As well as curating this site when time allows, I am involved in The Football Kit Podcast with Les Motherby from Hull City Kits and Gavin Hope, the Kit Geek.
The most recent episode looks at the subject of change kits, with each of us talking about an aspect that we like and one we’re not keen on. You can listen here and, without wishing to sound biased, I think it’s an enjoyable production.
As a warm-up I shall use the current season’s Milan third kit to illustrate both my ‘positive change’ and my ‘change for the worse’ – and it’s nothing at all to do with the Puma 2021-22 third-kit design concept.
On the positive side, I quite like it when a team is able to have a second or third strip in their main colours but still solve clashes. Obviously, there is a strong argument for having highly contrasting kits, but ultimately you have to take into account who you’ll be playing – there’s no greater contrast than between white and black but you’d still need a third kit away to Newcastle United.
Milan do often have black third kits trimmed in red and they provide differentiation against teams who clash with the red elements of their home strip – away to Atlético Madrid in this season’s Champions League, for instance. By the same token, I’d have no problem with an all-red Milan kit being used against Juventus or even in the derby della Madonnina, though it probably wouldn’t happen. Obviously, there are going to be times when you need to wear something totally different but, with three options, keeping your team colours when possible is a noble aim, in my view.
On to the thing we don’t like – look again at the image above, focusing on the shorts and socks. Previously, black Milan third kits have tended to share the below-waist elements used with the stripes, but the third uses a brighter red. It means two almost identical sets of socks, while the crest – only shown in the fabric of the shirt – is rendered in single-colour style on the shorts, which have the Puma logo in white. Interchangeability across kits has been something I’ve always liked and so when opportunities to do it are passed up, it’s always disappointing.
They are just my views, though – others are available.
Completely agree with your points … and two points for me ac Milan are 1. One off the few teams I like in all black kits compared to the many I hate in them (when it’s not an established colour for said team(s) and 2. Other then maybe Crystal Palace at a push (home= red and blue stripes plus if they go for all blue and all red change kits like they did in early 90s with an all white with Sash 4th kit in the unlikely event off meeting Barcelona or my preference is for them to use it as an special “cup” only home kit?) but that case aside for me …ac Milan are the only team who it’s ok to have 4 kits ie home= Traditional shirt with red n black stripes away= all white 3rd= all black 4th = all red (for away at juventus /black and white shirt teams)