AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli’s position remains under scrutiny, and while he is unlikely to lose his job during the season the management do have a plan in place.
Today’s edition of La Repubblica (via PianetaMilan) writes how for both Pioli and José Mourinho the game between Milan and Roma tonight is crucial, given that they are under pressure from the respective American ownerships to get results.
It is unlikely that Pioli and/or Mourinho will receive a notification of dismissal during the season, but it is ‘highly presumable’ that it will happen for both at the end of the season.
Regarding Milan and Pioli’s situation at the Rossoneri, the paper added that Ignazio Abate would be ready to take over from him as a caretaker if things were to take a serious negative turn.
The current Primavera coach would in turn be replaced at the helm of the Primavera by Giovanni Renna, who is leading Milan’s U17s at the moment and is breaking records after such a good start.
This scenario – Abate replacing Pioli in the Milan dugout – is considered valid as an interim remedy to close the current season if the situation were to worsen, it must be stressed.
For the future, however, the names of Antonio Conte, Roberto De Zerbi, Vincenzo Italiano and Thiago Motta remain under consideration.
The only coach I think would take this Milan to another level is DeZerbi. Let’s be honest conte might be a good short term solution but given his attitude wouldn’t see him staying longer than 2 seasons. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep changing coaches every 2 years
1. If those are seriously the names ‘under consideration’ then the club clearly have no plan about what they want to do strategically, which should be a big concern – they’re very opposing styles and characters.
2. What are those going to do better than Pioli? Conte won’t outperform his spend and will leave a mess, De Zerbi isn’t on the market and he’ll go to a top spending English club, Italiano and Motta are very en vogue but mostly based on this last half season, neither have experience with a club this size and would be a huge gamble.
I’d be happy with any of those four except Conte but I wouldn’t expect them to do a better job than Pioli.
Can we just ice this conversation until summer?