In the continuing soap opera that is the day-to-day running of AC Milan, it’s being reported that Gennaro Gattuso attempted to resign as head coach in the wake of Sunday evening’s embarrassing 3-0 defeat against Hellas Verona.
Three days after beating them at the San Siro in an Italian Cup tie, Milan travelled to face Serie A’s second-bottom side in a league fixture at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi only to get their arses handed to them.
Gattuso, who was put in temporary charge of the Rossoneri following the sacking of Vincenzo Montella three and a half weeks ago, was apparently so incensed at the lack of reaction from his players that he immediately attempted to quit his post.
According to Mediaset journalist Gugleilmo Mastroianni, Gattuso went as far as handing in his resignation only to be eventually talked out of it by the club’s sporting director, Marco Fassone.
Oggi Gattuso era a Casa Milan per dimettersi. Non è piaciuta la reazione post partita da parte dei giocatori: inaccettabile per lui il clima rilassato e disteso che c’era durante il ritorno a Milano. Fassone lo ha convinto a restare e insieme hanno pensato al ritiro punitivo.
— Guglielmo Mastroianni (@gumas75) December 18, 2017
The translation reads:
Today, Gattuso went home to Milan to resign. He did not like the post-match reaction from the players: the relaxed atmosphere was unacceptable.
Fassone has convinced him to stay and together they considered punishment.
That “punishment”, it turns out, entails whisking the faltering Milan squad away to endure several days of pain and suffering at an intensive training boot camp at an unnamed location in preparation for Saturday’s home game against Atalanta.
With Rino in charge – a man who literally* sweated blood for the Rossoneri as a player – that really couldn’t sound any more ominous.