our only agenda is not to have an Inter approach to la Serie A as they present literally nothing for the nation team.



sarcasm? if not thanks i guess lol

could you repeat that please?


Ah Eto'o I really like him... especially after his 'Madrid cabron saluda e campeon' chant! But that's cause he's not a Milan player. If he was here and said something similar about inter, I'd hate him.
Great player, gives me a bad vibe, do not like his character I wish I'll never see him in a Milan jersey! Get Villa instead! In any case, I still believe in the KaPaRo so a top forward is not a priority. Borriello won't be so unlucky again so for now I'd only get a player instead of a sheva.

Really... if we're going for a top forward I think someone will go and I guess that would be Kaka.

I don't think we need a goalie either.

Milan's summer signings will be Henry, Panucci and Materazzi.

+1

I may come under fire here, but i really don't want eto'o here, not from a talent stand point. but rather a financial one, Eto'o has been quoted many times as wanting to be one of the best payed players in the world and i would hate my life if milan over payed for yet another phenomenal player who will only be able to give us a few years. Every need we have for him we can trace back to Pippo, i find them to be both of the same mold of players. if i have said this before i have said it a million times, the answer, if such a person exists, is a re-dedicated Balotelli. And for all of you who are quick to laugh i wrote a post and a half in this thread talking about how much sense it would make.

Matrix? Oh we never ever will sink that low...

Eto'o was almost a nobody at 19

That I agree with, but saying too many Brazilians is not the same as saying we have too many foreigners. That borders racism, if you ask me, because well we have had great foreign players in the past, far too many great players. That and, well, if they are good players, and will help us win, they're welcome - no matter if they're from Brazil or Bolivia, France or Mongolia, Arctic or Antarctic. Hehe.

Sure I want an Italian core, but the only Italians I'd be interested in are Azurri NT players (or on the fringes, in case of young ones). Don't get me wrong. If we can approach/afford an Italian the same caliber of a foriegn player, then by all means go for him. The club was founded by a British, for Pete's sake.


Of course not. Dida is my absolute favorite player, and beside it was a good post you made!


Yes, the later has Serie A experience, which Lucio lacks, but a quality defender is a quality defender is a quality defender.


True, I second that. But rumor has it that we'll be getting a young Brazilian keeper, most probably. He signed for us last year, and was allowed to stay in Brazil for one year. Could very well be revealed this summer.


And you'll find me dead in my apartment if that happens!

Oops. Guess you might consider me a racist then, because I do think MIlan has too many foreign players.

DO ME HARD!!!
i love Dida in a big way and feel that no dida = no golden age!!!!!
it may just be that i don't get to watch a lot of games, it may also be that I'm a younger fan (18) but to this day i have never seen a more dominant keeper then dida in my life, even bouffon always came second to Dida in my eyes just look at the penalties if you think I'm crazy : Bouffon was guessing, Dida seemed to know where the ball was going!


you might find galliani in the same position if this happens
(PS not a death threat).....mearly a suggestion lol

I think he meant saying 'too many [a certain nation's players]' is racism...

I hate myself for saying this, but Pato could be anything by the time he gets to Eto'o's (ah the irony of spoiling the English languge) age. There is still a long time for the kid to improve, and heavens forbid he may lose track as a player. At this time Eto is a more complete striker than Pato (he has more experience, and is at the peak of his career), while Pato has to learn. Ten years from now? Pato may very well be twice the striker Eto ever was.

Provided things go right, which I'm sure they will.


A.M.E.N.


+1. Good post!

Let's put the racism issue aside, were here to discuss football not judge delicate moral issues.

Bringing Eto'o means taking Pato's chance to become a great player. what we need is not another Pato type striker like Eto'o. we need a BIG, aerial monster!

As for Pato, I have faith that he will become one of best strikers of his time, regardless of the club he's playing for. there's no losing track for him. he has already showed he has character and if, for whatever reason, he doesn't reach that level at Milan [though very unlikely], he will do it an another club.

Remember my words....



Then we have to stop "too many Brazilians" comments too.

That leads us back to Drogba...


Why so?

hmm it is a thin tightrope to walk on but. as a stated before, i don't mind imports, but i will that you owe something to your league to do two things, for milan anyways, Using our buying power (not only financial but also in reputation) to attract some of the worlds best players in the will to have them stay for a long time (maldini, pato (fingers crossed)) and also we owe i to the Serie A to develop our own players and actually be proactive with it. Look at barca's youth team and tell me there are not 3-4 players there with little to no experience that can draw 20+mil offers. So no while i don't find it racist if the person's thought goes along these lines. I hate to do this (not really ) but to plug one of my songs i wrote on racism and i guess the best bar that could be plugged here would be "Hate is the inability to deal with anger"© .

lol ok i agree with Pippo simone and zeddy, sorry i was writting at the time you guys posted that :S

I think there are too many Brazilians too, so I guess I'm under a double whammy.

My reasoning is much along the lines of what mtl stated: Milan should focus first on its youth academy and local players and nurture them. I have no problem with bringing in foreign stars, but when the foreign stars start outnumbering the local guys...that's when I have an issue. Not just with Milan but with any club.

^^ +1

Whoa! It's almost like I made the above post myself. Dida for me has been the most talented keeper in the last decade or so. Extreme reflexes, intuition, sixth sense, impossible saves. Plus, for me the best PK stopper. On a good day, no keeper in the world can touch Dida. There are just a couple of Dida fans here in the forum, me, Miz and - if he's in the mood - R7.

So it's nice to have another one in you! Hehe.


Hehe.


I think the same. The keyword being foreign players. What if we had 9 German players, or 8 Frenchman, 11 Dutch nationals? It'll be the same, it'll be wrong, but as things stand it just happens to be we have a large number of Brazilians (some of which are about to retire, leave).

Too many foreign players, yes, but let's not segregate players based on their home nation!


Bingo!


Because we shouldn't judge players based on which passport they have. That's so. Sure they are foreigners, and we should keep a check on them for the sake of the league, but comments like 'Oh, no he's a Brazilian, we don't need him even though he may be half decent' are pretty cheap.

The Italian and non-Italian part I can understand because we're an Italian club, after all.


Agreed. I don't want Eto in Milan, either.


I want him to have the same level of success like Ronaldo, Kaka and others. I'm sure he will, just give him five more years, and he'll be a name to reckon with on the stage of world football.


Okey dokey, fan boy! I will.


Exactly. It's those same three Brazilians that have score 29 of our goals, that's 70%. And 6 assists. They could very well have been Argies, English, or from Northern Tundra for all I care. Let's just call them foreigners, and let's leave it at that.

That's more like it. Let's leave nationalities aside (because it's not something a particular player chose when he was born), and I also agree we have a larger than required Brazilian contingent.

Then we should also leave aside the mentality that players are automatically superior to others just because they're from Brazil. That's pretty biased too.

since i have the luxury of having actual dida fans here lol may i ask what they think of abbiati because i think he's been overachieving all year and although has been in great form, isn't as good as dida. Bias? DEFINITELY

Of course. I've always praised Janks when he went on his little attacking runs, Paolo for every second he spends on the pitch, Gattuso when he wins balls, Ambro when he heads them in, and Kaladze when he doesn't make mistakes, Seedorf when he ran like hell against inter (our 2-1 win last year). Not to mention stood by Gila through thick and thin. None of them come under the samba brand umbrella, now, do they?

Same way I think Amauri is one of the most overrated Brazilian I've ever seen. I blasted Kaka when he started diving at every touch, Pato when he missed that sure chance which he could have headed but kicked (or kicked but headed).


Wait for a member named MizNelson, she'll answer that. Of course, I will too, but she's the biggest fan of Dida in these parts of the wood. In fact, she's probably a bigger fan of Dida than a thousand of us combined. LOL. I expect a very detailed answer from her, now that you've bought Abbiati up.

Lol i'm bias but i like to think i'm pretty objective and with abbiati playing this sharp it is hard for me to imagine Carlo giving a chance to our man Nelson

If Agger deal goes ahead, i think we'll be ready for new season in terms of CB


We would have Agger , Silva and Hopefully Nesta as first choises

and Kala and Bonera as backups. I Think it's pretty balanced.

Oddo And Nesta Will Be Back For Milan - Galliani

Adriano Galliani has been been talking about his defence as Milan prepare to take on Werder Breman in the UEFA Cup...
It has been a question on every Milan fan’s mind for quite some time now; when is the defence going to be sorted out?

The days when the northern giants were Italy’s answer to Arsenal, grinding out 1-0 wins with the help of Franco Baresi and current coach Carlo Ancelotti, have never before seemed such a hazy memory.

Even Milan supremo Adriano Galliani has told fans on the club’s website, acmilan.com, that there is hope for a more solid campaign in the near future, despite some comings and goings that are bound to take place at the end of this term.

The most notable of which will be the retirement of the one surviving member of that gloriously miserly defence mentioned above, the captain Paolo Maldini.

Alessandro Nesta was operated on yesterday, and he has certainly been missed by his side. The former Italy international has sat out the overwhelming majority of this season, but his back problems may finally be at an end.

“The doctors tell me he [Nesta] could be back soon,” he began, “We have to decide what to do with [Philippe] Senderos and see what happens with Bayern Munich, regarding Massimo Oddo.”

It is reported that this could also be the last season for Georgian Kakha Kaladze, so Milan surely have to go shopping this summer. They do however have the promising young Brazilian Thiago Silva on their books, and Daniele Bonera should renew his contract soon

goal.com

Hope this is true!!!

Everybody talking about Eto'o. He is not going to renew his contract (till 2010) so he will go for sure this summer. I read that he will come in Milan... so this will be great i think!!

You really think something like that would help Pato!?


No he won't. The season he leaves Milan will be the duck season. I'm going to kill him!


Oh my... you have no idea what you have done! You think you've seen Dida fans!? Wait till MizNelson enters here...


I would be more than excited to see him play again, I'm going to cry my heart out if I see my two favorite players ever retire in the same season.


!?? what's there to decide?


Yeah right. If only.

this is fester were talking about

arsenal could mail us one of wenger's turds and galliani would hold a press conference as to whether we should find a use for it.

Fishdoll +1 cookie to Habitant. Good one.

Oh, I will, I will. However, it'll have to wait until later tonight as I have to go back to work. See you then.

I thought that's what just happened.

I said help us.


Not always it's the player's wish to leave Milan, you know... remember what happened in this January's transfer window.



How is his aerial abilities?... could he be that big guy Jack's been talking about?

big guy i think coulkd be some one like mario gomes

I think Gomez would be too expensive amd hasn't impressed me since Euros. This season hasn't been great either.

We need a target man, but not at the cost of our defence. So I've finalised my set as:

Defense:


LB:

Grosso : A little old, probably won't be too expensive. Azzuri NT. Not the best defensively, but probably a step up to Janku. Also gives a great height advantage. Free Kick/Corner Specialist (Left footed)- (31 years old)

CB:----> HIGH PRIORITY

Mexes: Experienced in Serie A. Would be a strong partner to Nesta. Good technique. Not the most consistent and has his off days. Who his partner is, would play a role I think in making his truly impassable. But can probably lead a defensive line on his own as well. Just not Nesta/Paolo standard though. Still..MY CHOICE - (26 years old)

Agger: Young. CL experience. Would have decent tactical knowledge having played with Rafa. A Viking for 10ie/kurtie to have the hots for (most important plus point). Strong in the air, can start an attack from the back, and has a great long shot. But with Thiago Silva, might be too youthful? Looks the most likely to join Milan.

Kolo Touré: Oldest of the lot. Pana's favourite. Fast, powerful, good shot. Could be friends with Flamini as well. We know he plays great alongside Senderos. Might improve Phillipe's play. Arsenal fan favourite. Had a transfer request turned down by the club. Would require tapping up/ exorbitant fee. Locke would hate us. (Most important downside). Pana would stop feeling love for Seedorf. (Second important downside)- (28 years old)


Midfield:

Kuffkuff (so that acid's happy ): Would demand new formation and tactics. Prolly a 4-2-3-1 if he was in, with 2 DMs . We already own his contract. He knows the working of the club and the players. Has got his confidence back. Best technique amongst all the candidates. Not the best defensively. Might require certain promises, so that we don't screw his career twice. -(22 years old)

Lucho Gonzalez: Tall and good in the air, can also take over from Pirlo/Becks and play in the deep three. Good defensively. My personal favourite tactically. Downside is he's Argentine. But we HAVE played Redondo so...MY CHOICE (28 years old)

Veloso: More of a defensive mid, kinda like Flamini, but will probably go to Arsenal anyway. I think a replacement to Ambro eventually if we get him. (22 years old)

Moutinho: Short kid (downside), but intelligent and imo is the best Seedorf replacement around. But I WILL grant that the 'next Rui' sobriquet has gotten me biased a bit. (22 years old)

<I guess I just miss a Portuguese mid-fielder in the line-up. Same as a Dutch striker. >

Forwards:

<Mostly target men except the first>

Benzema: HUGE talent. Foremost young striker around (who plays for a lesser club). Has said he would prefer one of Milan, Inter, Barca, Madrid. Would build a French base so Kuffkuff and Flamini can have a crêpe
party. Is probably a better choice than Eto'o if we want someone who's technical AND can play as sole striker due to age and physical condition.Plays well on the right side. Decent in the air. Salivating to think of a KaPaRoBen (). Would be sh!t f@ckin expensive! Prefers La Liga. Any club who wanted to purchase him currently would need to clear the current lineup to make space. My money's on Milan dropping Benzema's purchase and instead getting the bloke who the other big club puts for sale (Henry/Adriano/Eto'o/Balotelli/Ruud)- (21 years old)

All of the following might cause Borriello to sulk:

Iaquinta: Strong in the air. Decent finisher. Serie A experience. Italian national. Can play on the wings. Not the most technically proficient. Plays for a direct rival, so buying him will either be expensive or impossible. (29 years old)

Zigić: HUGE. I mean HUGE!!! 6ft 8 f@ckin inches. Would looove to see him play alongside Pato/Pippo, just for visual entertainment. Takes long shots, holds up the ball. With Pirlo, Becks, R80 behind him popping in crosses, he would have a party. In good form currently for Santander. No Serie A experience. No BIG club experience. Might not play as well, if he was meant to be a tool for KAka/Ronnie to score-like with Gila. Valencia player, would be the cheapest of the lot to buy. Would be the Senderos equivalent of the strikers. (28 years old)

Drogba: Nothing to say really. 31 years old. Loves Mourinho, but one heck of player. Would also have fun with all the long balls. Expensive. Most expensive after Benzema. (30 years old)



Please note, these are not really the BEST of the BEST. But the ones who we can conceivably land with a straighforward offer.

I would think a total transfer budget of 25 million would cover it. Less if Oddo is let go.

I'm assuming we lose the following players:

Paolo, Favster,Emerson.

Not sure about Senderos and Sheva.

You surely have the biggest post/words ration in this forum!

Kolo Toure (Agger, Santacroce would be satisfying too) and a LB (haven't thought of it thoroughly yet) for the defense, Gourcuff to replace Seedorf (I'm sure he can play there and do great too) and KaPaRo for the attack!

I know! Which is why I smirk at kurt's post count. I'm the Berbatov to his Bellamy.

Note that Gomez's form is back on track and he's started to score like last year. In fact since Babbel took over Stuttgart and him imporved even.

I agree on most options Jack posted. Not sure about Lucho and Žigić, are they really Milan-acceptable? Didn't see both play for about 2 years, so I can't judge on them..

Zigic...no way. He's no Drogba..not even close. But you can see what not having Borriello is doing to us. Having Zigic on the pitch, simply would force a change in tactics. Especially against teams like Reggina. They can no longer close down and kick Pato.

It's not like I expect him to take on Inter in the derby and score a hat-trick.

Lucho is untried. But he's pretty good on the pitch, and I think he would adapt the best. In any case, I don't think the mid-field and the strikers require people who are first XI. Anything to avoid the situation against Bremen - a bench full of defenders.

Didn't know about Gomez. His wiki stats weren't flattering. Even then with the cost involved he would HAVE to play. And I don't want to shut Marco out, just yet.

I'm not sure Leonardo is the right man... he has no experience at all and looks like a very light person. the last thing this team needs, is a light and inexperienced coach. we need a Mourinho-like disciplinarian. Costacurta looks like the one, but he has no significant experience either... Rijkaard is light too, but at least he has enough experienced, and I think he's got balls to change some things within the team. play the youngsters, bench those who are not good enough anymore or don't give their all (hell, he benched the mighty Dinho at Barca).

Who will eventually replace Carlo doesn't matter right now. the question is, will he be given yet another chance if we finish the season empty handed? (it's very likely considering we're out of the Scudetto race, out of Coppa, and who knows, we could soon be out of UEFA too). can anyone see that happening?

I think, and this might piss a lot of people off, that provided we retain CL spot, Carlo will be allowed to see off his contract in its last season. Then either he goes off coaching NTs or he gets pushed into television.

As substitute for Carlo, I'd made a monster post earlier, but I don't know who it will be. It looks very early now to say. I doubt Leonardo would come in. He's very good at his job here at Milan, and at the same time to be a better coach would require to be farmed out somewhere.

I really like MvB, coz he's a coach who's both a disciplinarian and plays good football. The trouble is he's very inexperienced and of course won't come into a team with Seedorf.

If we can appoint Sacchi as director of football, I'd like Juande Ramos. Ramos is a great coach, and Sacchi has Spanish and Italian experience, so he can be the perfect conduit.


But it looks for now like it will be Rijkaard. Anyone know what he's been upto. I mean Mancini has been studying. But what of Frankie? Did he up his coaching know how?

Or MvB comes and Seedorf goes then we're all happy. Well, you are not happy but you have rum to comfort you!

But Fishdoll has stolen the rum.

You talk as if Seedorf is a 25yo boy who we are going to build our future around he will be 33 in two months!

I for sure won't. I mean - Holland '06 sucked, Holland '08 surprised but got eliminated because of inexperienced tactic's, the Ajax '09 sucked. Is this a Milan-worthy curriculum? Hell, I'd even be happier with Donadoni, and when I say does words, you know it's 10 past 12...

Think it could be Leonardo, and the only thing that speaks in favor is the brazilian contingent - maybe he "looks like a soft guy" but in fact he's liked in Brazil and I think would know how to deal with stars from SA, which we are, satified or not, full of.

I would not be happy either, it was just a matter of speech. Curriculum? I think we're too obsessed about that... Carletto had done nothing worth speaking of before coming to Milan either. The same for Capello and Sacchi.

2nd with Parma? ***.-coach to Sacchi at World Cup?

*** is... ?

Okay so he finished second. So has Spalletti a couple of times and I don't think you want him in Milan that much. Then there's also Capello and Carletto. The first a nobody (as a coach) when he joined us and the second a flop.