Gila "cannot guarantee" Milan stay 

Sunday 3 June, 2007 ::: channel4.com

Alberto Gilardino has told Milan he is sick of being treated as a flop and is looking at other alternatives. “I cannot guarantee I will stay.”

The striker moved from Parma for around £18m in 2005, but has struggled to live up to that price-tag and in two seasons has managed just two Champions League goals.

With Ronaldo no longer cup-tied, Filippo Inzaghi on fire, Kaka moved to a more advanced role and reports that Andriy Shevchenko will return after his spell at Chelsea, there is less and less room for Gila.

“The situation is simple. I am happy at Milan, but I cannot guarantee I will stay here,” he told the ‘Gazzetta dello Sport.’

“I have a long contract and an excellent rapport with the Rossoneri environment, but anything can happen in football and I am evaluating other options. I would not be honest if I denied that.

“For me the faith of the club and the Coach are indispensable. In the past I had that and would like for it to be there in the future.”

The decision to drop him in favour of Inzaghi – who scored a decisive brace – for the Champions League Final against Liverpool seems to have left its mark.

“I want to be able to play without all these doubts being raised on my first error or negative performance. At the age of 25 I want to play consistently and repay Milan for the investment they made in me.

“I thought I would play in Athens, I admit it. When I found out I was on the bench, I was disappointed,” he confessed.

“But I always put the team above all personal considerations and just tried to concentrate so I could do my best in the few minutes that Carlo Ancelotti granted me. Lifting the trophy put all that disappointment behind me.”

With constant rumours of new hitmen from Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Shevchenko coming to San Siro, will Gilardino ask to be sold if another forward arrives?

“I am not afraid of competition. I have always sought my space with great champions like Shevchenko, Inzaghi, Christian Vieri and Ronaldo. If the competition is fair and the player who is in the best shape goes on to the field, then I have no problems.”

This week there were claims in the newspapers that Gilardino had openly offered himself to Inter, but he and his agent denied these suggestions.

“That is absolutely not true,” the former Parma man told the ‘Gazzetta’. “I can pledge to the Milan fans, who I get along very well with, that I have not approached anyone, let alone Inter. A few supporters jeered me this season, but the majority are behind me. I want to repay them with many goals.”

Among those linked with a summer bid for Gilardino are the new Juventus and Barcelona, who are probably seeking a replacement for Eto’o.

“These are great clubs and I am pleased to hear of their interest, but Milan are the top club. It’s difficult to imagine walking out on them and they are my first choice. However, if I didn’t feel they had faith in me, then I would look elsewhere.”

When asked point blank if he felt he was always facing tests of his abilities and that there were doubts around him, the World Cup winner answered truthfully.

“Yes, I feel that I am in doubt and in all honesty I don’t know why. I think this is surreal and at times it seems like an incredible situation.”

In two seasons Gilardino has scored 29 Serie A goals for Milan and was their top scorer this term on 12 in 30 appearances.

Alberto Gilardino has told Milan he is sick of being treated as a flop and is looking at other alternatives. “I cannot guarantee I will stay.”

And we cannot guarantee we'll keep you

Milan treated you like the flop? maybe the press. The club and the coach backed him up when he was playing bad (at least publicly) and this season was definitely a failure for him. He just need to shut up, work hard and prove that he's worth being a starter. Moaning tp the press ain't gonna help him.

you reep what you sow. it's simple the only reason the press has been treating you like a flop because you have been a flop.

Thats unfair, he hasnt totally failed, Olivera has been the bigger flop and Inzaghi wasnt consistent in Serie A

That is true, but he has been a flop in Europe without a shadow of a doubt. And Milan really care about that competition. Plus, the club has always backed him. It's the journalists that write all the stuff. If he is upset at being benched in the final, then he is the one being unfair to Pippo and all Milan fans. We would have probably lost the game if it wasn't for Pippo.

Gila is inexperienced in Europe but is getting better, as for the final issue, its possible that the result may have been different, but 100 of variables also could have affected that game

Aww han...What're u trying to do? Make Gila dump his girl and come after u or something??!!

Didn't know u were in dst's happy boys club!!!

I'm sorry you can't get in!

i think we should look at this in the fact that he's actually being HONEST. unlike other players who promise they will never leave.