Seedorf: Essien needs time at Milan

Clarence Seedorf has urged AC Milan fans to be patient with Michael Essien as he says the Ghanaian midfielder needs time to adapt to his new surroundings.

The 30-year-old joined Milan from Chelsea in the January transfer window, but was kept on the bench for the full 90 minutes in his new side's 1-1 draw against Torino last week.

Nevertheless, the Rossoneri coach is confident that Essien will prove to be a shrewd signing and has hinted he could make his debut in Saturday's away game against Napoli.

"Essien needs time to settle in at his new club, but he remains a champion," the Dutchman said at a press conference.

"He could feature against Napoli this weekend."

Seedorf also stressed that he is determined to get the best out of Adel Taarabt, another new arrival at San Siro.

"I don't care about Taarabt's past. He is an incredibly talented player and we will make sure we do everything needed to get the best out of him," he continued.

"He is feeling very well and there's a chance that he will start against Napoli."

The Milan coach also briefly had his say on Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini and insisted that both strikers can flourish alongside each other.

"Will Balotelli and Pazzini start alongside each other against Napoli? Who knows, anything is possible," he said.

"They are definitely capable of playing together."

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Seedorf : Milan searching for consistency

AC Milan coach Clarence Seedorf wants his side to keep building consistency after getting two wins from his two Serie A games in charge.

The Dutchman took the reins at San Siro following the sacking of Massimiliano Allegri, with the Rossoneri well down the table following a poor start to the season.

However, Seedorf has been impressed with the attitude his players have shown and believes the team's progress will soon start to show.

"It's important to take it day by day," he told reporters on Friday.

"I see enthusiasm and willingness in the team to learn and improve. All the ingredients are there to be able to grow and improve.

"We now need to find a consistency in both our results and our play. It will be nice to get back to San Siro in front of our fans, who have always supported us even through times of difficulty."

Milan face Torino on Saturday at San Siro and though Seedorf is full of admiration for Giampiero Ventura's men's style of play, he is confident that they can deal with the threat they pose.

"We have analysed their team and we are trying to prepare how best to deal with what they have to offer," he said.

"We're also working on our strengths then we'll just see which team plays better.

"I've always liked Ventura's teams. They always have lots of possession. They are having a great season.

"Torino are a very pragmatic team so we need to have a very clear idea of what we want to do in the game."

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Balotelli: I can't wait to play for Seedorf

Mario Balotelli says he is looking forward to getting to work under the new AC Milan coach Clarence Seedorf following the Dutchman's appointment this week.

The Rossoneri's poor form has seen them slide into the bottom half of Serie A, with Sunday's 4-3 defeat at lowly Sassuolo resulting in the sacking of Massimiliano Allegri.

However, the announcement of Seedorf as the new boss at Milanello has been welcomed by the club's star striker.

"It was disappointing to see Allegri leave, but Seedorf has come in and it is very exciting to work with somebody like him," Balotelli told reporters at a Puma boot launch in Barcelona.

"Seedorf's record with Milan can be transmitted to the players. It is a good thing that he brings that experience with him."

While Seedorf and Milan face their own tough prospect in the Champions League next month against Atletico Madrid, Balotelli was also asked to give his verdict on his former club Manchester City, who will take on Barcelona in the last 16.

"City can definitely beat Barcelona, and I really hope they do," he admitted. "I have a lot of good friends there, so I will be cheering for Manchester City. But it will be a very difficult game."

His former City manager Roberto Mancini is another feature of the knockout stages after a dramatic late win over Juventus saw his Galatasaray side progress at the Old Lady's expense, and Balotelli admitted that his loyalties were split when watching the win-or-bust clash in Turkey.

"I was just hoping for a spectacular game really. I wanted Juventus to do well because I am Italian, but I had a very good experience with Mancini at City, so I want him to do well also."

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Seedorf signs deal to coach Milan

Seedorf signs deal to coach Milan

Clarence Seedorf has signed a pre-contract agreement to take over as the coach of AC Milan from next season onwards. The club's hierarchy have lost patience with Massimiliano Allegri and will replace him in the summer.

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Kaka: Seedorf will be one of the best coaches

AC Milan midfielder Kaka thinks Clarence Seedorf will become a top coach once he retires from his playing career amid rumours that the Rossoneri legend has signed a deal to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

Italian newspapers reported on Saturday that the San Siro legend has been lined up by club president Silvio Berlusconi as the next boss as Milan languish in 10th heading into gameweek 17.

Kaka, who played alongside Seedorf for six years at Milan, believes that the Botafogo midfielder will be among the best trainers around due to the way the Dutchman applies himself professionally.

"Everything Clarence does, he does at its best," the 31-year-old told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He will do fine as a coach, although there is much to learn.

"I do not know how it will be for him to start [his coaching career] at Milan, but he can handle himself just fine."

Kaka returned to San Siro in the summer from Real Madrid having spent a largely forgettable four years at the Santiago Bernabeu and he says he came back to Serie A as competition at Carlo Ancelotti's side was simply too strong.

"I did not intend to leave in the beginning, I spoke with Carlo and he wanted me to stay," the Brazilian added. "Then Madrid began to buy important players in midfield and asked the coach to play youth, so I knew that there was no space for me.

"I spoke with Ancelotti and he told me that it would be more difficult to play for me. But I had no problem with him, it was clear and we decided together."

Milan face Inter in a relatively low-profile Derby della Madonnina on Sunday but Kaka is already thinking ahead to 2014, when the Rossoneri will look to put their woeful domestic form behind them and continue their run in Europe.

He added: "I'm sure we will do well against Inter because, with the big challenges, we never take the wrong approach, even though we do not always win a contest of character.

"For 2014 we expect to take as many points as possible and to do well in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid [in the last 16]."

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Allegri hits back at Seedorf

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri has hit back at Clarence Seedorf, claiming that he was not responsible for all of the Dutchman's "woes".

The Botafogo ace claimed on Thursday that he left San Siro last year because of the Rossoneri trainer, whom he claimed had no faith in his fitness levels.

However, Allegri has dismissed Seedorf's version of events, even suggesting that the former Netherlands international, who has been linked with a return to Milan as coach, has contradicted himself by admitting that he featured in all of Milan's most important games.

"There's an old saying by [former Italian Prime Minister] Giulio Andreotti: power frays those who don't have it," the 46-year-old coach told reporters on Friday. "And the Milan bench puts pressure on those who don't have it.

"He said that I played him in the important games, meaning I trusted him. So, I don't believe that I was the cause of all of his woes."

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VIDEO : Clarence Seedorf Incredible Miss

Clarence Seedorf the ex-Milan player , now playin in the Brasilian league with Botafogo ,missed an incredible chance last game vs Corinthias.

Seedorf made over 800 matches in his career , but such miss , its the first time.

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