CM: A ‘Milan paradox’ – proposed issues with Conte now the draw to Fonseca | OneFootball

AC Milan were linked to Antonio Conte heavily when Stefano Pioli’s job was under siege. However, the club looked elsewhere due to the Italian’s personality, but that is now somewhat of a paradox.

Appointing Paulo Fonseca instead of someone like Conte was always going to be a risk, on several levels. Primarily from a fan perspective, the calls were much louder for the Italian, and the Portuguese was overlooked heavily.

The now-Napoli head coach’s record speaks for itself. He wins things and does it well in the Italian top flight and Fonseca cannot boast a similar trophy cabinet and this was another thing why the fans were not overjoyed about the idea.

For the management though, there was one big thing – Conte’s willingness to be a manager, and be a vocal one at that. As Calciomercato.com writes, the club wanted a ‘coach not a manager’, and there are differences.

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There is a demand from the 55-year-old to control ‘everything’ about the club, which Milan did not like. However, Fonseca is effectively now doing this as the report suggests, which creates a paradox.

Issues have come regularly this season, whether it be due to attitude or other things, and this has forced the head coach into being a manager in some regards, which has often been ‘lonely’ for Fonseca.

Throughout the struggle, the management have been a wavering presence, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given heavy amounts of criticism for his fluctuating role.

Fonseca has been brilliant at times due to this management, and we can credit him with the rise of the new Rafael Leao, but it goes back to a previous issue.

Milan did not want a manager but have effectively forced their head coach to be one. Fonseca deals with it all, a coach with the tasks of a ‘more central’ role, so to speak.