Technical director Paolo Maldini said Milan will ‘always be my passion’ and pointed out that ‘players all over the world dream’ of playing at the Rossoneri.
After a transitional phase, Maldini believes the Diavolo have managed to regroup and find the needed ‘stability’ after turbulent years both on and off the pitch.
Technical director Paolo Maldini said Milan will ‘always be my passion’ and pointed out that ‘players all over the world dream’ of playing at the Rossoneri.
After a transitional phase, Maldini believes the Diavolo have managed to regroup and find the needed ‘stability’ after turbulent years both on and off the pitch.
“At no time did I think that the club could die or disappear,” Maldini told So Foot. “Everyone is aware of the difficulties of the last years of the [Silvio] Berlusconi era or related to the change to Chinese ownership in 2017.
“The Elliott Fund arrived precisely because of these difficulties. And when it became clear that the Elliott Fund could own Milan, I was contacted by Leonardo in the summer of 2018.”
The former left-back retired in July 2009, having played 901 competitive games for the Rossoneri and helped them to five European Cups, seven Scudetti and one Coppa Italia.
“Since I stopped playing, we have still managed to win a Scudetto and have played several times in the Champions League,” Maldini said.
“There has been a very significant generational change since 2009, especially from 2011 to 2012, when the players who were part of this club stopped their careers or left.
“If you don’t foresee the future with this generational change, then it’s difficult to have sporting results.
“Those who arrive soon after can’t do as well as they should. Perhaps the idea was that those who entered could keep Milan afloat, but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
“You have to plan constantly. Then there was a very expensive transfer campaign, but it all stopped in 18 months.
“What makes a great club is undoubtedly the stability. And I must say that in the last years of Berlusconi’s presidency, and also in the year and a half with Chinese owners, we didn’t have this stability.”
Maldini has spent his whole footballing career at the Diavolo but the current director said it wasn’t an obligatory choice to return to Milanello.
“I never considered my return mandatory,” he said. “Nor did I ever consider it mandatory that the people who work at the club would call me.
“Simply because I played until 2009 and then I lived other things, because my life gave me new experiences, sometimes far away from football.
“Therefore, I didn’t look at this experience as necessary. Of course, Milan will always be my passion, like football.
“If there was a chance, I wanted to live up to it, I wanted to play a role, respecting what my past within this club.
“I was called when the club was owned by the Chinese, but I didn’t necessarily have in mind an operational role within the club.”
Maldini then spoke about the new strategy at the Rossoneri.
“First of all, when you have less time than Berlusconi’s first presidency could have had, for example, when you don’t have much choice, you have to be creative.
“I was called by Leonardo and we had a different vision of what the team should be like. The club made important investments in the first year, although, when calculating income and expenses, it was not excessive for a club like Milan.
“After Leo’s departure, out of economic necessity, austerity was imposed in signings and we planned to go for young players to have a younger and more competitive team.
“Of course, the people I chose to work with me in all of this [Zvonimir Boban and Ricky Massara] had in mid that working for Milan means to respect our history.
“We can’t build a project that doesn’t have the idea of being successful in the short term. The challenge was therefore to become competitive again and have a financially virtuous club.
“I must say that we have found that balance today. Milan have lowered the average age of the players, it’s the youngest team in Italy, one of the youngest in Europe.
“The path has been drawn. In all this, the experience of those who have played was needed to not buy just because they are young, but also to be careful and have more experienced players to lead the youngsters.
“This is fundamental.”
But Maldini stressed that he’s in a good position and ‘lucky’ because players all over the world ‘dream’ of playing for the Rossoneri.
“I’m very lucky, I’m a respected and successful former player,” he said. “And then I have the chance to work for Milan.
“Believe me: Milan haven’t qualified for the Champions League for eight years, but when Milan call, players all over the world are starting to dream.
“Sure, we look to the future, but the past, which we must respect, counts. When you are called Milan and you call a player, you are one of the three most successful clubs in the world. We must always remember this."