Zlatan IbrahimovicSenior Advisor of the RedBird property, presented the Milan U23 team in a press conference, Milan Future
“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”.
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”.
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”.
Will you be banking heavily on the talents of last year’s Primavera?
“Yes, I’m part of the Milan Future; there’s someone who has touched the First Team, but you have to be in it to be for the First Team. It’s in the Milan Future that you will grow to enter the First Team. The idea is that, once you enter the First Team, you don’t go back. Of all of them, Jimenez is more towards the First Team. The profile is very important: we don’t just see the wow talent that is around, but it must have something to do with our profile. When I talk about profile, just look at the history of Milan and understand what kind of profiles we are looking for. Then if they are of the same level we are happy. We start on Monday, but many players will be missing due to the Olympics and the European Championships, then we will see who will go on tour in the USA. The beginning will be a bit of a mixed bag”.
Does the under-23 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”.
The Milan Futuro coach, Daniele Bonera, also spoke at the press conference
“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”.
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.”
Have you looked at the opponents?
“I saw so many teams play. I was really amazed by the intensity and the physical impact: I imagined the kids competing with these adults. It won’t be easy.”