Arrigo Sacchi has urged Milan to keep faith with under-fire Coach Marco Giampaolo. “He’s certainly a more reliable bet than I was in 1987.”
Rossoneri director and playing legend Paolo Maldini compared Giampaolo’s tactical adjustments to the early difficulties felt by Sacchi before going on to form one of the best teams in history.
Now the man himself is also warning there are parallels and the club mustn’t be hasty in pulling the plug.
“Giampaolo’s Milan showed improvements that bode well for the future,” wrote Sacchi in La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Maldini compared this start to mine in 1987, a season that culminated in the Scudetto victory. I hope for them that history does repeat itself.
“I can say that Giampaolo is certainly more of a reliable bet than I was in 1987. Marco has been coaching in Serie C, B and A for years. Over the last four seasons, his teams have gone well beyond expectations, playing a beautiful and entertaining style of football that made them protagonists.
“He got the best out of many young players, proving himself to be a real teacher with sensibility and ideas that go beyond the norm.
“The club must avoid being precipitous, instead showing faith and friendship, the way Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani did with me.
“I was a nobody, but the club trusted me and followed my indications, including in the transfer strategy for signings and sales. Giampaolo needs to feel the respect of Milan the way I did. Only that way can be express his full potential in a relaxed and cohesive environment.”
