Mark van Bommel knows AC Milan and Gennaro Gattuso, who was recently appointed as the Italian national team coach, very well. The former midfielder, who played for the Rossoneri, PSV, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, reflected on his career in an interview with Voetbalzone, talking specifically about his time in Milan with Gattuso, as well as his future as a coach.
GATTUSO
Emblematic were the words the former Rossoneri number 8 said to the Dutchman: “Gattuso told me: `I`m happy you`re here. You`re someone who gives everything to win. If I drop even 10%, they overtake me, and it`s all over.` You cannot afford to slow down. If you don`t perform, you`re out. Only those with consistency and a winning mentality stay at big teams for many years.”
THE NATIONAL TEAM
“We were a close-knit group. We played cards with Robben, Kuijt, and Ooijer. But woe betide anyone who beat Arjen… He would throw the deck across the plane, the hotel, or wherever we were. Good memories, we always eagerly awaited call-ups.”
WOLFSBURG
In 2021, his disappointing adventure at Wolfsburg concluded with dismissal, despite setting a record of four wins in the first four matchdays: “It wasn`t the only offer, but I had already given my word. In hindsight, I should have backed out. They wanted possession-based football, but the squad was built for Red Bull-style pressing. Changing style mid-season is difficult. I had a bad feeling from day one.”
ROYAL ANTWERP
In the 2022/23 season, he achieved a double in Belgium with the league title secured in the 94th minute of the final matchday and the Belgian Cup with Royal Antwerp: “We could have clinched it a week earlier, but Union drew with 10 men. We thought we had thrown everything away. Then came the miracle.”
PACHO
Willian Pacho, a European champion with PSG, played in that team: “One day I went to his house without warning. They were sleeping. As soon as they saw me, they came to the door. We went in, talked… and I saw the fridge full of Coca-Cola. I immediately told him: `That`s not right.` Two weeks later, they sent me a photo: completely full of water. Maybe it was just for the photo, but we bonded more.”
MESSI OR YAMAL?
“Messi played less than Yamal does now in the beginning. So yes, at the same age, Lamine is more advanced. But the hard part is lasting twenty years like Leo did. If he wants to match his numbers, he needs another 500 goals. And even that might not be enough.”
FARIOLI
Van Bommel also analyzed the reasons for the collapse of Farioli`s Ajax, who lost the league title despite having a 9-point lead with 5 games left: “Changing 8-9 players isn`t my style. If you have a nine-point lead with five games left and lose the title, something went wrong. Maybe something broke in the dressing room, maybe in training. But once you lose the feeling, it`s hard to get it back.”
FUTURE
NEC called him: “In March, it was too early to decide. I said: `If you want, let`s talk about it later.` But they closed the door there. Future? I`m not necessarily looking for a big club. The vision matters. Even an Inter, with a five-man defense, would be difficult to change mid-season. I don`t have country preferences: Italy, Germany… the project counts. I`m ready.”
