[kurtsimonw]

Pirlo: "From a tactical and didactic point of view, Conte is even better than Ancelotti and Lippi, who are also two great coaches."

Surely he's only saying that because he's his current coach!?

[Jack Sparrow]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) No. Conte is extremely flexible with his tactics...but I think Andy P is jumping the gun here. Carlo was never a league coach....the CL was his natural arena.So truth be told, I did find his Chelsea tenure quite surprising.

In fact Lippi also to an extent.

Managing a league and managing a tournament are quite different.

Andrea Pirlo has revealed that he left Milan because he was no longer in the first team plans of boss Massimiliano Allegri.

The playmaker quit the Rossoneri on a Bosman last summer to join Juventus and he subsequently inspired their Scudetto success.

“Milan offered me a one-year extension, but I wanted three years because I was younger than the other players whose contracts were expiring,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“But the real reason behind why I left Milan was because Allegri wanted to use Massimo Ambrosini or Mark Van Bommel in front of the defence instead of me.

“That meant that I had to change position on the pitch. So I said ‘no thanks’ to Milan and chose Juventus.

“Milan decided that I was no longer useful to them. I understood that immediately during our meeting.”

Some were surprised by Pirlo’s decision to leave champions Milan for a team who had finished the previous two seasons in seventh place.

“When I was at Gigi Buffon’s wedding in June last year, people asked me if I was crazy because I had left,” he added.

“I then replied that when I decide to join another club, I do it because I want to win. And I also said that we would win the Italian championship.

“And now those same people thank me because they went and put money on us winning the Scudetto…”

While Juventus enjoyed the assists of Pirlo, Milan did struggle at times without his calmness and vision.

“A lot of my former teammates told me that they missed me during the campaign,” he added. “But I’m happy as I won.

“Almost all of my former teammates at Milan sent me text messages congratulating me on winning the Scudetto.”

The 32-year-old has fond memories of his time with the Diavolo, but he admits that their attempt to get him suspended for a Cup game after an alleged elbow on Van Bommel was uncalled for.

“That annoyed me,” he continued. “I played there for 10 years and they know that I don’t do certain things…”


The experienced Italian international also took advantage of the interview to praise ‘rookie’ Coach Antonio Conte.

“Conte is a great. I’ve had a lot of Coaches in my career, but never one who has been so prepared, so meticulous in his work and who explains things so well.

“We watch videos of our opponents three or four times a week and it's difficult for them to surprise us as a result.

“In terms of tactics and the way he teaches, he’s better than Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi.”


With the Scudetto won, Pirlo now believes that his side can be a force in next season’s Champions League.

“This Juve is one of the strongest ever in terms of mentality and pride,” he commented. “We can make a bid for the Champions League as we are now by playing in the same way.

“But we’ll need a few signings to complete the squad, even if we would have done well in the competition this season.”

[Zed.D]

What a weird interview... this guy is doing his best to undo all the good things he did for Milan. what a shame.

Two times he elbowed our players in one game and they looked very deliberate. he should have kept quiet on that one instead of accusing us of doing something very right - defending our players.

This Juve is one of the strongest ever in terms of mentality

A crushing defeat in the CL and we'll see about that, Andy P.

I think they're getting ahead of themselves. yes they were good but they can't win the Scudetto every year with our injuries and referee's howlers giving them a helping hand.

We'll see just how good they really are next season.

This post has been edited by Zed.D: May 11 2012, 11:13 AM

[Zed.D]

Also, I don't think he's in a position to criticize the club or Allegri for that matter for the lack of trust. he'd been playing poorly for some years already. it'd have been less hypocritical of him to also mention his poor form in his last years at Milan. starting during Carlo's last season or two, continuing with Leonardo and ending with Max.

[acid911]

I have been more disappointed in a Milan player more than Pirlo these past few years. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) His personal vendetta against his former club is going to do him no good. When you have a player like Huntelaar who hasn't uttered a word after leaving, you have a so-called "legend" (not that I believe him to be, Seedorf is way heard of Pirlo in this regard) bad mouthing us every time he opens his beak.

Carlo Ancelotti was the coach who made him what he is, someone hit Pirlo on his head and feed him this intel.

[Zed.D]

Carlo Ancelotti was the coach who made him what he is, someone hit Pirlo on his head and feed him this intel.

True story.

I thought his "I'm #1" comment was made in the heat of the moment and there'd be no more comments like that, but he still hasn't stopped and something tells me we'll hear more from him in the future.

[acid911]

I thought his "I'm #1" comment was made in the heat of the moment and there'd be no more comments like that, but he still hasn't stopped and something tells me we'll hear more from him in the future.

Very much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I expected better from me, but maybe it were my own great expectations that let me down. Going to a rival club, and than badmouthing the previous club and coach, well that's pretty much the end of grace for me. And that's not even taking about him giving 30% for us, and then going on and giving 100% for Juventus.

Like I said, any club but Juventus. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif) But anyway, Pirlo's antics only make our other legends look great!

[Danny]

Ok, Andrea Pirlo can go f*ck himself.

This post has been edited by Danny: May 11 2012, 12:24 PM

[Jack Sparrow]

I had no problem with the #1 comment. It was a response to the question, "Who he thinks is his replacement in the NT?" and he said at the moment he doesn't think he needs replacing.

But yes, this comment was a bit off centre. He's already proved his point to Allegri and to the club on the pitch when he became the engine of the team..he should just STFU...and if he wants to stick the knife..can always take the 'modest' route.

Not sure if the press have twisted his words and selectively printing quotes from direct questions. It would make media sense to rekindle a Juve-Milan animosity...since Serie A has been pretty sterile of late.

[kurtsimonw]

What a weird interview... this guy is doing his best to undo all the good things he did for Milan. what a shame.

Agreed.

It seems Pirlo wanted the team built around him, when in reality his performances of recent years wouldn't even mean he deserved assurance that he'd be a first XI player.

Milan made him a European and World Champion instead of a waster on the Inter bench. He'll do well to remember that.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: May 11 2012, 12:59 PM

[Jack Sparrow]

Carlo Ancelotti was the coach who made him what he is, someone hit Pirlo on his head and feed him this intel.

Not to cut too fine a point..it was the other Carlo...Mazzone who did. Pirlo went up and asked Ancelotti if he could go back to playing the position that Mazzone had used him in..and I guess Carlo raised the right eyebrow. So that's how one of the best Milan mid-fields were formed.

[Jack Sparrow]

Agreed.

It seems Pirlo wanted the team built around him, when in reality his performances of recent years wouldn't even mean he deserved assurance that he'd be a first XI player.

To be fair..the last few teams built were always exposing his lack of defensive skills. Especially the ones in the last two years. And having now got a mid-field built around him, he is performing like we know he can. I guess his reasoning was for a player in his prime, who has fully recovered from injuries, there was a tactical solution possible in the team that would have used him to the best of his ability.

For me, the concern is how more and more technical players do no seem sold on the strategy we are having.

[han2503]

Looks like the Juve ego is about to explode. Can't wait to see it do just that in their faces next season. Pirlo was never an arrogant person, but it looks like the Conte stench has rubbed off on him as well.

[drucurl]

Forza Il Maestro
(IMG:http://forum.acmilan-online.com/images/smilie/proud.gif)

Grazie for being the legend that you are
If this interview is to be trusted we know that:

1. Reason 1 Pirlo left is that he wanted a longer contract
2. Reason #2 is that he refused to try to adapt to $h!tlegri's tactics (can't blame him much here since $h!tlegri =$h!t)
3. He has a vendetta for Milan's refusal to accept three years straight of complete $h!t
4. Is SCUM (surprise surprise) for elbowing our players then talking about the roughing up that he got
5. Thinking Conte > Ancelotti is EVIDENCE that he's a dellusional turd

This post has been edited by drucurl: May 11 2012, 02:10 PM

[kurtsimonw]

I think the funniest thing is that their lack of European football over the last 5 or 6 years will have destroyed their co-efficient. I enjoy watching them as a 3rd/4th seed team with a tough group. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)