F@ck sorry...I forgot...it's goal.com; but the news report clearly mentions it's an interview on Sky TG24

*pukes all over the place*

^^^

Cleaning that up is NOT a mod's job.

good, f*ck the mgmt. Its time changes were brought into effect, thank you leo! All of them are perfect and make sense.

It's really is crazy that he was behind the deals of kaka,Alexandre pato and thiago silva,those were some of the best deals milan had in the last 5-10years

Leonardo is one of the best things to ever happen to our club EVER ~ them 5 points made me smile now its down to the gold digger to answer forza leo forza milan

Corriere is a rome-based ragsheet and not really worth believing - even though there may be some basis in what was said.

Leo has been a very effective scout, yes. But really, don't people think they're going a bit overboard in the praise?

I also don't think making Leonardo god at Milanello is going to solve a lot of problems. Especially things like his inability to adapt to tactical situations during games - and that has cost us points.

If it were up to me, I'd thank him for his tactical shakeup of things and send him back to scouting. And hire a real coach for next year.

Overboard with praise? The guy brought in one of the most iconic players in recent times for change, probably one of the most iconic players of the next generation in Pato when a lot of other teams wanted him and now Silva, who in his first season has already proved that he has what it takes to be world class material. I think he deserves more praise for all the work he's done for Milan behind the scenes.

Leo's problem is the squad, not the fact that he's notcapable to change tactics. He just doesn't have the personnel to make those changes you keep talking about. What Plan B do you expect from a man who has Rino, Ambro and Huntelaar on the bench???

Mourinho or Cappello wouldn't even be able to change tactics when they have a such a limited squad

I'm not denying he's a good scout, even a very good one. But 'the best thing to happen to Milan'? Not even close.

I just don't think he's a particularly good coach. And I do think that a good coach would be able to field something other than one rigid formation, especially if 1. the players are out of position in it and 2. there are alternatives. And yes, I think that's the case even with our less than stellar bench.

He's already said in the past that he wouldn't go back to scouting if he left the head coach job. I'll look for the source but I doubt I'll find it its a couple months old.

Who knows, if this is fact or even somewhat fact, and these 5 points are granted to him, maybe he could be a dominant high class coach. I'd like to see Leo play 'his' squad and not the remains of 'Carlos' squad.

+1.

Leo's not the best thing since sliced bread...but he's done nothing to be fired. And there really is no one available.

Even the brilliant Spalleti couldn't do much beyond his 4-2-3-1. The bane of any attacking formation is that once it's figured out, the team is susceptible to defeat.

A more defensive formation like the XMas tree, can be stopped, not as easily beaten.


Leo's formation depends too much on defensive stability, and width, and sadly we haven't been able to have that.

I've proposed a number of alternative strategies Leo could use as a plan B/C/D if and when plan A doesn't work, and none of them involve Ambrosini going to defence.

That match at OT was the one time he did try something different, in going 3-4-3 I think it was. And it backfired badly.

He needs to have a bunch of alternative plans, and a more insightful knowledge of his squad's various versatilities.

Here's an example: Seedorf can be played in quite a few positions, such as left midfield, right midfield, trequartista, or even as left or right on a 3 prong attack. He could also play in Pirlo's position as a deep lying playmaker.

Pirlo could play any position in midfield, and also as a trequartista with his vision and skill on the ball.

Zambrotta could be an RM or an RB.

My point is that Leo is not making full use of what his squad can do when the chips are down. When everyone is played in their best position, and opposition teams know how to stop them, try shifting the team around and making a sub or two to accommodate it if needed, in order to mix it up to the opponent and try something they're not prepared for.

Another example of trying something different, would be a pair of strikers up front rather than a sole forward - try a partnership.

Because more often than not, opponents are prepared for Leo's plan A.

A partnership with any of our forwards that does not involve Pato will backfire. Pippo-Bori, Pippo-Hunter, Bori-Hunter will never work, they just don't work well in a 2 man attack, that usually requires a supporting striker (Pato)

tbh I subscribe to the notion that Borriello in particular works better alone, but what seriously is the harm in trying a partnership anyway if we're 2-1 down with 20 minutes to go?

Work on an understanding in training, try different things out, then have a bloody go at it when a plan B is needed.

And that applies over the board, not just a partnership up front.

Having only one rigid system is like a wolf trying to blow the pigs' house down when it doesn't work - you can play forever and not win.

THANK YOU.

+1

I love how you guys think that if we lose Leo its going to be a positive thing. Tell me, which manager in the world right now who is currently better than leo would take over this team?


I can just see it now:

Galliani:

"Well here is what we offer for you to coach milan"

"1.2 Million a season, yes we know mourinho earns 10x that but we have the family love and at the end of the day thats all you really need "

"20M euros max in the transfer market and we buy the players for you; you don't get a choice"

"A certain amount of playing time has to be given to the seniors because they've been here for 12123213132 years and we owe them loyalty"

" Also you can't pick your own coaching/medica/scouting staff. We provide that for you"

" Whenever silvio and I make a decision, you have to follow it. You get absoloutly no say in the decision making process. If pato has to go, he has to go. Play mancini instead, hes a true champion"

" Our veterans deserve the very best, thats why they will be given renewals with high wages. Dida and Inzaghi will be getting theres shortly "


---------


Please tell me because i'm very keen to know who the hell is willing to sign on the bottom line of this contract? I sure as hell know I would rip it up and spit in Galliani's face and walk out of the room.

Leo can't really be judged until he has the players he wants at his disposal. To be fair to him it is his first season, he was rushed into the job and he has suffered more than most with injuries and he is still in the hunt for Lo Scudetto. He obviously has a lot to learn(closing games down, etc), but I feel he is not doing too bad a job with the squad at his disposal - carlo couldn't do any better and he had Ricky!

Blue, I'm not calling for his head - I am accepting his limitations up till now and suggesting ways he can improve.

A simple ability to learn some new formations and tactics the team can adopt in times of need.

We were very promising for a while last year, going on that run, but it floundered. So what if Leo had the ability to find a NEW winning formula? Trying different players, tactics, formations...?

But he seems unshakeable and that the 4-3-2-1 is the only system we'll use with 11 specific first choice players every time. Except in the case of injuries in which case inferior players get to try the same system.

Is it any wonder teams have figured us out?

Ricky sucked for us after 2007. By all accounts it's taken him 8 months to gain some form since his move to Madrid.

Back to the topic though, you're right how he was pitched in at the deep end with no preparation, and under those circumstances I truly admire how well he's done.

But if we're to go beyond being nearly men as a good team with a good manager rather than great on both counts then Leo needs to learn how to deal with adversity better than he does.

How often do you see him with his hand at his jaw and his fingers at his lips looking very thoughtful when clearly he really doesn't know how to change things so this paltry performance picks up.

I can truly say I don't trust him when we're stuttering and he has to deliver a great team talk at half time - I don't think he really knows what to say to motivate the players.

The experienced managers know how to instill belief, and how to change what isn't working - Leo needs to learn that ability and quickly.

The thing people here have to realise that coaching a team is not like playing Fifa. You cannot simply change the formation and expect it to work. Coaching a formation or playing style usually takes place in the pre-season where the players train everyday and then use freindlies to make adjustments

You cannot do a new formation during the season simply because you do not have enough time. Top managers usually have 2 formations under their belt. The first one, which they play in the league and the second they use in Champions league. Now in order to achieve that you need to have a few years at the club so you can build that foundation. Second you need to have the players at your disposal to be able to make your ideas flourish.


Coaches are not machines. They cannot simply look at a team and make it work. There are very few in the world who are capable of this and the best i've seen would be guus hiddink and even he's not that great at it.

You need time, the right squad and support in order to be successful. Leo has a certain style he wants to play and coach and right now we do not have the players for his style. Can he change, can he adapt? Not likely.

You cannot make Pato into a WC defender, just like you can't make Leo into a defensive minded coach like Carlo. He's always going to want to play the free flow football that you have seen so far this season. Thats just who he is and that is not going to change.



So in reality we have two choices. Fire him and look for someone who is willing to work with the current not so good players (insulting players is against the new guidelines, LaPalma) we have on our team or we let him sign his own players and see what he can do.

Wow. Calling out players trash? A bit harsh.

And what must also be kept in mind is that no coach has had carte blanche at Milan to bring in whoever they wanted- not Ancelotti, or Capello, or Trap, or Sacchi. I doubt that particular facet is likely to change.

What your talking about is making adjustments. In order to do this you have to have the players at your disposal and time in order to make those players understand your system. If Leo had say 3 players of his choice on the bench that he signed, I can assure you that he would be able to make adjustments accordingly.

But its hard when you have to deal with players who don't really play your style of football. If borri who can barely play Leo's style of football sh*ts the bed; does he have a fabiano on the bench to look to? No he has huntelaar and Inzaghi, two forewards who will never ever be able to play his style. That is why you see him with his hands on his jaws. I do the same thing, it means, what the f*ck do I do now.

Really? your gonna compare their teams to leo's team; Do you really want to pull up the list they had and make comparisions to leo's?

Also the majority of our squad is worthless trash that should not be playing on a top team.

Inzaghi
Janku
Oddo
Zambrotta
Kaladze
Favalli
Dida
Roma
Gattuso
Huntelaar
Borriello
Mancini
Abate



Should not be on a team of Milan's calibre and thats not even the sad part. The sad part is that our squad has 20 players in it and 14 of them should not be there.

You didn't address the actual point of my post.

I don't really care if you think most of the team is trash.

Your point is that even the greats were given the squad they were given and they had to suck it up and work with what they had right???


But lets look at the squds they recieved. MVB, Rijk, Gull; Nesta/Inzaghi/Sheva/Kaka, Leo/Boban/Savevic/Maldini/stam/costacurta/cafu/Rui Costa/Pirlo/gattuso/seedorf etc etc (all players who were at their best years and were considered prime players)


Can you really compare them borriello, hunt, pato, silva, abate who are considered our prime players????


----

also thats nice of you to say how you feel about my opinion on a forum

I don't play Fifa



SAF has about 800 formations. Today he played Berbatov up front alone in a 4-2-3-1. He also plays a 4-4-2 and a 4-3-3 and sometimes uses 4-5-1. He mixes it up and that's even when his squad is down to barebones like it was a few months ago when he had Carrick playing as a defender.



His 'style' is the problem that we're banging on about - his style was the 4-3-2-1 which worked so well but now doesn't. So what, do we just sit around watching the side lose because our coach can't come up with anything else?

I don't accept that and neither should anyone else. He'd paid to manage us, not to oversee one formation and just hope it works.



You're totally missing the point. Hell I suggested a 3-4-3 attacking formation. It's not about the TYPE of football he refuses to shift from, it's the notion of altering a system when it doesn't work as and when required.



I wouldn't even call Abbati trash Blue, that seems really unfair. They're honest guys doing their best - some might not be good enough but it doesn't warrant such a comparison.

As for your point, I think we have another choice - the one I've suggested where he learns alternative systems.

That's what training is supposed to do. Team meetings, where systems are laid out and implemented.
If Leo can't do this, no matter what players he has or hasn't, then he should not be in the job.



I think that's a crock tbh. You're blaming all of the deficiencies on the fact he hasn't been able to bring in his own players? Surely a manager is capable of using what he has at his disposal - and let's face it, Ambro, Pirlo, Seedorf, Borriello, Hunter...this is not a rubbish group of players - a good manager can make even an average group play well.



One funny thing I have to point is you keep harping on about his style, yet this is his first management job. What exactly IS his style, since he doesn't seem to know what it is himself...



And I don't want my manager to say that.

I don't know if Leo is a great coach or tactician or not, I don't have nearly enough football experience to know, but I think we would all agree that this team has overachieved this season overall, which can't be a mark against their coach.

Exactly. So expecting Leonardo to be given full reign to design his team and buy who he wants is unrealistic and is highly unlikely to happen.

Servbot is exactly right. This team has overachieved this season and that should count for a lot.

Danny, all of your suggestions seem to assume Seedorf can play a full 90 mins without digging a grave in midfield and laying in it. You also want to put Ronaldinho in the hole (I seem to remember you saying that, it was a lot to read and remember )and let him direct the strikers like a trequartista, not gonna happen. We worked that all summer and got blown out. The guy plays his best ball on the left touchline, where he won a lot of awards. You also assume that switching formations on a whim is a good thing. Every sport you look at, coaches have their go to formation. For a football coach it might be the I-form or shotgun, for a basketball coach it might be zone defense, for Leo its the 4-3-3. (Technically its not but there are 3 mids and 3 'strikers') Urban Myer never ever lined Tim Tebow up under center and they won 2 National Titles and numerous SEC titles during Tebow's 4 year tenure.

The point Blue is trying to get across (or so I think) is that the 4-3-3 is not the problem. The problem is, Leo was granted a squad built for playing defensive, slow pace soccer. Leo is an attacking, fast paced coach. That IS his style, and he knows what his style is, that was silly to say he doesn't. The players who do fit this system, ex. Ronnie and Pato (possibly even Ambro and Flam), are having stellar seasons.

He's not the best coach in the world, no doubt. But he does not deserve to be replaced, and he is exactly what the Serie A is begging for. If we can get him what he needs to succeed (Players to fit the 4-3-3) then who knows what could happen. AC Milan needs massive change to compete and catch up with Europe's best, and I believe Leo is trying to do that. Its time for the management to let go of the leash and let the dog walk himself.



P.S. I'd just like to say that debating like this with you guys is one of the bright points of my day. Everyone where I am from is your typical Football(Soccer) hater or a bandwagon Manchester fan. I feel like a fish out of water and its really good to talk Footy with intelligent, AC Milan loving people, so thanks!!

I have a spare tank you can borrow if you like! Only thing is, it's filled with single-malt whisky.

Oh dear, you'd definitely find me belly up in the morning.

That's even more pathetic than you calling the players trash.

???


Why cause I said Dida isn't worthy of milan LOL???


Our club went from Dutch legends to kaladze and favalli LOL

Ignoring blue calling the players trash..I think in the words of Jose Mourinho he meant to say we were a bad omelette

But a point to make, about Danny's thing about SAF...he has only 2 formations like Bluey mentioned: 4-4-2 and 4-5-1.

The thing is both these formations are inherently flexible during game time. So sometimes you will see it miraculously become a 4-3-1-2 and sometimes a 4-2-3-1, and sometimes even a 4-1-4-1. The whole concept is, a team starts out one way, but then have enough players to make the changes in-game.

Even when SAF brings in substitutes, they're rarely HUGE departures from the players he put on in the first place. For eg. He might take off Nani, and put in Park. But Park will continue to play on the left, except Park's plus is in his graft and not his guile.

Also the reason why sometimes Park starts in the middle, along with Carrick, at which point, Nani and Valencia are told to go crazy since Park covers the space they leave. Sometimes Rooney is sole striker, sometimes Scholes/Giggs play in the hole, sometimes Rooney plays in the hole to supply Berbatov (if they have two strikers)...but most of this happens in match.


Now the whole problem with Milan is it is still Carlo's team. Meant to play a 4-3-1-2 or a 4-3-2-1. And both of them depended on Kaka. Sometimes Kaka was a second CAM, sometimes he was SS, with Seedorf moving into the hole. It was limited, but till Kaka's huge dip after the injury it was still very strong.

Leo has tried to make a new system a 4-3-3. Even that changes during the match. Only r80 really has that free role on the left. Sometimes you see Pirlo push up to be treqqie (which is when I feel we are most lethal). You have Flamini and/or Ambro sometimes holding back as DM (when Pirlo is up)...or sometimes rushing into the box, when Pirlo is marked and the box is congested.

You would have Beckham playing a RW, and then suddenly drifting into the middle to find Pato, since Pato cuts into the box as well. And then there's the very Brazillian thing of having T.Silva rush the opponent's half. Suddenly making it one more extra man in the half, which can be very deadly.

All these things don't just come up like snap. They require a lot of work in training to make all these various chemistries work. And they have worked. It doesn't help when all of a sudden, the players who give you the strength and the flexibility are out. It's like the ground gets pulled beneath your feet. I'm talking of: Nesta, Pato, Beckham mainly. Seedorf got injured just before that XMas period when he was just playing terrific. Borriello would get injured when we needed him the most. And now that he's fit, he's not doing what he used to. Nesta being injured means that Silva can't push in like he did, leaving Favalli on his own, and if he does, we're susceptible to the counter attack. Favalli's positioning is good, but not even close to Nesta-level.

You don't think the chemistry between R80 and Antonini just happened did you? Antonini is not even someone who I'd call gifted. It's obviously training.

Do we need tactical flexibility for this team, yes. But we don't have the players. Right now it's kind of like making a truck engine go fast. And Leo has done all the tuning he can.

When you say alternate formations you're falling into the trap of 'anything but this'. Often that 'anything' turns out much worse. How many times in Italy do you see one coach being fired, and then they hire another only to fire him and get the old one back? And no it's not just Zamparini. You have Udinese etc. do it as well.

We started the season with the 4-3-1-2...btw..which is exactly the formation you have suggested for this match. Seedorf on the right, and cutting in the middle, R80 playing as SS or in the hole, or on the left. We got KILLED. If we hadn't started with it and instead with the 4-3-3, we'd be top of the table right now. But it took Leo about 3 months during an active season to find this new formation, and he did.

I think he's done a great job..and he should stay. His points (if they're true) are valid and reasonable. In fact I suspect that's why Carlo left as well. When Galliani says we had a discussion with 'my friend Carlo' on the direction that we wanted the team to take, and decided to part ways amicably...I'm pretty sure this is what it is.

Carlo probably said, I don't have the system to play R80, give me Ribery or something like that.

Great coaches, will always want the players to suit their system. Mourinho has done that this season, and he's managed to go one round further than last year in CL. The scudetto last season was nothing. Most of the teams were still weak.

And to end: Sacchi said, Leo is the only coach to have brought any tactical innovation in this year's league. That's good enough for me.

Thank you Dracoris and Jack - spot on.

I can't see how what you guys said can be argued.

Drocaris and Jackie. SPOT ON

Agree 100% with you. The problem is not the coach, it's the management, and it has been the problem for a while now. Silvio and Galliani have run us into the ground, Leo managed to make a mediocre team look, at times, untouchable this season, he should be given a meddle for what he's managed to achieve this season, as his first coaching experiance non-the-less

That's Dracoris...and I'm Bruce Lee not Jackie Chan.

You mean medal,not meddle. Silvio meddles, Galliani gives medals (for 200th appearance and all that)...

It's too early for you to be drinking kiddo...your birthday is over, you can stop now.

Which club were they? L.A Galaxy?



The correct term is tempo-controlling possession football, but you're American.



Are you a hot chick? We can go out on a date if you are.

EDIT: Does anyone know how Leo speaks such good English?
Interview
Press Snippet

I think he speaks better English than Jean Claude Van Damme.

If I am a chick then I have been living a lie for quite some time. Haha

-- Tebow and Meyer are references to NCAA Football here in America, Tebow (the quarterback) and Meyer (the coach) created one of the most successful NCAA Football teams to date. And thats saying a lot because I support a rival team haha.

Oh? Which team was that? Notre Dame? (It's the only college team I know)

I guess it means you're a guy then! Big fat bummer!

Hrm. Watching Domenica Sportiva on RAI. They've just done a post-game interview with Leonardo. He was asked whether his future would be his decision, taken with Galliani, etc etc. And refused to respond, saying that he'll talk about his future when it's more important than the future but right now the future is more important.

What?

Well, in an ESPN article today, Leo says that Milan are still the favourites to win the Scudetto, and while I think they could still do it, that implies that they both are the favourites and were always the favourites. That doesn't make any sense either, so maybe he's becoming delusional.

Then someone put words in his mouth. Bad journalism from ESPN. What he said was that Milan are still in the mix and that it's been a strange season with everyone making missteps.

Its Florida University

Since ESPN is bad journalism even on the domestic sports they cover the most, it all makes sense now.

Leo is 41 today. Happy Birthday and thanks for everything.

Thank you Jack. And Grande Leo! Happy Birthday, you don't look a day over 25, LOL!

He does look almost exactly like he did during his playing days