B/R Football Ranks: The Men Who Can Turn Around AC Milan's Awful Season
Life as an AC Milan supporter has not been much fun in recent years. If Manchester United fans think they are in a mess right now, it's worth a glimpse over to Serie A for a vision of how bad things truly can become for a footballing powerhouse.
Milan have won it all—with seven European crowns and 18 Serie A titles as reasons to boast.
But they have not won anything since a domestic league title triumph in 2011, and there is no sign of that changing soon. Despite rays of hope at the beginning of the season, boss Marco Giampaolo is facing the axe after a poor campaign.
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This has been their worst start to a domestic term since the 1938/39 season, when they also lost four of their first six matches.
So how can they fix this mess?
With help from our sources, we have ranked the men who could help restore Milan to former glories and asked the views of a couple of Milan experts, too.
5. Andriy Shevchenko
Manchester United have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Chelsea have Frank Lampard and Real Madrid have Zinedine Zidane. It would be on trend for Milan to ask a legendary player to take over the reins.
Paolo Maldini is already at the club as sporting strategy and development director, and it would certainly bring fresh excitement for another figure of the past to join him. Sources indicate that Shevchenko has already been sounded out through intermediaries about the prospect of taking over.
But Shevchenko, 43, is manager of the Ukraine national team and is under contract until July 2020. Indications are that he would not fancy the move into club management right now.
If they do want to go down the ex-player route, then Milan could always turn back to Gennaro Gattuso, who left them in May.
His reign last season wasn't successful, or particularly pretty, but after narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot, it suddenly seems a better place to be than their current one.
4. Rudi Garcia
In recent days, former Marseille coach Garcia has emerged as a contender to become the next boss, per SportMediaset (h/t Oliver Fisher of Sempre Milan).
Garcia took his last job at a similar time of year—becoming OM coach in October 2016 and eventually leading them to a fifth-placed finish after the club had suffered three early season defeats.
He has experience of Italian football from a spell in charge of Roma, and he would certainly attempt to implement an exciting style of play that individuals might thrive in. But there have to be question marks over how he would prepare the team tactically for major moments.
3. Marco Giampaolo
If Milan lose to Genoa on Saturday, it is almost certain this man will be axed and then replaced during the international break.
But senior figures at the club are eager for him to succeed in that fixture because they believe he has the ability to turn this situation around.
Giampaolo, 52, is in his 10th management job and is well respected, but this gig comes with new pressure and expectation. Italian sources explained how he has had difficult times at previous clubs and then overcome them—so there is a willingness from Milan to stick with him, if he shows signs of immediate improvement.
His tactical indecisiveness is said to have caused some concern in recent weeks, but there is also a belief that he is working tirelessly on improving team chemistry to spark a turnaround and that new confidence in the side might not be too far away. Change is not always for the better.
2. Arsene Wenger
With his old Arsenal pal Ivan Gazidis now at Milan in the role of chief executive, it's no surprise Wenger is being linked with a job there, too.
The Sun touted him as a potential appointment in May when Gennaro Gattuso left his post, with the Frenchman's odds slashed at bookmakers. But the rumours have started again, and Gazzetta Dello Sport (h/t The Sun) said he is in mind as the manager to rescue them now.
Wenger has been out of a job in football since leaving Arsenal in 2018, and sources close to the Frenchman insist he has his ears open to intriguing offers for a return—but he is unlikely to take up a main coaching role.
Wenger misses the involvement, but at this stage, he would see himself better suited to an advisory role than a hands-on position in the dugout, according to insiders.
His experience and extensive contacts could be extremely useful in whatever position he takes up.
"I understand the concerns over his last few years at Arsenal but his overall history there can't be ignored," says Milan blogger Peter Coiley. "He's gotten his teams to play beautiful football in the past."
1. Max Allegri
In a list of ideal candidates to bring new fortune, Allegri has to be top.
There are some good managers out of work right now, but he is one of the best. And he already has a special place in the hearts of Milan fans.
In recent years, he was leading Juventus to success, but between 2010 and 2014, he was in charge of the Rossoneri and won the Scudetto in 2011.
His return would be the best solution to fix their woes, but sadly, it is probably not a realistic one.
Bleacher Report sources in Italy say he has already been approached about multiple jobs this term and that Milan are indeed interested in the prospect of bringing him back. Yet there are two big problems to overcome.
First, he is enjoying some time out and would prefer to start fresh in pre-season with a new team—so the idea of taking over a club in crisis may not appeal.
The second factor is that he earned €7.5 million-a-year at Juventus, so Milan probably cannot afford him.
The Fans' Verdict
Peter Coiley, AC Milan Offside
"It's reasonable to expect someone like Allegri is out of reach.
"However, should Elliott Management (the club's owners) be willing to offer a wage that matches his demand, I'd prefer him on the bench given his track record. Sure, his football can be boring at times, but he gets results.
"Assuming he's out of our budget, though, I'd be very interested in seeing what Arsene Wenger brings to the table."
Matt Santangelo, The Milan Bros
"The pressure to coach at Milan under these current circumstances is extremely difficult when you consider all factors. There is the line Milan must toe with UEFA's financial fair play, which could hinder the market budget which would essentially be used to court the manager the Rossoneri need—among other things, including wages and opportunities related to trophies.
"This is precisely why failing to finish top four last year yielded such a concerning reaction from supporters. At this point in time, Milan would be best served with a proper bridge manager to help the club steady the ship.
"The thing with Milan, however, is a project requires proper resources and, the most valuable asset of all, time to build, something which the club simply cannot afford to pay out.
"Massimiliano Allegri, Luciano Spalletti, Claudio Ranieri and even Arsene Wenger have been considered soft targets. With the exception of Ranieri, who coached Roma for a few months last year after Eusebio Di Francesco was sacked, it is extremely hard to imagine the others stepping in during a turbulent time without a summer to assess and assemble."
