Live: Gattuso holds first press conference as AC Milan boss
- Jordan Russell (@JordRuss96)
On Milan's identity: "I go by what I see during the week. Some players are crucial, but they must never let up, even just for a split second."
On winning: "We have progressed in the Europa League, and we must look to do well in the Coppa Italia. This shirt can weigh heavily, but we must never forget its importance. There is a big difference between winning and losing. When you lose you must feel a sense of burning, as if there was a funeral at Milanello."
"Who am I curious about coaching? Suso, they say he can only play in one role. I want to see if that is true. I'm also interested to learn why Kessie is not creating as much space as he did last season."
On Cutrone: "I'm very much looking at what players do in training. Patrick is in competition with the other strikers. He never comes begging and has great passion. We need people with this mentality."
On phone calls and messages received: "I received so many. I was very happy. I heard from Terim, Sacchi, Capello and Cannavaro."
On Bonucci: "The captain is Bonucci and it will stay that way. I spoke with several of the players yesterday and I saw guys with great desire to work and make themselves available. I just ask for a sense of belonging and discipline, with everyone giving it their absolute all. I always did the maximum for my teammates, and I want to see the same from these players."
On forthcoming matches: "There are no easy games in Serie A. We will have to be ready and prepare the matches in the right way."
"André Silva? He's a very good player, and was a great signing even if he's not doing well at the moment. He must learn to play with the team. Sometimes he does good things individually but not with his teammates."
On goalscoring issues: History says my teams score goals, but not enough. We are working on this, and are prepared to improve. It's not just a problem with scoring, but for the whole team. Something diferent is needed on a tactical level."
On Milan's bench: "Whoever knows me knows I'm not a robot. I want to live my life as a protagonist. I am at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and would like to make the most of this opportunity. I do not want to think about tomorrow."
On Kessie: "He's a lot stronger and more explosive than I was, much more than I was. He's the player who is most like me in the current team though."
On Yonghong Li: "I do not speak English, so we have decided with Fassone to find a way of communicating in the coming days."
On Berlusconi: "I know him well, our chat yesterday was not our first. I talked to him often as a player too. He is one of the most successful presidents in the history of football. We talked about the two strikers, which is in Milan's DNA. I listened with great care."
On the attack: It depends on what condition the players are in. Three midfielders and four midfielders are a safe bet, then we'll see after that."
On mentality: "It seems ridiculous to only talk about my character in one way. To be a coach, I did not only reach this point with my wickedness. It also requires knowledge. In Milanello, there are so many photos of this club's great history. We must not forget Milan's DNA, which is to respect the rules and have the desire to sacrifice ourselves."
"Champions League? I do not look at the league table right now. I live for the day. We must play the Benevento match like a World Cup final. We must change, and become more aware of what we must do. On a mental level, these guys must give something more, that's the priority.
"Summer signings? This team can do more. We must become a team, and learn to cover the pitch together. We must learn how to suffer, and be a united group. We need to have a battling spirit, but alone this is not enough as you also need quality."
On being a coach: "I have the same emotions I had as a player. At Milan, I am in paradise. I love my job. I do it with passion. To coach at such a big club is a great privilege for me."
On the Primavera: "For me, the group is important. Not just the players, but all the people around the team. I'm sorry to leave the Primavera boys, as I've never had any problems with them. I wanted to complete my work. Match by match, I saw a more complete team. I thank them because they gave me so much."
On the system: "We will play with a three-man defence. I had a great relationship with Montella, although some of our ideas are different. Montella likes to have possession. So do I, but I also like to be direct."
On his return to Milan: "It's an important day, and it's a big responsibility. It's going to be a tough job. This team has a lot of different nationalities and is also very young. They are enduring a difficult period, but we have everything we need to work well. For me, there is great awareness that this team can do well."