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Extended Clip - AC Milan To Sack Stefano Pioli: The Possible Replacements (Ep. 413)
1.3k Plays2 years ago
After Stefano Pioli seems to be all but confirmed to leave AC Milan at the end of the season, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss, debate an analyze his legacy at Milan as well as all potential successors, from Antonio Conte to Unai Emery and Manuel Pellegrini.
This is an extended clip from this weeks free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google podcasts.
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Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome
Stefano Pioli's Future at Milan
00:00:03
Speaker
to the Italian Football Podcast. Let's move away from the football on the pitch. Two important issues. First of all, Stefano Pioli. It's now pretty much unanimously reported in Italy among all the top journalists and media that Stefano Pioli will be sacked by Milan at the end of the season. This has been a big talking point really all season.
00:00:30
Speaker
for the first half of the season at least, it was pretty much accepted that this would be Pioli's last season. Everybody was pretty much in agreement that it was the right decision. But then Milan had started 2024 really, really well. They went on a fantastic seven game winning run. They got into the quarterfinals of the Europa League. They moved above Juventus into second in the Serie A. They were the informed team in Serie A. And suddenly,
00:00:58
Speaker
there there was you know it started to be suggested that purely could could actually now stay at Milan and there was a kind of a split in the debate there were those that were still no purely needs to go and there were those that were like no he's shown here that he is the best man to take it forward and we had a debate on this a couple of weeks ago before the Roma first leg and we basically I think both of us said that we need to see substance and
Impact of Europa League Exit
00:01:23
Speaker
the Roma game is going to be key for that. This seven-game winning run and this good start to 2024 is meaningless if Milan then go out to Roma in the Europa League and that is exactly what happened and they went out really with a whimper if we're honest. They lost the first leg at home and they lost away as well despite playing against 10 men for over half the game
00:01:50
Speaker
And so now I think, yeah, we basically, I think both of us agree that it is the right decision for him to go now at the end of the season. I couldn't agree more. I think it's, I think as I've said many times with the risk of being repetitive, I think history will be very kind on Stefano Pioli for what he did at Milan. I think he will be remembered as a Milan hero.
00:02:20
Speaker
for bringing Milan back into Il Calcio Quiconta, you know, back into the football that matters when Milan need to be in the Champions League, where he won Escoredetto on 86 points, which was a remarkable feat, when they didn't expect to even be challenging for Escoredetto, much less win one. Back into the Champions League, back into playing European football, developing young players, modernizing how Milan play,
Milan's Aspirations and Coaching Changes
00:02:48
Speaker
But after four and a half years, almost five years, which is a long time in football, that relationship has run its course. And I think that Milan, he will hand over having set the framework and set something there that now is up to someone else to take the next step. And what is the next step? Well, that is to actually start winning titles again, competing in the Serie A
00:03:15
Speaker
more often, more consistently, whilst also year after year after year getting through from the Champions League, the group state of the Champions League to the latter stages, and perhaps even winning at once. Who knows if everything, if the cards fall the right way, are dealt the right way. That's what Milan want to do and that's what Milan should be able to do.
00:03:41
Speaker
And I think that it's time to say thank you for this, thank you for this time, Stefano, but it's time to pass on. And also because, look, I think he has completely reestablished himself. And I'm looking at him, he will have a good career from after Mila, regardless of how annoyed some people are with Pioli. He's going to have a good job next. I personally think, I don't understand what De Laurentiis is doing.
00:04:15
Speaker
If he goes after Vinnie Italian, then no, but if he goes after Stefano Pioli, who I think is the perfect man,
00:04:26
Speaker
to take over this Napoli project and do something given the plays they have there and given the style of football they want to play. To me, Pioli is tailor-made for that job. And he's also such a calm character. He's a gentleman. Just look at how he's handled the pressure of being questioned at Milan from the very first day he was appointed. I mean, I remember the day he was appointed.
00:04:53
Speaker
in the mid season, purely out was trending. Literally on the day he was appointed. So you can't tell me that man can't work in difficult conditions. He has worked and he has succeeded in difficult conditions.
00:05:08
Speaker
And if you can do it at Milan and you can do it, you know, then I think you should be you can't you can also handle it at Annapolis who's trying to, you know, rebuild and reestablish themselves. So for me, he should he must be treated with respect. And I think he will have a good career. But the question then is who who takes over after it?
Debate on Foreign vs. Italian Coaches
00:05:31
Speaker
Yeah, well, the feeling is among, I mean Dimatio has said this and some others have said this, is that Milan are adamant it's going to be a foreign coach. They're refusing to even consider any Italian coach at all. So before we come to the name, just on that concept,
00:05:51
Speaker
I find that very strange and I find that actually quite discriminatory. If that's true, that they just decided we are going to go for a foreign coach, we're not even going to consider an Italian coach. I don't care who it is, we're just not going for an Italian coach. If that's the case, I think that's actually really quite wrong, actually. For starters, you should never
00:06:10
Speaker
choose a coach based on his nationality at all. That's number one. But number two, there are some bloody amazing Italian coaches out there and a lot that are actually going to be available this summer. So not saying that they should appoint an Italian manager, they certainly should be considered and be on the shortlist. And what we've seen so far is we've seen a long shortlist of possibilities for the Milan job.
00:06:34
Speaker
there is not a single Italian on that list. And there's a lot of Italians that are better than at least half of these names that are on this list as being possible. So that I find very, very strange that Milan are just, we are going to go for a foreign coach. We're not even going to consider an Italian name. I think that's quite discriminatory. I think you want the best person for the job there. It's an important appointment because this is Jerry's first appointment. This is Redbirds.
00:07:04
Speaker
first appointment, they have to get it right. They can't mess this up. First coaching appointment, that is. They have to get this right. I think deciding beforehand who can even apply for the job based on passport is silly.
00:07:24
Speaker
And I don't believe it either. I just don't believe that's how, I just don't see that a US hedge fund works like that. Unless they're thinking, unless they're thinking, you know what, we're trying to be a global. I think the style. Unless they're thinking globally, we want a foreign name because we want it to be more attractive globally. Or they've got some kind of idea that the Italian mentality is more
00:07:52
Speaker
i don't know outdated
Potential Coaching Candidates
00:07:53
Speaker
when it comes to that's what i was going to get which is not which is just simply not true which is i think i think there's been a lost in translation here i think between in whatever source they have when they reported this i don't think milan are looking at just foreigners based on being foreign i think what they're talking what they're looking for is someone who plays continental football that's what i think they're looking for now whether or not that coach is italian or
00:08:19
Speaker
wherever, that's a separate debate. I don't think Milano, I just don't, I can't imagine that being true. I just can't do that. It also doesn't make any sense if that's true. Lost in translation, yeah. You might be right, you might be right. It just doesn't make any sense if, you know, if they want a continental top, because there's lots of Italian coaches that play that, play that top of play. I mean, you know, Italiano, for example, D'Zerbi, you know, they play the most, they don't play Italian football at all, old school Italian football at all. They're the complete opposite of that.
00:08:48
Speaker
Tiago Motta doesn't play old school Italian football either. I forget that he's Italian. And neither does Luciano Spalletti because I wouldn't rule out Spalletti in a few years going to Milan. Do you know what I mean? I didn't see that, but the thing is I view it like this. I think Antonio Conte needs a job and Antonio Conte wants a job and Italian football, the politics of it, it means Antonio Conte is going to get a job.
00:09:14
Speaker
And the question is, where does he want to go? Well, depending on which reports you read, some say
00:09:21
Speaker
you know, he wants Milan. He wants to be the first coach to win the Scoredetto with... Oh yeah, I agree. He should be in the Reckoning. But I'll read out the list of what is supposedly the shortlist from what we've seen. So if I don't have any inside information myself, this has just come from some of the top journalists, Di Marzio, Skira, and some of the Sky Italians, some of the others.
00:09:45
Speaker
that Julian Lopategi seems to be the favorite of the board right now, but there is big opposition from fans already against this appointment, like there was with Piotr. Then we've got Ruben Amorim, but as it stands he's the favorite for the Liverpool job to succeed. Jürgen Klopp, who's leaving of course,
00:10:04
Speaker
Then we've got Javi, who will lead Barcelona at the end of the season, who is the favourite of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, like this is who Zlatan wants to appoint at Milan. Then we have other names in the shortness are Unai Emery of Aston Villa, who I spoke about this software before, I think is
00:10:24
Speaker
I think that would be a very difficult deal to do because I think he's doing a fantastic job at Aston Villa. And he completed the Champions League, exactly, with the Premier League side. I just don't see why. And he's building something really good there as well. And then we have Sergio Conseil at Porto.
00:10:42
Speaker
and then we have the most recent name that's really come through and he's been linked to quite a lot of uh it seems to be like his agents seem definitely seem to be trying to push Manuel Pellegrini so it's because he was he was he was had negotiations with Romeo before they confirmed
00:10:57
Speaker
before they confirmed De Rossi. And now he's right in the line for Milan as well. He's become the biggest name recently. But as we discussed when we were discussing him for Roma, he can be 71 this year. So yeah, that's a bit of a strange one. Outsiders are Marcello Gallat, Gallardo, Christophe Galtier, Paolo Fonseca,
00:11:23
Speaker
Thiago Motta, who of course is in talks with Juventus, and then Thomas Tugel, who's leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season, although he would come with a massive, like Conte would come with a massive, massive weight. So these are the names that have been mentioned the short list. Not a single Italian has been mentioned, including Conte on the short list. So what do you make of these names? Who do you, you know, if it was going to be a foreigner from this list, who would you like? I don't know.
00:11:53
Speaker
I really like Unai Emery, but I don't think that's going to happen. I do think the Lopategi and Pellegrini thing is not something that I discount because of the style of football they play. Everyone knows, I think Sarri, just for the tactical, football technical and tactical reasons, is the one I think is best suited.
00:12:14
Speaker
I know that as a character he doesn't fit into Milan's style at all, either graphically or behaviorally in terms of behavior of the pitch. He just wants, you know, he's not that guy. But I think the football would be unbelievable.
00:12:31
Speaker
Um, I, I still can't discount Antonio Conte. I see. I have a really hard time believing Antonio Conte and how Rilo de la Rentis is going to, are going to work together. I just don't, I don't buy that at all. I don't buy those rumors at all. Um, so I just, um, so I think it's, uh, my money is on one of Lopategi, Conte, Pellegrini,
00:13:02
Speaker
You know, one of those, I don't see Shavi coming. I think that would be insane. I don't see the board giving Zlatan, or if it's true that Zlatan wants Shavi, I just don't see that. Not after what's happened in Barcelona. That would be mental. I just don't see that happening. But one of those, and also, of course, with Sarri as a dark horse,
00:13:29
Speaker
We're working hard, we're working overtime over here to try to get Sarita Milan, because it's for the good of Milan. Yeah, I mean, my problem is absolutely, he should absolutely be like Conte, should be in the least, in the frank, you know, he should be at all a possibility for the job, you know, to not even be considered, I think, just madness really.
00:13:53
Speaker
Yeah, we'll see how the next few weeks pan out really. It's going to be a big appointment for Milan. But my point of view is that, yeah, I'm like you. I think Emery would be great. Amorim also, because I think he fits the model of Milan in terms of developing players, younger players. Done a great job at sporting in that sense as well.
00:14:19
Speaker
Lopategi, I do like, I have to be honest, I do like Lopategi. But yeah, I can understand that the opposition from fans, and Conseissard I think is just a bit too defensive for what Milan... No, I don't see Conseissard going because of the style he plays, it just didn't make sense and the players they've got, I just don't see him going there. Yeah.
00:14:39
Speaker
And Javi is a weird one. Javi is a difficult one to assess. I feel like with Javi, he could be good, but he could also be a bit of a massive flock. It's hard to know with Javi.