Almost by definition, the coach is the scapegoat. No results? It's his fault. The team plays poorly? It's his fault. The players always get away with it: they aren't fired, they always have a chance to redeem themselves at the expense of the one who takes the blame for everything, the coach, who may already have been dismissed by then.
At Milan, we're witnessing a step up in this regard: Fonseca is even being blamed for the bad behaviour of the Rossoneri players. Not a technical decision, not a tactical interpretation, but even the insubordination of those on the field.
Take what happened Sunday evening in Florence. Fonseca gave a clear, unmistakable instruction in preparation for the match: the penalty taker is Pulisic. Fate had it that the Rossoneri were awarded not one, but two penalties in the match against Fiorentina—an almost unique event. And yet, Theo Hernandez took the first penalty, and Abraham took the second. They decided on the field, snatching the ball from each other's hands, like something out of a casual game among amateurs or in a neighborhood match.
The fact that both penalties were missed only added emphasis to the event; had one of them scored, perhaps the uproar would have been less or even non-existent. But the point remains: Fonseca says one thing, the players do as they please.
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Milan boss, Fonseca, with no control?
The first reaction from many was: here’s another sign that Fonseca doesn’t have control of the team. That might be possible, even likely. But the question we should examine is another: is it normal for top-level professionals to completely disregard their coach's instructions? Is this the kind of seriousness expected from people in such important (and well-paid) positions? Is it acceptable for such things to happen at one of the biggest clubs in the world—a club that has historically protected its champions but has almost always received impeccable behavior in return?
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A lack of respect from Milan's Theo, Abraham and Tomori...
Theo Hernandez and Tammy Abraham, with Fikayo Tomori also handing the ball to his countryman to take the second penalty, showed a lack of respect. To whom? To Fonseca, of course, but not just him. To Pulisic, who was sidelined by those who had no right to do so. To the club, which pays a coach to make decisions, not to be subjected to the whims of the players. And also to the fans, who don't deserve to see such scenes from players wearing the Rossoneri shirt.
It's easy to be a great professional when you get to enjoy fame, prestige, and money. Such privileges also require respect for the rules, which in this case aren’t even hard to follow.
From the rebellion during the cooling break in Rome to the scenes of stolen penalties in Florence, the Milan players have shown their worst side.
Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport on their website
