Fabio Capello has shared his thoughts on Max Allegri’s rumoured move to AC Milan, leaving his stamp of approval on such an outcome for the Rossoneri.
Milan are looking for a new manager ahead of the 2025-26 season and Allegri appears to be one of the top candidates. Having coached both Milan and Juventus before, he knows what it takes to win in Serie A, something the Rossoneri need right now.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport for today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (see photo below), the legendary manager Capello shared his thoughts on the situation. He gave Allegri his stamp of approval, hitting back at the critics who suggest that the manager’s football is outdated.
Capello also spoke a bit about Fabio Paratici, who could become Milan’s new sporting director. It would be a reunion for him and Allegri, in other words, as they used to work together at Juventus
Capello, what is your take on ‘the couple back’ reuniting at Milan?
“Good, because they have already worked together. Each of them knows the other’s strengths and weaknesses. I would say that the duo worked wonderfully in Turin, without forgetting the other protagonists, starting with the owners and Beppe Marotta and obviously the players. But regarding Milan, if I may, certain things need to be understood first.
It’s hard to understand what they want to do as a club. Who decides what? For example, this season I haven’t fully understood Ibrahimovic’s role. What do they want to do now? I read about the desire to add a sporting director. Fine, but with what tasks and powers?
“I’ve always been used to a club with clear and defined positions within an organizational chart: a president who allocates the budget, a CEO or general manager who enforces the accounts and gives the line, a sporting director who, together with the coach, takes care of the technical side. At Milan, for now everything seems a bit vague, but let’s see if it will be cleared up in the summer.”
Is Paratici more than a sporting director?
“Look, someone like Paratici, with his experience and his expertise, certainly wouldn’t come to Milan to make an appearance. He would be the driving force behind all decisions, at least as far as the pitch is concerned. But at that point, what would Ibra do.
The choice of coach would also be up to him, so…
“I hope that whoever the sporting director is, he will then decide the name of the new coach. It would be paradoxical otherwise…”
With Paratici, it’s natural to think of Allegri…
“If the will – which I approve of – is to create a more Italian Milan, I would say yes. Among our free coaches, Max is the best. He is a winner and already knows Milanello, but also the team, having faced them as an opponent until a year ago. In short, he would know where to put his hands right away.”
At Milan, however, returns have not always brought good outcomes. Sacchi, yourself… Why?
“The idea I got is that in some cases the players think: ‘Ah, he’s back, so we can relax’. I, then, came back perhaps too soon. But then there are also exceptions: look at Ancelotti at Real Madrid. Even if with those players it’s a little easier (laughs).
Galeone, a great friend of Allegri, says that Max would be more than happy with the current Milan squad. And that in a couple of years, with a few small adjustments, he would win the Scudetto…
“I know Giovanni well and I think he enjoys throwing down a provocation. Things should be looked at closely, from the inside. Allegri, first of all, must get into the players’ heads, because the current Milan’s problems are all there.
“There’s no leader and there’s no proper core of Italians to pull the others along. My impression from the outside, then, is that the dressing room isn’t entirely united, that there are groups and little groups. Well, Max should start from there in that case.”
However, there are those who think that Allegri’s football is now outdated…
“Max is undeniable. He may not be spectacular, but his results speak for themselves. And anyone who thinks his football is old-fashioned simply doesn’t understand much about the sport.
If it’s not Max, what alternatives would be good on the Rossoneri bench?
“I’ll stick to the Italians. Conte is a guarantee, even if I don’t know if he can or wants to move from Napoli. Gasperini deserves a chance at a big club, who I think is leaving Atalanta.”
Outside of Serie A there is also De Zerbi, who has a more ‘Milanista’ pedigree, having grown up as a footballer at Milan…
“He’s very well-sponsored, so I imagine he’s also good. However, my respect for De Zerbi has risen a lot since he’s been working abroad: he had the courage to leave Italy and gain experience first in Ukraine, then in the Premier League and in Ligue 1. Maybe today he’s ready to return.”
It remains to be seen which duo Milan will choose for the upcoming season, but it’s clear that a decision will have to made in a timely manner. This is something we discussed in our latest bonus article.
