Milan Coach Clarence Seedorf has insisted that Mario Balotelli is still yet to reach the level required to be considered a true champion.
The 23-year-old has already won trophies with Inter and Manchester City in his relatively short career but his Dutch tactician insisted there is still much more to come from the player.
Milan Coach Clarence Seedorf has insisted that Mario Balotelli is still yet to reach the level required to be considered a true champion.
The 23-year-old has already won trophies with Inter and Manchester City in his relatively short career but his Dutch tactician insisted there is still much more to come from the player.
“Mario is a great talent and we hope he can explode and become the champion that he still isn’t yet,” Seedorf told today’s Press conference ahead of his side’s game against Bologna.
“I am convinced that sooner or later he will do it because he has great desire.
“His tears at Napoli were a release of emotion, he is a human being.”
The San Siro boss also commented on the progress made by his side so far during his short tenure.
“I am optimistic for the future, but it will take time to get things right because we have a lot of hard work to do.
“I know what it is we have to do, we are our own biggest critics.
“The team needs to improve all over but it doesn’t interest me to criticise the previous Coach.
“We need to work both on physical and mental aspects of our game and we need to do it together, with intelligence and speed.
“We want to win and we want to do it convincingly, playing an intense brand of football.
“The players haven’t been demotivated by the loss at Napoli, who against Roma showed they are a great side.
“I have seen a great desire within the players to improve.
“Bologna are a team who deserve a lot of respect and who won away to Torino. We need to pay attention to their strengths, they are a very organised team.”
The 37-year-old then commented on a number of his players.
“Kaka is not here just to go to the World Cup. He is here to help Milan to develop and in turn Milan will help him get to the World Cup.
“For me he has a great chance to go to Brazil, he is doing very well for us.
“Honda needs patience, lots of talented players who have arrived in Italy have needed time to settle. I’m not worried about him and he should be ready for tomorrow.
“I don’t think De Sciglio will be back but it depends how he is.
“We only have two central strikers available, so if we want to change it during the game how do I do it? I’ve thought about playing Pazzini and Balotelli together and it’s a possibility.”
Seedorf has recently held a dinner meeting with club President Silvio Berlusconi.
“It was an evening during which we obviously discussed the future of Milan,” he explained.
“There is a great desire to take Milan back up to where they should be, although we all know it will take time.”