I know hes not a player, but our President deserves his very own thread.

Berlusconi is notorious for his questionable sense of humour.

In February 2002, at a European Union summit of foreign ministers, Berlusconi, who was present since the replacement of his previous foreign minister, Renato Ruggiero, had not yet been appointed, made a vulgar gesture (the "corna") behind the head of the Spanish foreign minister, Josep Piqué, intimating he was a cuckold during an official photo shoot. This is a common joke among Italian children, but many felt it was utterly out of place in an international meeting. He later explained that he "was just kidding", and was trying to create a relaxed atmosphere, that this sort of meeting was meant to "create friendship, cordiality, fondness and kind relationships" between the participants, and that he wanted to amuse a small group of Boy Scout bystanders.

On 2 July 2003, one day after taking over the rotating presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, he was heavily criticised by the German SPD Member of the European Parliament Martin Schulz because of his domestic policy and his alleged links to the Mafia. Berlusconi responded: "Mr Schulz, I know a movie producer in Italy who is making a movie about Nazi concentration camps. I will recommend you for the role of a Kapo. You are perfect for the part!". Responding to the shoutings that then came from the Socialist MEP backbenchers, Berlusconi insisted that he was only joking, but soon after accused Martin Schulz and others leftish MEPs to be "bad-willing tourists of democracy". His comparisons with the Nazis caused a brief cooling of Italy's relationship with Germany.[160]

In 2003, during an interview with Nicholas Farrell and Boris Johnson, then editor of The Spectator magazine, Berlusconi claimed that Mussolini "had been a benign dictator who did not murder opponents but sent them "on holiday".[161]

In mid-May 2005, while opening the European Food Safety Authority in Parma (preferred over a Finnish location, after Berlusconi made an assertion of Finns "not knowing what prosciutto is"), Berlusconi claimed that he had to "dust off my playboy skills" with the Finnish president, Tarja Halonen, to convince her to locate the EFSA in Parma. This caused criticism from both Italy and Finland, with the Italian ambassador in Finland being summoned by the Finnish foreign minister.[162] A minister of his cabinet later 'explained' the comment by saying that "anyone who had seen a picture of Halonen must have been aware that he had been joking". Before that, speaking to a group of Wall Street traders, he listed a series of reasons to invest in Italy. The first of them was that "we have the most beautiful secretaries in the world". This resulted in uproar in Italy, where, for a day, female Members of Parliament took part in a cross-party protest. Over the prosciutto comment, the Finnish pizza chain Kotipizza later came back with a new variety of pizza called Pizza Berlusconi, using smoked reindeer as the topping. The pizza won first prize in America's Plate International pizza contest in March 2008.[163][164]

In March 2006, Berlusconi defended accusations he made that the "Communists used to eat children", by responding with claims that "... read the Black Book of Communism and you will discover that in the communist China of Mao, they did not eat children, but had them boiled to fertilise the fields". He later admitted, "It was questionable irony ... because this joke is questionable. But I did not know how to restrain myself." His political opponent, Romano Prodi, told the press, "The damage caused to Italy by an insult to 1.3 billion people is by all means a considerable one", and that Berlusconi's comments were "unthinkable".[165] Berlusconi replied by gifting 1000 copies of the Black Book of Communism during one of his election rallies.[citation needed]

On 4 April 2006, less than a week before the upcoming political elections in Italy, during a speech given at the National Chamber for Trade, Berlusconi stated that he holds "too high esteem of the Italians' intelligence to think that there are so many coglioni (literally "testicles", a vulgar term often used about people considered stupid) around voting against their interest". He later apologized for the "rude but effective language".[166]

At an awards dinner in January 2007, Berlusconi was quoted as saying, "If I wasn't already married, I would marry you right away," and "With you, I'd go anywhere" to Mara Carfagna, a representative of Forza Italia and former showgirl. These flirtatious comments prompted his wife Veronica to demand an apology in a front-page letter to the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, one of Berlusconi's rival publications. In a statement released through his political party, he begged for forgiveness and stated that he would "always protect [Veronica's] dignity."[167] Mara Carfagna is now serving under him as minister for Equal Opportunities.[168]

In the run-up to the 2008 Italian general election, Berlusconi claimed that right-wing female politicians were better looking than their left-wing counterparts. His remarks provoked an angry reaction from Italian centre-left parties, which accused him of being sexist. Berlusconi was quoted as saying that when he looked round Parliament, he found that female politicians from the right were "more beautiful" and that "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women".[169]

During a televised encounter with voters on 10 April 2008 a young woman asked Silvio Berlusconi what the younger generation should do about the lack of secure jobs. He promptly suggested that she try to marry "the son of Berlusconi... with a smile like yours, you could try."[170]

Since the 2008 general election, Berlusconi has already begun to court controversy at European level. He has publicly criticized the current composition of the Council of Ministers of the Spanish Government as being too 'pink' by virtue of the fact that it has (once the President of the Council, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is counted) an equal number of men and women. He also stated that he doubted that such a composition would be possible in Italy given the "prevalence of men" in Italian politics.[171]

At a joint press-conference at Villa La Certosa (17 April 2008) in Sardinia with the Russian president Vladimir Putin, a Russian journalist from Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper, Natalia Melikova, put a question to Putin, asking him if he intended divorcing his wife and marrying Alina Kabayeva, an Olympic gold medalist and an MP in Russia. When his guest showed annoyance, Berlusconi intervened with a gesture toward the journalist that imitated a gunman shooting.[172] The journalist was reportedly reduced to tears. Putin denied rumours that he was to marry Kabaeva. A spokesman for Berlusconi tried to play down the shooting gesture. He said: "It was just a gesture, a playful gesture, in fact it was appreciated given the technical time needed for a long and tedious Russian translation." Afterwards, Melikova said: "I saw Berlusconi's gesture and I know he has a reputation as being a joker. I hope there are no consequences." Vittorio Feltri, founder and editor of the right-wing newspaper Libero, argued that, given the records in transparency that Russia scores, Berlusconi actually 'saved' Melikova's life by making that gesture.[citation needed]

Berlusconi and George W. Bush are known to be intimate friends and spend time together on Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch. He declared that he and Bush would "remain friends forever", nostalgic at the end of Bush's term as a president.[173] On an official dinner in the White House on October 2008, Berlusconi, tripping over a microphone cable, crumbled the podium, too excited about greeting Bush and embracing him. Then Berlusconi commented: "did you see what a huge love can do?"[174]

On 6 November 2008, two days after Barack Obama was elected the first African-American US President, Berlusconi "complimented" on Obama's "suntan"[175]:
“ I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States where a new generation has come to power. I don't see problems for Medvedev to establish good relations with Obama because he is young, handsome and even tanned, therefore I think that a good cooperation can be developed.[176][177] ”

On 26 March 2009 he added:
“ I'm paler [than Mr Obama], because it's been so long since I went sunbathing. He's more handsome, younger and taller[178] ”

Subsequently at a tent camp on the outskirts of L'Aquila housing some of the more than 30,000 people who lost their homes during the 2009 earthquake he said to an african priest:
“ you have a nice tan.[179] ”

Berlusconi then grabbed the priest and told him:
“ hold me tight and call me Papa.[180][181] ”

On 18 November 2008, Berlusconi played "hide-and-seek" with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He was set to receive Merkel but opted to hide behind a column while Merkel and her entourage walked by. According to reporters present, Berlusconi called out "coo coo", prompting Mrs Merkel to turn around, saying "Oh, Silvio".[182]

On 24 January 2009 Berlusconi announced his aim to enhance the numbers of military patrolling the Italian cities from 3000 to 30000 in order to crack down on what he called an "evil army" of criminals. Responding to a female journalist who asked him if this tenfold increase in patrolling soldiers would be enough to secure Italian women from being *****, he said:
“ We could not field a big enough force to avoid this risk [of ****]. We would need as many soldiers as beautiful women and I don't think that would be possible, because our women are so beautiful. ”

Opposition leaders called the remarks insensitive and in bad taste. Berlusconi retorted that he had merely wanted to compliment Italian women. Other critics accused him of creating a "police state".[183]

On 3 April 2009, Berlusconi appeared to have annoyed Queen Elizabeth II at a photo session during the G20 summit. During the photo session, Berlusconi shouted "Mr Obama, Mr. Obama", prompting Her Majesty to turn around and chastise Berlusconi, “What is it? Why does he have to shout?”.[184][185] The following day, at the NATO meeting in Kehl, Berlusconi was seen talking on his mobile phone, while the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other NATO leaders waited for him for a photo on a Rhine bridge.[186] (Afterwards, Berlusconi claimed he was talking to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about accepting the Secretary Generalship of Anders Fogh Rasmussen). Responding to the Italian media's reaction to these incidents, he said he was considering "hard measures" against reporters, and referred to some of their claims as "slander".[187]

Two days after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, devastating the capital city of the Abruzzo region and causing more than 290 deaths, Berlusconi said to n-tv that the people left homeless by the earthquake should view their experience as a camping weekend.[188]

On May 2009 Berlusconi said to a reporter while he was on a direct TV-sending in Roma that when he was in Finland he had to travel three hours to see some two hundred years old church in the countryside. In his opinion that wooden church would have been destroyed if it was in Italy. Mr Berlusconi made a non-official visit in 1999 and had never seen any Finnish church. He had just been visiting Iceland.[189] [190]

LOL @ berlu at the end hahahaha

Forza Presidente!

here's a thought, how do u think silvio'll be rated on that 'fit and proper persons test' for football club owners in england? cos on one hand he is ofcourse italian pm, on the other hand he's facing corruption charges here& there.
do italian club owner's face such tests in italia? anyone remember the formula1 case with i think the Q.P.R's italian owner?

Berlu's thread should be in the "Other" section, shouldn't it?

And when did you start this thread, Blue. I just saw it for the first time now.

Gino Corioni: Berlusconi is number 1 - link

Can we move this to the "Other" section? I like this place real tidy and Silvio was obviously not a player.

Yeah sure

Thank you and for the merger!

Silvio is like a cancer for Milan nowadays. I read in this article and this one some of the following: Galliani on Silvio: “He had a word for each player and then spent some time with the coaching staff, they have discussed a thousand things and he has provided ideas and suggestions." and that Silvio will be doing ‘regular Friday visits’. Silvio himself said: “I think it's reasonable to say that we're on the right track, and that all we have to do is persevere upon it.”

Dude, we had one good game. You kept away when we were suffering the most and neglected the situation as long as possible. You led the Galliani/ Barbra debacle happen right under your nose and made a huge mess of it. Now you show up and give ideas to the coaching staff? You are a terrible president. You moan and give secret "leaks" of your snarky comments about how this coach is an idiot and that player is a waste when things are going wrong instead of doing your job as the friggin president of this team. And now that thanks to Inzaghi's efforts we are seeing some fruit of his and his players' labors you show up and give the coaching staff "a thousand" pieces of advice and ideas? And now you are gonna do "regular friday visits"?

After one win, your advice is to preserve it? There is nothing to preserve. It's only a spark right now. It can only be built upon or it can turn into nothing. Your presence is not helping. For the club and the fan's sake, find a suitable owner for the club. It would only be right. Do this last thing and let your legacy of bringing this club so much glory "preserve" itself.

Surprised no one responded to this. ^

Here we go:

“With Inzaghi there has been a turning point,” Berlusconi is quoted by the Corriere della Sera as telling attendees at a Forza Italia event this week.

“Now we will win the Scudetto.”

Source: FI

Oh joy and happiness at having such totally positive and helpful influences for this team right at the very top.

Oh my...

I seriously do not want any of the people at Milan even mentioning the Scudetto, after the mess that was last season, winning just 2 games and suddenly we're the kings of the world again, delusional and senile doesn't even begin to describe the loons running this club. I'd personally be ecstatic if we managed to make it into the 3rd spot this season

What we need here to win the scudetto is for han to call Pippo shite and past it - over and over again. Every time he did so when Pippo was a player, Pippo won us games.

So han, take it away. Pippo is a noob and undeserving and we should have got Spalletti!

I think it's a good thing that Silvio visits the squad so often. I think it's an extra motivation for the players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNW9FEs3lds

Yeah, I do think that he uplifts them when he visits, he's a senile criminal but he's got that aura of importance and extravagance around him that no home arrest ankle bracelet can diminish.

But I just don't want anyone talking about Scudettos I think we'd do an amazing job to even get into the CL spots this season, to start talking about the Scudetto after 2 wins is just asking for egos and over confidence to build. Pippo is doing a damn fine job motivating these players, I don't want to see any of the above happening just like it has in the past when we've been billed as favourites or even "good enough" to achieve something