AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso says speculation about his future at the club affects his players but he is used to reports suggesting he could be sacked.
Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is reported to have been lined up as a successor to Gattuso at San Siro following the arrival of Leonardo as the club’s new sporting director.
Milan are set to face Tottenham in the International Champions Cup on Tuesday and Gattuso is trying to stay focused on the task in hand rather than worrying about being sacked.
“I heard that every day there is talk that I lose my job. What matters is giving one’s best, then the decision will be made by whoever represents the club,” Gattuso told a news conference.
“The boys are always on their phones. They go on the internet, they read everything and they speak to the owners. That’s how it was during my time as well. Until the transfer window is shut, people will always talk and that brings a bit of a bad mood.
“The forwards worry that another forward will come in, the midfielders worry that another midfielder will arrive.”
Milan are reportedly close to agreeing a loan deal for Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Reports have also suggested Leonardo Bonucci is set to return to the Serie A champions after a single season with Milan in a deal that could see Mattia Caldara move the other way.
As a player, he mainly played in the centre as a defensive midfielder, although he was also capable of playing on the wing. Although he initially played for smaller Italian clubs Perugia and Salernitana, as well as Scottish club Rangers, he is mostly remembered for his time with Milan in Serie A, where he won the Champions League, in 2002–03 and 2006–07, the Coppa Italia in 2002–03, and also the Serie A title in 2003–04 and 2010–11.
In addition to these titles, he also won two Italian Supercups, two UEFA Supercups, and a FIFA Club World Cup. At international level, he represented the Italy national football team at the 2000 Summer Olympics, three FIFA World Cups, two UEFA European Championships, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Gattuso’s talismanic midfield partnership with playmaker Andrea Pirlo, both at club and international level, played a key role in Italy’s World Cup victory in 2006, as well as Milan’s domestic, European, and international successes during the mid-2000s.
Despite not being blessed with notable technical skills, Gattuso’s pace, strength, and work-rate complemented and supported Pirlo’s composed, creative playing style, while his energy, aggression, and hard-tackling style of play enabled him to make a name for himself as one of the best players in the world in his position.
In addition to his ball-winning abilities, Gattuso was also renowned for his competitive nature and leadership qualities throughout his career, often wearing the captain’s armband for Milan following Paolo Maldini’s retirement.
Gattuso’s managerial career began as player-manager of his final club, Sion of the Swiss Super League, and he also had short spells in charge of Palermo and OFI Crete. In June 2016, he led Pisa to Serie B promotion.
In May 2017 Gattuso was appointed as the coach of A.C. Milan Primavera, the under-19 team of the club. He was the third former player who won 2007 UEFA Champions League, to coach the Primavera team, after Filippo Inzaghi (2013–14) and Cristian Brocchi (2014–2016). They also coached the first team, after the sacking of Clarence Seedorf (also former Milan player) and Siniša Mihajlović respectively.
As of round 10 of Campionato Nazionale Primavera (ended on 26 November), Milan Primavera was ranked third (out of 16 teams) in the league’s first division
On 27 November 2017, Vincenzo Montella was sacked by A.C. Milan. Subsequently, they appointed Gattuso as the head coach of the first team, who left the position as the coach of the under-19s. Gennaro Gattuso recorded his first win as A.C. Milan head coach with a 2–1 home win over Bologna in Serie A on 10 December 2017.
In April 2018, Gattuso’s contract was extended to 2021