The power struggle behind Seedorf’s appointment
Seedorf is in and Allegri is out. The AC Milan battle for control behind the scenes continues.
On Monday morning AC Milan announced that after three and a half years in charge Massimiliano Allegri was to be relieved of his duties. Following a 4-3 defeat to Sassuolo and months of pressure from Barbara Berlusconi, AC Milan’s general manager and Silvio’s daughter, Allegri was finally sacked. Initial reports indicated that Pippo Inzaghi was to be promoted from his youth coaching role with the club, however this afternoon Clarence Seedorf was appointed manager.
Allegri came in for a lot of criticism during his time as AC Milan manager, however the facts remain that in three full seasons he won one Serie A title and achieved Champions League football every season. The sales of key players such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva as a cost cutting measure saw Allegri’s 2011 Serie A winning team torn apart. Allegri embarked on a thankless task heading into this season as all signs already pointed to him leaving at the end of the season regardless of results this term.
AC Milan as a club are amidst a kind of identity crisis. All signs from the higher powers pointed towards them beginning a period of youth development and purchasing, however this summer saw the arrivals of Kaka (aged 31), Alessandro Matri (aged 29), Matias Silvestre (aged 28) and Valter Birsa (aged 27). There is a power struggle taking place between Adriano Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi, Galliani has in the past conducted much of Milan’s transfer business, now however Barbara is beginning to have a bigger and bigger say in how AC Milan conduct themselves. The club has let players such as Andrea Petagna and Kinsley Boateng leave on loan after impressive pre-seasons and even the club’s leading gem; Bryan Cristante has only featured in three games this season. Matri has one goal after fifteen games and is already set to leave with a loan move to Fiorentina on the cards, surely AC would have been better off giving younger strikers such as Petagna and M’Baye Niang the chance to prove themselves?
Seedorf will face conflicting ambitions and instructions from above due to the clashes between Galliani and Barbara, and the AC Milan squad is in need of a facelift. If Seedorf is to salvage this season then younger players must be given a chance to prove their worth. Alongside Matri, the likes of Robinho and Nocerino are currently offering next to nothing, they need to be moved on and replaced. Not all however is doom and gloom for AC, this January has saw the arrivals of Adil Rami and Keisuke Honda. Rami is an accomplished CB who already has experience of playing with Philippe Mexes at CB with the French national team and Keisuke Honda could offer a real cutting edge in the final third alongside Kaka and Balotelli. El Shaarawy is also on the road to recovery after a stop/start season due to injuries.
The question remains though, why Seedorf? With Allegri gone AC needed a manager who was available, cheap and had some knowledge of the club to allow for a minimal period of transition. Pippo Inzaghi seemed to fit the bill ideally, he is already working with Milan and knows all the inner workings of the club. His work with the youth team also means that he would know which players, if any, are ready to be promoted. In overlooking Inzaghi AC Milan could be compounding themselves to further struggle. Seedorf has no coaching experience at all, a clause in Seedorf’s contract allowed him to leave Botafogo on a free to take over at Milan. Without this clause chances are he wouldn’t have even been considered for the role.
If Inzaghi had been given caretaker charge this could have served two purposes. Firstly Inzaghi would be given a chance akin to what Vincenzo Montella received with Roma in 2011 when he was promoted from youth coach to caretaker manager. Montella went on to do an admirable job with Roma and has carved himself out a successful management career. In a best case scenario Inzaghi would do well in his role and receive the role on a longer basis. If Inzaghi didn’t live up to the billing then he could be moved back into his youth coaching role with minimal fuss and AC could pursue other targets. A prime target this summer could have been Cesare Prandelli who seems likely to leave Italy after the 2014 World Cup. Prandelli’s track record and playing style would make him an ideal fit for AC Milan.
Overall the appointment of Seedorf can be viewed in two lights. You can either use his appointment as a sign of the AC Milan board looking towards the future and looking to fulfil their promises of a younger Milan. Seedorf has been given a contract until 2016 so this isn’t a five month short term fix. However his appointment could be seen as further proof of the misdirection and divisions within the Milan hierarchy. With Barbara Berlusconi becoming more and more of a central figure at Milan the influence and power base of Adriano Galliani comes into question. Rumours have swirled around for months regarding Galliani’s and Barbara’s relationship, does the appointment of Seedorf have the backing of both Barbara and Galliani? Or is this further proof of Galliani’s waning power? Only one thing is for certain, Milan called out for help and Seedorf answered.
