GdS

GdS: Collegiality and a mind for expertise – why the ‘D’Amico mannequin’ appeals to Milan

One of many names that continues to be linked with the vacant AC Milan sporting director job is Tony D’Amico, and his monitor report reveals why.

discuss concerning the ‘D’Amico mannequin’, one that’s working properly for Atalanta. Observing and evaluating the whole lot from the skin are Milan, looking for a director for subsequent season, and he ticks a whole lot of bins.

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He’s an Italian, who is aware of the ins and outs of Italian soccer and who suits into the pre-existing inner dynamics of a membership. The Rossoneri haven’t but determined who they wished, by D’Amico has lately.

When requested concerning the hyperlinks earlier than Atalanta’s defeat to Lazio on the weekend he gave little away. What sort of sporting director is Tony D’Amico? What’s his methodology?

The elements in favour

D’Amico, who has been in Bergamo because the summer time of 2022, is a person of synergy. Certainly, that is above all his primary attribute. A high quality that’s significantly appreciated on the high ranges of RedBird. In essence, his is job carried out as a part of a crew and inside tips.

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For him, due to this fact, it’s higher to function behind the scenes than as a frontman, managing the stability between coach and administration, in addition to these inside the dressing room. In different phrases, D’Amico has traditionally all the time been a superb help for the coaches who’ve labored with him.

Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Pictures

This contains Gian Piero Gasperini, even when the turbulence in Bergamo this 12 months is especially uncomfortable. Milan additionally like him as a result of the Nerazzurri’s sporting director has a medical eye for monitoring gamers which are below the radar, as proven at Bologna and Verona earlier than.

This can be a high quality that’s significantly appreciated in a membership that, given the numbers (particularly with out the Champions League heading into subsequent season), can’t afford €60-70m signings and should take note of what they spend.

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One other issue that performs in his favour is, particularly within the final 12 months, a better sensitivity proven in the direction of the Italian market, a facet that the Rossoneri have made it clear it desires to pursue after a really lengthy record of international purchases.

D’Amico, at a membership like Atalanta the place the Percassi household are very lively in all areas, is appreciated for his potential to be concave and convex. An actual glue between the totally different sectors.

Studying his commerce

His traits imply that he’s not a one-man present and that makes it troublesome to select signings which are ‘his’, however some are clearly greater than others. For instance, Sead Kolasinac – who arrived in the summertime of 2023 from Marseille – had different suitors however saved his phrase to D’Amico.

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Then there may be additionally Isak Hien, signed in January final 12 months from Verona, a membership he is aware of properly. For La Dea, the Swede may probably be one more high-level capital achieve in the event that they have been to promote him within the upcoming summer time window.

Considered one of his very first strikes was Ederson, who’s definitely not the traditional low-cost profile discovered at some third-tier crew, however is evidently a sensationally profitable buy (and one other case the place the market worth of the participant considerably elevated in comparison with the preliminary outlay).

Nevertheless, it’s in Verona (the place he went from being head of scouting to turning into sporting director) that D’Amico is most clearly attributable to some very profitable offers, additionally as a result of there the operations bore his stamp.

Three names above all: Rrahmani, Amrabat and Kumbulla (the latter a product of the Gialloblu youth sector), gamers who’ve generated sizeable earnings within the accounts. That is additionally a theme that’s positively .