Interviewed by the Rossoneri's official channel, Daniele Bonera spoke for the first time about his ambitions, plans, and goals as the coach of Milan Futuro. Here are his statements.
On the Milan Futuro project:
"This project, Milan Futuro, was presented to me with the idea of developing players and ensuring that these young men grow both personally and obviously in their football skills, and that they are closer to meeting the requirements of the first team. So this is the main aim. Of course, through positive results, this journey will be more or less straightforward."
On initial difficulties:
"We will face difficulties, but I believe we are well-structured, starting from the top. They are providing me with all the resources to ensure that this journey is as smooth as possible, acknowledging that we are aware there will be difficulties, but these should give us strength and motivation", he told Milan TV.
First impressions as Milan Futuro coach:
"A lot of motivation. Obviously, a lot of emotion because I will be directly responsible for this new project, which also makes me very proud because I will have a great responsibility: to help these young players grow and ensure they are better prepared for the first team, which is more demanding than what the Primavera offers. The Primavera prepares young players, but in my opinion, there was still a gap compared to the first team's requirements."
On the targets to achieve:
"The goal is to help the young players grow. When this idea was proposed to me, I accepted it with great pride, and I believe it is a fundamental step for a club as ambitious as ours, because 'Milan Futuro' will be something innovative. I also believe that in the not-too-distant future, there will be room for other teams to enter this category."
On responsibility of being the coach of this category, Bonera commented:
"It is certainly a great responsibility, but it was something I felt ready to do at the beginning of the season. I had communicated that this might be my last season as an assistant because I felt the desire to take on more direct responsibilities. It comes at a time, in a situation, where I am in a familiar environment because I know Milanello well. I hope to pass on to the young players the values that have allowed me to stay at Milan for so long."
Regarding the added value of having already worked with some of the players, Bonera said:
"The added value is having lived with these players who sporadically trained with us and had the chance to make their debut (with the first team). Having a more personal relationship with them, knowing their nuances that a head coach might not be able to see. I hope that can be an advantage, and the trust they can have in me."
On Milan:
"Before joining, I saw Milan from the outside as a dream. When I arrived, I understood why a player, when leaving Milan, knew they were leaving something magical. So, without naming names or specific things, all the coaches I had left me something, but it's not just about Milan. However, I believe that the environment you are in shapes you with certain values, and in this, I believe Milan is special."
Milan Futuro and synergy with the first team
"The intention is to have synergy, a team group that goes beyond the 20-25 players on the first team roster, making it much larger. So I think synergy must be present from the start, and I believe the club's support and direction are clear, both to the first team coach and to me. Therefore, we must ensure that this new reality integrates with the existing one, and consequently, the Primavera ensures that the young players face a category that is a step above the Primavera."
The goal for this season
"I am a dreamer. The goal is to ensure that the young players who start with me at the end of the year are in the first team. I think this is my dream, but I also believe it is the club's goal. So the two things align."
