Yahoo Sports ‘Who is with the team?’ – Vitiello explains why Milan are missing a sporting director
Journalist Antonio Vitiello believes that AC Milan’s management is incomplete by not having a sporting director, while there are a number of other figures whose roles seem confused.
The decision to relieve Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara of their duties at the end of the 2022-23 season was met with an understandably volatile reaction, and there are those that believe they still have not been replaced.
The reasons for the dismissal of the duo was debated at length, but to concise matters a lot it seemed as though Gerry Cardinale wanted a more collegial working group, with Geoffrey Moncada effectively promoted to technical director and Antonio D’Ottavio becoming his assistant.
However, on the day that Maldini spoke again (albeit not answering any questions about the Rossoneri), there remain doubts about whether the management that has been assembled can bring silverware.
Vitiello has written his weekly column for MilanNews and he took aim at the corporate structure of Milan, one which he believes does not have all of the ingredients needed to succeed.
“Milan’s start to the season has been terrible, Paulo Fonseca is already playing for everything in a few days,” he began.
“The Portuguese coach is in trouble, his ideas are not being received by the team and Musah inadvertently confirmed this after the defeat against Parma. ‘We don’t know whether to attack or stay still’. This is just one of the many misunderstandings, not to mention the Leao and Theo case.
“Either they change gear immediately or it will end badly. Milan also lack a sporting director, a field manager who is at Milanello every day to give strength to the coach’s choices and to resolve internal issues, especially with the players.
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“Ibrahimovic is not a sporting director. Zlatan is the owner’s right-hand man, he is not even required to be at the training complex every day. He is not even listed in the club’s organisational chart, he is not a Milan manager but rather a Cardinale man.
“If Zlatan is away for business commitments, whether personal or representing the American fund RedBird, who is with the team? Who resolves situations on the pitch?
“Moncada is a great scout, he has always done this throughout his career and is good at reporting talents around Europe, but that is not what a sporting director does. Among the most important tasks of a sporting director is the daily management at the training ground and dealing with the critical issues of individual players.
“Furlani is the man of accounts and finance, he focuses on the economic aspect of negotiations, and not even he can cover this role. This is why we think that Milan is currently lacking a figure of this kind. Ibrahimovic could theoretically do it but in reality he is not because he has a thousand other marketing and sponsor issues to follow.”
