03-20-2016, 03:22 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2016, 03:25 PM by ACMILAN1983.)
I think we can talk about possible transfers until we're blue in the face, but ultimately I think we won't see results until there's a clear shift in focus within the club. For me, that starts at management level. I won't go into detail because I've written a LOT of posts about it, but first and foremost, I find it insane Maldini and Albertini haven't been reintroduced into the management structure.
Secondly, I think we need to work out what we need from the current squad. Fundamentally, I think we need to work out who needs to be kept on and in what capacity. If it was me, I'd be looking at those who will contribute, on the pitch obviously, but arguably more importantly in the dressing room. Montolivo, Abate and Abbiati imo need to stay in the group. These guys are the senators these days and need to be active and vocal leaders in the group to help people adhere to the values the clubs aspires to and has traditionally had.
Alongside these guys, I think others like Antonelli and Honda need to take a prominent role in the squad and be active in driving the group towards the correct work ethic. Think of silent leaders if you will, players who lead by example and attitude, even if not vocally. Obviously having strong leaders like Maldini and Albertini can help ease the pressure on these players in the dressing room.
I think the club should also then identify those who are important in potentially becoming leaders in the next year or two. Bonaventura, Bertolacci, DES and Niang are examples of players who can step up, but need to play consistently at the highest level with the correct attitude to taking a step towards being players who would eventually take the mantle from Montolivo, Abate and Abbiati. These guys need to take on more responsibility to grow in their career and they need to understand that they are being depended on to provide leadership in the future. That means that when they play, even if it's not the best performance, no one should be able to say that they didn't give it their best.
This whole focus on ensuring players with the right mental approach should be relied on should also be a priority in the market. Any player being evaluated as a possible purchase should first and foremost be judged on how they are as a person. If there's two options available, one player who is a big talent, but lacks the right attitude and another who is less talented but is prepared to do everything it takes to try and get the results, the second player should be chosen everytime imo.
Finally, I think the club needs to start changing its culture. In recent years, Milan's tradition and culture feels like it's disappeared. Everyone, from top to bottom, needs to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, behaving with confidence, having a hard work ethic and being respectful. Milan's culture needs to go back to being a club where being at the club doesn't mean reaching an endpoint, but it's the beginning to make dreams of success a reality. I can't stress how important it is that the club has the right culture. Milan has traditionally had a culture of great ambition and success, not just winning but winning and acting with class and quality. Milan is a premium (I choose the word carefully) club, it's time it started acting that way again.
What it comes down to is before we even think about players we should be buying, we need to have a clear identity that we're striving back towards. Only once we have done this, the players we buy need to represent the qualities and values that fit with our identity and culture.
Secondly, I think we need to work out what we need from the current squad. Fundamentally, I think we need to work out who needs to be kept on and in what capacity. If it was me, I'd be looking at those who will contribute, on the pitch obviously, but arguably more importantly in the dressing room. Montolivo, Abate and Abbiati imo need to stay in the group. These guys are the senators these days and need to be active and vocal leaders in the group to help people adhere to the values the clubs aspires to and has traditionally had.
Alongside these guys, I think others like Antonelli and Honda need to take a prominent role in the squad and be active in driving the group towards the correct work ethic. Think of silent leaders if you will, players who lead by example and attitude, even if not vocally. Obviously having strong leaders like Maldini and Albertini can help ease the pressure on these players in the dressing room.
I think the club should also then identify those who are important in potentially becoming leaders in the next year or two. Bonaventura, Bertolacci, DES and Niang are examples of players who can step up, but need to play consistently at the highest level with the correct attitude to taking a step towards being players who would eventually take the mantle from Montolivo, Abate and Abbiati. These guys need to take on more responsibility to grow in their career and they need to understand that they are being depended on to provide leadership in the future. That means that when they play, even if it's not the best performance, no one should be able to say that they didn't give it their best.
This whole focus on ensuring players with the right mental approach should be relied on should also be a priority in the market. Any player being evaluated as a possible purchase should first and foremost be judged on how they are as a person. If there's two options available, one player who is a big talent, but lacks the right attitude and another who is less talented but is prepared to do everything it takes to try and get the results, the second player should be chosen everytime imo.
Finally, I think the club needs to start changing its culture. In recent years, Milan's tradition and culture feels like it's disappeared. Everyone, from top to bottom, needs to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, behaving with confidence, having a hard work ethic and being respectful. Milan's culture needs to go back to being a club where being at the club doesn't mean reaching an endpoint, but it's the beginning to make dreams of success a reality. I can't stress how important it is that the club has the right culture. Milan has traditionally had a culture of great ambition and success, not just winning but winning and acting with class and quality. Milan is a premium (I choose the word carefully) club, it's time it started acting that way again.
What it comes down to is before we even think about players we should be buying, we need to have a clear identity that we're striving back towards. Only once we have done this, the players we buy need to represent the qualities and values that fit with our identity and culture.