[nefremo]

Hasan, I don't want to say that I don't agree, because partly what you said is great and it would be good for us to pace his increase (it is inevitable that he'll be making millions very soon). BUT at the same time Pato's agents aren't stupid and they can see what the boy is becoming.

I agree that football has become crazy with these salaries and it's beyond control. BUT, it is what it is and you have to keep up with it in order to stay competitive and keep up the 'brand' (name).

So when it comes up to Pato, (and other players too for that matter), players should be payed accordingly to their performances, and commercial value (will explain why this as well). So age shouldn't really matter.....at least not when talking about a young player. If talking about an old player then yes, because evidently the performance levels will go down so long term contracts should not be given. (we have plenty of examples of this in our squad)

But what does Pato's age have to do with his salary RIGHT NOW. Yes he is young but he is not unproven. He has proven that he can score goals, improve our play and actually be our best player more then once. If he was an unproven young talent then yes I agree....but not for Pato. He is young but he has given us much more then many other players that are making tripple/quadruple of what he makes.

Also, when I mentioned commercial value (maybe some people don't agree).....I'll take Ronaldinho or Kaka as an example. These players do so much for the Milan brand (just by mentioning their name in our line-up/squad). So I don't mind Ronaldinho making as much as he does because as a matter of fact Milan will make that money back from him in commercial value. (yes even with only 25% of his rights or whatever it is) This players make so much money for the club that you kind of have no choice but to give them these salaries. Seeing at the coverage done on Pato and the popularity that he has gotten in the last year or so.......he is quickly catching up to the big stars of world football. Young or not.....it's simply ridiculous that Oddo makes more then double of what Pato makes.

So what really gets on my nerves is not Pato, or Dinho or Kaka. But how much players like Kaladze, Dida, Oddo, etc. make in this squad. It's beying belief when in fact they don't turn in the performances NOR do they have commercial value (at lest have some value in order to be making 2.5/3.5/4mil). TV coverage is not going to be in bigger demand because of ODDO. Fans do not buy Oddo's shirt and people don't become Milan fans because of Oddo. (This is something that us fanatics hate, but like it or not it happens every day because of players like Ronaldinho and Pato.......and this brings money (more fans) to Milan)