‘His results speak’ – Braida believes Milan should ‘rebuild’ with Allegri | OneFootball

The likeliness of Massimiliano Allegri coming back to AC Milan is rising rapidly it seems, and Ariedo Braida has spoken about the man, and why he chose him the first time around.

Milan are considering a number of candidates on a managerial and sporting director level, but no one holds the conviction that Allegri does, or at least publically, they do not. The Italian head coach is the clear favourite to be named the successor of Sergio Conceicao unless something shifts in the next few weeks.

Talks about the future are ongoing, as expected, but with Allegri, it is also fair to shine a light on the past, so we can get a better understanding of things.

Previously the Rossoneri’s head coach, and partnered with a desire to redeem himself, the coach is a very probable candidate, and for Braida, who hired him originally, it is a clear choice, as he says to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Braida, how did you arrive at the decision to bring Max to Milan?

“We were all convinced, even President Berlusconi. Allegri was an emerging player, he had done very well at Cagliari, where he had also shown good football. We knew it was time for him to climb a step further and Milan could be the next destination.

“It was not a complicated negotiation and Max came to Milan with great enthusiasm: he was the right person.”

Would he also be the right person for Milan today?

“Results speak for his past, not me. Allegri won in his first year with us and then repeated himself several times at Juventus. On the future, however, only time knows the truth. But Max would have a big advantage: he already knows Milan, Milanello and all the surroundings.”

What do you mean by ‘contours’?

“The pressure, the culture and the expectations of the fans of a club like Milan. Max has already experienced all that, he would know what he’s up against.

“And perhaps, after a season with two different coaches who have measured themselves against the bench at the San Siro for the first time with great difficulty, it would be a guarantee for his experience.”

In short, Allegri used guaranteed?

“In football, nothing is guaranteed. Never. And everyone makes mistakes. But with him, the risk rate, at least in the beginning, would be lower.

“Then it’s clear that every situation is different. A company is made up of an owner, a president, a managing director, a sporting director, a coach and several players: all the components must make the right contribution, no one wins alone.”

What do you like about Max as a coach?

“His being pragmatic. Allegri knows how to do his job, manage good players and bring results based on the squad he has available. He’s done it everywhere.”

He did receive some criticism, however, especially in his second spell in the Bianconeri…

“Nobody is perfect, in football as in life. And everyone can be criticised, for one reason or another. Capello often repeated: ‘Braida used a parameter when evaluating players: good he may be, but is he from San Siro?’ Here, would Max still be from San Siro?

“I’ll add another: at Milan, a metre always becomes a metre and ten. Because it’s not a club like any other. Allegri, however, has already shown that he knows how to do it, both in Milan and in Turin with Juve.”

You were, however, witness to two unhappy returns to the Rossoneri: Sacchi in 1996 and Capello in 1997…

“They were particular situations. Arrigo arrived during the season, it wasn’t easy for him. Just as with Capello the following year there were some problems that did not depend solely on the coach.

“A team is always a complex environment: from the club to the coach and the players, you need coordinated work, a common vision. And it’s not always easy to find the right alchemy, from the choices on the market to the day-to-day life of a season.”

Speaking of the club, before the eventual replacement of Conceiçao, a diesse will also arrive at Milan. The names of Paratici and Tare are being mentioned: impressions?

“He knows both of them well. Fabio was at Juve for years, then he gained experience abroad, at Tottenham: you don’t arrive (and stay) at certain levels by chance.

“Igli, on the other hand, has contributed to the good results of Lazio and has shown with excellent intuitions that he is good. They are two names I appreciate.

Who would you see as better at AC Milan? “The one who makes the fewest mistakes. When a general manager has to judge a player or build a team, the clinical eye is the first quality and for me both Paratici and Tare have it. Then I don’t know any manager who doesn’t make mistakes, so it’s impossible to know today what one or the other would do.”