Ambition, timing and risk: Why Milan and De Zerbi might be a perfect marraige

Attempting to pinpoint the exact reasons why Milan have suddenly faltered dramatically since the glory days is nearly impossible considering the multiple elements behind the decline. One argument to support the demise involves decision-making and the manager personnel appointed.

Carlo Ancelotti, undisputedly one of the greatest tacticians of all time who claimed two Champions League titles and a Scudetto during his time at the Rossoneri, became a proven coach with a raw ability to keep fans on the edge of their seats and eagerly anticipated the next matchday around the corner.

Since 2009, 11 managers have come and gone whether they were interim caretakers or seen as the right man to lead the club toward the foreseeable future.

From those names, you can argue that Massimiliano Allegri is the most polished and capable personality that the club has hired – touted at the time as the next big thing in Italian football after his spell at Cagliari, helping Milan claim their 18th Serie A title.

A star-studded crop of world-class talent in the form of Zlatan Ibrahimović, Alexandre Pato, Andrea Pirlo, Kevin Price-Boateng, and Alessandro Nesta to name a few might have propelled that piece of silverware, yet the football displayed wasn’t always pleasing on the eye and had supporters craving for more in a weird sense.

Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, and Clarence Seedorf did their reputation no favours by accepting a gigantic and implausible task of turning around a historic club with minimal coaching experience and pedigree, whilst the late Siniša Mihajlović did implement ‘grinta’ and rediscovered pride for the badge, there was no clear identity on the pitch from a footballing perspective.

Amidst the ongoing search for a new manager to replace the outgoing Stefano Pioli, a lingering candidate has entered the frame from a pipedream to a real possibility: Roberto De Zerbi.

Shock news broke before Brighton and Hove Albion’s final fixture of the season that the Italian would be stepping away from managerial duties, reportedly due to sharing different ideas with owner Tony Bloom.