactly what he wants in his team and the player at his disposal were playing like amateurs with footballing sense. His tactics were total ball control and pure attacking prowess and you could imaging having a better ball possession with a team like inter where Milan won 2-1. No magic should have been expected in the first season if this desperate management knew what was coming and they pushed him out.