AC Milan: Ranking the First Seasons of New Managers Since 1996

AC Milan are on the doorstep of an 18th Scudetto.

With only four matches remaining in the Serie A campaign, the Rossoneri boast 74 points, a record of 22 wins, eight draws and only four defeats. They lead their nearest rival, their arch-rival Inter Milan, by eight points.

First-year Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has done wonders with a club that many believed would suffer another year of Post-Carlo Ancelotti Disorder. Milan faced a tough time of it last year.

Under another first-year manager, Leonardo, brought in to replace the great Carlo Ancelotti, Milan limped to a mere 70 points, good for third place and barely a spot in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage, but it was a miserable season by Milan standards.

Since the exit of current England manager Fabio Capello in 1996 after five years of service, Milan have had 10 different managers, which includes a second stint by Capello. Under these different managers, Milan have had varying levels of success.

Seeing as only one of those managers has stayed more than two seasons, this is a ranking of each manager by their first, and for many only, year of service.

The tag team duo of Cesare Maldini and Mauro Tassotti are only on this list because they managed in the 2000-01 season following the firing of Alberto Zaccheroni.

It's unfair to really have them on this list at all. The club was in shambles that season.

Silvio Berlusconi was more worried about the Prime Minister election than the needs of the club, and they were thrown into command, with Maldini, Milan's 1963 European Cup winning captain, named caretaker, after managing one point in the Champions League, a draw with Deportivo La Coruna.

More on that later.

Tabarez did not last very long either. He came in with Giorgio Morini and did not last as long.

Of course, he has gone on to be successful, as he is the current manager of the Uruguayan National Team.

Again, not much of a story here. Giorgi Morini ook over the club during the 1996-97 season after the firing of Oscar Tabarez.

Milan had a mediocre season. His poor work at the San Siro left him out of a job before he had much time at the club. It's been hard times for him. That was his only ever managerial job to date.

Seems like second spells at Milan have not bode well for some of its greatest managers.

Sacchi is a Milan legend, winning the Scudetto, an Italian Supercup, two European Cups, two European Supercups and two Intercontinental Cups with players such as his famous purchases Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Guillit and Marco Van Basten, as well as the likes of Roberto Donadoni, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini from 1987 to 1991.

Sacchi returned for the end of the 1996-97 season after the firing of Morini, but his second spell was not as successful. The club was already in shambles, and they finished 11th. Sacchi said goodbye to the Rossoneri at the end of the season.

Again, things did not turn out quite as well this time around for the managerial giant. He left Milan to join Real Madrid in 1996 after replacing Sacchi in 1991.

In his first stint, Milan won four Scudettos, three Italian Supercups, the 1994 Champions League and the 1994 UEFA Supercp.

In his return, he only lasted one season, a very unsuccessful one.

The club finished 10th in a dreadful season. In a span of seven matches, the club lost to Inter 3-0, Juventus 4-1, Bologna 3-0 and Roma 5-0. Certainly not a great season at the San Siro.

Fatih Terim is one of the greatest Turkish footballing icons of all time. After a successful career as a player ripping the back of the net for Galtasaray, he began a career as manager.

He only managed Milan for 13 games due to their vulnerability at the back during his time and many draws against lesser clubs, though he did finish 8-2-3.

He ranks at five, however, due to his key signings for the club: Rui Costa and Filippo Inzaghi.

The former Milan star took control of the Rossoneri following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea following the 2008-09 season.

Leonardo was only in control for the 09-10 campaign, which was not a great standard by any means for Milan, however, he did accomplish more than most Milan managers post the dominant years of Sacchi and Capello: he was able to keep his job for more than a couple months.

The club finished third on 70 points, qualifying for the Champions League, in which they were humiliated under Leonardo, losing 7-2 on aggregate to Manchester United in the Last 16.

They were also knocked out in the Last 16 of the Coppa Italia. It was a poor season by Milan standards, but Leonardo was able to keep control of the club for the full season and even left on a high note, a 3-0 thumping of Juventus on Matchday 38.

Carlo Ancelotti is arguably one of the greatest Milan coaches of all time.

From 2001 to 2009, the club saw success, most notably in 2007, but were affected by Calciopoli. He replaced Fatih Terim on Matchday 14 in the 2001-02 season. Ancelotti was able to salvage some success from that season.

The club finished fourth in the Serie A, which allowed them to return to the Champions League. They were also Semifinalists in Coppa Italia and reached the Last 16 of UEFA Cup.

Better years were certainly ahead for Milan under the Italian, but he proved his worth by salvaging something from that first season.

Not many managers can win a domestic league in their first year in charge, but that is exactly what Zaccheroni did. Milan and Lazio dominated all season with the Rossoneri winning the league by one point.

They finished on 70 points with a record of 20-4-10 and can thank a mid-season 90th minute goal by Leonardo in a 1-0 win over Lazio for the title that season.

Zaccheroni also got Milan to the Last 16 of Coppa Italia. It was a bright season for Milan after dealing with the mess of the past two seasons following Capello's first departure.

Zaccheroni saved his best for first, as his next season and a half at Milan were not too successful, but the '98-'99 campaign was one to remember.

It's all smiles for Allegri and Milan right now.

The former Cagliari manager was a surprise hire by Milan in the summer, especially when names like Marco Van Basten were on the list.

This has been the most memorable season in recent memory for AC Milan. Following the brilliant summer signings of Kevin-Prince Boateng, Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan roared through the first half of the season, heading into the winter break atop Serie A.

From there, they have not faltered, not even for a single round. Winter signings Antonio Cassano and Mark Van Bommel have helped as Allegri found the right way to implement all of his stars into Milan's system and the Rossoneri have absolutely dominated Italy. With four games left, they are up eight points. A title seems like the only possible outcome for the giants.

Actually, a double is very possible. Milan are level 2-2 in the Semifinals with Palermo and should the Rossoneri reach the Final, they will have a very good chance at claiming both the Serie A and Coppa Italia.

No manager in recent memory has had better success in their first year as manager than Allegri. It has certainly been an award-winning season not just for Milan but for Max as well.