AC Milan were poor — very poor — in their 2-0 defeat away to Sampdoria. It’s not the first time it has happened this season and as he usually does, Vincenzo Montella faced the music afterwards and was blunt as usual: “It’s my fault, I misread our condition, we have the youngest squad in Serie A and we need to be patient. But I have plenty of faith.”
Montella needs support; what he doesn’t need is his boss breaking down his game plan in public after matches. But that’s what Marco Fassone, the club’s chief executive, did.
“We need to impose ourselves on games. Milan are stronger than Sampdoria and I expect us to approach these games differently,” he said. “I don’t want to see any more games like this. I’m not pointing fingers, we’re all responsible.” Fassone also said he still had faith in Montella while adding that they were on schedule in terms of reaching their goal for the season: a top-four finish.
I don’t have a problem with bosses speaking out against their managers, even in public, if it’s for the good of the team. But this sort of carrot and stick routine with Montella — especially getting into tactical issues — is best done behind closed doors.
Click here to read more of Marcotti’s thoughts on what occurred in European football over the previous week.