SM: Milan left with no choice as Conceicao plots exit plan – the situation | OneFootball

Sergio Conceicao’s future has been a hot topic in the media recently, with a potential renewal being discussed especially among the fans.

After four very tough months, the win against Inter in the Coppa Italia semi-final restored some confidence among the fans. Bologna will be the opponents in Rome and while the Rossoblu have been tremendous this season, Milan have their Supercoppa Italiana precedent to rely on. For Conceicao, as such, it’s possible to start and end his tenure with a trophy.

Naturally, despite the struggles in the league since his arrival, questions have been asked about Conceicao’s future and whether he should stay rather than leave. Milan have always referred to the usual ‘evaluations are made at the end of the season’ argument, so perhaps the door hasn’t been completely locked. Or rather, based on what we have learned, the Rossoneri might find themselves without the key.

Conceicao finds a way out

In the last few weeks, especially amid reports of a potential stay, Conceicao himself has reflected on what the summer could hold. Despite the clause to renew his contract for one more season, which Milan can decide to trigger, the former Porto man already has a pretty clear idea: he wants to move on. As things stand, he has no intention of remaining as the Rossoneri’s head coach.

Seeing as the media has been talking about his replacement for months now, something Conceicao also criticised during an interview recently, it hasn’t been an easy environment to work in. Furthermore, the manager believes that the Milan directors haven’t done enough to put the rumours to bed, only fueling the suggestions that they don’t have full faith in him.

Abandoned would be the right word to use, at least if you ask Conceicao, so even in the event of a renewal proposal, we shouldn’t expect the manager to say yes. Instead, he has identified a way out that won’t damage his reputation: winning the Coppa Italia final and making it two trophies in just six months. He knows that it would strengthen his resume significantly ahead of a summer move.

Photo by AC Milan

It would be similar, in a way, to what happened with Max Allegri at the end of last season. Juventus prevailed 1-0 against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final and two days later, the manager was sacked by the club. He fell out with the sporting director, Cristiano Guintoli, but still left the job with his head held high largely thanks to the Coppa Italia trophy.

Milan taste their own medicine

It might sound a bit dramatic when you put it like that, but the point is that Conceicao wouldn’t back Milan if they were to offer a contract renewal. Just like they wouldn’t back him during months of rumours in the media. Even though they have been looking at other managers anyway, the Rossoneri would thus get a taste of their own medicine, with the ‘stability route’ now completely out of sight.

None of this really matters if Milan intend to move on anyway, let’s be clear about that. We would simply be talking about a respectful parting of ways in that case, even if Conceicao has hinted that he could share a few well-chosen words in the summer: “I will talk about these six months at the end of the season. What we did well, what we didn’t do well, and so on,” he stated.

In the meantime, however, full focus is on the Coppa Italia as Conceicao is determined to end on a high. No matter how you look at it, two trophies in six months is very impressive, especially when you knock out the likes of Juventus, a treble-hungry Inter (twice) and an in-form Bologna side along the way. It would also be Milan’s first double since 2003-2004, which says a lot.

It would certainly help Conceicao find another job rather quickly, perhaps at a club where he can be more involved in the overall project. At Milan, after all, he was an emergency solution (as evidenced by the fact that he wasn’t hired in the summer) and that is never ideal for a coach. Unless you’re called Claudio Ranieri, I suppose, but that is a completely different situation and we all know it.

We can only hope that Conceicao will indeed clinch a second trophy with Milan in a few weeks, regardless of what happens in the summer.