Donadoni: ‘Amorim needs time, hope Milan have fewer ups and downs’
Legendary former Milan midfielder Roberto Donadoni believes that Ruben Amorim needs time to get his ideas across in Serie A, but has urged the Rossoneri to start showing more consistency in their results and performances if they are to compete in 2026-27: ‘I hope they’ll have fewer ups and downs as the season goes on’.
Donadoni on Amorim, Ramos, Cisse and Milan vs. Bologna
Donadoni, who won six Serie A titles and three Champions League trophies during his decade with Milan, spoke about the Rossoneri’s fortunes and Amorim’s start to life in San Siro in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday.
Milan are one of four teams that remain unbeaten in Serie A heading into the ninth round of fixtures taking place midweek, with five victories and three draws on their record so far. Amorim’s only defeats at the start of his Milan tenure have come in the Europa League, losing two of his first three outings in the competition, most recently a 3-0 loss against AFC Bournemouth.
Donadoni feels that Amorim needs time to get his ideas across, and while the Rossoneri ‘can’t complain’ about the results they have earned in Serie A, he is hoping to see more consistency in their results and performances moving forwards.
For now, though, Donadoni feels that it is too soon to start claiming that Amorim has fully turned the Milan ship around.
When asked if it feels like a ‘new’ version of Milan under Amorim, Donadoni said: “Honestly, no, but let’s be clear: A coach doesn’t necessarily have to bring something new. Amorim certainly has his own ideas, which he needs to bring forwards and will inevitably need time.”
And on their results thus far, he added: “It’s what the club expected. I hope that Milan will be able to continue progressing and that they will have fewer ups and downs as the season goes on.
“We can’t complain about the results they’ve picked up so far, but for now, Amorim’s team has shown a lack of consistency, which is something to work on. If they also find consistency in results, then the growth will be complete.”
Donadoni also gave his opinions on Milan’s current centre-forward options: Club record signing and young talent Alphadjo Cisse.
“I like Cisse a lot. He does lots of different things and he does them well,” said Donadoni.
“As for Ramos, I’ve read a lot of criticism surrounding him. Yes, it’s true that a striker has to score goals, but I don’t mind him. He won’t always be on target, but he’s still involved in games in the sense that he works hard for his teammates. So I think he should be appreciated while waiting for him to properly unlock himself, because he definitely has the qualities.”
Milan will face Bologna in Serie A on Wednesday evening. Donadoni spent a decade with the Rossoneri as a player and three years as a coach of the Rossoblu. So, which side does this game mean more to on Wednesday night?
“I think more so for Milan, who will then go into the derby. Going into that game with a win is the ideal scenario. For Bologna, it will be important to see if they can return to beating some of the bigger teams after their home defeat against Inter. It has happened in their recent history and we’ll see if it happens again.”
Donadoni also revealed that he has once previously been approached by Milan regarding the head coach role, but that the timing didn’t quite work out.
“Before my time in China, there was contact with Milan. The love was definitely there, as was the desire to have another experience with the Rossoneri, but at that time I’d already made a commitment with Shenzhen and I believe that words and promises have meaning.”
