Troubled times

How Milan is in such financial woe is beyond me. Juventus have come out of tougher years, spending a year in Serie B and missing out on the Champions League for two seasons.

One would think Milan would be in a better situation. Especially considering the successes Milan have enjoyed this last decade, dominating European football in claiming the Champions League twice, being runners up in 2005 and in other season always being there or thereabouts come the knock-out round.

I recently wrote a featured article in which I basically called for heads to roll in Milan. I raise the question again. That is, why are Milan in such a financial predicament. The only answer to this question is bad management. The men responsible for the management of the club, Berlusconi and Baldy are the ones who need to take responsibility.

In addition to the disastrous management of the club by these two men in recent times, which is why we find ourselves in such a mess as we do now, has been the woeful and rather embarrassing performance of Galliani in this years’ transfer season.

Galliani must be the joke of European football at the moment. Lets just recap this most disastrous transfer season led by Uncle Fester.

Firstly there was the Cissokho affair. All seemed well and good and it was just the medical that the player needed to pass in order to be confirmed a Diavoli. But, pass the medical he did not and as a result Galliani asked for the price to be lowered. Nice try Baldy. Such a tactic is rather obvious and this makes it useless.

Then there was the Dzeko fiasco. Edin was keen to join the Rossoneri as was Cissokho, but Milan did not meet Wolfsburgs’ asking price. Which is fair enough, Dzeko scored 24 goals in 33 appearances for his club last year so obviously they would want to keep him. Another season like that and Dzeko could attract twice the amount Milan were offering next year especially, if a club like Chelsea or Manchester City get hot on his heels. Dzeko would have been great signing for Milan, but Galliani embarrassed the club again when he made it known that Milan could not afford him.

Lastly, but perhaps not for long, is the failure to sign Luis Fabiano. As I wrote yesterday, the deal collapsed for the same reason all the deals thus far have collapsed, Milan are just unable to meet the asking price for these players. Dzeko would seem, in retrospect, a more realistic target. Luis Fabiano is hot property in Europe and off the back of a successful Confederations Cup the Brazilian has become the subject of interest of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester United. So of course, Sevilla are going to ask for top dollar. Milan’s offer, which was some ten million euro below the asking price is rather insulting to the player and the club. The only result of such an offer is offending the other party whilst Milan are left blushing.

It seems like Milan have flirted with the idea of signing many great players this summer, yet they have been priced out of the market. Galliani, knowing this, would do well to not go after players who are simply too expensive for Milan. This way, our club may be able to save face rather then getting a reputation as the poor giant of Europe.

Getting such a reputation also does not make any subsequent negotiations any easier as clubs realize Milan’s financial troubles.

Times are tough in Italy economically and this is the reason apparently why Berlusconi is not coughing up the money to ease Milan’s trouble.

Plausible. The head of country that is reeling more than others because of the financial crisis who spends millions on players for his club whilst people lose their jobs would cause a social backlash in Italy.

If this is the case, then Berlusconi should sell the club, or at least part of it. He should look for investors or new owners and help this once great club from falling back further.

Apparently the idea is that when times get better, Berlusconi will once again dip into his deep pockets and splash out.

This is a risky strategy. Italian football is way behind the English and Spanish leagues as the recent Champions League addition verified beyond all doubt.

As clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid get stronger and stronger, if Milan fall behind a few years then it will take a good few years to get back on top once money appears again. We are talking a decade here perhaps before Milan are back to where they should always be.

Berlusconi should think of what is best for the club and not his ego. He should consider investors keen to throw money at the club. In addition, while he has the power, he should try to relax the tax laws regarding player transfers. Such a move will make Italian clubs more competitive in the market and this will make them more competitive on the pitch.

In defense of Silvio, he is the man that made Milan great again following the dark period of the early 80′s. Indeed, under Berlusoni Milan have enjoyed the greatest period in the clubs history and has become the most successful club of the modern era.

Happier times.

Ideally, I would like for him to stay on and perhaps sell only part of the club. Importantly, he is a man that still has vast amounts of money and power which cannot be a bad thing for Milan. I also think that he will not stand for another season of failure if that is what conspires. He is too proud to let Milan, a club which he has come to symbolise, fall too far behind. So, all in all, Berlusconi perhaps should stay. The same cannot be said for Galliani however.

Galliani should be removed from his post completely. I understand that his job has not been made any easier by the limited funds he has been given. But he has to take responsibility for Milan being in such a predicament as well as he should for this disastrous transfer campaign. In addition, Uncle Fester has humiliated our great club with his embarrassing performance this transfer campaign. Uncle Fester out.

I am deeply concerned for our clubs future. If we do not sign the right players, players that we need, we will be less competitive on the pitch. With Genoa and Napoli on the rise, and with the growing threat of being taken over by closer rivals like Roma and Fiorentina, Milan may miss out on more Champions League football come the next few seasons.

If this happens, which is a likely, then Milan will be in real financial trouble. Missing out on the revenue earned from participation in the UCL is something that Milan cannot afford.

Things are not good in the red and black half of Milan. Something needs to give. Something needs to change.

Our President and his top man are failing us, and if only this were a Spanish club we could call an election. But, unfortunately we are not, so we really can only watch anxiously and hope for the best.

Whilst I finish writing this article, breaking news is that Lucio has just signed for Inter. Great.

Franky T