The Fire of Milan

[hitman87]

Marcini Capital Group Completes Acquisition of AC Milan



June 1, 2022

After years of ownership under the watchful eyes of Elliott Investment Management led by Paul Singer, AC Milan will become the latest club to join the ranks of the super-rich. A deal to but the club was agreed last night and wealthy new owners Marcini Capital Group, led by the husband-and-wife team of Marco and Laura Marcini, will take control in the coming days. As negotiations have continued, supporters and the media have been speculating as to what the future might hold for Milan. After yesterday's agreement was finally announced, a group of fans gathered outside the San Siro to celebrate.

“It's amazing to think this has happened to us,” declared one. “With that kind of money behind us, anything's possible now, isn't it?”

It remains to be seen exactly how the Marcinis intend to move forward. What's certain is that this famous club has now entered into an exciting new era. As new owner Marco Marcini said in a statement:

“Me and my wife Laura are extremely honored to be a part of the illustrious history of AC Milan and are excited to play the biggest part in the Club's next chapter as it returns to its rightful place at the very top of Italian, European and world football. My wife and I would like to thank Gordon Singer and the entire Elliott team for the tremendous work they have done over the last four years in rebuilding Milan and returning it to its rightful place at the top of Serie A. The mission and philosophy is this: we are looking forward to a long-term partnership with the club, its management team and Milanisti around the world to keep propelling Milan in the years to come.”

It has been confirmed that the new ownership group will retain Paolo Scaroni as Club Chairman, but will look into other key facets of the organization going forward.

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[hitman87]

Stefano Pioli Steps Down as Milan Boss

June 11, 2022

Days after AC Milan had new owners in the Marcini family, it was quickly revealed that the manager that guided the club to their first Serie A title in 11 years will not be a part of the club going forward. Stefano Pioli announced that he decided to step down as manager after he was considering other managerial positions.

“As much as I love Milan, I have decided to depart from this great club,” Pioli said in a statement. “It has nothing to do with the new ownership group coming in. It has a lot to do with different clubs asking for my services and I will consider each one. I thank the Milanisti for all the wonderful years for me, capped with a Serie A crown.”

Owner Marco Marcini said in his statement:

“On behalf of my wife and members of AC Milan, we wish Stefano nothing but the best in his future endeavors. We have talked to Stefano for several days to keep him in the fold, but it wasn't meant to be. A new manager will be named in the next few weeks.”

After Pioli's shocking departure, fans were making their opinions heard on who should replace him. Fans went through the whole list of coaches, from highly decorated managers like Zinedine Zidane, Diego Simeone and Mauricio Pochettino, to up and comers like Brendan Rodgers, Erik ten Hag, or Graham Potter. Many fans felt that Milan should promote from within and appoint long-time Padova and Parma defender Giacomo Murelli to the top job. But Marcini will be open to the process and look into bringing in someone who is best for the job.

It will be interesting in the coming weeks to see how Milan plays their cards right on their new management hire.

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[hitman87]

Milan Announce New Manager

June 30, 2022

It has been official for quite some time; Newly appointed Martina Gianni has taken up the reins as the next boss to roam the sidelines inside San Siro.

Gianni, 36, is considered one of the bright young managers in the game and has signed a deal with the Serie A giant through 2027. Prior to the Milan job, Gianni has had a solid playing career, playing for the women's side of French club Olympique Lyonnais from 2008 to 2014 before injuries played a big role, ending her career for good. In 2015, she returned to her alma mater, Florida State University, where she joined her former coach Mark Krikorian's staff as an assistant coach for the women's team. In her seven seasons, the school brought home two NCAA championships and several ACC titles.

Then, the former Italian international striker announced she was taking a leave of absence to deal with an undisclosed family illness. She would later confirm that her father had cancer and left for Milan to take care of him. She would miss most of the 2022 campaign for the school and hoped for her to return after the issues cleared up.

“Honestly, it was an easy decision. To me, family does come first before everything else,” Gianni reflected.

By late spring, the medical issues seemed to resolve and there was talk of Gianni taking a job in Europe for the 2022-23 campaign. She believed it was a hand of assistant coaching opportunities or coaching at the women's level. With Mark Krikorian's departure from FSU, the time was right for Gianni to consider other opportunities in a coaching role, possibly replacing him on their sidelines. But they've decided to go in a different direction and Gianni was looking for the right opportunity. However, this opportunity even took her by surprise.

“It wasn't a call I was expecting, even after talking with the board extensively,” Gianni said. “I knew I was in some sort of consideration, but to get the offer was an absolute dream come true, especially compared to what my family was facing last winter.”

Gianni is set to replace Stefano Pioli, who asked Milan to release him from his contract after he was considering other managerial positions.

“AC Milan have appointed Martina Gianni as their new manager,” a Milan statement read. “The Italian-born 36-year-old will move to Milan from Florida State University on July 1, 2022 ahead of the new season, signing a five year contract with the club.”

Upon leaving Tallahassee, Gianni wrote in a statement: “I will leave FSU with a heavy heart, because I played for this school and coached for this school with great pride. I’ve been able to coach a special team here at a school with tremendous people and tremendous players. I wish them well.”

Speculation linked various candidates for the job but it seems that Gianni was the first choice in the eyes of the Milan board. Despite the interesting resumé of Gianni, she was rarely on the lips of fans making their opinions heard on who should replace Pioli. With the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Diego Simeone and Mauricio Pochettino, Brendan Rodgers, Erik ten Hag, or Graham Potter being interviewed for the Milan job, each one of them declined the offer (Zidane and Pochettino are currently free agents). Many fans felt that the club should promote from within and appoint assistant coach Giacomo Murelli to the top job, but Murelli decided to take a job in England instead. Instead, the job went to Martina Gianni, a woman with no connection to AC Milan, no experience in Serie A, and until last month, nothing in the trophy case.

Instead, this move signals Milan is moving in a more dynamic direction than most Serie A clubs and gives them a young female coach which many that are deeply embedded in the sport feel is one of the most dynamic up and comers straight from the college level. A graduate of Florida State with a degree in communications, she is still fluent in 6 different languages, which includes English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch and her native Italian. She is scheduled to be introduced and meet the press on July 1st.

She takes over a squad that won the Scudetto the previous year and haven't won the Champions League since 2007. However, with the likes of Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the squad, the fans will not be interested in waiting for Gianni to get her feet wet.

With Gianni's arrival at Milan, some pundits are now talking about her as one of the promising new managers in football. Her appointment will no doubt bring confidence, ambition and some courage to the Milan dressing room.

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[johnstone1987]

Not sure if we can post yet or not but I'm following this! I'm still a little new to Soccer "Football" and I've been following the Seattle Sounders in MLS for a couple years now. I'm no Soccer expert but I'm really enjoying the sport. Don't know much about the world leagues but I'm familiar with some Clubs. Milan, Manchester United, etc.

[hitman87]

Quote: Originally Posted by johnstone1987

Not sure if we can post yet or not but I'm following this! I'm still a little new to Soccer "Football" and I've been following the Seattle Sounders in MLS for a couple years now. I'm no Soccer expert but I'm really enjoying the sport. Don't know much about the world leagues but I'm familiar with some Clubs. Milan, Manchester United, etc.

Appreciate the support. While this thread is kind of what most people have put out: Results, transfers, in depth stories, the usual sorry of thing. It's telling the stories of what's happening in my Milan dynasty story with input from the community.

There's more coming, just wait and see.

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[hitman87]

Martina Gianni and Milan: A Total Match Made in Football Heaven


July 1, 2022

Herbert Kilpin, the founding father of AC Milan said; “We will be a team of devils. Our colors will be red like fire and black like the fear we will invoke in our opponents.” Today, the club will be going in a new direction with a fresh new manager in Martina Gianni. Milan announced Thursday that Gianni has signed a five year contract with the club through 2027.

“After an extensive worldwide search, we are happy to announce that Ms. Gianni has agreed to become our next manager,” Club Chairman Paolo Scaroni offered in a statement. “We're here to help support and build the club. Of all the candidates on our shortlist, Gianni was the one we really wanted. She is simply the right woman for the job. She shares our vision for the future and wants to help us succeed in any way she can.”

While it's unclear how Gianni will handle the locker room, one thing is clear; She will make her players work hard. It has been her strongest trait since childhood, even during her time as a player and coach.

“I've come to know myself as a hard worker, especially with my family background in wines,” Gianni said during her initial press conference. “Hard work, dedication, and loyalty is what I expect from the club going forward. Anybody who thinks that is okay with having a diva attitude, they can find another club. I don't have time for prima donnas in my dressing room.”

Gianni knows all too well about the story of former soccer player turned manager Carolina Morace, probably best known for having been the first woman to coach a professional men's football team, Viterbese of Italian Serie C1 in June 1999. She eventually resigned from her position after only two matches as their President, Luciano Gaucci, interfered with management of the technical staff. Owners Marco and Laura Marcini have stated that such interference will not be tolerated by the club and anybody doing so will face immediate termination.

“We are not meddlesome in management either on or off the pitch, and we will be more hands-off than hands-on,” said Mr. Marcini. “But any interference with our technical staff will be faced with stiff consequences. This club is all about fairness and equity, regardless of what many people think.”

A Milanese by birth, Gianni has said she's planning to stick around for a while in her hometown and country. This move will bring her not only closer to home, but also taking the job for her childhood club.

“I'm excited to take on this role and demonstrate what I and this team are capable of,” the new boss commented. “Coming home to Milan, especially with my favorite team growing up, is something special.”

It's no secret that Gianni strongly believes in the Dutch concept of Total Football, insisting that youth players should be coached in all aspects of football rather than into specialist positions, helping the team both with or without the ball. That lesson was learned when her father talked about the glories of Ajax in the 1960s and 1970s. Gianni grew up with Milan under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello and saw some similarities with Ajax and the club she grew up with.

“Growing up, Milan played like a well-oiled machine with Sacchi and Capello in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Although I won't be implementing the 4-4-2 as our base, we'll be operating with a 4-3-3 with a Deep Lying Playmaker in central midfield as well as a 3-4-3 Diamond set. It's pretty much the basis of what makes Total Football great,” Gianni said. “Let's not forget that Milan practically started the high press, so we'll implement that as well.”

Aside from her former coach at Florida State University (Where she got a degree in communications) Mark Krikorian, Gianni cites Sacchi, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, as well as the late Johan Cruyff as her influences as a manager. If it all goes well, Milan will have another successful boss in the San Siro dugout for years to come.

“I'm coming here intending to win right away,” Gianni stated. “The fans will be proud of what we achieve and that includes bringing trophies back home to San Siro, where they truly belong.”

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[toysoldier_00]

Milan has a really fun team. Looking forward to this!

[hitman87]

Quote: Originally Posted by toysoldier_00

Milan has a really fun team. Looking forward to this!

Thanks a lot for the feedback! Look out for some surprise transfers going on in this story. It should be interesting.

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