This is wierd..are you sure about this?

It was an interview with Gazzetta. There is a bit of it on the official website. I would normally take his side, but I think everyone is dissapointed with the lack of exciting new signings. I mean things start to get boring after a while if you don't bring new players to the side. We don't want the Milan management to buy players just for the heck of it, but we clearly needed one or two good signings. I bet you we would not be reading this if a player like Fernando Torres had joined us during the summer.

what's not boring is making it getting into the late stages of CL in the past 5-6 years! i agree we need more signings but theres no need for the rubbish from the fans... the least they could do is cheer on for the next 50 years!

Well I agree with Paolo, but it's not like him to be this harsh. Or maybe it's the translation.

stupid spoiled asshole fans

This in particulary. This does not sound like Paolo at all. The Inter match was one of our worst matches under Carlo. It was the only derby in about 5 years in which we had absolutely no chance of coming back from the moment we conceeded the first goal..

Finally someone said it !!!!

But hey , its more fun bashing kaladze , dida , ancelotti , galliani , berlusconi ... right ?

Okay, here's the original, cut/pasted from the Gazzetta article (link)

Contro il Benfica, per l’ennesima volta, i tifosi del Milan non hanno intonato cori per la squadra. E’ dispiaciuto?

"Di più: sono molto arrabbiato, come i miei compagni. Dopo tutto quello che abbiamo dato, fatto e vinto, meritiamo un trattamento diverso. Quest’atteggiamento è iniziato nel derby di ritorno dell’anno scorso. Con un aiuto da parte della nostra curva, non avremmo perso quella partita".

Perché accade?

"Difficile dirlo. Ci sono motivazioni economiche, giochi di potere. Ma se sono queste le ragioni per andare allo stadio, non so più che cosa pensare. Comunque non è solo la curva a non sostenerci: anche i tifosi degli altri settori se ne stanno zitti. Io credo che quando si canta "Abbiamo il Milan nel cuore", poi bisogna dimostrarlo. Ormai noi giochiamo in trasferta o in campo neutro: mai davvero in casa. Non mi sembra logico, e la squadra non ci sta più".

Ci sono anche le manifestazioni di dissenso nei confronti di Dida e Gilardino.

"Un’altra cosa che non comprendo. I fischi ci sono sempre stati, ma qui si sta andando oltre. A San Siro si sentono applausi ironici per Dida quando blocca una palla facile. Ma quello è il portiere della finale di Manchester, è un campione d’Europa come Gilardino. San Siro è sempre stato magico: adesso stiamo perdendo questa magia".


The translations in the English-language article are pretty accurate. The rest of the article is actually a nice interview. This bit is only a small section.

As for why the curva was quiet...remember, last year during one of the derby matches, they went 'on strike'? That's what Paolo is referring to.

As for economic reasons, the curva didn't get a deal on CL tickets. Economic ties between clubs and ultras is a big problem in Italy; in some places, the ultras run concessions at the stadia, ticket sales, etc etc etc. They're also given cut rates for special events like CL games. This in turn gives the curva 'power' relative to what it wants from the club. One of the best things Claudio Lotito has done for Lazio is to take the concessions and ticket sales /back/ from the Lazio ultras - and it's earned him enemies. Now I don't know what the exact relationship is between Milan and the successor groups to FdL, but it sounds as if the successor groups want more and Milan isn't giving it.

^^
I think it's right what our management is doing!


He's talking about the return game, not the first one. The game in which we were the "visitors"...

O, that match,...

Well,..

Well I don't know if we would have won but I guess when you score a goal (especially since it was Ronaldo against his former team) and you hear nothing from your fans, it does affect you!

I don't think it's because of the few signings. I have heard the curva does not like these new rules at the stadium and they are protesting against it.

Edit: some of the new rules are that they can't use the speakers in the stadium(apparently it's harder to coordinate the singing and tifosi without the speakers) and U must have permission to hang up banners. More han halv of the Curva does not have permission.

Yes it does, but still, it's not that it is essential. Especially not for a world-class team like ours that is mentally very high...

well said Paolo! spoken like a true leader of this team.

the way milan fans treat this great club is pitiful. we won the cl last year, fought back in the top 4 and our team did this by pouring everything they had into this team...and this is how they repay them? sick.

forza el capitano!

Well done, I couldn't agree more.

But it's falling on deaf ears

p.s. This is Paolo Maldini someone who has given blood for Milan, over 20 years of sacrifice on the pitch and the one whom witnessed the team rack up on several trophies

totally agree with you Warchant...(does remind me a little of what goes on here tho )

boy i'm gonna get crucified for that!

Worst thing that can happen to a club is to destroy its relationships with fans

I dont know, I'd like FDL to come back !!

Fossa had a lot of problems with our directors and even with Berlusconi.

but atleast they supported the team better. all the games i can never hear the fans except for the final last season ...

The truth is the only time I noticed the fans was in the Man U match. I actually thought maybe you know calciopoli and the Sheva departure had knocked the stuffing out of them. I didn't know that there was all this politics going on for more rights etc.

I didn't know FDL was disbanded for internal issues. I thought it was that whole matter of the banner with the Juve ultras.

It's definatly the lack of signings. I mean when you look at our team, we have world class everywhere. We have a few problems, which should have been solved in the summer such as a proper foreward signing, a world class CB signing and a proper goal keeper signing. Instead we get a 31 year old emerson who isn't all that needed and pato who isn't even available right now. I can understand why the fans are upset. Its not the players were upset with except gila, but more galliani and the management for not spending 80 million+ properly.

Barca: who didn't win anything important bought so many class players, while the european champions can't even afford to sign a proper foreward. This really angers me inside. Galliani is so cheap, that he isn't willing to spend money properly.

That's what I thought

But again, they bought seasonal tickets more than the last few seasons I think, so they showed they wanna attand matches...

but why they dont support and sing? I dont know, maybe there are too many family supporters like Parents and a kid (which we know we cant expect anything from them )

I think a lot of it is politics: banners, ticket prices, other 'perks' the Ultras want, etc etc etc. The lack of multiple name signings is probably part of it, but remember: Milan isn't Chelsea or Madrid, where many big names come in each year. At Milan, it's usually one or two a year and often not big names.

(The subtitle in the Gazzetta article is 'trouble with the ultras').

EDIT:

Here's part of an article explaining what's going on and why(link):

[Quick translation: The curva is silent because of threats. The bosses of the curva are keeping others silent due to threats and because the people doing the threatening are already under investigation for murder and other serious crimes, it isn't a laughing matter. The Milan police have undercover people throughout the stadium on game days, but it is a difficult and complex matter.

Since last May, not long before the CL final, Adriano Galliani has been the subject of serious threats and the Interior Ministry has assigned him 24/7 guard. The bosses of the Curva Sud expect from Milan what Milan cannot give: tickets and other favors to be doled out to the other tifosi. This (what the bosses want) is illegal and violation of the Amati decree, which became law after the tragedy in Catania in February. Tickets have to be sold to individuals who have to provide ID. To give tickets to the curva bosses to sell - at inflated prices - is illegal and would be prosecuted.]

Yes it would be nice to have loud fans cheering us on, but not if it comes at the cost of caving in to people who make threats etc.

I think the club is doing the right thing.

AL LAVORO - Il silenzio di San Siro, di tutto San Siro, è figlio delle minacce. Questo è un fatto acclarato. I cosiddetti padroni della curva Sud impediscono agli altri di fare il tifo e, siccome si sta parlando di persone che hanno già ricevuto avvisi di garanzia per tentato omicidio e altri reati, c’è ben poco da scherzare. La questura di Milano, che sta lavorando a pieno ritmo su questa faccenda che puzza di criminalità ordinaria e organizzata, ha piazzato agenti in borghese, in curva, durante le partite interne del Milan. Ancora, tuttavia, non si è arrivati alla conclusione delle indagini che, lo dicono espressamente i dirigenti della questura, è difficile e complessa.
LA SCORTA - Dalla metà di maggio, cioè da poco prima prima della finale di Champions League di Atene, anche Adriano Galliani è oggetto di pesanti minacce e il ministero dell’Interno gli ha assegnato una scorta ventiquattr’ore su ventiquattro. I boss della curva Sud pretendono dalla società ciò che la società non può dare: biglietti e altri favori da gestire direttamente con gli altri tifosi. Tutto ciò è in contrasto con la legge e con il decreto Amato, emesso dopo i tragici fatti di Catania del febbraio scorso. I biglietti, infatti, adesso sono nominali e, per quanto ci possano essere negligenze nei controlli, i club o le società che gestiscono la vendita possono cederli soltanto se viene presentato un documento d’identità. In caso contrario, cioè se dessero un quantitativo di tagliandi in mano ai tifosi affinché fossero loro a distribuirli (ovviamente a prezzi maggiorati), sarebbero perseguibili penalmente.

He is right to attack the Ultras like that, when you are at the matches you must act like a supporter and aim to give everyone a lift, even to people like Brocchi and Kaladze

When you are an a forum like this, with next to no chance of boos affecting the game it alright to bash any and everyone

It looks like the appeals worked.


[After the appeals of Paolo Maldini, Carlo Ancelotti and Adriano Galliani, the Curva Sud, a communication from the Brigate Rossonere (the largest successor group to FdL) has announced that tonight they'll return to supporting the team at San Siro against Parma.]

Il Milan ritrova i suoi tifosi. Dopo gli appelli di Paolo Maldini, Carlo Ancelotti e Adriano Galliani, la curva Sud, attraverso un cominicato delle Brigate Rossonere, ha annunciato che da questa sera riprenderà a sostenere la squadra nella partita di San Siro contro il Parma (ore 20.30).

link

EDIT:

HERE is the Brigate Rossonere homepage. The text is an image and I can't easily cut/paste, but the statement basically says that their protest isn't against the players or the team but against certain provisions of the Amato decree (the one passed after the Catania tragedy.) They're also going to return to cheering, etc, this afternoon.

I can only say - good news,..

Oooh...now I can hardly wait for the derby!!

nice good stuff. i hope this doesnt damage the relationship between maldini and the ultras.

That's impossible.

It's not the fans who bring the victoy in the Inter games. The're very important, but not crucial

If that happened I'd be ashamed of them!

I think I'm seeing this a little differently than some.

The fans pay for their tickets, they have a right to have a say, whether it be booing or whatever. They should get behind the team, but a string of bad results and I expect to hear booing. After all, the fans do pay the players wages. They expect a return, if they're performing poorly, then what else do the players expect?

ya do find it cruel to boo them throughout the game but i think it would make more sense to direct the boos towards galliani/berlusconi so show their discontent. after all, like kurt said they pay their tickets so they expect a competent team BOTH in serie a in CL. i'm sure many of them feel ripped off, especially with his promise to sign a world class player.

Following your logic Siena our Livorno would have booers instead of fans all the season long on their stands. I know what you ment, but..

but you gonna be reasonable siena and livorno dont have 10% of the financial backing that we have. not to mention all the profit milan makes from it's fans world wide/winning the CL and so on... not to mention much more is expect of our squad.

Unbelievable.

[A section of the Curva in Milan is still mad about the banning of block ticket sales and other things. They're now threatening to set off flares during the Shakhtar game on Oct 24 to get Milan in trouble with UEFA. Crowd trouble could lead to a fine, closed doors, or possibly elimination from the competition.]


L'interruzione dello sciopero del tifo sembra solo una tregua o poco più, in attesa di atti più pesanti e clamorosi. Una parte della Curva del Milan vorrebbe creare il massimo danno possibile alla società, che da un po' ha chiuso il rubinetto dei biglietti e dei pass facili. L'idea è sparare alcuni bengala durante la partita del 24 ottobre con lo Shakthar Donetsk per provocare l'eliminazione del Milan dalla Champions League. In epoca di tolleranza zero, i rossoneri rischierebbero molto: da una multa, alla squalifica del campo di San Siro fino ad una penalizzazione in termini di punti che potrebbe portarla all'eliminazione nella fase a gironi

link

That's a total disgrace. What real fans would risk getting their team kicked out of a competition over something that stupid.

Exactly, this is absolutely ridiculous... they should be ashamed but obviously they're not...

1 million dollars is hardly a profit...you're confusing revenue with profit again.

This is closing the loop on what's now an old story but on Thursday, Brigate Rossonere and some of the other larger Ultra groups met for a 'post-Celtic discussion'.

Those who have websites have put up an official call to arms, to fill the Curva and to wear as much red and black as possible so as to support the team in difficult times.

It's good to see.

Nice!!

Those are the true Milan fans!

so, lets fill the stadium... anybody goin?