Coaches and members of the AC Milan Junior Camp staff turned up early to make all the necessary preparations for the training sessions.
By the time, the participants started to arrive, the Fgura United training grounds were already set up with cones, poles and targets allowing the coaches to conduct various training exercise for players of various ages.
AC Milan Junior Camp technical director Alberto Lacandela is coordinating the practice under clear skies as the official photographer focused his camera lenses on the players and coaches.
Fourteen coaches from the AC Milan Junior Academy spent time in Malta this week to conduct an intensive training course for around 110 Maltese youngsters.
“With over 100 players taking part, every AC Milan coach was in charge of around 10 participants,” Lacandela told the Times of Malta.
“You get such an uplift in seeing the enthusiasm of the people around the activity. Our coaches understand how popular AC Milan are away from Milano. It is my first time here in Malta, I was pleasantly surprised to see all this support for the Rossoneri. It was an uplifting experience and one of the reasons we decided to come here.
“This initiative came about after G&C Football Management got in touch with the administration of AC Milan, with a view of seeking ways of co-operation. AC Milan were always keen in establishing a presence in Malta, but they could not find the right partners.”
Malta is the latest entry on the itinerary of the AC Milan Junior Camp Academy. Similar training camps have been held in several other countries such as US, Canada, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Tunisia.
“When we found out that it was possible to come to Malta, AC Milan Junior Academy entrusted me with this project, as at that time I was in India,” Lacandela added.
Lacandela is currently the technical director of AC Milan Academy in Kerala, south of India, and previously had a similar position in Morocco.
The successful staging of the AC Milan Junior Camp is the beginning of what promises to be a long-term association between AC Milan Junior Academy and G&C Football Management.
“This was our first training camp in Malta after 20 years and there are also plans for a group of players to visit Milan in the near future,” he revealed.
“We are planning other initiatives such as the AC Milan experience which provides an in-depth look into the Rossoneri’s world. The young participants will engage in training sessions with their Italian peers at club’s state-of-art complex at Milanello, while exploring Casa Milan and the environment,” he added.
The AC Milan coaches involved in the Malta Junior Camp were chosen following a rigorous process including interviews.
“All the AC Milan coaches have a UEFA coaching license and had already been involved with the AC Milan Youth Academy, so they are fully immersed in the Rossoneri’s reality,” he said.
Milan method
“AC Milan Academy have a unique style of methodology aimed at enhancing the players’ abilities to execute skills effectively in real-game scenarios,” Lacandela explained.
The AC Milan technical director further elaborated this concept.
“If they were practicing the stepover dummy as a follow-up exercise, to enhance the skills, the players will put in a 2v2 match practice,” he added.
Skill acquisition within the context of the game expedites its application, he insisted.
“By incorporating game-like situations, players will enhance their ability to execute skills effectively in real-game scenarios,” he said.
Although the top priority for Academy coaches is to develop players, Lacandela insisted that the AC Milan Junior Camp was more than that.
During the Junior Camp, every time a player scores a goal there would be a great celebration. “I have imposed one golden rule for the participants. If a goal is not properly celebrated, I would annul it. On the other hand, if the goal celebration is original, the goal would count as double,” he revealed.
“We wanted to give all participants an experience to cherish forever,” he said.
“Not all of them will make the cut but we want them to be good people whatever walk of life they will go into,” he claimed.
The AC Milan technical director revealed that he was impressed by the good behaviour displayed by the Maltese participants.
“I must say that our work was facilitated by the good behaviour exhibited by the players. I was relieved that their guardians have instilled good manners in the children,” he stated.
Milan Futuro
The development of homegrown talent has always been high on AC Milan’s agenda. There is a long tradition going back to their golden generation when the likes of Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Demetrio Albertini formed the backbone of so called “Immortals” that in the 80s and 90s ruled the world.
After their deep pool of talent dried up in the subsequent years, lately there seems to be a return to the past. Gianluigi Donnarumma first, and now Milan sensation Francesco Camarada made history by becoming the youngest player ever to play in Serie at the age of 15 years.
This year, AC Milan Primavera side became the first Italian side ever to reach the UEFA Youth League final. The Rossoneri have now followed in the footsteps of Juventus and Atalanta with the introduction of their under-23s team in Serie C from next season under the name of Milan Futuro.
“It has been a long time coming,” Lacandela commented.
“A lot of our players are playing for other teams in Serie A. The academy has done a great job in past years.
“This year, a lot of our young player made their debut in the first team. But suddenly, the kids become too old for the Primavera, their end of the line in youth-team football – and need somewhere to challenge them, and further their development in preparation for the first-team. To keep them together, AC Milan had to go down that path.”
Lacandela has been pleased with the standard of the young players who attended the Junior Camp.
“Granted, Malta may never compete against more populated countries because it will always have a limited pool of players.
“But I had the opportunity to monitor all the boys and girls during training, Malta will reap significant benefits, if these youngsters are given the opportunities to go abroad and challenge themselves with their peers in the European continent,” he added.
