Allegri not looking for revolution at Milan

New AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri on Wednesday brushed off speculation he would overhaul his ageing squad by insisting they still have a lot to offer.

Allegri succeeds Brazilian Leonardo at the San Siro, having enjoyed two highly fruitful seasons with Cagliari.

While his predecessor was much criticised for not injecting enough new blood into the team, Allegri insists he will nonetheless follow suit.

And although Milan were a distant third behind bitter local rivals and champions Inter Milan last season, while also falling short in Europe and the Italian Cup, Allegri believes the squad he has is still competitive.

“What is missing to close in on Inter? Right now this squad gives plenty of guarantees,” he said.

“This team still has a lot to offer, there are players in their 30s but there are also many young players.

“We have all the characteristics and the qualities necessary to do well and achieve important objectives: top three in the league and going as far as possible in the Champions League.

“But conviction is vital for everything. I have a group of players who have won everything but there is still the ambition to do well again.

“It would be presumptuous of me to revolutionise a team that last season was still fighting for the title with six matches left.

“Leonardo did a good job, I can have different ideas and I’ll try to bring some different tactics compared to last season.

“The squad is more or less the same as last season but no two years are alike.”

One of the most crucial elements of his new squad is Brazilian star Ronaldinho, who Milan president, and Italy Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday described as: “The best player of all time.”

Berlusconi also added: “Just so that we’re all clear, we’ve decided to keep him until the end of his career.”

However, Ronaldinho has not always convinced in his two years with the Italians, at times showing glimpses of his undoubted class but too often suggesting he is not the player he once was.

And Allegri believes Ronaldinho has to step up to the plate this season.

“I don’t think there are any doubts surrounding him, he’s world class; although quality is not enough in the modern game,” said Allegri.

“To get results you need a group that play as one. Dinho has to make a difference. Of course he needs the support of the team, just as he must put himself at the service of the team.”

And Allegri suggested that Ronaldinho could do worse than take a leaf out of Inter forward Samuel Eto’o’s book.

Eto’o arrived at Inter a year ago as their star signing but was soon shifted out to the flank from where he played a tireless role working for the team as Diego Milito stole the limelight from the central position.

“They (Ronaldinho and Eto’o) are two forwards with different characteristics,” said Allegri.

“Eto’o didn’t change his role but he sacrificed himself for the team and if I’m not wrong, he won three trophies with Barcelona and three more with Inter.

“Titles are not won by chance.”

Looking to one of his young stars, Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato, Allegri said he will improve following a frustrating second half to last season, in which he suffered from injuries and loss of form.

“He’s another extraordinary player who can only improve. Not even he knows what his physical and technical qualities are and they are such that he will show them.

“But he’s a 20-year-old lad and he has the quality to achieve everything.”