Jose Chamot, no?

Maybe he's allergic to winning.

In that case I don't want him at Milan, he's obviously stupid.


Or this is all just more unfounded crap.

I was speaking hypothetically, that I wouldn't have like to see us give up on any of our promising youths.

Yes, Balo is the one most rumored to be leaving recently, but it's not to say we've never heard rumors of others.

Mediaset says we're interested in Leandro Damiao. His price is around €10-12 million, but we're willing to offer Robinho to lower it.

Link

From what I know Damiao has been really bad in the last couple of years. Injuries, inconsistent, plus he seems rather slow and sluggish. And that's in Brazil. Who knows how he'll cope with Serie A.

My vote is 'no'.

Count me in as well. Him and Ganso are finished when it comes to European football.

Btw. are there any signs we'll go after Darmian? I really like the guy.

Haven't read anything.

Wenger denies any interest in Balotelli.

Damn it! Does this mean we have to get stuck with him?

I think it's just tactics. And even if, there'll sure pop up another buyer.

Balotelli leaving Milan is a matter of formality, IMHO.

If I was the man incharge, I would put the player on the market. Bring in someone consistent and ready to give 100% for his team. As I think. Balo has psychological issues that Milan can not afford to accommodate.

Agreed, I am not overly impressed either. What little money we have to spend should not go for more mediocre or questionable players. As for Robinho, I fear we are stuck with him until his contract expires (his salary is way too high for anyone to be interested, and he no longer even has the incentive of making the WC squad, so I don't see him wanting to go somewhere just because he is more likely to play - thank you, Galliani!)

If he had impressed at the WC, we would have a decent chance to sell him. As it stand, I don't see anyone willing to spend enough money to make it worth while. And if that is the case, I would rather take a chance and hope that Pippo may be a positive influence (I realize the chances are rather slim, but the potential replacements I hear mentioned are not all that exciting - only name that gets me interested is Dzeco, assuming we can even afford him).

And, in fact, Galliani now claims Balo is staying (link).

Galliani said Thiago Silva is 100% staying four days before he was sold.

Hating Mario more and more with every piece of self-righteous indignation bordering on arrogance and playing the race card like this he produces.

I am going to find it very, very VERY hard to support him next season if he's still here. He'll have to play 4000% of the quality he showed us last season.

It is unfair that people criticize him the most, though. Nobody from Italy showed up, nobody. So why make Balotelli the scapegoat? Everyone should be criticized an equal amount. It's not like Immobile did anything more, yet nobody calls his name.

And if you read comments on Facebook, you'd be disgusted at how many people say "You're not Italian, go back to Ghana or wherever you're from" and all kinds of racist crap. I tell you, Italians are some of the most uncivilized people of the western world.

So, I can understand his reaction. If I were in his shoes, I'd get extremely pissed about it as well.

Actually it's not STRICTLY unfair - he's the fulcrum of the team and he did f*ck all this world cup. Just like Ronaldo is being rightly criticised at this world cup more than any of his team mates, so should Balotelli. Immobile isn't supposed to be as good a player as Balotelli is, so for me that argument doesn't hold water.

I do accept that Pirlo got away Scot free after a dismal world cup himself, but he's bizarrely loved by everyone.

You expect more from the star players, so when they don't show up they get the most grief. That's the cost of getting £150,000 a week from your club.

Is he, though? The fulcrum of the team, as you put it? Perhaps it's everyone that have hyped Balotelli too much and expect a lot from him. The guy is not a super star in Ronaldo's mold. He has a decent set of skills, but having seen him play with our shirt for more than a year, I really don't think he's the kind of player that can carry the team on his shoulders. Just because he earns €4 million per season does not mean he is obliged to perform better than the rest. Robinho used to earn that much, yet he was as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I think the match was lost yesterday due to Marchisio and his rash tackle. Yet not one word was raised against him.

Instead a sub-par performance by Balotelli is supposed to be the reason Italy are out?

I find it ridiculous. Prandelli got his tactics wrong with the forwards. And Marchisio is the person who turned around a game that Italy pretty much had under lockdown. Yet no blame to that Juve merda. Once again Juve specialise in playing the victims.

Correction; he said 99.99%


Yep, all the Juve players were appalling in this World Cup. Chiellini never puts a foot wrong for Juve yet the mistakes he kept making were just unbelievable to see. Pirlo bar a couple of moments in the England game was completely out of it. I don't think he had the physical capacity to play in such conditions, he was at a walking pace throughout the entire games played in this world cup. Marchisio was okay in all the games (I'm personally a fan of his so this could be coming from a place of bias) and I really don't think it was his fault that he got sent off, it wasn't even a tackle that he made FFS. The referee was just looking for a reason to give the S. American side the advantage.

I thought Balo did okay as well taking into consideration that he was isolated for all the minutes he played thanks to Prandelli's ridiculous use of his ridiculously talented midfield

No, just no. He had plenty of playable balls against Uruguay and he didn't combine jackshit. He had the opportunities to score against Costa Rica and he blew them. When I was defending Balo earlier it was because I don't think he should become the scapegoat when the rest of the players were just as bad. But his overall performance was abysmal, no ifs or buts, just abysmal.

He had 2 chances from long balls against Costa Rica, which yes he blew but aside from that he was very isolated throughout the tournament.

See, this is where I don't get people, they get mad at Balo if he drops deep, saying he's trying to be Ibra and they get mad at him if he plays like a target man and stays up high, saying he wasn't involved and didn't link up play.

I'm just seriously over this Balo thing at this point. The man can't win no matter what he does

EXACTLY! Thanks honey, that is exactly my point. I personally found that Italy's tactics on the attack were just plain confusing. By the way there is more, from football-italia.



WTF. Really? Daniele De Rossi? The same guy who elbowed a US player and got sent off? That guy is suddenly a figure of morality and authority.

And how unsurprised I'm at Juve's holier-than-thou attitude. I hate those imps and their sanctimonious bullshite.

Blame it all on Balotelli. Sure.

I'm actually glad that Galliani has come out in his defence. I want us to keep Mario. I then want him to score 20 goals next season and go hug Pippo every single time. F@CK ALL OF YOU H8ERS!!

</rant>

He was isolated, yes, I'm not claiming otherwise. But he had plenty of playable balls nonetheless, especially against Uruguay, and every single time he looked like a paraplegic coming out of a coma or something. Absolutely disgraceful.



De Rossi is a respectable senior. He elbowed someone 8 years ago in a moment of play, and that's your basis for accusation? Now, now...

I just hate Roma and Juve. You should have been able to see me foaming at the mouth, especially towards the end of that post.

I hate their sanctimonious attitude of pretending to be the vanguards, the chosen knights of the Azzurri. Especially Roma with their pretensions to greatness.

Yeah, agreed. And the elbow incident is not a just a single isolated incident. De Rossi is known for his dirty moments, much like Totti.

I understand they have had some great players, but it's when they suddenly anoint themselves as worthy to speak for all of football in Italy and speak as if they know what is best...that gets to me. Shut up and play. That's your job. That's ALL your job is.

Never had a Milan player be so sanctimonious.

One thing I am happy that Galliani has done recently is defend Balo. He doesn't deserve what he's getting, the Juve players under performed more than anyone else in this tournament for the Azzurri. If someone should be targeted it should be them, especially after what they produce for their club each week

What dirty moments? You're just making that up. Totti, yes, but De Rossi is a very correct player that gives eveything for his national team.

His malicious move when playing against the United States in the World Cup that got him banned was pretty bad. Deliberate, as deliberate gets. Ranks right up their in malice alongside the De Jone karate kick, which I still have not forgiven him for, even though he played his heart out for us.

De Rossi is a very correct player that gives everything for his national team, alright, including elbows. That potentially could have taken the opposing player's eye out. Not as bad as Totti, I'll concede, but De Rossi has a nasty side to him, even though he keeps it in check most of the time. It shows in his very aggressive tackles.

And I actually like the guy, he always brings his A game, 100%. Would have liked him at Milan.

By the way, some would say that is to be expected from one who plays in the midfield. And while I can understand that, most defensive minded players have to be aggressive, De Rossi just amps it up to 11, at least for my taste. Compared to some other serial offers, he is, okay, I guess.

I already mentioned his elbow against USA, but that was 8 years ago for crying out loud! You can't build your argument on that moment alone. You get stuff like that in evey game. Personally, I don't recall De Rossi displaying any inapporopriate behavior in his career. On the contrary, I have a very fond memory when he admitted that he had scored wirh his arm in a Roma game, allowing the referee to disallow the goal which he had initially conceded.

No I am actually basing it on, what I believe is his overly aggressive behavior during play. It may not be malicious all the time, and that is why I don't lump him with other dirty players. For the record, even Gattuso and Ambrosini were onto opponents when they played, but like I said, teams need at least one or two like these.

That's another matter entirely. It doesn't affect De Rossi's integrity as an Azzurri senator.

It does not, in fact. I consider him a pillar of the Italian National Team, have for some time now.

Agreed. IMHO the next coach should dump all the "senatori" (yes, including Buffon) and start building a team around the younger players.

Go Mario !

I think that is unjustified

Punched Stefano Mauri in a game against Lazio.

Almost injured Chiellini this season and got red.

Stupid dive against Paraguay in 2010 WC.

And that's just a few moments I clearly remember. Sure, Totti is even worse. Don't get me wrong, I like De Rossi, he's a fighter. But he can be dirty.

So true.

Marchisio was **** even before the world cup in one of the friendlies I saw.

Honestly, I don't remember the first one, but the rest seem quite trivial to me. And the fact that you can't think of any more probably means there actually aren't. I don't think of De Rossi as a dirty player. Rough, sure, like Gattuso and Ambro, but not dirty.

+1

This says that since we are unlikely to get offers for Balo, we will "sacrifice" DS and Pazzo.

Also:
- We are still after either Mandzukic or Dzeko
- Kakà and Robinho are on their way out, so we will save on their salary [hmm - I have seen no news about Robinho, if true this is good news]
- We are still after Iturbe, and he has chosen Milan, apparently Inzaghi is the one that convinced him
- It is quite possible that Pazzini and Matri will be gone. Of the two, Pazzo is likely to get us more money (8-10M) and may be heading to Napoli.
- If we sell Pazzo, counting on Balo + Matri would be risky, which is why we may try to get Dzeco for 20M
- To pay for Dzeco we will probably need to sell DS, and apparently we are still talking to Real Madrid. We are asking for 18M.
- We are after Davide Zappacosta, 22 year right fullback, owned by Atalanta, spent last year on loan to Avellino

Not sure what to make about all of this, assuming it is correct. In particular, not happy to lose DS.

DS can go. Absolutely horrible season last year. tbh based on last season I'd probably only keep De Jong of the entire team.

OTOH, Kaka may stay with Milan after all (link), in which case our ability to get new players may be greatly reduced.

A) No chance, without Balotelli leaving, there's no need whatever to get a CF for a 4-3-3...

B)Supporting Milan has allowed me to feel almost happier at the prospect of players leaving then players coming in, This is one such case. They are both earning 7+M after taxes and this both stupefies me and depresses our treasury

C)I've read that Juve already got him to agree to terms...if so i think that's the end of the race, Even if it's a player + cash deal, I feel both Iturbe and Hellas would be much happier with Juve then us...Added to that is the fact that we are talking about hypothetical money as neither Mexes, Abate, Balo or MDS have been sold....

D)Palermo were looking at Matri, Chievo just lost Thereau, Atalanta might lose Denis. Surely (even if on loan) we can get rid of him... I'd welcome a sale of Pazzo to the likes of a team like Lazio. Quags has loaffed on them 2 mercatos in a row and Pazzo is a like-for-like replacement for Klose. Even with their recent signing of Djorgevic. DO it!! Besides, Considering the dead wages we have on our bench, Losing Pazzo and Matri would free up Petagna, who played wonderfully for Pippo the last few years.

E-F)Even if we don't go for Dzeko, I think MDS should be sold. Considering Constant's late season form, I wouldn't be too terrified if we have him with Albertazzi behind him. It's far from sexy but we need to maximize our liquidity and this should do just fine...

G) Why not go for a U-21 italian RB? i can't see him costing too much and he seems, from the little i've seen to have a little more versatility then Abate...Obviously, with all these saved wages, we should be looking at Darmian/Santon/Vrsalko but FAWK Zappacosta could be pretty good

I couldn't disagree more on DS, he's shown good promise and he's only 21, quite young for a defender so I wouldn't let him go.

Not a chance. He's got everything to be a great leftback.

Almost everything. but I'm not sure he's very fast.

It's too bad Milan is having such awful years. we've already managed to ruin some good talents, I don't want El Sha and DS to be the next ones because I think under the right circumstances they both can grow into very good players and the faces of the future Milan (especially MDS).

Really? How about punching Icardi this season, hmh? Or the embarrassing simulation against Chievo? Sorry man, you mention Ambrosini and Gattuso - putting them in the same sentence also doesn't make sense. Now you can call me pedantic or more sensitive, but I regard Gattuso as a brute who's always inclined to incidents, but Milan held him back. That's the same category I have for De Rossi, a dirty player, but without the grace of playing for Milan.

Ambrosini? Man, he was English-like hard, though, strong, every now and then lost his nerves or made a stupid dangerous tackle. But that's about it. He was not in De Rossi's or Gattuso's category.