THE GUT-WRENCHING loss and subsequent dumping out of the Champions League has added to the miserable outcome of what has become a forgettable season for Milan.
The woes really began back when stud center-back Thiago Silva and sensational striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic were sold, to cash in on the investments. It is no secret that the money made on these deals were used to balance the books at Milan which beforehand had been tipping too far in the negative direction.
This, coupled with owner Silvio Berlusconi’s refusal to inject a much needed care package of financial assistance to the management at Milan, has left the club really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to transfers.
Report: Milan to sign Alex from PSG, monitor Adebayor
Game recap: Atletico Madrid 4-1 Milan
Just look at the previous two transfer windows for evidence. Adel Taarabt was brought in during the winter window on loan from Queens Park Rangers. Keisuke Honda was a free transfer from CSKA Moscow and Adel Rami is another loan move after being suspended by his club Valencia for conduct violations. Previous to that, the summer signing window saw hometown hero Ricardo Kaka return from his topsy turvy stint at Real Madrid to the club where he made a name for himself. The only big money deal made was the most devastating of the entire window and for sure, one of CEO Adriano Galliani’s worst moves. That happened to be the €11 million purchase of forward Alessandro Matri who failed to impress in any of his appearances for Milan. Consequently, he was loaned off to Fiorentina during the winter window.
With no Champions League next year for sure, and the bonus money for reaching the League always a welcomed addition for any club, Milan will be scrapping even harder to make any worthwhile transfer moves this summer other than free transfers. Rumor has it that Paris-Saint Germain’s Brazilian center back Alex will be the first free transfer signing this summer. Who to follow is anyone’s guess with a few glaring needs all over the park.
So where does Milan go from here? Many are suggesting that forward Mario Balotelli should be sold for somewhere around €30 million and that this money can be used elsewhere to land some important signings. I am actually of the opinion that youth is the absolute future at Milan given the economic woes that the Diavolo are currently going through. Everything points in that direction. The appointment of coach Clarence Seedorf also reinforces this idea as Dutch football is notorious for developing outstanding youth players and having the trust to play youth.
Players like Balotelli, Mattia De Sciglio, Stephan El Shaarawy, Andrea Poli, Riccardo Saponara, Bryan Cristante and Andrea Petagna are all young, talented and promising players already in the first team. From the Primavera squad, there are a few names that standout such as the Captain and defensive ace Davide Pacifico, Davide Di Molfetta, the promising winger and fullback Johad Ferreti. The hidden gem that Milan has, Hachim Mastour, who is touted as the next Messi is a few years from playing at the first team level but the future is bright for the Primavera squad, especially with the iconic Inzaghi as coach.
Almost a year and a half ago, the club said that their vision is to begin a youth development project which was received with excitement by all of their fans. Now, almost two years later, no action has really been taking in that regard. Signing Matri, Michael Essien and now 31 year old Alex limits the opportunities that youngsters have to show their talent and solidify a place in the Milan senior squad. It is a sad fall from grace that Milan is experiencing at the moment and much of the blame lies with the owner and also the CEO. It is encouraging to see that Berlusconi’s daughter, Barbara, is fed up with the way Milan is being handled and has taken a more active role in trying to right the ship, much to the unhappiness of Galliani.
Something has to give though, and soon. With the current management of the club, Milan is risking losing a huge portion of their fan base. Everyone understands that a club goes through ups and downs and a rebuilding stage, but Milan has yet to put itself on an actual road to recovery. For all of the fans who are on the brink, I say this to you, let Seedorf have one full year at the helm before you make a decision to leave such a glorious and historic club. It seems that his coaching style and youth-minded system should inject some new life into Milan for the next season. As always, Forza Milan!
Finished club,and yet they continue to pile up garbage in the team signing Alex,Galliani is old and he has lost his mind. Berlusconi is old and doesn’t want to invest anymore,Seedorf is a stubborn amateur,and the team is full of below-average players.
And on top of it all the fans in Italia are doing nothing about it. This is how they lose all their fans.
Why is this racist bigot still allowed to comment on this blog? You represent the worst of mankind, and to be honest I not only feel sorry for you, but I also feel sorry for your family. I hope that one day you are able to get the psychological counselling which you clearly need. You are not a true Milanista, and not even a true football fan. If left up to you there would be no Pele, Weah, Desailly, Yaya Toure, Vierra, Makelele, Drogba, Henry, Milla, Eto, Seedorf, etc. I LOVE All of my white brothers, my black brothers, my… Read more »
i don’t see any racist comments from milan fan…. are you referring to another article?
yes, the previous one.
Yep and I got thumbs down for calling out the fascist on using the n word. Nice, guys.. nice…
I totally agree with you, and I’m sure many other fans too. I think almost all of the milan fans would prefer having a team full of youth players and lose everything than having 30+ year olds and still lose everything. If we use our youth players atleast our futre will be guaranteed successful, but continuing with these old and rejected players will bring us nowhere, not now and not in the future 🙁 Please anybody who is able to visit Milan go tell this to Galliani and Berlu, let them know that we, the fans are sick and tired… Read more »
And not to forget Patric Cutrone, that guy is a beast! Scored 2 with Italy yesterday. Trust me guys if we play with all these players maybe we will become even better than Barcelona!
i dont think it is entirely accurate to say that “milan fans would prefer having a team full of youth players and lose everything than 30+ year olds and still lose everything” the point is to win the approach isnt either youth or veterans … it is to field the best team! if you are a coach you need to focus on winning the game ahead of you… full stop. i dont believe that for a second if seedorf fielded teams full of youth for the rest of the season and we were relegated that milan fans would be jumping… Read more »
I said it in a relative perspective, that if any Milan fan had to choose, they would prefer losing with youth players than losing with washed up old rejects. Of course winning is the most important thing for Milan, but seems we have no money or B&G are too greedy, so therefore we need to play with our youth!
Reports say milan want to get Alex and adebayor and also want to sell de sciglio balotelli and Abate… I can’tbelieve this team tthey’re giving up their best youth players to get old washed up players? What really happened to the youth project. How can u sell ur best players especially when they r young(especially de sciglio) next year should be selling our average players and bringing in young talented players like perin and bringing up players from our youth… U can never trust galliani and Berlusconi because they promised milan to focus on youth and be a real force… Read more »
i think we need to realize that we are all looking to buy ferraris and all we have in our pockets is enough for a Fiat. why are we buying these players? because that is what we can afford unfortunately… same as the rest of us… Milan has mortgaged the future with the past wins… when we had the best players in the world.. Milan didnt pay for them straight away… we pay over time… and time has caught up with us…. unfortunately the party has to end and the bill shows up and has to be paid…dont worry all… Read more »
the acquisition of alex was solely based on the ideal that doria will arrive this summer. Who better to teach a young Brazilian center back than Alex, Ancelotti’s favorite defender from Chelsea and P$G? alex provides stability that rami nor Zapata brings. We need to sell those players who don’t understand the club, don’t deserve tn wear this jersey those whom are playing for money and fame (mexes, robinho, constant) I do feel that we need to keep Mario, for the sake of the Italian national team as well. With the removal of high wages and decent sales from our… Read more »
There is still a youth project, it was just never meant to be for Allegri. Seedorf said that when he left Berlusconi told him he was the next coach. THIS YOUTH PROJECT IS SEEDORFS. would you give all your money to Allegri who clearly ruins players?
You must have been sleeping to post such a comment, who is going to be coach next season Seedorf or Allegri? if the youth team is for seedorf then why sign Alex and essien?
I suggest you wake up!
BS. Nice youth project signing Essien and Alex,and selling De Schilio.
Bro Essiens’s contract is til the end of next season. He was only brought in cuz monto was suspended for champions league and he was free. U think seedorf gonna build his team in the winter transfer market? This isn’t fifa mate. It’s a winter transfer window n we had no chance of top 3. Our top 3 in charge are a lil smarter than you when it comes to this shit. You just need to relax n let them work. Oh n like I said before Doria is our top target n who better to teach him than Alex… Read more »
@”Milan Fan” shouldn’t you be off somewhere sewing a white hood?
High profile names who could be on their way out of the club, according to the report, include Mario Balotelli, Mattia De Sciglio and Ignazio Abate
Well said and I am a fan of this historic club who had been fed up so many times but still I understand that Clarence is gonna change this club around
Its just a crisis… every club passed trough one of these…
nothing to be desesperated..
Football is a cycle.. Soon we r gonna be back to the top..
I honestly think that ppl who works at Milan know better what is best for the club than a bunch of guys of an internet blog
Really??? It’s been 7 years bruv.. Imagine a company being unproductive for 7 years…??? Picture that..
If seedorft giving change and trust the young talented player then i can trust him, but if he doesn’t. I granted he more destroy acmilan. If he continues to play ema, robinho, muntari, djong, Mexes, bonera, constant, birsa, .. i can not trust him as coach.
I will keep saying this,There are so many of you here who lives in Italy and watch our matches live,are you people blind and dumpfounded,why can’t you guys protest against Berlusconi and his family including Galliani,starting from the remaining 11 games write on a banner ”BERLUSCONI,IF YOU WANT US TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT MILAN JUST INVEST HEAVELY IN THE SUMMER OR YOU WON’T SEE US HERE NEXT SEASON,NEVER YOU SELL BALOTELLI,EL SHAARAWY AND DE SCIGLIO,IF YOU CAN’T DO THESE THINGS JUST SELL THE CLUB AND STOP BREAKING OUR HEARTS”2.if possible include the name of the unwanted players in the banner… Read more »
You guys in Italy should be wise,like i said on my previous comment,for the remaining 11 matches atleast 1 or 2 matches no one should go to support the team weather at Sansiro or Away so that B and G will see how serious we are,even paste on their cars,sansiro gates and everywhere even in the Sansiro toilets ”BERLUSCONI INVEST IN THE SUMMER OR YOU SELL THE CLUB AND NEVER DO TO BALOTELLI,EL SHAARAWY,DE SCIGLIO WHAT YOU DID TO T.SILVA AND IBRAHIMOVIC”.lets mean business,they are not aware of all our comments here.
@lumen your right the milan ultras should do something about this like the time against genoa when we drew and the players were forced to stay inside the San siro. Kaka and abdicate said they would change their attitudes to matches but I haven’t seen this at all we are still drawing against clubs like torino in the SAN SIRO. What I have noticed is that the team has improved with seedorf which is great but Berlusconi needs to invest or leave and the power to change this is to the people that spend their money on matches. I am… Read more »
I think our problem this season is the fitness of the team idk what the hell Allegri did during preseason, maybe he took it lightly to avoid injuries? The best approach for the team is build from the back, replace Abbiati, get Alex but promote youth players and have them learn from experienced ones. The other area that needs attention is attack, I want Balotelli offloaded he’s only good in “easier” games when it comes to playing top teams he always whining and complaining upfront by himself…I’d rather get a young hungry forward like Petanga or use el Sha in… Read more »
I heard De Sciglio not could but will be sold in the summer,these are things you guys in Italy should protest against starting from Sunday against Parma.BERLUSCONI OUT!!!.
I think we are making a big deal out of the current situation. The problems we are experiencing today are a build-up of on the foundations laid out by allegri. Now that we dont have him anymore lets give seedorf time anf support to build a winning team. We lost to udinese because we were rotating the squad for the UCL. Its going to take time to built a new team and seedorf will be a very important factor especially with the new philosophy he has introduced. We need to start from the sporting director who has has the same… Read more »
I quote you.. ”I think we are making a big deal out of the (current situation). The problems we are experiencing (today)”…. I bet you’ve been saying this since 2007… Wake up dude, it’s 2014.. The ”current situation” I think you meant ”the recurrent situation”….!!! I’m still very much positive Milan will rise again, but I have finally lost my patience.. It’s Ugly… I’ve been a loyal fan, my loyalty must be reciprocated…!!!
Some people here live in a bubble.
Low cost policy? It is no cost policy! I agree on protesting idea.
This team is so horrible, they should be paying the fans to go watch them play!
no galliani will only get free people who are 99 years old
I want to say that by the next years summer transfer window, if we stick with seedorf and his ideas, we will be able to compete. These next few transfer windows will be getting rid of dead weight.
It’s good for us that we will not play Champions League next season. We’ve been fooled by Galliani and Berlusconi for years. Our beloved AC Milan at the moment doesn’t have a plan or strategy. They tried with the youngsters, but they didn’t gave tham a real chance. Just look at Juventus, they returned from Serie B, after that they missed european competition for couple of years. And after that, they build their own stadium (which we should do as soon as possible. I love San Siro, but we should have our stadium). After that Juve started with investments. Sure,… Read more »
Seedorf cost 21 million euros and Pirlo cost 18 million euros…You call that a steal???!??!?!
The solution is simple: money -inject cash into the side or make sure milan becomes self sustainable. (Look at Juve). Get a good coach in charge (Seedorf is a novice) sell the below – average crap accumulated and get more money, (bonera,amelia,constant,mexes,zapata,zaccardo,emanuelson,montolivo,muntari,essien,silvestre,birsa,robinho)
Buy new quality players+please use the youth in rotation and as backup.
Revamp training methods–(our players get injured all the time and are poor finishers and defenders) (hire nesta if possible as defending coach and crespo or any other good old striker as striker coach)
introduce a different mentality then the one existing today.
Be patient.
Balotelli must not go……. We love balotelli….. Is currently the best milan player….. I wish milan can bring cassano back.is the player that can make much inpart to the team. With the likes of balotelli,adebayo,pazzini,kaka,El sharaawy,niang,saponara,cristante,petagna,de gong,montilivo,poli,zapata,mexes,abate,de sciglio,pacifico,Emmanuelson,lotti,boateng jnr,gabriel,Amelia,perin and if alex come no problem,and some other youth player but this are the player I love to see next season. With this list I believe they will definately be @the top 3.
cassano hates milan, and none likes cassano. you must be the only one who wants to have a nerazzzuri back in our team. HE has no heart, even if he was Messi I would never want him with the attitude of cassano -.-
Cassano is a traitor!
If the management can actually focus on youngsters, our Primavera is amazingly talented, focus on them – instead of has-beens and mediocre players, then the fans won’t be as upset as they are, we will be understanding. Look at Arsenal and Wenger, it has taken time, but the fans have stood by their side, since they know that focusing on youth is a project that takes time. Out with the dead weight, and STOP with the medicore panic buys and promote a youngster instead. We have another defensive gem in our youth, Pacifico, and then we have Iotti as well.… Read more »
@akon, I’m guessing you haven’t read the recent interview with Cassano, he doesn’t “give a dam” about Milan. He has a terrible attitude which is unfortunate because he’s very talented but he’s a waste.
Milan is now. ONE WEEK, ONE PROBLEM
U guyz are fantastic…u ve said it all…..forza milan
Galliani needs to go and Barbara should take over. Management needs to change so the whole team can change. Seedorf is a young coach and will make mistakes along the way – he already made one when he requested Essien who is way passed his prime.
Some good news: curva sud to protest against the management . Milan took a serious step to buid our own stadium.
Exactly what i feel the solution to all our problems the promising youth squad…
Why we have to sign players like when we have young player of same capability… At least we should give them a chance…. why we bought essein when we had cristante with us and cristante is better than essein why we bought Honda when we had niana, niang is performing better than honda why are we strugling for defender when we have pacifico at least give him a chance… If we can give chances to mexes, bonera and zaccardo then why not to paccifico and i am sure he will perform better why we keep on playing abbiati and amelia… Read more »
Saponara played the last two matches,he was lost in space. Pazzo is our best striker,team player always motivated,everyone who has ever played football knows the importance of a player like Pazzo.Gabriel was given 5-6 chances by Allegri he blew em. It doesn’t mean that if someone’s young he has talent and should play. I agree if we had Varane,Oscar,Inigo Martinez,Perin/Courtois ok they should play,but this Milan is a combination of worn off old players,many below avegare players and a few talents like De Schilio,Cristante and Sharaway. Milan needs BIG reconstruction.
I agree for samponara but yes he is better than robinho
Pazo is a deadly striker but it was past he is underperforming right now why to stick with pazo and balo, keep one of them and give a chance to petagna…
Gabriel did not performed its fine tell me when did abbiati performed… At least with experience Gabriel will develop
and i would just say if we sell balo then keep niang he is a good talented player
Considering that we don’t have funds to buy new players for cash, I wonder why we are not even attempting to get Musacchio, who will be on the free at the end of the season. He is valued higher than Zapata in Transfermarkt.
His profile in transfermarkt:
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/mateo-musacchio/profil/spieler_45653.html
His average rating in whoscored is 7.24
http://www.whoscored.com/Players/61014/
We fans are on the right path