AC Milan have officially unveiled Ruben Amorim as our new head coach as he was presented to the media on Wednesday afternoon.
The Portuguese tactician arrives as Massimiliano Allegri’s successor, and will be looking to oversee a much improved season after we experienced a bitterly disappointing campaign last year which eventually included missing out on Champions League qualification.
Particularly after his previous spell at Manchester United though, the pressure will be on to successfully implement his ideas and preferred system and style of play, and it’s hoped that he’s able to make a positive start to build momentum and confidence with his new squad.
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Further changes in terms of incomings and outgoings are expected through the rest of the summer as Amorim moulds the squad into his own, but he will undoubtedly have already analysed his current players and started the process of identifying who will play a part under his management moving forward.
Speaking to the media, Amorim covered a wide range of topics as expected, but there were some key points made during the press conference that stood out in particular.
‘We’re here not to avoid losing, but to win’
It’s a line that has been said by Gerry Cardinale on a few occasions now too, but there is evidently a desire to see Milan play a more expansive brand of football to bring more positive results moving forward.
While it feels like a jab at previous coaches too, it’s important that this style and identity is developed quickly, as if we make a slow start to the new season and things aren’t clicking, it’s only going to add more pressure, particularly after making statements like this, if we don’t see a clear shift in approach on the pitch.
It’s certainly great to hear, but time will tell if Amorim can implement his ideas successfully and crucially, get the players to adapt to his preferred system and way of playing in an effective way that also entertains.
Goncalo Ramos analysis
Although he insisted that he didn’t want to talk about individual players, the new Milan boss did have praise for summer signing Ramos, with the Rossoneri splashing out big money to prise the Portuguese international away from Paris Saint-Germain.
What was interesting from Amorim though was his evaluation of what Ramos will bring to our attack as he highlighted his ability to score even when tightly marked by multiple defenders in the box, how he can find the back of the net even when teams play with a low block and he also singled out his pressing and ability to lead by example up top with his work off the ball.
In turn, it sounds like an ideal fit, but again, we’ll have to wait and see how it looks on the pitch, as it’s imperative that Ramos offers a prolific goalscoring presence when leading the line for us.
New club structure praised
While the decision to ultimately not appoint a Head of Football or sporting director raised concern last month, both Cardinale and Amorim certainly sounded confident in the new structure that has been put in place.
The Milan boss was keen to stress that he would make it clear the profile of player that he requires to improve his squad in any specific position, and the management team would then provide him with options to try and find a solution.
It sounded as though everyone’s job roles are clear and that there is an alignment on the approach going forward, but the critical point here though is that it’s hoped our scouting and recruitment decision-making is spot on in order to raise the level of quality in the group as we’ve had far too many missteps in recent years.
Modric a key part of plans
Amorim joked that he would speak with Luka Modric for a third time if needed to try and convince him to stay, as evidently he sees the Croatian stalwart as a key piece in his plans for the team in the upcoming season.
Although he noted that the 40-year-old wouldn’t play every game, his experience, leadership and quality will no doubt make a positive impact still as he continues to hold off Father Time, and Amorim needs trusted veterans within the squad to lean on and help get his ideas across.
With his World Cup campaign over, Modric will likely consider his options and make a decision in the coming days or weeks, and hopefully we see him stay on and extend his stay with Milan for another year.
Clear intention of preferred style of play
To their credit, the media in attendance were keen to press Amorim on his ‘play to win’ mentality and asked what that actually meant or will look like.
He responded by insisting that Milan will look to dominate teams by enjoying possession, pressing high and trying to impose ourselves on the opposition.
As mentioned above, it’s exactly what we want to hear as fans as if we can get results and be entertained while doing it, that is every supporter’s ideal situation. However, he’s got to back it up with action and prove that he can get his players to adopt those principles effectively, and so hopefully we’ll have a positive season this year on which we can then build in the longer term.
