Former AS Roma director Tiago Pinto has said that Paulo Fonseca deserves his chance to coach AC Milan after doing such a good job at Lille this season.
Speaking to Gianluca Di Marzio (via Calciomercato.com), Pinto spoke glowingly of the man that he worked with at Roma and eventually parted ways with in favour of Jose Mourinho.
Pinto now works for Bournemouth in the Premier League but he took the time to share his thoughts on Fonseca who he clearly still holds a lot of admiration for.
“This move to Italy is a well-deserved opportunity. Paulo Fonseca did an incredible job at Lille, in a period of change in the team which, upon his arrival, had lost half of its players. He managed to have two spectacular years with great results, with a great European campaign, but above all with a very attractive game plan that has been praised by everyone. That’s why, nowadays, coming to a club like Milan is something that is really worth it,” Pinto said.
Fonseca took Lille to a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1 this season and played an attractive brand of football, whilst also getting to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League where they were handed a tough draw against Aston Villa.
Tha attacking football and identity of the team is what Pinto then focused on whilst talking about Fonseca. Milan fans want to win trophies as the most important requirement, but entertaining football is also very important.
“He has a very strong imprint on the game he wants to play. And I am absolutely certain that things will go well. The club is also a great club, organised, with competent people, a good team, great fans and I think that has everything to work. The teams coached by Paulo Fonseca have always had a great identity: attacking and dynamic football. He is also a coach known for his ability to enhance the players, especially the young ones, in every club they have improved, grown and matured with his working method. And then he is truly a human being with superior values and human qualities. This makes him a coach who is relatively easy to work with for a director or a president, or depending on the structure that they have clubs,” Pinto said.
Fonseca has not been officially appointed Milan coach yet but the announcement is expected to be made once the team has returned from the post-season friendly against Roma in Australia.
“Fonseca took Lille to a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1 this season and played an attractive brand of football, whilst also getting to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League.”
Say no more.
He is not a bad coach hes decent…But how can you choose him when rdz is avaiable and motta was?!!
De Zerbi’s a “difficult” character apparently and leaks more goals than Pioli. They should’ve stuck with Motta but dropped the ball when Pioli decided to be on fire again with 7 straight wins and a Europa quarter final coming up. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing I guess.
I don’t know man. Fonseca never had any decent players in his teams. Curious how he fares at Milan. Just needs to fix our defense and try to get more out of inconsistent players.
Agree – defence should be his #1 priority. I have zero faith in Thiaw, Calabria, Kalulu etc holding the line against Inter next time we play them. I’d say our only true starters should be Theo and Tomori – and even they’re prone to monumental gaffes from time to time. The glory days of Cafu, Maldini, Baresi etc are long gone.
De Zerbi team as someone said leaked goals. Team was worse this year. To be fair they did lose some players. Did anyone watch Tottenham when Conte was there? Their defense improved while their offense was a mess. They are now better without Kaine and Conte. I know the love for an Italian manager is there, but look at his results. One good year at Chelsea, then lost the team (Hazard, Fabergas, Diego) and has not been successful since.