Gattuso misunderstood new Milan

By Football Italia staff

Gennaro Gattuso has once more reflected on why he left Milan and has apologised for an earlier outburst aimed at the club.

The midfielder left San Siro this summer after more than a decade in the Rossoneri’s midfield and sat down this week with Guerin Sportivo to reflect on his decision.

“I love Milan. It was a dream that lasted for 13 years. I consider myself an ultra who had the privilege of lifting the European Cup, to wear the captain’s armband and become sixth in the club’s all-time appearances in the field,” he enthused.

“Why am I no longer there? I had a great relationship with the club that I will always be grateful for, but I wanted to keep playing. They made me feel important, but in a different role from that which I wanted.”

This was widely believed to be in a coaching capacity. The midfielder has also previously alluded to a difficult relationship with Coach Massimiliano Allegri as another reason for his departure.

“I have a great relationship with Max. We were teammates, we won a championship together, but when you hear certain words, you find it difficult to digest.

“I have a character that has seen me make many mistakes, but has also allowed me to do a lot of good things, because I am stubborn and proud.

“When I feel I am a failure, I can take it and I will go. I will decide with my family, who love me. I need to feel enthusiastic, wanted for what I can do. This was not possible, so I decided to remove myself from the disruption.

“Do I regret anything? I have not yet left Milan. I feel them inside. During these months I have avoided going home to say goodbye to the people that I love, but only because pandemonium would break out in the papers.

“However, the sentiments spoken about me are nice and respectful, they make me realise that I made the right decision and that it pays to be passionate about the work.”

Gattuso also wanted to make clear on a recent outburst where he described the Milan dressing room last season as ‘anarchy’.

“I was speaking from the heart, but I was wrong. You cannot criticise just because you see dynamics that do not respond to your own code. Ancelotti was right when he told me ‘You’ll see Rino, the players are not all alike, no horse runs like another’.

“Now I understand. The error is in expecting the generation after you to be the same as yours. I did not like the haircut of El Shaarawy’s, nor his eyebrows.

“Maybe now they miss my slaps, but I repeat, I was wrong. He is indeed proving to be a phenomenon.”

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