Summer mercato 2012

[Hasan Rossonero]

This whole thing is just getting ridiculous now. I am starting to feel like the club's management can't be trusted anymore. They promise the fans one thing, then they do another.

That being said, I understand that we are talking about a lot of money here, perhaps more than Milan can afford to reject. But like Kastriot pointed out, the club is starting to look like a cheap whore.

Like I said during the first T. Silva saga earlier this summer, I am starting to lose interest here. I am not the kind of fan who needs Milan to win all the time, but I do need to feel like I am supporting a respectable club that also respects me as a fan. Right now I don't feel that at all, and for the first time since I became a fan some 18 years ago, I feel kinda indifferent about the start of the new season. I'm not all that interested in the new players, I haven't even bothered to check our schedule of pre-season friendlies, and I don't sit here wondering how Allegri and the team can win back the scudetto this season. I have no desire to go to the stadium, buy merchandise, pay for TV subscriptions to the channels that show Milan games, etc.

I have been a die-hard supporter for many years, but it feels like something broke this summer. I don't feel the connection to Milan that I did before. I don't recognize my club anymore, nor the game of football itself (thanks to clubs like PSG, Man City, etc). Let them sell Silva and Ibra if they want. At this point, what does it matter anymore?

This is similar to how I feel.

Our club has no future. Juventus have a future, and so do Inter. They're in talks to build a new stadium, and they have kept a hold of their stars so far. Roma are slowly building themselves up too.

But Milan are no longer a big club in behaviour, only in history. We are a selling club and everyone is fair game. Players will see us as a stepping stone to bigger, richer clubs, similar to Arsenal. Actually Arsenal are also better in terms of wanting to keep their stars. We clearly don't. We are run by an owner (I can't even say his name anymore) who doesn't particularly care about our prestige on the field.

Every year we were improving. Two years ago we lost in the Champions League to Tottenham in the second round. A year later we skinned Arsenal 4-0 and reached the quarters, only to lose to Barcelona.

We needed to build on this team. If we had a serious project we would have. Now, as I see it, we are making a competent team that is there to show up and hope for the best. I honestly don't care who comes in. In a few years they will be for sale because we are becoming a small club. Our past legends have said as much.

I am not exaggerating here. Milan are not seen as big players any more. PSG are knocking on our door because they know we're weak-willed, poor, and run by an owner who would sell anyone if he had to. Anyone. United wouldn't unless a player wants to leave, and other clubs would behave the same way. We are a club that can not only not afford to buy stars (I can live with that), but they can't even afford to keep their stars (a new low). It is still yet to be seen whether T. Silva will be part of this deal (I have doubts), but if he is, it will be a repulsive change of events.

We have been lied to constantly. No other club moans about poverty as much as Milan does every summer. It's demoralizing. Our owner doesn't have the real drive to get something done for our stadium situation either. As far as I see it, he is keeping Milan on life support as he decides what to do with his failing political career, court cases that pop up more than Inzaghi in the box, fines (that were legitimate as far as I can tell) etc. His children are eminently mediocre as well notwithstanding Barbara's dossier about T. Silva. Her love affair with Pato cost us money in January, and do we need a dossier by some half-wit to convince us of T. Silva's value??? The stories concocted about us and our modus operandi are dismaying and sometimes downright laughable.

Meanwhile, other European clubs plan for the new season in earnest with serious directors who are mostly up front with the fans. I don't expect much--just a modicum of honesty and a clear vision. Something like...listen we plan to buy a our own stadium and we need to make these sales. We have to come in line with FFP and be competitive based mainly on our revenue. But there is no plan. There is only mendacity every single summer.