[misha]

The agent of under-fire goalkeeper Nelson Dida has stood up for his client by attacking the Milan defence. “It’s their fault, not his,” Oscar Damiani argued.

The Brazilian was blasted in the Italian media for his performance in the 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday where he seemed at fault for both goals.

Those mistakes, coupled with a few more unconvincing displays this term, did raise question marks over the club’s decision to recently hand him a new £2.8m a season deal until 2010.

However, Damiani has today followed in the footsteps of President Silvio Berlusconi by backing the South American.

“The truth is that the Milan defence is inexistent and everyone is simply shifting the blame on to the goalkeeper,” the representative claimed.

“The errors at the back against Bayern, specifically by [Massimo] Oddo and [Alessandro] Nesta, were significant and my client can’t pay the penalty for those.

“Journalists need to take into account this aspect. Milan won’t get anywhere if they don’t put their defence right, no matter what Dida does.”

The World Cup shot-stopper, born in 1973, has been the Rossoneri’s undisputed No 1 since the 2002-03 campaign.

[dst]

It wasn't such a big deal, but I think there was some kind of mental trauma that he suffered.

Look back to his performances before and after the incident. Jack is right, I think he was effected by it.

we're talking '04-'05 right? Well from what I can remember he still had a great season even after that incident. I think Dida never really believed or trusted in his abilities and also it seems to me like he couldn't handle much pressure. Thus in the game against Giuve that season at the San Siro, the game that would hand the Scudetto to the winner, he was shaky and one week later, in Istanbul, he had one of his worse games ever with the Milan shirt.

Then in the '06-'07 season he started very well but when the pressure towards him was again increased around Christmas time, with all that talk that he would have to prove he's worth Brazil's No.1 and that the WC of 2006 would be his last chance to feature in a WC he started making blunders again and I recall the game against the Merda when we were under great pressure cause they would catch us in the table with a win where he screwed it up more than once...

To me it's more like the age factor, the fact that he's not been as recognized as he should for what he's offered to the team, his inability to handle the pressure, his wife sleeping with me and other stuff.

I really can't believe it was such a traumatic experience... then again I wouldn't know. If I had to link his performances with a certain game it would be the Istanbul final.

This post has been edited by dst: Apr 7 2007, 11:28 AM