After a break of several months, Ruben Amorim is making a fresh start at Milan. The Rossoneri’s goals are clear: they’re going for the championship. With an expensive new signing and, at best, a stylish approach.
Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Maurizio Sarri, or even Luciano Spalletti: The coaching merry-go-round in Serie A has been characterized in recent years by the same riders going round and round in circles—first on different horses, then back on the same ones again.
AC Milan recently broke away from this endless rotation of coaches by bringing in Ruben Amorim in mid-June. The Portuguese coach arrived as a replacement for Allegri, who—as one might expect—will now be on the sidelines at Napoli.
New paths to old goals?
The new coach in the fashion capital—who seems almost exotic—faces the same familiar expectations at the Rossoneri. “We must lead AC Milan back to its great and glorious past. We play to win, not to avoid losing,” club boss Gerry Cardinale clearly articulated Milan’s aspirations at Amorim’s introductory press conference.
It’s fortunate, then, that the new coach himself has his sights set on titles. “Of course we want the seconda stella,” said the former Man United coach regarding the 20th league title, though he immediately tempered expectations: “We know it’s going to be tough.”
The shift in playing style could also prove challenging, if one follows the Portuguese coach’s lead. “I have the utmost respect for Allegri, but it’s clear that we have different visions,” he explains, elaborating: “I want to dominate the opponent; I want to regain possession as quickly as possible; I want to play a style of soccer that’s beautiful to watch and enjoyable for the fans. It takes a little while for the engine to get going.”
Accordingly, from Amorim’s perspective, this is “a long-term project,” though he still hopes to be able to show “some of my style of play right from the start.” After all, following a season that was rather lackluster on the field—despite the absence of European competition—the goal now is to win the fans back. Not just by winning, but by doing so in style.
Are Gonçalo Ramos and Modrić celebrating together?
Support is coming from an expensive new signing: Gonçalo Ramos is expected to win the hearts of the red-and-black fans as a goal-scorer. And in his coach’s eyes, he has everything it takes. “You saw him against Croatia: He had three defenders on his heels, and he still scored a goal,” Amorim praised the scorer of Portugal’s winning goal in the World Cup round of 32, adding, “I want to see him play at this level all the time.”
That would also be welcome news for a player whom the new Milan striker won over at the World Cup: Luka Modric, whom Amorim is determined to convince to stay with the Rossoneri for another year. “We want to keep him,” the 43-year-old clarified, referring to the Croatian, who is a good two and a half years younger, and emphasized the “crucial importance” Modric could still have, even as a part-time player: “I’m not saying he’ll play every game, but we want to be able to count on him.”
A Set Role for Pulisic—Two Youngsters Surprise
In any case, Amorim—possibly also due to the hefty price tag for his new center forward—wants to first get a clear picture of the existing roster before making any further major signings. He has a fixed role in mind for Christian Pulisic, whom he plans to use as an inverted winger, as well as—for now—for the recently loaned-out Samu Chukwueze and the young players Aurelien Guernier and El Hadji Malick Cissé. “They’ll start with us,” the Milan coach announced regarding the Primavera duo, whose inclusion in preseason—given the recent criticism of youth development in Italy—could be just as surprising as the signing of their coach.
