AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is pleased with the Rossoneri efforts to revolutionise their playing personnel during the summer.
Milan made wholesale changes to their side during the summer,letting some of their high profile players like Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta and Mark Van Bommel leave on a free, while players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva were sold to free-spending Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite widespread belief that Milan have been severely weakened by the departures, the Rossoneri have moved to strengthen their side, signing the likes of Giampaolo Pazzini, Nigel De Jong and Bojan Krkic, and Allegri claims the changes were a necessity in order to improve the squad.
Speaking to La Stampa, Allegri remained philosophical about the club’s transfer dealings during the summer:
“We needed a generational change.
“It might not be nice, but that is how life goes.
“Carlo Ancelotti [Milan’s former manager] was fortunate to boss people like Gennaro Gattuso, Pippo Inzaghi, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf at the peak of their careers.
“I too would have liked them in my squad when they were seven years younger.
“It takes courage to make the painful decisions that Milan made, but to keep speaking about these champions is disrespectful to those players who have remained.”
The 45-year-old reportedly had a tempestuous working relationship with the club’s high-profile players last season but Allegri categorically denied claims that this negatively impacted Milan’s quest for the title.
“I worked for two years with players who have won every kind of trophy,” Allegri explained.
“You can’t get on with everyone, but when it comes to picking the team you choose the best XI to win.
“You win with the best players – I have never seen a Coach score a goal from the sidelines.
“There has always been respect.”
Allegri’s rivalry with Juventus coach Antonio Conte has also been subjected to intense media scrutiny but the former Cagliari manager refuses to be drawn into the subject and instead praised his managerial rival for a job well done.
“Is there something that Conte has which I am jealous of? I’d say no,” he added.
“Conte did a good job last season, even changing his system.”
“The Champions League may affect them this season but even if they lose all of their games, it won’t matter if we don’t manage to win ours.
“It is better to just look after your own house.”
Milan have three points from their first two games and will take on Atalanta in their next Serie A fixture.
