I don't think experience's got anything to do with it. I've been a Milan fan for 13 years now, and I know very well how things work in this club. Right now, I don't feel very safe nor optimistic about this club's future. The wind has changed. Berlusconi has gotten old. His passion to invest in this club is not the same as of 10 or 20 years ago. I think we are struggling, big time. The economic crises, Berlusconi's personal problems, the crazy-spending spree that has infected Europe, the decline of Italian football... There are many factors that contribute to it. We're nowhere near to compete with the big European powerhouses. And the management doesn't seem to be doing anything about it. I'm sick of Galliani's chattering about the fiscal differences, the stadium revenues etc. Even though he might be 100% correct, it's no excuse for a giant club like AC Milan to stand still while the rest of the competitors get stronger by the year.



A decade. Perfect. Wake me up when that comes.

I think it does have to do something with experience. You see, you've been deprived of the dark ages of Milan in the 1980's and in the middle of the 1990's. You don't remember us finishing 10th and struggling on and on, signing unnamed coaches and so on. One would speak even worse of that period and the predictions were even darker then yours now. Yet, we survived, stayed top and regenerated.

I don't see the situation as dramatic as you do. Nowhere near competing to the European powerhouses? Haha, that's very relative. All I want to say is that people like myself and R7 have been faced with oblivion following Milan one too many time to be dramatic about it or distrust the management.

But you must take into consideration the factors I mentioned above, i.e. the economic crises, Berlusconi's personal problems, the crazy-spending spree that has infected Europe and the decline of Italian football. None of those existed back in the day. Italian clubs used to earn nearly as much as English or Spanish clubs. There was no economic crisis nor financial scandals (e.g. Lodo Mondadori) to negatively affect our ownership. Serie A used to be at the peak of European football. Berlusconi was much younger and eager for success. And his personal and political problems weren't as harsh as they are nowadays. That's why I said experience's got nothing to do with it.

Some really good passes from him today and a well deserved goal.

Nocerino looking like an Alien is gonna bumb out of him any minute.

Still, nice effort and nice game all in all for him.

Well, at least he took less time than Flamini to hit the net. Flamini has a really wicked shoot - in both senses. Wicked fast, and wicked wicked (that is severely off target nineteen times out of twenty). Great job, Noc.

...and he didn't celebrate. Good show son!

Think he is better suited to that position on the left too...

He is our best signing this season so far. To think he cost less than a million is just astonishing.

Thumbs for Nocerino, hope he keeps working hard and ensures that with his working rate and ability, Gattuso will not be seeing play time and will leave to anzhi in january for a mammoth bid(considering his current situation).

I must admit I'm a bit bigoted against him given he cost so little. I'm irrationally prejudiced in thinking a player signed from Palermo for 500k cannot be up to the level of Milan.

But it seems he's a total ruddy bargain and has fit into the side extremely well.

That said, I wouldn't pick him if I had the power - I'd have a midfield trio of MvB holding, and Aquilani and Boateng the creatives. A midfield like Barca, in other words.

His contract was running out. It was either to sell him for 500k+ Ferreira co own or to lose him for free next summer. He's worth much more than that otherwise, of course.

Boateng cleary is preferred as further up the field by our coach even at 3-0 down

So is he national team material?

He's already a regular call-up for Prandelli. But doesn't usually start since Prandelli is sane and actually only plays with one DM (De Rossi)

Pirlo, Monto and either another striker or Marchisio usually start

Nocerino: Why did Palermo sell me?



Milan’s Antonio Nocerino has told the Corriere dello Sport that he doesn’t understand why Palermo opted to get rid of him.

The midfielder was sold on transfer deadline day to Milan for just €500,000 given that he was in the final year of his contract.

“I’m still not sure why Palermo allowed my contract to run down into its last 12 months,” the Italian international noted.

“I wasn’t at an age or had significant enough wages which would have forced Palermo to sell me in that way.

“I don’t know if there was someone there who didn’t believe in me. I was disappointed at the start as I left behind some good friends.”

Nocerino, who scored a hat-trick against Parma on Wednesday, added: “You’ll have to ask President Maurizio Zamparini about the decision.

“I was expecting to sign an extension to my contract and I was ready to. It looks like it was my fault that I left, that I wanted more money or that I wasn’t happy. All of that is not true.”

Despite being surprised by his move, the former Juventus player maintains that he’s now happy at Milanello.

“Things are going incredibly well,” he added. “I’ve been here for two months, but it seems as if I’ve been here for three or four years…”


football-italia

Really like him, quickly becoming one of my favourite players.

+1

Scratch that. He is my favourite Milan player. Beast.

He's been our best player so far. Period. And to think Allegri benched him against Barcelona. Insane.

That's just Allegri for you.

He is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. And to think Juve cast him aside... It makes the entire Pirlo thing easier to swallow for me.

Aside from his crucial goals, his overall play has been immense ever since he was shifted to the left side. Best buy the club has made since Kaka (taking into account the money that was spent)

Fixed. Heck even we can pool up 500K if we tried. Awesome buy.

Think Kaka' was probably better value for money, but Noce is definitely close.

Agreed. And let's not forget Silva, too.

Still think it was Silva...best thing after Ricky. Followed by Ibra.

Silva was great for me because Juventus(IIRC) and Inter were also in the running for him.

We must thank Leonardo for signing him.

Meh! Still Shevchenko for me! In the recent era. Else it would have to be mvb.

Well, not just him but Kaka and Pato too. It's not that much that he is a pure scout, more often than not other people scouted these players. Leonardo was more of a deciding factor, convincing these players to come to Milan. The man's still got a brilliant standing back in his home country - people in Brazil listen when (one of) their favorite son talks!

I have followed all these transfers bit-by-bit (my interest in football waned after Maldini retired) and Leo was in them all.

Take into account the cash that was spent though. Only Kaka and Nocerino were real bargains, Nocerino more so. Silva cost a decent amount, while Sheva did not exactly come for nothing, he was one of the best players in the CL the season prior to him signing for us after all

silva cost 10 million euros, pepe for example cost 30 million that is why it was a bargain but obviously nothing beats 0.5 Million, lets hope nocerino can carry on the sameway

10 million is still considered a lot for a defender coming from the Brazilian league imo.

That sum for Pepe just epitomizes today's football and Real Madrid in general. It doesn't mean we can fall into the same bracket of comparing such spending. Which was ridiculous, whoever deduced that is was ok to spend that kind of money on such an average player should be hung

Should be hanged.

And yes, that is silly money for a player who seems makie things more difficult for his team rather than help them.

Ah, nothing like a good helping hand from a fellow member. What say, Han?!

It cannot be used in that way? I've heard that being used many times. Hanged to me sounds strange for some reason...


@ acid kurt is a proper Englishman, he has sacret right

Righd.

You p!ssin' me off Mr.. grammauwioer police

Can't help it. I'm on dudy! And besides hung is far too kinky for my taste. Look it up.

That's because you have a twisted mind! I know what it means but it is used in the context I put it in.

Can't fault your statement. Agree with what you said though, but I believe Pepe should be hanged first.

Anybody call me?

Hanged sound stupid to me too. But apparently that's the correct way.

You too, but I was talking about "well hung". Which is much too kinkier.


I'd say "hanged" is just about right, it conveys the fact that a person is to be taken to the gallows. By some one else (in this case the law). Hung, for me denotes that fact that a person is drunk. Outsider looking in view, really, so I don't know how original English people feel about these words.

I've never heard that one... I've heard a lot of terms used for someone who is drunk, but never the term "hung"...

@ Jack, You wish!

Acid..try googling for 'hung like a horse'.

I think he'll be very shocked. Acid, make sure you're on the Images page when you do the search. To get the full effect

You dirty, dirty minds! Oh and Han haven't you ever heard of the term "Hung Over". Or the recent movie "Hangover" and its sequel? That's what hung means for me on first degree. Drunk. I guess, language is a funny thing, and an expansive language as English is, there are bound to be differences from one corner of the globe to the other.

But in any case, as far as hanged is concerned, that pathetic excuse of a footballer (Pepe) should be the first. I've seen little else than dirty tackles, and even dirtier fights from the guy. Frankly I don't know why he's played. He's anything but a good defender. Oh well. Always believed grace took flight in football after Paolo Maldini retired.

"Hung Over"? yes. "Hung"? No I don't think they are the same thing. But hung over is something that usually refers to the morning after a big drinking binge, not during the time of being drunk. Thus, the movie hangover, which focuses on the morning after, when they wake up and lose their friend

Agreed, but you get the drift, don't you!? Hung is right, hanged is better.

It would be nice returning to the original purpose of this thread, wouldn't it be?