You found it disturbing that some one spoke up against a senior player? What a joke. I find it disturbing that some one demanded it of him. They're all adults and can do what ever they damn well please with their hair.

He really should get rid of that ridiculous haircut.

Then you've read the entire interview, where among other things he also says he has 10 times as much sex and picks up all his girls on FB?

I don't think the issue here was with the haircut or the eyebrows. I think the issue here is the boy is focusing on the wrong stuff. And when the seniors brought it up, they argument was downright weird. If it was a hazing, you shouldn't interfere.

Cisse does it so it's okay?? Don't think that's the kind of footballer a young and upcoming kid wants to be like.

What if it was SAF? He's banned all his young players from driving Corvettees despite the sponsorship. Is he being ridiculous since they're all old enough to drive?

Does any of it really matter? If the kid acts as a professional during training and everything else related to his job, then whatever he does with his personal life shouldn't be of any concern to anyone.

Where is this "full interview?" All football italia has is what Zed posted. If the seniors were mentioning that he needs to stop going out and concentrate on his game then that's one thing but by the context of what Zed posted it seems like they were commenting on his hair. If it was about his hair then he is fully within his rights to tell them to piss off. We may think it looks ridiculous but he's just being himself. I do thing SAF is being ridiculous "banning" behavior but because of his stature he gets away with it. Young players should definitely be counseled on the potential pitfalls of celebrity but banning things doesn't teach them. Like X said, as long as he shows up to practice on time, acts like a professional and tries to improve his game I don't think it matters.

+1

As long as he is keeping his commitment to the club, he should live it up any way he can. Life is short, enjoy it to the maximum!

I didn't see it was football-italia. There is a longer version on goal I think. Also quoting the same source.

Well there's a point of difference I see. Live life to the maximum and all that. Next thing I know Boateng is injured from having too much sex??! I've never heard of any of our past dream team people having that problem.

You can show up on time and go through the motions and fulfill the terms of your contract. That doesn't equate to giving it your all.

Rino talks about him coming an hour early to get a workout in the gym, while other players sauntered in 20 minutes before time.

You might think this is being boring and old-hat and conservative, but I think perhaps, this extra dedication is what kept the likes of Maldini and Seedorf on their feet through a season while this new lot fall like flies.

P.S: NOT SAYING SeS IS A PARTY ANIMAL OR DOES NOT TRAIN OR LOSE FOCUS...just that if he can give an extra 30 or 40% he ought to. Now is the time or else he risks being another one of those hundreds of journeymen footballers who once showed great promise.

That was just an insinuation made by his girlfriend. I doubt it had anything to do with his injuries.

He's still a teenager, it's hard not to care about your appearance at that age. and not everyone's like Pato who looks like Robinson Crusoe all the time...

True dat.

picking up women on facebook?


why does he feel the need to share that?

I think the Yankee way is best. Every player has to be professional looking as they are representing an organisation. So long as El Sha is under contract, he should do what the club wants. His hair is incredibly crap and he looks like an idiot.

Thank you kurt. Players have too much individuality these days anyway.

+1
Couldn't agree with you more

What?

The likes of Pirlo did spend time on their hair. Dida had a different fancy shave on his head every week, Ronaldo had this in his last days with us (not to mention this!), etc. and no one complained. now just because they or you don't like El Sha's Mohawk he's being too individual?

Please don't be hypocrites!

I don't like his haircut and shaved eyebrows either but it's none of anyone's business. certainly not his teammates. if the club decide it's not appropriate then he has to abide by the rules but that's not the case. his teammates have no right to interfere in these personal matters just because they think they're senators and have won a lot. what a crap. Rino thinks you should only focus on playing? tell that to Joe Jordan...

Not going to enter the debate as it is a matter of opinion.Just gonna state that I don't agree...

I think he's unprofessional looking, but I'm more concerned about his bragging about his personal life. When you're being paid millions by a club, you should act like a grown up, not likea spoiled child. He has plenty of time to mess around as a millionaire when he retires.

Thank you kurt.

@Zed.D: I'm not isolating his hairstyle. I just find the whole substance of the interview to be too rockstar-ish and full of entitlement (IMO) and if I connect his statements in the interview to what Rino stated about Milan in his last couple of years, I worry about the state of the dressing room, the discipline and our organizational identity.

Milan's greatest historically have been great footballers and cool blokes to boot. Not fancy prima donnas. I fear we shall be headed down the route before long.

Like almost everything in life, it's a two-folded thing.

Surely his haircut isn't the most important thing, nor does it directly influences his career or his displays. Yet, it is a sign. A sign something might not be perfectly well. Just like his comments about sex and his views on life.

And in reality, I must say, not everything seems to go well with the kid. We payed a lot money, really a lot considering how Milan spends in general, for this kid. But so far his displays lack maturity and more effort. Naturally, he's a kid and still has plenty of time; yet I'm under the impression that some other talented but more determinant kid would have grabbed more from the chances Allegri gave him.

Another thing is the overall determination. I think that hair- and appearance rules make sense. Why does a coach have to comply to a dress code?

As I remember correctly, Berlusconi prompted both Dida and Ronaldo to grow normal hair. And don't mention Dida, his haircuts coincidences with his rapid downfall in quality.

Another thing is - you guys mention Dida and Ronaldo - both superstars. I think we can all agree that El Shaarawy should rather follow their footsteps in footballing terms. When he reaches the level Ronaldo or Dida had, he can shave his head or paint it or do whatever he wants.

In general Milan changed. I think a lot of us here are a bit bothered how things look; many of us not being accustomed to ridiculous/teenage comments about sex (Boateng, El Shaarawy), haircuts (Robinho - every summer same story), etc. While at the same time all these mentioned players display at best questionable performances.

In the end, the management is at fault as well. They had a good chance to grow a new breed of Milan players along with Nesta, Maldini, Costacurta and the others. Those legends really played long enough to teach and coach younger players, to pass their wisdom. Yet, bad scouting, a not so impressive primavera school and missed opportunities lead us now to a squad that has almost nothing in common with the likes of Baresi, Maldini or Costacurta.

Cheer up, peeps. He was giving an interview for Max, a lifestyle magazine. Don't get too puzzled by some of the questions/answers.

If we are not half way there that is. We sold our soul after the Kaka sale, and when we snapped up bad boys like Ibra, Boateng and that chap called Cassano. Milan went the Inter route, buying prima donnas and that landed us a Scudetto, and almost another one. Yup, we're half way there.

I think that the club has far bigger problems than worrying about El Shaarawy's hair. Just ridiculous that we're making an issue out of it

No; I can't agree with you that Kaka's sale made us sell our soul. Milan's soul is much bigger then any player.


I don't see why it would be ridiculous. Like I said, it's more of symbolic value. El Shaarawy's bad performances should be worrying though, don't you think?

And you really think that'll improve if he shaves off the mohawk???

I think the way he was handled last seasons in terms of how he was introduced to the team was smart on Allegri's part. And he needs to revert to that. Putting him in as a starting striker is just not a good idea. And don't tell me that he should be rising to the occasion because it's not as easy to be young and inexperienced to succeed when the rest of the players on the team who are more experienced then you are are also massively underachieving, and even worse, the massive boots of Ibrahimovic he's trying to fill.

I don't mean selling a player, of course Milan the club is always above any and all individuals. It's more about a paradigm shift for the club. After winning the CL 2007 (completely out of the blue, I may add), we tried offloading our best player by far, first to City, and then packaged him to Madrid.

It was during this time, the Maldini incident happened, and the club did nothing. The real damage started after that, an year or so later, when we started signing up bad boys, the ones I mentioned in my earlier post. Instead of being a good, classy club - one that was above all others - we became just another pretender.

And instead of growing young players at home, while creating a classy group of mainstays, and thinking longterm, we now think short term. Maybe longterm didn't bring us enough titles, surely not as many as Inter did while Juve went to where they belonged. It may very well be that Silvio isn't interested in splashing cash. Who knows?!

But surely, the club has lost it's aura, the halo above their head, with the players we signed up these past few years. Ibra did not hurt us that much with his attitude, but Cassano did. And with all our seniors gone, I am not sure the locker room is what it was at the start of last decade. Soul's gone, soldier!

My god, I said symbolic.

I'm with you 100%, man, but not really sure people are into symbolism these days. Not speaking of members, here of course, but it's free for all in the real world these days. If it feels good, do it. That's their new motto!

New Soul.

Nice!

I can't be the only one who's been very disappointed with what I've seen from him so far? He has time on his side, but a deal that cost us a decent amount of money, he's really not that good. Fortunately he has a lot of time on his side.

I thought last year he was great. This year no one has been good and I think he feels extremely under pressure to take responsibility. I think he'll come clean.

I think he shouldn't be starting regularly. With Carlo and even SAF, youngsters (at least the good ones)...always came into games at situations which played to their strengths. And then they develop.

To expect SeS to be the new Cassano and Robinho all in one is impossible. I liked the last 30 mins in the CL game that he played. Let's have more of that.

Completely agree with this. SES should not be sarting games regularly. Especially when the team is under so much pressure to perform

Not that I blame Max for this. With Pato and Robinho out, his only options are Bojan and SeS.

Bojan is the wiser option though, he has experience, he's far more versatile and if given the chance I think him and Prince could link up well together so that Prince isn't basically locked in around our penalty area which is what's happening right now.

We need a striker who's willing to basically drop into midfield and interchange his role with Prince. It's what Ibra used to do and why Boa did so well these past 2 seasons

4-2-3-1;

Montolivo - DJ
KPB - Nocerino - Bojan
Pazzini

What position does Monto occupy in the NT?

They have tried him everywhere and realised he's not so good to either replace Pirlo or be the next great treqqie.

His prefered role is in the side of center midfield. In FIFA terms, RCM or LCM.

So for me our ideal strongest team in Max's fav formation would be:


Abate---Mexes---Acerbi----Antonini
-----Monty---NdJ-----Noce-----
-------------KPB---------------
-------------------Robinho------
-----------Pazzini----------------


Subs: Ambro, Pato, SeS, Bojan, Flamini, Yepes, Bonera, DeSciglio

On paper, this team if it performs like we know it can, is CL material but even otherwise is definitely top 6.

Nocrino behind the strikers?

If we do play a 4-2-3-1 in the future I'd want Robinho and Bojan on the wings.

Pato imo would still be the undisputed started for the striker position when he's fit. Pazzini is a decent striker but he's not someone that can lead our line

If we do go to a 4-2-3-1 set up than I think Nocerino would either have to be sacrificed or we play something like this



As for Monto's position, with the NT this summer he was the trequartista and imo he was one of the best performers for Italy (Pirlo aside). I think in the right system he could pull it off for us

Sadly I think that train has left the station. I think much like Ambro and Pippo, we should move on and then one fine day at the start of the season, they'll just get fit and be useful again. We couldn't count on Ambro from 2002 to 2006 regularly. He had all those niggling injuries.

I think Pippo also missed a couple of seasons with us. Not including the last.

Still when he's fit and available he's our best striker. I'm just hoping we'll get to use him for more than 10 games this season.

I think Pazzini is basically useless for us atm. If we can't provide him with the proper service than he'll be a by-stander for the entire game. I'd rather we try a Pato-Bojan/Robinho striking duo when they become available

I'm not sure what's the point in making him our starting striker when he's not even got match fitness. He will just not play well and take further hits on his confidence.

So you're opposed to Pato starting when he's fit?

Medically fit yes. Match fit no.

At this moment, especially with Allegri's fight with Pippo, I'm worried he's under so much pressure that he stops thinking and does what he did end of last season. When he threw in players who weren't ready and it bombed.

I think the pressure on Allegri and the team is supressing our abilities and full potential. More like Allegri has no choice.

@han, Nocerino is box to box no? And none of the midfielders or bojan to play on the wing; a more narrow 4-2-3-1.


Robinho will be gone by January, most likely Santos. I'd rather slot in Pato and Pazzini to lead the attack. Pazzo has done well considering his match fitness, and I think he'd have a better spell than Gila did with us.

Thanks for the goal man. Keep going strong!

Seems like he's only scoring against Udinese. 3 last matches, 3 goals.

He's developing one of those relationships like Sheva had with Lazio

The problem is he hasn't scored against anyone else in the league...

Yeah, that's the thing. But we'll see, he's young and probably lacks confidence.