Legendary former Milan boss Fabio Capello believes the club need a change of tactics, not a change of coach. The Rossoneri ended the first half of the Serie A season with just one win in three matches, signing off with a 2-2 draw against bottom of the table Salernitana. Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello explained why Milan need to make changes to formation and their approach to the game, rather than sacking under pressure coach Stefano Pioli:
Capello, would it make sense to change the Milan coach now?
“No, but Pioli has to find solutions. Continuing on the same line is no good. You have to understand where to act: defence, midfield, attack. Two years ago Pioli had a formidable midfield, with Tonali, Kessie, Bennacer, Calhanoglu. What it is now is not clear, but the midfield is the engine of the team. I would act there, even though with so many absences it’s not easy.
Is there a tactical problem?
“Teams that act on the counter-attack put Milan in difficulty, we’ve seen it many times. I would work on this and try to have a more careful defence.”
Important players are missing. Can this be remedied in January with some graft?
“In the meantime you could try new tactical solutions in defence. But the psychological aspect is also fundamental. Tactics provide remedies, but they can’t do everything.”
There’s a lot of talk about injuries.
“I may be old-fashioned, but I think little preparation has been done to go and play in the USA or elsewhere, as many teams do. You go and play immediately for commercial reasons, then you pay the price. You have to start working in stages again, but when you meet great teams, even in friendlies, nobody wants to lose.
What advantages would playing zonally instead of man-to-man in certain situations give?
“It wouldn’t be the remedy for all ills, but it would help. Milan in this way could be less aggressive, but more orderly. And in this moment it’s important to have balance and make a filter. I repeat, the midfield has changed a lot and is now neither meat nor fish. I hope for Milan that Bennacer returns to being the player he was before the physical problems.
What points would you make to Pioli?
“Now he has to deal with so many absences, it’s complicated. But I would have made a different market. Two elements of quality that change your team, not so many prospects’.
But the market in Italy is not always made by coaches, in fact almost never.
‘Pioli, as far as I read, approved everything. Let’s say he has been corporatist and condescending and now he has to correct the situation’.
Does changing coaches on the run make sense?
“Pioli has no players, he lacks too many. He has to find solutions, also psychological ones.”
And then Ibrahimovic arrives. As a coach would you have wanted him as a manager?
“Look, Ibrahimovic was a champion and is an intelligent person. The problem is that from the communiqué written in political language it’s not clear what role he has. A technical role? The risk is that he will undermine Pioli’s leadership’.
Among other things, Zlatan has a rather cumbersome personality, don’t you find?
“The problem is not his ego, but what he is supposed to do in a practical way. I honestly don’t understand it, so it’s difficult to talk about it.
Can this be remedied in January with the market?
“Everything is still in play. Of course, elimination from the Champions League hurts, but we must not get emotional. But that’s enough with the algorithms.
The divorce from Maldini also caused much discussion.
‘If a management team makes a decision, it means they are convinced of the rightness of the choice. Beyond the abilities of Maldini and Massara, who have done a good job, now it’s a matter of moving forward, because I repeat, there is still a lot at stake.”
Since changing the coach on the fly doesn’t seem useful to you, what would you do?
“I would change my way of thinking. In defence without Tomori, Kalulu and Thiaw, there are many absentees. We are missing centre-backs. We need a shake-up, a change of direction. But sacking Pioli now wouldn’t do much good.”
