Conceicao’s son gives insight on time at Milan: “People forget very quickly” | OneFootball

Sergio Conceicao’s son has spoken out about how his father’s time at AC Milan has gone, insisting that he will remain in the club’s history books for ever.

It has been quite a bizarre few months for Conceicao, who was thrust into a difficult situation at the end of December as he replaced Paulo Fonseca, then jetting off immediately to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana.

He holds the distinction of winning a trophy after just two games and it could hardly have come in better circumstances, given that he beat Juventus and Inter to lift major honour number 50 in Milan’s 125th season.

However, results have not been satisfactory since and Conceicao seems to be heading towards a marked fate. There is talk of a new sporting director arriving, who would then pick his replacement, leading to talk of him feeling ‘disoriented’.

Sérgio Conceição – the eldest son of the current Milan coach, with the same name – is currently a defender for Anorthōsis in the Cypriot first division. He spoke exclusively to diretta.it, with Calciomercato.com relaying his comments.

What was it like growing up with the weight of the name Conceição and the impact of your family background?

“It was fantastic. My brothers and I grew up in an environment where we were never forced to do anything. The main problem was ourselves, because there were always big arguments about going to dinner, because we just wanted to play football all day. Up until dinner time it was fantastic.

“I remember that my parents never forced us to do anything, it was always up to us. We loved playing and especially playing football. Nothing was forced on us, things happened naturally, because we always had a great passion for this sport.

“If you asked my brothers and I when we were little what we wanted to be, 100% of us would say ‘footballer’. That’s what we always wanted. Now, whether you’re born good or bad, talented or not, that’s another story.

“However, I think we have a family gene for football: each of us has a more or less marked talent, but the important thing is that we love to play. And today, thank God, we all do what we love.”

Was it more pressure or motivation?

“I have always felt a great internal motivation to show that I was good at what I did. Of course, there is always pressure, that’s normal, but what prevailed in me was the desire to show that I was good at what I did.

“If you look at me and my brothers, we are all different, even within the family context. Francisco, for example, is left-handed and plays in a completely different way to my father. Moisés, on the other hand, plays in a position more similar to that of my father and has some affinities.

“Rodrigo and I, on the other hand, are central, which sets us apart. As much as people tried to make comparisons, there were not many ways to compare us, but since we are the sons of who we are, it was natural for it to happen.

“However, for me and my brothers it was always important to show that we were good not because we were the sons of who we are, but for our merits and for what we actually did on the pitch.

“The pressure was there, but it was the motivation to show what we were worth that pushed us to move forward. If we had given in to the pressure, it would have been difficult for any of us to reach a professional level.”

Photos by Alessandro Sabatini/Getty Images and AC Milan

How do you rate your father’s work at Milan?

“He has already won a title, and that in itself puts his name in the club’s history. However, we will only be able to evaluate my father’s work at the end of the season. I hope that everything ends well and that he achieves the objectives he has set himself.

“At the moment we are in a decisive phase of all championships and it would not be right to make a definitive analysis now. What I can say is that he has already left his mark with a title and that he is working 24 hours a day to succeed in a giant club of European football.

“I sincerely hope that he achieves the success he deserves, not only because he is my father, but for the commitment and dedication he shows on a daily basis.”

He has had many successes in the past…

“Yes, he has. But in football people forget very quickly. That’s part of the problem. It’s exactly what I said about pressure: what you did yesterday doesn’t matter anymore, what matters is what you do today.

“That’s what defines great clubs and great decision-making moments. Ultimately, this constant adrenaline is what makes us feel truly alive and useful in our profession.”

In other words, no one wants to be more successful than him at Milan, right?

“It’s impossible. In fact, I think it’s more than obvious how hard he works and how committed he is. He does everything in his power to succeed and he works hard to achieve it.”