This is interesting...Milan after a 19-year old Serie B defender. Sounds interesting at least.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see anything interesting in that (IMG:http://qsmile.com/qsimages/297.gif)

When will we stop fooling around and look for a couple of real defenders?

For example...

You want to make it sound that there are not better options than an unknown 19yo Serie B/Ascoli defender? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) do you really need me to name names?

can't really tell you to much to be honest, he has only played 9 games so far this season he is 1 of several young players who Ascoli have high hopes for but i haven't seen Ascoli play ths season so can't really comment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

The only real difference is that an 18 year old with great potential has more to prove, is hungrier, learns faster, is generally faster, has more energy and can become something great for the team. Such player must be eased into the squad. On the other hand, a 38 year old has experience and is more tactically sound, but lacks the physical attributes to serve his team fully. That's why most player retire at around 34-35 and most top teams let players around that age go. Teams like Real and Barca have some gems on their hand right now because they gave chances to their youngsters with great potential. To me, there is not too much difference in the level quality between Paloschi and Iniesta 4-5 seasons ago. What do we do? We loan out the player, co-own him and rinse and repeat until the player is well over 25... What do they do? They ease the player into the first team squad, slowly but surly. Now Iniesta is their vice-captain and a youth product. I think there is something to be learned here. We did great with Maldini and Costacurta, but that's a long long time ago.

It is interesting. Milan showing interest in a young player, especially a young defender is not so common.

He would not be signed as the next big thing though so don't worry.

Well, Milan haven't signed any real defenders yet anyway. I don't count an unproven South American who's never played in Europe - until he proves he can. We got lucky with Pato, not so much with Grimi.

We do need to sign strong defenders, yes. Or promote them up - Darmian and Albertazzi may well do that, and the 3d primavera defender (Bruscagin) who played this summer for the U19s is playing for a club in C but wanted by one in B so I think there's hope for him too.

To me the order of higher potential goes

Albertazzi - Darmian - Bruscagin

Bruscagin is a little bit of an unknown quantity to me, i havent seen him play as much as Albertazzi or Darmian, but i feel Albertazzi has the highest potential of the Primavera players (at the moment)

Edit: i dont think any of the Primavera defenders will break into the squad minus those three (Bruscagin being a long shot at the moment)

This post has been edited by whoarethepatriots: Jan 3 2009, 08:54 PM

Where would you put Paloschi in that list, whoarethepatriots? Or does he already count as a first teamer?

That list is out of the defenders.

I would say that Paloschi has the highest potential to be a star out of all the Primavera players we have spewn out in the last five years or so.

Paloschi, Abate, Darmian, Di Gennaro and Albertazzi and sure bets to be first teamers if not for Milan then some other decent Serie A team.

As for others like Pasini, Perticone, Guerci etc, i think its unlikely they will make it with Milan as first teams. Rotation players possibly, but it will be remote unless they develop at a reasonable pace like Paloschi did. I think those players will play for low level Serie A teams or maybe the better Serie B teams like Mantova, Bari, Brescia

Then there are others like Strasser and Bruscagin who i really am not sure about. Anything could happen to them at the moment, it just depends on how quickly they develop

This post has been edited by whoarethepatriots: Jan 3 2009, 09:44 PM

Personally I think it's not interseting because we've been signing these kinds of players a lot lately and in the end they end up being loaned out from one place to another and eventually sold.

If we have no intention of giving these kids a chance then why buy them in the first place? Imo until we have a coach that has faith in youth and isn't afraid to give them a chance, it's useless to buy these players, no matter how good they can potentially become.

As for the transfer market right now, I'm not going to say anything about it since we're obviously already f****g it up with going for a LB, when we need a CB so badly it's not even funny anymore, we have a whole defence full of LBs and most of our CBs are either crocked for the entire season or not good enough for a mid-table team, and what do we do? We go for a fullback (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

This post has been edited by han2503: Jan 3 2009, 09:43 PM

Have a little faith, han. The market hasn't even officially opened in Italy yet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I think a good CB is a priority too, but it may be a matter of 'get a fill in LB now and get the really good CB in the summer when he'll be less expensive'. January emergency transfers tend to cost more.

whoarethepatriot, my info is sketchy (second hand based on people who've seen him) but apparently Strasser is really pretty good.

I don't understand this. We're not happy/interested in signing young defenders, we don't wan't veterans either. Either to young or to old, as long as it carries a bad omen. What do we want? I get the impression we're searching and yearning for something that is a priori unreachable?

It's like we want to jump into their (Silvio, Galliani, Carlo) head and make a sudden turn. What's the point?

You want me to say there are 21-or-so better defenders avaible in Fluminense, Brazil, or?

I know and respect you rethoric skills, but for the sake of the argument, name them.