Milan Futuro is preparing to turn the page on the bench. Massimo Oddo will no longer be the coach of the Rossoneri’s second team: the decision, according to reports, had already essentially been made in recent weeks, and the official announcement is now expected shortly.
A separation that had been brewing for weeks
The news does not come entirely as a surprise. Signals pointing in this direction had already emerged two or three weeks ago: Oddo, who led Milan Futuro in the Serie D championship, had reportedly hoped to lead the club on an upward climb toward Serie C, or at least to see the project grow in a more ambitious direction. That objective, however, was not achieved: the team remained in the fourth tier of Italian football, without the sporting progression the coach had been expecting.
Milan Futuro: a project in need of a relaunch
Milan Futuro was created with a clear purpose: to give the club’s young academy talents regular playing time and experience in a competitive environment before they step up to the first team. It’s a model that has already proven successful in Spain — think Real Madrid Castilla or Barcelona B — and one that was launched in Milan with high hopes.
However, the sporting results have not yet met expectations, and the process of developing talent has proven slower than anticipated. The only profile who appears to have genuinely benefited from the project, subsequently earning time with the first team, is Davide Bartesaghi, the young left-back born in 2005 who has managed to carve out appearances for the Rossoneri. For the others, the path still runs through loan spells or outright transfers.
Who will replace Oddo?
With Oddo’s departure now settled, Milan will need to quickly identify a new technical profile to lead Milan Futuro. At this stage, two main options are on the table: an internal promotion, with the Primavera coach potentially stepping up a level, or the search for an external figure with experience in the lower divisions and in managing young players.
The choice of the new coach will also be indicative of the direction the club wants to take with the project: continuing with an internal development approach or bringing in someone capable of delivering results on the pitch as well. At a moment of significant changes within the Rossoneri’s leadership structure — with the possible departure of Giorgio Furlani and ongoing discussions around Adriano Galliani’s role — this decision too will carry its own weight in shaping the future of AC Milan.
The club has every resource and tradition needed to make Milan Futuro a genuine springboard for its own talents: all that’s needed is the right guide to take the project to the level it deserves.
