[han2503]

Doesn't any need source. Milan's management are very smart people, other team's managements (especially wannabes like Man City) are plain stupid. so it all makes sense. we fooled them by declaring Balo a bad apple and they fell for it and gave him to us at terms and conditions suitable for us. I'm sorry if can't you see that!

I hope kurt is right and you are being sarcastic here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

These are the same guys who sold Silva and Ibra this summer. Rejected 35m for Pato last winter only to give up and sell him for not even half of that not even a whole year later. Replaced Sheva by paying nearly 20m to get Oliveira. Keep bringing in players like Traore, Mesbah, etc who we then cannot get rid of because they're more than happy to sit on the Milan bench earning a decent salary. Let Pirlo go on a free transfer because of a stupid 1 year only extention for over 30 players and then sign the 31 year old Zaccardo for nearly 5 years. The list can keep goin until this entire page is filled with only my post.

For every half decent transfer they manage to accomplish, Galliani follows it up by 5 gaffs.

Let's not kid ourselves, City want to get Balo out as he was a big problem for them. The only reason we got him for 20m is because they were willing to go down to that price, and not because Galliani and Silvio ran their mouths off in the media. Clubs these ays are not as gullible as these guys seem to think they are. Had City been ok with keeping Balo then they wuld hae kept him, just like with Tevez when they wouldn't go a cent down from their initial asking price even if he was playing golf in S. America at the time

[Zed.D]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) Isn't my sarcasm obvious? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[han2503]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) Isn't my sarcasm obvious? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I have to say, on that one it really seemed like you were serious. Only kurt was able to tell you were being sarcastic

[acid911]

Isn't my sarcasm obvious?

From casual reading it wasn't. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif) Only after reading it again did it come through.

I have to say, on that one it really seemed like you were serious. Only kurt was able to tell you were being sarcastic

Exactly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Kurt probably cheated, and brought statistics in as he said in the post above, fan of management, and all that. But the Zed I know is usually, shall I say, calm, collected and plain simple in his posts. That is why he got us.

[William405]

Doesn't any need source. Milan's management are very smart people, other team's managements (especially wannabes like Man City) are plain stupid. so it all makes sense. we fooled them by declaring Balo a bad apple and they fell for it and gave him to us at terms and conditions suitable for us. I'm sorry if can't you see that!

Yyees so true!!

Anyway in all seriousness, look at what newcastle got this transfer window...that is what i call smart purshases..

[Forza Milan!]

What milanbuf88 said ... @Forza Milan, We will never find out the details, just that Kaka was probably the 2nd choice transfer in case Balotelli never materialized. Everything that happened pre-transfer window and during the transfer window was a means to negotiate better terms for Balotelli. Everything from Silvio calling Balo a bad apple, to Galliani stating we are fine as we are to all the comments that was fed to the media by our upper management was a direct attempt to ensure Balotelli arrives at the terms and conditions suitable for Milan.

In other words, all that we heard streaming from the media was the tip of an iceberg, beneath it was a mammoth of details. Without it, we can never know what was meant, just that the intentions were to get the player at our terms. And it worked.

Yup, I tried to make similar points about the reason behind public statements in some of my posts. However, I believe we were serious about Kaka, at least up to the point when the "loan deal" collapsed.

There is a general negativity on this forum against Milan management that IMHO is not fully justified. Yes, they have made their share of mistakes (as other clubs have), but they are far from a bunch of cretins as they are made to be. Berlu in particular has been extremely successful in business and politics (I don't necessarily like what he has done there, but one cannot argue against success), and you don't achieve that by surrounding yourself with fools. The decisions that have led to running the team on a more solid financial basis were painful but IMHO necessary (regardless of FFP). Successful teams (like ManU and Bayern) are run that way, and the first step for Milan was to control spending (and no, this is not about draining money out of the club, as it has been said or implied). Building a team around young players seems to me like the right direction (as long as we keep some balance by having more experienced players as well). And yes, it would have been much better if we started years ago, but hindsight is always 20-20, and the financial conditions have changed in recent years (in particular, the redistribution of TV revenue has hurt us more than people realize). Berlu's selection of players is often driven by personal or political ambitions, we all know that. OTOH, it is his money, and in most cases his choices have helped the team. Finally, if I look across other Italian clubs, we are still one of the better managed teams (for example, I would not trade places with Inter or Roma - or Palermo).

Back to Balo, high level negotiations are harder than people realize, and posturing is a big part of it. With this one in particular, the general consensus on this forum was that Man City would never agree to sell Balo at lower price (for example, see below). Yet Galliani has accomplished that. I think he deserves a little credit.

Why do people have this misconception that City will sell for a cut price? They will absolutely not. City wanted 40m for Tevez, they got a 40m offer from Santos, but because it was in too many installments they said no. They will set a price for Balo and stick to it, that price will be something we can't afford.

This post has been edited by Forza Milan!: Feb 6 2013, 09:45 PM

[Forza Milan!]

Anyway in all seriousness, look at what newcastle got this transfer window...that is what i call smart purshases..

Yup, will probably add Sissoko to my EPL fantasy team, and I am keeping an eye on Debuchy (though I am bummed about Ba, dropped him from my team the moment he was traded to Chelsea).

On a more serious note, I think we pay a penalty for being a high profile team, as our moves are scrutinized by the press, and the moment other clubs get a hint that we might be interested in a player, other teams jump and the price goes up.

[Jack Bauer]

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan have reached an agreement with Verona for 50% of Jorginho.

http://www.milannews.it/?action=read&idnotizia=103373

This post has been edited by Jack Bauer: Feb 6 2013, 08:45 PM

[Fillipo Simone]

Any clue how good he actually is?

[Jack Bauer]

No idea. Doubt we have anyone here who watches Serie B regularly.

[X-Offender]

I'm pretty sure Blue will pop out and say he'll be world-class in two years time.

[Jack Bauer]

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2013/02/ac...defensive-trio/

[kurtsimonw]

Abate can piss off to Zenit to shut up his whinging and use the money for Santon, he's awesome.

[Jack Bauer]

Abate can piss off to Zenit to shut up his whinging and use the money for Santon, he's awesome.

? Don't remember him complaining.

[Fillipo Simone]

I'm all for Santon. He's really great, and I'd enjoy rubbing Moratti's face once again.