The European Transfer window is like a game of poker. You give nothing away until the very last minute when you stun your fellow players with the move of the decade. Harry Redknapp did exactly that at Tottenham Hotspur. He bought Real Madrid’s world class midfielder, Rafael van de Waart for just £8 million.
But there are some clubs that don’t need to hide their cards. They just go out there very early in the window and select the players they want, and the players are so honoured, they meekly make their move. Barcelona and Real Madrid fit into this category. Then there are the “new-money clubs” that neither the player nor his club can say no to because of the stupendous amounts of cash on offer. Manchester City and, to a lesser extent Chelsea are prime examples.
Until recently AC Milan was on a par with Barcelona and Real Madrid, but then Silvio Berlusconi suddenly stopped putting his hands in his pockets. The man who owns Italy and AC Milan announced that it would be unseemly if he spent millions of euros when the country had been bought to its feet by a plummeting world economy. Milan paid the price and have ceded the high ground to neighbours Internazionale.
But now Silvio has found his wallet again and made Milan fans very happy. Could it a reaction to all those revelations about his private life, or is it just his deep love for his club and the game of football.
Well you be the judge — on July 20th he made a visit to the opening of Milan’s training camp and made the following pronouncements:
1. On Ronaldinho — “He’s the best player in the world” — (Pele? Maradona?)
2. On new coach Max Allegri: “He’s a handsome man. He could be a movie star, but he’ll look great on the Milan sidelines.” (yes but Carlo Ancelotti won trophies)
3. On central defender Thiago Silva: “He was outstanding at the World Cup” (He didn’t play a single game)
The Milan fans were incensed by this stunning ignorance and for 6 weeks Silvio kept a very low profile. But then suddenly, with less than 48 hours until the end of the window, the old man (who actually looks about 45 thanks to a few meetings with the surgeon’s knife) made his move.
Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho were snapped up for a combined fee in the US$50 million range. Coach Allegri was heard to say “I thought we had no money. We are talking about a wonderful present from Berlusconi who I would like to thank again from the bottom of my heart’.
So, clearly Mr. Berlusconi works on his own and doesn’t go down the traditional route of talking it through with his coach.
But you’d have to say he got it right with Ibrahimovic. At 28 he is still at the peak of his powers, with a proven track record in Serie A, where he scored 80 goals in 157 games for Juventus and Inter. That was before a successful season at Barcelona.
Robinho is not so predictable. He has proved in the past that if he feels he’s getting the right treatment, he can be a regular match winner. The good news for the Brazilian is that strikers are thin on the ground at Milan, after the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Marco Borriello. While 37 year old Pippo Inzaghi will be given limited game-time.
It’s in the center of midfield that the Rossoneri have an embarrassment of riches. How about this lot: Massimo Ambrosini, Genaro Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf, and Mathieu Flamini. And now you can add Kevin Prince Boateng, who arrived from Portsmouth via Genoa three weeks ago.
I watched Boateng at the World Cup in South Africa. He was “choc-full” of self belief, and covered so much ground for Ghana with those massive, muscular strides.
Milan’s only real concern is their defense. Under Carlo Ancelloti it was arguably the best in Europe, but Paolo Maldini and his mates got old and the goals flooded in.
The new boys are Socrastis Papasthatopoulos and Mario Yepes who are by no means A listers, but they do add depth. There will once again be a huge reliance on the partnership of Alessandro and Thiago Silva.
I’ll leave you with Silvio Berlusconi who was buying success in football before Roman Abramovic was even thought of. Il Cavaliere (the Cavalier) claims, that since he bought AC Milan in 1986, he has been the most successful President in the history of world football. He’s wrong of course — Santiago Bernabeu won more trophies at Real Madrid — but Silvio hasn’t done badly with 7 Serie A titles and 5 European Cups.
And this season will almost certainly be the season that Milan make it back to the very top of the tree, especially after the ignominious start made by Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan.
Until recently AC Milan was on a par with Barcelona and Real Madrid, but then Silvio Berlusconi suddenly stopped putting his hands in his pockets. The man who owns Italy and AC Milan announced that it would be unseemly if he spent millions of euros when the country had been bought to its feet by a plummeting world economy. Milan paid the price and have ceded the high ground to neighbours Internazionale.
But now Silvio has found his wallet again and made Milan fans very happy. Could it a reaction to all those revelations about his private life, or is it just his deep love for his club and the game of football.
Well you be the judge — on July 20th he made a visit to the opening of Milan’s training camp and made the following pronouncements:
1. On Ronaldinho — “He’s the best player in the world” — (Pele? Maradona?)
2. On new coach Max Allegri: “He’s a handsome man. He could be a movie star, but he’ll look great on the Milan sidelines.” (yes but Carlo Ancelotti won trophies)
3. On central defender Thiago Silva: “He was outstanding at the World Cup” (He didn’t play a single game)
The Milan fans were incensed by this stunning ignorance and for 6 weeks Silvio kept a very low profile. But then suddenly, with less than 48 hours until the end of the window, the old man (who actually looks about 45 thanks to a few meetings with the surgeon’s knife) made his move.
Strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho were snapped up for a combined fee in the US$50 million range. Coach Allegri was heard to say “I thought we had no money. We are talking about a wonderful present from Berlusconi who I would like to thank again from the bottom of my heart’.
So, clearly Mr. Berlusconi works on his own and doesn’t go down the traditional route of talking it through with his coach.
But you’d have to say he got it right with Ibrahimovic. At 28 he is still at the peak of his powers, with a proven track record in Serie A, where he scored 80 goals in 157 games for Juventus and Inter. That was before a successful season at Barcelona.
Robinho is not so predictable. He has proved in the past that if he feels he’s getting the right treatment, he can be a regular match winner. The good news for the Brazilian is that strikers are thin on the ground at Milan, after the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Marco Borriello. While 37 year old Pippo Inzaghi will be given limited game-time.
It’s in the center of midfield that the Rossoneri have an embarrassment of riches. How about this lot: Massimo Ambrosini, Genaro Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf, and Mathieu Flamini. And now you can add Kevin Prince Boateng, who arrived from Portsmouth via Genoa three weeks ago.
I watched Boateng at the World Cup in South Africa. He was “choc-full” of self belief, and covered so much ground for Ghana with those massive, muscular strides.
Milan’s only real concern is their defense. Under Carlo Ancelloti it was arguably the best in Europe, but Paolo Maldini and his mates got old and the goals flooded in.
The new boys are Socrastis Papasthatopoulos and Mario Yepes who are by no means A listers, but they do add depth. There will once again be a huge reliance on the partnership of Alessandro and Thiago Silva.
I’ll leave you with Silvio Berlusconi who was buying success in football before Roman Abramovic was even thought of. Il Cavaliere (the Cavalier) claims, that since he bought AC Milan in 1986, he has been the most successful President in the history of world football. He’s wrong of course — Santiago Bernabeu won more trophies at Real Madrid — but Silvio hasn’t done badly with 7 Serie A titles and 5 European Cups.
And this season will almost certainly be the season that Milan make it back to the very top of the tree, especially after the ignominious start made by Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan.
