While AC Milan is experiencing a rather mixed season with irregular results in the league, elimination in the quarters of the cup and a move back to the Europa League, the Milanese management has formalized the arrival of the legend, Zlatan Ibrahimović, in the hierarchy with a much more important role than expected: “Ibrahimovic is my proxy in Milan, he has the authority to be my voice with the players, with the technical staff and at Casa Milan. One of the benefits of taking a year to study the situation was also knowing Ibrahimovic well. When I met Zlatan I was very intrigued, he is a great team player and if you can introduce the team spirit factor into the business world you can do better things”explained Gerry Cardinale, American owner of AC Milan, then present at the Business of Football Summit in Financial Times in London.
On December 11, the Rossoneri announced, via a large press release, the formalization of the Swede’s taking up office in the Milanese offices in an official role of “Operating Partner” with a “portfolio of investments in the sports sectors, media and entertainment. His new work is ultimately much larger and more important. But some major Milanese players are reassured: “Zlatan is a proud and intelligent boy, let’s start with that assumption. I don’t think he will throw himself dead weight into subjects he doesn’t know as well as he knows the world on the ground. In other sectors it inevitably will. He must gain experience. Cardinale’s words were very clear and decisive: Ibra is his right arm in Milan, he is the one who will have power over everything that is most important: decisions.explained the legend, Fabio Capello, in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport.
An ever-growing role
In the rest of the interview, the former coach of AC Milan and AS Roma clarified all the pressure that the Swedish giant could feel. Given the urgency of renewal and the alarming need to make future big decisions, Zlatan Ibrahimović must complete his management training as quickly as possible to put the Milanese Diavola back on track, at a time when the rival of the Inter Milan considerably dominates Italian competitions: “He has been entrusted with an important and demanding role, I believe that in this regard he will be proud of this mission. But precisely because I know him, I know he will put his head down and pedal to quickly learn to move in all areas. Other areas. Cardinale said he was not satisfied and made it clear that he intended to be satisfied as quickly as possible… Therefore, Zlatan must quickly immerse himself in the new reality”.
Great player, great leader? For Capello, Zlatan Ibrahimović has natural and innate qualities but will nevertheless have to get used to all the compartments that a manager of a football club must assimilate and master: “He will have great responsibilities. If previously he was limited to making his voice heard in a technical context, in the future he will have to do so in all areas. He will take care of everything, he will be a 360 degree reference. And I repeat, he will have many, many more responsibilities. Whoever has the power to do so is called upon to make very difficult decisions. Cardinale said he is not happy with the way things are going. Now it will be up to Ibra to suggest solutions, he will directly assess the value of the men with whom he will work. If he is not satisfied, he will have to choose others and it will not be easy.
The first big mission for Ibrahimović will be to name the next coach of AC Milan, while Stefano Pioli is more than ever in the hot seat. Several names are already circulating in the Italian press, from Thiago Motta to Roberto De Zerbi via Antonio Conte: “He can and must decide everything. I know that it will not be instinctive and that he will seek to share. The pros and cons should be considered when choosing a potential new coach: the type of team you put at their disposal, the resources you have available and the goals you set for yourself. Today, it’s hard to say.”, concluded Fabio Capello. Gerry Cardinale also warned “neither him nor Zlatan” are not satisfied with the team’s results. Even less the performances displayed by the various staff… It’s time for big decisions at San Siro!
