Gattuso: “I felt the need to leave”

GENNARO GATTUSO has thanked the club for all these years and revealed why he decided to go.

Milan’s cycle is over with the likes of Nesta, Gattuso, Inzaghi and Seedorf leaving the club at the end of the season. Every Milan fan understands this change is needed, but yet, it’s sad to see the legends going.

Gennaro Gattuso was offered to stay at Milan, but in a press conference today in training center Milanello – in his last day there – he reveals why he decided to take this decision and what future may hold for him.

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“Thanks to all the journalists for coming. I want to thank the club, all employees and everyone at Milanello for what have been 13 fantastic years,” Gattuso said. “It was my childhood dream but life goes on and let’s hope my eye stay open (laughs). I still want to keep fighting and to show that I’m not finished as a player.

“For now I want to thank the club, the Berlusconi family and Adriano Galliani who showed such regard for me. But now the moment has come. The club wanted me to stay but inside myself, I felt the need to leave. The spine of the team is leaving and even though it’s not easy, you have to make choices in life. Let’s hope it’s not a mistake. When you’ve given so much, you make certain choices,” the 2006 WC winner explained.

“I couldn’t give anymore as a player and I felt dead inside and no longer that combative player that could give something to this club. 5 or 6 months ago (when he was out) I had other plans. I wasn’t hoping to get back on the pitch and the plan was to stay at the club with another role. But then things changed thanks to the medical staff and doctors. I got the desire back to play again and here I think I’ve given all I can.

“I never asked for a fixed place. In my way of thinking, the only certainty is death. There was still place for me here otherwise they wouldn’t have given me a contract extension. I’ll leave at Milanello what Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta left for me. Now there’s only Ambrosini left (from the old guard).

“I really regret the stupid things I did with (Tottenham’s) Joe Jordan and Leonardo. I hope that the reputation for respect continues however, as it’s a part of the culture at the club and I hope it won’t die.

“To the players who stay here I say, when you put on this jersey, you need to win.” He added: “I could feel inside myself that the time had come and after watching Nesta’s press conference I knew the moment had come because a cycle had finished. I hope the club will build a competitive side but we can’t forget that economically it’s a tough time. Knowing the people involved though, I know they’ll do all they can.

“I have a wife and two children and I have to decide with my wife what to do in the future. She’s the family captain. I have offers. My dream is to play for Glasgow Rangers who gave me the chance to play when I was a no one from Salerno but it’s difficult since they’re in administration. It would be my heart’s choice.

“I would never join Inter or Juventus for the love of the club that I have and they wouldn’t want me anyway, but I definitely wouldn’t go,” a loyal-as-ever Rino Gattuso, who turned 34 in January, stated. “On Monday I’ll start a four week coaching course and I plan to do the second and third parts of the course as well.

“For me Carlos Ancelotti was a coach, a friend, a father and a lover in football terms. I used to joke that they should put his statue in Milanello alongside Nereo Rocco because he was a great man in those years and raised the bar at the club. He wasn’t just a coach, he was an emblem of the club and when you took to the pitch, you did it for him. He used to day: “You get on the pitch and I’ll make you win”. He used to plan the matches with a cigarette in his mouth, incredible.” Ancelotti and Gattuso worked together from 2001-2009.

“I can’t forget last year with Massimiliano Allegri, we had a great campaign and he gave me the chance to play. We’re talking about two people completely different. Ancelotti knew the environment and it was a much simpler changing room than now. My team mates were a bit disappointed. I didn’t speak to anyone about this decision. It was something that was boiling inside of me for a month and a half,” he continued.

“The best and worst moments? After the loss to Liverpool in 2005, I had nightmares for 5 or 6 months. The best win was in 2003. Beating Inter in the semifinal and Juventus in the final was big for Italian football.”

Gennaro will be playing from the start tomorrow against Novara, in his goodbye game. The XI will consist of Amelia, Zambrotta, Mexes, Yepes, Mesbah, Gattuso, Seedorf, Aquilani, Boateng, Ibra & Cassano.