Filippo Inzaghi has reflected on his time as the head coach of AC Milan, admitting that he has no regrets about taking the job.
Inzaghi is back in the big time having guided Pisa to promotion from Serie B, but many might not know that he started his coaching career with Milan’s U17 team in the 2012–13 season, before then getting quite a rapid and drastic promotion.
In June 2014, the former striker was named manager of Milan’s first team after the dismissal of his old team-mate Clarence Seedorf. He made a positive start but the season quickly unravelled as the Rossoneri finished in ninth.
Adriano Galliani, the CEO of Milan, announced at the end of that season that Inzaghi would depart. Since then, he has coached Venezia, Bologna, Benevento, Brescia, Reggina, Salernitana and now Pisa.
Inzaghi spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sports weekly magazine Sportweek about his coaching career and his experience at Milan, with his comments relayed by MilanPress.
“A coach is always evolving because football itself is. Those who stand still are overtaken, you have to update yourself, study, change. The experience at Milan, then, was my first ever on a professional bench,” he said.
“I lived that experience with enthusiasm and a spirit of sacrifice towards a club to which I am incredibly attached. Accepting was an act of love and altruism: if I had thought about myself and my career, I would have said no.
“But there are moments when you have to put yourself on the back burner and I did. I am proud of this. It didn’t go as I hoped, but at Milan in those years there wasn’t a coach who did well.
“There must be a reason. Then I began a journey, which took me to Serie C, to Serie B, back to Serie A and so on. And now I think I have grown in many aspects: tactical, management, evaluation.”
