Former coach Fabio Capello believes Sergio Conceicao ‘has what it takes’ to impress at Milan, comparing him to four other candidates for the job.
The Rossoneri have already decided to sack Stefano Pioli at the end of the season, bringing an end to his five-year spell in charge, and have considered a long list of possible replacements ahead of the summer, including Francesco Farioli, Mark van Bommel and Domenico Tedesco.
At one point, Milan seemed on the cusp of choosing Julen Lopetegui, but protests from the fans and doubts surrounding his suitability pushed them to give up on the idea and focus on other targets. In recent days, Conceicao has emerged as a strong candidate for the role.
Capello on Conceicao and four Milan options
Speaking on page 25 of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Capello first discussed the qualities of Conceicao and why he’d be a good fit for Milan.
“He knows Serie A because of his past as a player. He played and won here, this can certainly help him manage the pressure of the environment. As a coach he did very, very well at Porto, demonstrating great tactical and offensive attention.
“His teams are solid, balanced, we saw it in the Champions League. When the Italian teams met Porto, they often suffered. But there is another thing I like about Conceiçao.
“He is a coach capable of working with both important players and prospective players, he brings out the best in everyone. He is used to building and doing it with a winning mentality. He put his philosophy in Porto, where historically value is created by winning.”
The former coach believes Conceicao would be a strong option for the Rossoneri.
“I would say so, yes. If Milan are convinced about Conceicao, they could be on the right path, Conceicao has what it takes.
“The important thing is that everyone in the club agrees, the Lopetegui case shows us that. The fact that a club like Milan gave in to the will of the fans suggests that perhaps there wasn’t a total agreement on the choice.
“Otherwise, it would be a serious afterthought. If the decisions of the past had been made based on the mood of the fans, Milan would not have had Sacchi or even Capello.”
Capello was asked if Paulo Fonseca would suit Milan.
“The point in his favour is his knowledge of our league, Fonseca already knows everything about Serie A and has been away from Italy for a few years.
“In the two-year period with Roma, he showed good things, a proactive style of play, offensive mentality. With him there would be no need for revolutions, he is a coach who knows how to adapt to the players he has in his squad.”
He commented on the idea of seeing Roberto De Zerbi take over.
“He is a prepared coach, who makes his ideas count wherever he coaches, and he has a very respectable sponsor like Guardiola.
“Until now, however, no one has come forward despite his name being linked to the benches of the big clubs. And then with Brighton he has a €15m clause, honestly it seems like too much for a coach.”
Capello was a little more unsure about Van Bommel.
“He also lacks high-level experience, he won in Belgium, but Milan are something else. Of course, if he arrived, he would already be able to swim in the Rossoneri sea, because as a player he won a Scudetto together with Ibra. This is undoubtedly an advantage, especially for a foreign coach.”
Finally, Capello discussed the candidacy of Roberto Martinez.
“If we’re talking about international experience, he is another profile that meets the requirements required by Milan.
“Before leading Portugal and Belgium, Martinez coached in England and did well, he won the FA Cup with Wigan, a club that had never won anything, and then had fun with Everton, coming close to the Champions League and finishing in front to Tottenham and Manchester United in the Premier League.
“Lukaku exploded with him, his Belgium team was entertaining, and he climbed onto the podium at the 2018 World Cup. And then let’s not forget a detail that could change things for Milan.
“Since Martinez has been the coach of Portugal, Leao has also become a regular starter for the national team. Working with Martinez at Milan could push Rafa to raise the bar.”