Former AC Milan director Paolo Maldini reveals Gerry Cardinale’s biggest mistake and what the club is currently lacking.
Paolo Maldini has spoken. After six months of silence, the former AC Milan technical director has finally revealed his truth about what happened at San Siro behind the scenes. No punches were spared. A direct, frontal attack on RedBird and Gerry Cardinale, as was widely predictable. Just like the news of his sacking, this interview also split the fans in two, as always when a disruptive personality of his size is involved.
The opposition faction, in particular, disputes the timing of this interview. Milan are going through the most difficult moment of the season and following the defeat against Borussia Dortmund which, in fact, barring miracles, marks the end of AC Milan’s path in the Champions League. Nevertheless, it is worth focusing on that represents the truly great mistakes of Gerry Cardinale and RedBird.
During the interview with La Repubblica, Paolo Maldini reported official and significant data from his career as AC Milan director, which objectively demonstrate that he has done a truly extraordinary job during his tenure. He, together with his right-hand man Frederic Massara and coach Stefano Pioli, brought the club back to high levels, winning along the way the Scudetto and reaching the Champions League semi-final while increasingly reducing the costs of the squad and the amount of wages. A job that allowed the Italian club to record the first positive balance sheet after 17 long years.
This path was possible thanks to important market insights. From 2019 to 2022 talented players arrived who have since become established and key players. The case of Theo Hernandez is emblematic, who Maldini himself went to pick up in Ibiza, but also Ismael Bennacer, Rafael Leao, Mike Maignan, Sandro Tonali, Fikayo Tomori and others. There were also mistakes, like De Ketelaere or Origi, but who doesn’t make mistakes in purchases?
The growth of these young players was neither accidental nor predictable, especially in an environment like that of Milan. It arrived thanks to a path of both technical and mental development. A development that would not have been the same without Paolo Maldini, present every day at Milanello. To be close to the youngsters, to help them in their (inevitable) difficulties and above all to convey values and the importance of being an AC Milan footballer.
Maldini took very few lines to explain this fundamental concept: “Whoever thinks that the job of the sports area is only to make player signings and sales is completely wrong. Coaches, players and staff need continuous support. Often we bet only on talent without knowing how to develop it, the most obvious examples are Chelsea and Manchester United. Huge investments on the transfer market and insufficient management lead to very poor results.” Words to carve in stone.
As stated by Maldini himself, RedBird paid 1.2 billion to buy the club and it is right that Cardinale makes his own choices. But removing Maldini and not replacing him (even though, honestly, replacing Maldini is complicated) was a serious error of judgment, probably due to the lack of knowledge of the subject and the history of the club. There is always time and a way to make up for it (but what a shame for these lost months), so much so that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to the club seems close – to date we still don’t know when or in what role. The Swede has already shown that he is capable of transmitting values to younger players, but at Milan he did it under the “supervision” of Maldini himself. Will she be able to do it without him? We’ll find out. Soon, hopefully.
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