Rossoneri Round-up for 30 May: Maldini seems sort of unsure about the director role at Milan

Paolo Maldini sure sounds like someone who would rather be kicking a ball around than sitting in an office looking at a computer.

Maldini reportedly told Rolling Stone Italia:

Let’s just say that I’ve had to pay for the nine years of rest all in one go! Maybe it’s the only way I know how to approach any job, and I’ve only had two in my life as player and director, but I found this experience really very tiring.

It is certainly more difficult than my career as an athlete. When I was a player, the training session would end and I’d have time to spend with my family. A director, on the other hand, never switches his mind off the job. And the phone can ring at any moment.

There’s tension when you play in a Final, obviously, but for those like me who started out as players, the life of a director is far more stressful.

This is also a profession all about relationships, which can be a strain, whereas before you only had to focus on football. I’ll be honest, sitting in an office was never the objective of my life. Returning to the Milanello training ground and participating in the life of the team, on the other hand, was wonderful.

I think what a player did on the field remains forever, especially in a club with such a strong sense of belonging as Milan. This helped me. However, the fans always expect a return to the glories of old and are by their very nature demanding.

There’s nothing to say a good player will automatically make a good director.

Maldini seems to be saying he’d rather be on the pitch and dealing with players in training more than he’d like to be sitting behind a desk at Casa Milan, and really, who can blame him? In the last line, he almost seems to be saying that he’s not really sure he wants to be a sporting director, as the skill sets are completely different. He’s not wrong, so does this mean that he’s going or staying? Nothing is ever easy with Milan, is it?

On to the links.

AC Milan and Italian Football Links

Does anyone actually want to coach AS Roma? [Chiesa di Totti]

Palermo avoided relegation from Serie B, but will start next year with a -20 point penalty. [Football-Italia.net]

Italy U20s won their group with a 0-0 draw against Japan. [Football-Italia.net]

Gian Piero Gasperini will stay at Atalanta after signing a new contract with the Bergamo based club. [Football-Italia.net]

World Football Links

Chelsea beat Arsenal to win the Europa League. [BBC.com]

Andy Carroll, Adrian, and Samri Nasri will all leave West Ham United when their contracts run out. [BBC.com]

Mexico U20s exited the World Cup in dismal fashion, losing 1-0 to Ecuador. [FMF State of Mind]

D.C. United drew 3-3 with the Chicago Fire. [Black & Red United]