It was Ruben Amorim’s first day at Milanello today, and he chose to address the squad who also gathered for the raduno.
Having been appointed as Massimiliano Allegri’s replacement and having landed in Italy earlier in the month, the Portuguese coach took charge of his first day at the training complex. He introduced himself to the players with a brief speech before starting the day’s work.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
“Guys, you should introduce me to the staff because you know them better than I do. I’m really happy to be here, really proud. Whatever you need, I’m here. I’m available. In any arguments with other players, I’ll defend you, if you’re right. Okay, that’s all. Let’s get started, thanks,” he said.
🗣 "I'm really happy to be here, really proud. So everything that you need, I'm here. Any fights with [other] players, I will have your back, if you are right."
❤️ Amorim's first speech to the team at Milanello 👇pic.twitter.com/n0fWLbKkB7
— SempreMilan (@SempreMilanCom) July 13, 2026
In case you missed it, Amorim summoned 26 players (including a number from Milan Futuro) for the first day of work. It is a very important preseason for the new boss, who must make his assessments on the squad and try to assimilate his identity.
While he may use a three-man defence like Allegri did, there is actually a radical difference compared to the style of the Italian. It’s something we have covered in the tactical analysis pieces for Amorim (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3).
The way i see it
“I’ll defend you”: This lays the foundation for a “siege mentality,” a well-known psychological strategy used to create a barrier between the team and the outside world (media, fans, opponents).
“If you’re right”: This establishes an explicit condition of accountability. Amorim doesn’t give a blank check for rebellion or naive disciplinary errors، protection is conditional on adherence to what’s right and the system. The risk of misinterpretation of “if you’re right” is that it opens the door to speculation; who defines “right”? If the coach sees a player as being at fault and punishes him administratively or tactically, he could lose some of his loyalty within the group if the behind the scenes details leak to the press. Words on day one are free and always appeal to emotions. Promising players he’ll defend them “if they’re right” is a classic psychological maneuver to save time and effort in winning them over. The real test doesn’t happen under the gentle July sun at Milanello, but on cold November nights. After two consecutive Champions League defeats, or if a public disagreement arises between the team’s star player and the coach regarding defensive duties, if Amorim backs down at the first sign of trouble to protect his relationship with the management, this statement will transform from a ‘document of commitment’ into ‘evidence of false promises,’ and he will lose the entire room.