President Paolo Scaroni has claimed that Elliott “saved” Milan and trusts that CEO Ivan Gazidis’ work will be “rewarded with time”.
The recent fallout with director Zvonimir Boban and the rumours regarding a future deal with Ralf Rangnick snowballed into another controversial episode in a series of trouble since former owner Silvio Berlusconi left the club.
The timing was a surprise, as the Rossoneri seemed to be going through a positive period, fighting for a place in Europe next season.
President Paolo Scaroni has claimed that Elliott “saved” Milan and trusts that CEO Ivan Gazidis’ work will be “rewarded with time”.
The recent fallout with director Zvonimir Boban and the rumours regarding a future deal with Ralf Rangnick snowballed into another controversial episode in a series of trouble since former owner Silvio Berlusconi left the club.
The timing was a surprise, as the Rossoneri seemed to be going through a positive period, fighting for a place in Europe next season.
President Scaroni has voiced his support of Elliott Management, claims Gazidis will need time and hopes to see director Paolo Maldini remain at the club. But he also criticised Boban after his interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport last month.
“I’m not in charge of the sporting part, but I will retrace Elliott’s story a little,” he told Corriere della Sera. “[Elliott] became the owner in a situation when there was no liquidity to register for the League.
“He saved the club, hired an international profile like [CEO Ivan] Gazidis, invested €250m in the market and launched a stadium project. The efforts made are not proportionate to the results, but Elliott has done everything.
“Gazidis is an absolute professional, I trust that his activity will be rewarded with time. I hope [technical director Paolo] Maldini will stay.
“Having said all this, as a businessman, I tell you that when managers want to do an interview, they have to agree on it. One can’t get up and express himself freely, because it heightens the confusion.
“This is also true for me, who is the President. Concerting the image of the club is necessary.”
Stefano Pioli has lifted the club after his arrival, but the former Fiorentina coach faces an uncertain future at San Siro.
“He did an excellent job, he managed to change Milan. We need to still be patient,” the President added. “In this context, amidst the problems of the country, those of football and those of Milan, the departure of [Zvonimir] Boban, although I like him, is not a priority in my mind.”
The patron would like to see some stability in the corporate level of the club and reveals that he is not familiar with the Ralf Rangnick situation.
“Like the coaches, the managers are immovable until everything is fine,” he said. “I just say that as the efforts of the club have not been rewarded, means that the commitment of the people who have been working didn’t have the adequate results. It’s a bit difficult to throw the cross at Elliott for the technical choices.
“I don’t know Rangnick, if there has been any contact, it is preliminary. I believe that one account is the contacts, which everyone is entitled to have.
“I assure you that I have not seen a contract hypothesis.”
Since Gazidis arrived, the CEO has not been able to increase the Rossoneri’s revenues but Scaroni insists he will need time.
“The stadium project is part of this theme. From the point of view of the organisational effort, Milan are doing a great job,” the President added. “But it takes time. And if we don’t get back to Europe, it’s going to be difficult.”
The recent controversies involving Boban and Maldini has also brought speculation regarding the future of the Rossoneri stars, mostly Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
“I’m crazy in love with Ibrahimovic and Donnarumma,” he underlined. “But if there are two exceptions, Gazidis will decide. Reducing the engagements is not a strategy, it’s a necessity.”