GdS: Energy, intensity and a simple philosophy – how Conceicao is changing Milan | OneFootball

Sergio Conceicao has only been in charge at AC Milan for a few days, and yet he is already leaving his mark on the squad.

As Calciomercato.com write, the new Milan coach Conceicao is preparing to challenge Thiago Motta’s Juventus in the second semifinal of the Supercoppa Italiana. The Portuguese coach has a clear mission in front of him: to get Milan back to being competitive and dominant in Italy and Europe.

It is not exactly the easiest of objectives but – for both economic and sporting reasons – is one that is essential to reach by the end of the season. Conceicao is certainly not a character who is intimidated by such demands, and he has not wasted a second in getting to work.

The former Porto boss has been compared to Antonio Conte and Max Allegri because of his way of operating, and he got straight to grips with the task at hand. Minutes after landing in Italy, Conceicao headed straight to Milanello to meet the management and the team.

Not only that: his arrival at the training ground was a good reason to immediately start with a first session, canceling the day of rest initially granted. We saw running, intensity, discipline and that tough expression that is already characterising his experience with the Rossoneri.

Conceicao immediately imposed his own pace, erasing a past that – according to him – cannot and should not count. What counts now, right now, is the present to shape the future. Thus, starting from the trip to Saudi Arabia, discipline and respect immediately became the two key terms to build around.

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Rather than hosting just one training session on the eve of the game like usual, Conceicao opted for a double session yesterday and there will also be one this morning too. He even demands the use of shin pads, showing that it will not exactly be done at walking pace.

He will ask for a team ready to fight on the field until the final whistle, from start to finish and without the possibility that this dogma can be in any way not respected. This is something that Fonseca accused his side of not doing, not long before he lost his job.

What playing principles can we expect? More transition than Fonseca’s idea of possession-based domination. Instead of ‘tiki taka’ the emphasis will be on being compact and aggressive, with rapid ball recovery and fast vertical play. All with only one goal: to win, at all costs.

Conceicao is a coach who does not accept defeat, and is more pragmatic and results-oriented than philosophical. Football, he declared during his presentation, is simple: there is a net to try score in, and one to keep goals out of. Nothing more, nothing less.