‘No adequate directors’ – Leonardo discusses USA investment and possible Milan return | OneFootball

Leonardo has criticised American funds for not understanding the assets they are investing in when it comes to Italian football, while he also commented on the idea of returning to AC Milan.

The Brazilian attended an event at the Teatro Sociale in Trento, the ‘Football Business Forum’, an international panel on the world of football and club management included in the packed programme of the Trento Sports Festival organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The panel was organised in collaboration with the SDA Bocconi University in Milan and was attended by the president of Torino and RCS MediaGroup Urbano Cairo, the president of La Liga Javier Tebas, the president of Porto André Villas-Boas and the owner of Lille Alessandro Barnaba.

The president of Marseille Pablo Longoria was there, as was Edwin van der Sar the former director of Ajax. Leonardo was asked by reporters what he thinks about the influx of USA-based investment into Italian football, with his comments relayed by Calciomercato.com.

“There are different ways to invest. I believe in long-term projects, even if in football it is becoming complicated to plan beyond two or three years and in this world it is difficult to make a short-term project also because many investors speculate,” he began.

“In ten years, PSG has been able to build a solid brand. For example, on the other hand, Milan has changed owners four times in ten years. It is difficult to build functioning projects like this.

“Cases of presidents who manage to manage a club for many years are increasingly rare. If I think back to my experience, it began with Silvio Berlusconi , an important man for football and Italy.

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“In recent years, many American funds have decided to invest in Italy and Europe in football, as it is cheaper and more advantageous than doing it in their home country. However, these funds often lack high-level management, there are no adequate directors.

“It is difficult to work if you do not know the context of the city, the tradition and history of the club you are in, it becomes difficult to build a project for the team. If we look at the current situation in football, we have not yet arrived at a concrete long-term situation.

“I have not yet seen a better organisation than those of the past. As for me, I do not consider myself a great director, but only a former good player. However, over the years I have learned a lot about football management.

“Is Fonseca the right man for Milan? Who am I to say… He’s just started and all coaches need time, it seems like a trivial thing but it’s like that. Would I return to Milan as a director? I’m happy at home, I don’t have much intention of returning to football like he did before.

“As a coach it’s definitely out of the question, but not even as a sporting director, after finishing with PSG I decided that I would take another path which will certainly be in football – because it’s my life – but in a different way. On Ibrahimovic and his new role let’s say that I have no answer.”

In terms of being a successful director, many believe that Milan are still feeling the effects of the transfer flops that were carried out while Leonardo was in charge of recruitment.