Seedorf: “Berlusconi? My only focus is on the match”

19

CLARENCE SEEDORF has refused to comment on Berlusconi’s criticism and to reveal who will be in the XI tomorrow.

It’s clear that there is a tear between Seedorf and club President Silvio Berlusconi and Vice President Adriano Galliani and tomorrow’s game with Atalanta is expected to be Seedorf’s last away game as the coach of Milan, despite the good results.

Seedorf has won six of the last seven games with the only defeat coming against 2nd place Roma but Silvio criticized his work, claiming that people with dementia from a retirement home could do a good job controlling Milan’s locker room.

Atalanta-Milan: The Rossoneri squad
Berlusconi: “Retirement home people could control locker room”

“I have nothing to say about what Berlusconi has been reported saying. I didn’t understand what he meant,” Seedorf told the curious journalist at Milanello on Saturday afternoon. “My focus is just on the team and the players. I could joke that it’s easy to control this group because they’re all good guys, but aside from that I didn’t understand what he was trying to say.

“Berlusconi praised Montella? You shouldn’t ask me, as he’s the one who said those things. You’ll find a brick wall asking me. Ask the club what they think. I cannot speak for others. Berlusconi saying Milan haven’t found the right position for Balotelli yet? Don’t ask me these questions. I know I’ve been working as a Coach for three months, but I’ve been in the football world for 22 years and I am not stupid. I have always been respectful to you and I want you to be respectful to me.

“I’m calm and I think that Balotelli’s performances have shown his growth. My focus is on the match. It’s gratifying when the players support you in public and I’ve always spoken well of this group. We’re all pulling in the same direction.”

Seedorf was also asked questions about the match: “Balance has been the key word this week. These are the key words, to do well, to be objective and to be clear after a loss. The why, the how, to adjust things but at the same time to continue with your own ideas and work. At the same time after the derby win, there’s a lot of enthusiasm for the win, a single win against an adversary of high value but the work done the week after continues the same way, with objectivity and understanding where we are in the league and what our objectives are, to go into the last 2 matches in the best way we can.

“Atalanta have never been an easy team from anyone to face. It’s never been easy for Milan to get points from Bergamo. The focus since Wednesday has been on Atalanta. The focus has been there and that’s what our daily discussions have been about. We’re quick to move our focus to the next game, we’ll be using the extra-push that the derby win has given us.

“I don’t think there’ll be problems at the stadium tomorrow. We should be talking about what we want to see and that’s both sets of fans getting behind their team. We can only focus on our own game and not Torino-Parma and I won’t talk about President Berlusconi. Tomorrow’s formation? We won’t be changing our philosophy. I won’t talk about the line-up as I don’t want to give anything away. I have clear ideas about how we’ll be playing against Atalanta. They played well against Juventus and they’ll be eager to do well in their last home game. We’ll need the right level of aggression,” Seedorf added.

Clarence Seedorf in training this weekn (@acmilan.com)

“Myself and the players know each other better now. The derby with Inter is always a special match and it was great to see their joy and the applause from the fans. These are all things that will increase the affinity between me and the players. I don’t know if we’ll have the same formation tomorrow. We’ve shown a lot of balance as a group. El Shaarawy is in fine form like the rest of the 23 players. Kaka and Robinho? There’s a bit of disappointment from Kaka & Robinho not being called up for Brazil but that country always has an embarrassment of riches. They’re 2 great guys and have shown determination since the news. Brazil haven’t changed much since the Confederations Cup and the coach wanted to give continuity.

“My job at BBC? Working with the BBC for the World Cup will give me a chance to live the tournament up close. I can choose which games I work on, so it’ll only be a few matches. I have been collaborating with them since 2009, all Coaches and directors will be in Brazil this summer, for one reason or another. Javier Zanetti’s retirement? I’m friends with Zanetti and I thanked him for all he has done and given in the game. Let’s hope there’ll be more players like him in the future.”

Seedorf also spoke to the Milan Channel today: “When I talk about Zanetti, I’m talking about a friend. I have a great relationship with him. I also exchanged messages with Yepes, he said he’s doing fine but he won’t be playing tomorrow. We’re looking for an identity for the team and once you have that it’s easier to change things around tactically. Honda is one of the most important players we have and he works hard. Technically and tactically he’s very good and he’ll be able to give even more in the future. Everyone is back and in good form. Abate and Andrea Poli should both be with us tomorrow.

“We’re focused on these last two matches and we had a good week’s work. After the derby win we need a big game again tomorrow. There are many Milan fans in Indonesia and great respect for that the club does,” the 38-year-old said.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

19 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
water

#iamwithseedorf…

yourBoss

Forza Milan

Gianluca

#iamwithseedorf let’s make this a trending hashtag! It’d would be a tremendous mistake to let him go.

Hondannori

I know I would get so many dislike for my comment, but we need a more experienced coach, after a dismal performance this season we need to go through a rebuilding process, and this takes an experienced coach to do. Anyways, am begining to smile already for the coming of Cristian Tello… get Lukaku and the rest top players would come knowing we are serious.
As always “Milan till the fucking caskette”
#Forza Milan!

Tochi

forza Milan!!! #Iamwithseedorf

Tochi

putting this on FB… #iamwithseedorf

Tony

I love this club but sometimes they don’t know what the hell they are doing they cannot fire the coach is doing good I’m with Seadorf president is a dummy

Nas

Berlusconi making a fool and laughing stock of himself is an embarrassment enough to AC MILAN and he’s been doing it for a number of years now and we have had to put up with it but to try and do the same to one of the most decorated and respected football icons in the history of the game is down right outrageous, seedorf has won every club honour he could with not only our AC MILAN but with every major club he’s played for, he immediately answered our call when we needed him and got us the fans and… Read more »

jibola

All the best Clarence and may the Lord deliver us frim Evilsconi and Evilliani.

Milanista121

In Clarence we trust. I hope to still see him coach us by next season. Dementia is probably something Galliani and Berlusconi themselves are suffering from, probably that’s why Berlu came up with such a comment.
I feel so bad for Clarence, he is an honourable man and has earned his respect, can’t believe how poorly he is being treated. I’m with him 110 %.
Forza Clarence!

Pasha

I think that berlusconis comments were taken out of context my media but non the less seedorf deserves utmost respect and there shouldn’t even be a question about who the next coach will be Experienced coach don’t always get the results, the ones that do are tied down to big clubs..mourinho, ancellotti Only thing I can think of is that we get a national team coach that will leave after World Cup ends Also seedorf managed to control Balotelli something that no other coach has been able to do Finally we need unity in the people running the team, look… Read more »

dejan10

According to Forbes, Berlusconi has a net worth of only $5.9 billion, not $9 billion as previously reported. I see, so THAT’S why we can’t afford Rami or Taraabt!

Nas

Ridiculous isn’t it? He wouldn’t even miss the millions it would take to buy the both of them and another 5/6 proper players to go with them
he’s worth over 5 thousand million for god sake!!!!!

RKaY

Seedorf will become a world class coach and win many trophies with another team in the future. Management will regret this.

roymilanista

There is another side to the story which v fans may not know about. It was reported before that seedorf gave a few interviews without the top club officials knowing about it. No1 would like a rebel coach. A few players were reported to b unhappy wit him(eg: monto,de jong). No doubt he was a great player n 1 of my fav Milan plyrs of all time n a MAN OF FOOTBALL…but guess too much enthusiasm isnt good i guess. There is a side of the story which v r not able to c. In pure footballing sense n on… Read more »

Hasowayne

Tell me where in the world this makes sense? This humble guy called Seedorf was playing his football in peace and getting paid well enough. Berlusconi started picking on him to be the next Milan coach knowing fully well that he had no experience whatsoever. We all didn’t know what to expect but I felt back then that Berlusconi was trying to prove something to Galliani which he has now done hands down. Seedorf didn’t win the Scudetto, but he saved the season as we were heading down the relegation zone. Now Berlusconi proves his point and instead of backing… Read more »

Aimar

#iamwithseedorf

And what I hate the most, they are forcing away people like Maldini, Leonardo, Seedorf. They (Berlusconi and Galliani) had so much respect from everyone in football world, but now they are just old clowns. Nobody respect them anymore, and they are destroying our club.

I really wish someone buys AC Milan from Berlusconi so we can start dreaming big again.

Forza Milan

chris

We all are forgetting that this was the sort of statement that bellusconi made concerning Leonardo. Even morrati laughed at us when allegry tried to excuse bellusconi’s intrusion into coaching activities. Hence leonardo’s statement that the perfect club would be milan with inter’s president. Truth is he has shown consistently a lack of respect for people, and maturity.

luke

Galliani doesn’t like Seedorf because Seedorf doesn’t hide the fact that Galliani put garbage of a team together with his free signings etc. Milan needs a change but not at the coaching level, they need a change at the top starting with Bunga Bunga.