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At the Milanello press room, Zlatan IbrahimovicSenior Advisor of RedBird Property and Daniel Boneracoach of the Milan Futurewill be speaking at the conference starting at 10:30 to present the Rossoneri Under 23 project: Milan’s second team will participate in the Serie C Group B championship for the first time.
Follow Ibrahimovic and Bonera’s statements live with live text on TMW.
10:30 | The press conference begins.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic introduces it:
“As you know, we have officially announced Milan Futuro. It is an initiative that we are taking because we want talents to have a chance to enter the First Team and with the Primavera system, in my experience, there is too much distance. When you are young, you enter the Primavera at 16-17-18 years old and the leap to the First Team is too fast: you are physically weak and inexperienced. With Milan Futuro they will have more time to grow, you play against adults and it is another level in Serie C. There is a big difference between Primavera and First Team. In Milan Futuro they will play against adults, which is much more difficult. For us it is something new, we have to find a balance, but we are organised, prepared, we are doing everything and everything is under control. With this initiative we want to show that we believe in our talents by giving them a chance to enter the First Team. For me and for Milan, the young player is important. Milan Futuro and First Team for us will be one team: everything Fonseca does in the First Team, Bonera will also do. It will be like a copy and paste: the same philosophy between First Team and Future. There will also be individual training. We are moving the Primavera to Vismara to train even more, staying away from the First Team because, at that age, you still have to grow. Milan Future is the intermediate step. There will be Milan profiles, those who for us are Milan players. Fonseca’s choice is because he is not afraid to give opportunities to young people, he believes in it”.
Ibrahimovic announces Milan Futuro technical manager and coach:
“The head of Milan Futuro will be Jovan Kirovski. He has experience as a footballer, he comes from the USA, he worked with the Galaxy. For us he is a high profile guy and we are lucky to have him. The coach will be Daniele Bonera; he played for Milan for many years, he was on Pioli’s staff and he worked individually with many young players. For us it is the right choice because the important thing is to have a collaboration with the First Team, without ego: when Fonseca needs something, Bonera will have to be available, open. The coaches in the Academy think more about the results, they put players in to win immediately to move forward in their personal careers, but for us it is important to have a coach who thinks about the growth of the players”.
The first matches of Milan Futuro will be played in Busto Arsizio, while the official stadium will be the “Chinetti” in Solbiate Arno.
Question to Ibrahimovic – Why did you choose the name Milan Futuro?
“There were a few options: we chose Milan Futuro to send a global message that whoever joins Milan Futuro will be the future of Milan. It’s the right name, I like it, it can also be internationalized with Future”.
Question to Bonera – Emotions?
“There is great emotion, great pride. I have been a footballer, a collaborator, now I have a few more grey hairs, but I have a great sense of responsibility to work with the boys trying to bring as many of them as possible to the First Team”.
Question to Bonera – What is the difference between Primavera and First Team?
“We have identified profiles especially from the point of view of human depth: we need players who can immediately make the younger players understand what the level of Serie C is.”
Question to Ibrahimovic – Does the U23 help Italian football?
“For Italian football, the Under 23 is only positive, because we need to improve Italian talent with a mix of international players. The Italian National Team did not do wow at the European Championship: on an individual level there is a difference, then as a group you can work a miracle. With this type of initiative, we can try to fill this gap. We start from the base. All Italian teams have a great responsibility to improve talent: how you work, what ideas you have, where you want to get to”.
Question to Ibrahimovic – Will Camarda need time?
“For Camarda, everyone thinks it will be easy, but it won’t be easy. He will struggle at the beginning, but we are here to protect him, the responsibility is ours and we have to give him time to grow, take it step by step. He has potential, but we have to prepare him to get to the First Team: he is one of the great talents, we believe in him a lot. But it won’t be easy. We believe in him a lot. Then, in any case, everyone will always have minutes: if they don’t play in the U23s, they will play in the Primavera, if not in the Under-18s, even if they end up on the bench in the First Team. If they never play, they don’t grow, so it’s important for us that everyone will have minutes. The squad will be made up of 22-23 players, no more. Everyone must have the opportunity and time to play”.
Question to Ibrahimovic – How much do you believe in this project?
“When I came here, I pushed hard for this project because it’s not possible that Milan doesn’t have a top Academy. I really believe in talent. Investments can be made, then things will come over time. It doesn’t mean that the First Team will be full of talent… We work for Milan and for Italian football. Our responsibility is to give these guys a platform, but that doesn’t solve everything, eh… We want these guys to grow off the pitch too: when you wear the Milan shirt, you’re also a Milan player off it. Playing for Milan is more than just being a player, it’s about the person. We’re on the right path. Anyone who had doubts about the club’s ambition can now see that things are happening at the Club, that we’re working and that, when we have something to say, we’re officially here. We don’t do propaganda, I’m not a gossip magazine, we’ll talk when we have something to say”.
Question to Bonera – Will there be a tactical link with Fonseca?
“There will certainly be an exchange of players: we will follow Fonseca’s line with the First Team.”
Question to Ibrahimovic – What did Cardinale tell you?
“I speak with Cardinale every day. He works hard, he took Milan personally, he listens to our ideas a lot. Then he wants results. Milan Futuro is one of these ideas. Cardinale is very positive, then it’s true that results count. With Milan Futuro the result is to bring talents forward”.
Question to Bonera – Have you spoken to Cardinale?
“I have a direct line with Zlatan, with Jovan and all the people who work for Milan Futuro. My references are them”.