Summer Mercato

Originally Posted by Mystik

I doubt we'll get Dinho + striker simply because with Dinho we'll play 4-3-2-1 with Dinho and Kaka behind a striker. That would mean we have Pato, our new striker, Borriello AND pippo all fighting for one spot...something I don't think makes too much sense.

4-2-2-2 isn't a good option because it would give Dinho and Kaka too much of a defensive responsibility IMO.

It's best we save Pippo for the important matches and the UEFA Cup... we need to have a deep set of strikers. If we have another injury crisisof strikers, then we could have a bigger problem. It allows us to shuffleour strikers with less problems. For example with the Coppa Italia, Borriello could play a bigger role in it.

The strikers I want at Milan are: Adebayor (or Eto'o, but as some say he's too expensive, wages and fee to Barca), Pato, Borriello, Pippo... I think if we get another attacking midfielder we could reduce the strain on Kaka and Seedorf to conduct all the runs. And Seedorf is getting older. He too must be saved for bigger more important matches.

Seedorf remember was injured before the Arsenal game in a match I think against Parma (but not sure).

If one of our attacking midfielders and strikers is injured, we have a problem. Best to have 4-5 strikers in our squad. So... Adebayor (24), Pato (18), Inzaghi (35), Borriello (26)... seems like a good age range for Milan... we always need that older more experienced striker (Inzaghi), the young fast strikers (Adebayor and Pato), and the supplemental one that could play next to any of them (Borriello).

BTW, Adebayor is convincing me because he's really good aerially...

To belatedly answer Tony29 re the impact that Italian clubs will have on the mercato:

IMO there will be some impact in that Inter will try to match whatever we do to some extent.

However I don't see Juve (after the Amauri, and the Xabi splash out) making any more big purchases, the Viola don't have much more money to buy players, and let's face it, who else is there: Roma? They will sell before they buy, and again, no big fees there for me.

Lazio...nah...Genoa? Napoli? They at least have the potentail to, but surely not so soon after re-entry into the top flight.

The cold hard facts are that the EPL clubs earn significantly more than their Spanish, Italian and French neighbours from the mega-tv deals the league signs, as well as has been mentioned, the ownership of stadia is commonplace for clubs in the UK...

Combine the mercandising opportunities created by the worldwide audience that the EPL enjoys, and u see the immediate disadvantages of a league like the Serie A....with fan violence, empty, poorly maintained stadia....and a product that many find dull because of the tactical (read defensive-counter-attacking) nature of most of the minnows...few of my friends in Jamaica watch the Serie A. To them its "boring" when compared to the manic running of the EPL. I admit this is a small sample size, but just check the global audience figures for the EPL, and they are not all fans because of historical ties alone.

The English clubs can afford to spend more, and have been, and until the Serie A clubs start to earn more from tv rights and stadium ownership, that situation will persist.

Now that outside investors have entered the picture in the EPL, and in some cases, despite the increased debt thus created, a dimension new to the UK, due to the wealth of these owners has been created: "The Billionaire Owner Syndrome" or BOS...that Man City could even make an offer for R10 shows the potential impact and further increase the advantage for EPL clubs.

Spanish clubs as well have generally more spending power, though Madrid, Barca and maybe Atletico are the ones that have the majority of the loot...with the windfall from tv rights that the EPL clubs get, even Blackburn* can afford to make £20M transfers...a sum that for a club like Udinese would represent the sum total of their market spend.

Then there is the whole pay/salary/tax issue as far as the players are concerned...are again, not in Serie A's favor.

The overall Italian impact this mercato could be bigger than in previous years, but ultimately will still be dwarfed by the EPL and La Liga spending.



* some points may be exaggerated for impact.

Amauri was a mistake in my opinion... he's not really that great. In fact he scored less goals than Borriello, and only scored what.. 20 in two years?

Just wondering, can anyone state the reasons why EPL clubs have better TV deals than La Liga and Series A?

Because they can sell the rights to view matches for more money to a global audience.

1. The old English "Empire" aka "The Commonwealth" provides a huge population already culturally associated with all things British, so the BBC would carry reports of matches as early as these colonies had radios to receive the signal...so many "fans" developed who for years perhaps for their entire lives, never even saw their team actually play.

Consider the grandson of such a fan, who now enjoys EPL Matches, 5 per weekend...

2. Its the "home of the game" so even some Latin Americans will follow EPL clubs for instance....and

3. The marketing of the product (fast, attacking football....if tactically naïve) is topclass...just compare the official EPL review show to that for any of the other leagues, and u will get my meaning.

As far as I have seen, only the Argentines have a comparable review show.

There may be more reasons, but my wife is calling me to bed...and its getting late.

Manana.

England may have invented football, but Italy and Brazil perfected it.

Yes, the EPL game is generally faster and it is more back and forth actions, but I doubt anyone in the world, except those hometowners, would say that a game between Aston Villa and West Ham is exciting.....

To me, I think the reasons why EPL TV deals are worth more than Series A has a lot to do with how the league market itself to the global auidence. Yes, English commentary is a key but I doubt people in Japan watch EPL in English instead of Japanese.

Think about it, when it comes to TOP earning stars(advertising wise), beside Beckham, players like Dinho, Eto, Kaka, Messi, DP, Zatlan, ZZ, Davids, Nakata, Figo, Ronaldo, R. Carlos, and others does not and never did play in the EPL. Yes there are stars like Ballack(idol of addias), or Henry and C7 or Cesc, or Rooney now playing in the EPL. But the point is that est. stars(advertising standpoint) do not play in the EPL. Now the question is, how did the EPL manage to sell it products better than La Liga and Series A.

I mean, if we list out all the stars with great appeal and sale value, I am sure La Liga and Series A would have more stars than EPL, and by gosh, just Milan alone have more such stars than anyone in the EPL, yes even ManU.
I really think all the Series A MGT should really get together and discuss about how to market itself and the league instead of just complaining about tax issue and other stuff that make them less competitive.

Originally Posted by Tony29.

We may witness a very interesting summer mercato after all. After 5 years of average mercatos in serie A, this year the Italians will maybe rule the market.
Flamini rejected EPL football in order to sign for Milan. Liverpool are forced to sell Xabi (probably to Juve) in order to buy Barry. Now if Milan buy Adebayor even though Arsenal are trying to keep him and if Inter do manage to buy Lampard, Serie A will become much more respectable.
Add Mourinho to Inter and you'll see that the Italians do mean business this summer.

Warro kind of said it. Apart from Moratti possibly wanting to match anything Milan gets I don't see some transfers for us changing anything. Two rich club owners fighting it out again. But my belief is that all Italian clubs already have their plan and that Milan is the club with the most need to rebuild. Apart from Milan and Inter and our owners there really is no money in Italy (compared to especially EPL). More below.

Originally Posted by Giancarlo

Indeed we may, and the average mediocre transfer seasons may be coming to the end this year. I think Italian clubs have always have had more money. Either way, more money or not, we have far less debt than EPL teams... the debt is staggering for some EPL teams. I think we are already seeing this happen as some teams may be forced to sell some players to help cover debt costs. I know this is a bit of a guess, but I think even Cristiano Ronaldo could be leaving the EPL for Spain.

It have very little to do with how much money the clubs have. Anyone with just even a little knowledge knows that the English clubs have a lot of more money than the Italian ones in general. Moratti and Berlu is rich, but EPL have Thaksim and Roman who are about as rich, but spend more. As for income the EPL clubs rule and even unsuccesful middle of the table teams have greater income than Juventus. The Spanish teams in general don't have more money than the Italian ones, but Real and Barcelona (especially Real) have ridiculous incomes, in particular from domestic TV deals. That is what Real will use to try to get Cristiano. ManU for sure don't need to sell.

Another little note, the clubs with the biggest debts in EPL have that because of their stadium plans mostly. Newly built club owned stadiums that bring in a lot of money. ManU of course have the problem with their owner and the debts they accrued, but since they **** money that is not a big problem.

Originally Posted by Giancarlo

And I certainly don't think Udinese is going to sell Quagliarella or Di Natale any time soon.

Udinese have always been a selling club. The best managed club in Italy that never make a deficit. They will sell them if they get a price they like. Just like Zapata will leave, maybe not this summer, but then next.

Originally Posted by Ceceves

It's true that Eto'o physically can't match Adebayor, but he has other qualities; while he's no targetman he's certainly a fox-in-the-box-kinda-player. Much like Inzaghi, he's not 1,95 m and he doesn't weigh in at 90+ kg, but he's very clever positionally and can work his way towards the ball, instead of plowing his way there, like Ade or Luca Toni for instance. And once he's on the ball, Eto'o's just so much sharper than Ade. Pippo's a great scorer in Serie A, why not Sammy?

Not physcially match? Eto'o is way faster than Adebayor.

Originally Posted by Warro Bantan

The cold hard facts are that the EPL clubs earn significantly more than their Spanish, Italian and French neighbours from the mega-tv deals the league signs, as well as has been mentioned, the ownership of stadia is commonplace for clubs in the UK...

Combine the mercandising opportunities created by the worldwide audience that the EPL enjoys, and u see the immediate disadvantages of a league like the Serie A....with fan violence, empty, poorly maintained stadia....and a product that many find dull because of the tactical (read defensive-counter-attacking) nature of most of the minnows...few of my friends in Jamaica watch the Serie A. To them its "boring" when compared to the manic running of the EPL. I admit this is a small sample size, but just check the global audience figures for the EPL, and they are not all fans because of historical ties alone.

The English clubs can afford to spend more, and have been, and until the Serie A clubs start to earn more from tv rights and stadium ownership, that situation will persist.

You got some thing on the spot, but I suspect you don't know the what is most important here...

The biggest difference between the EPL clubs and the serie A clubs is match day revenue. Not only do the EPL clubs own the stadium, they sell their tickets for way higher prices than in Italy and their stadiums is always sold out. They also have newer stadiums in general with great facilities to make extra money. We are talking huge sums here, nto some paltry 5%.

English economy is really a big difference.

As for TV deals, for most of thel leagues the majority of TV money comes from domestic distribution. that is were Real Madrid have a €100M deal, what they get from world wide Tv deals is just pennies in comparison.

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

To me, I think the reasons why EPL TV deals are worth more than Series A has a lot to do with how the league market itself to the global auidence. Yes, English commentary is a key but I doubt people in Japan watch EPL in English instead of Japanese.

I mean, if we list out all the stars with great appeal and sale value, I am sure La Liga and Series A would have more stars than EPL, and by gosh, just Milan alone have more such stars than anyone in the EPL, yes even ManU.
I really think all the Series A MGT should really get together and discuss about how to market itself and the league instead of just complaining about tax issue and other stuff that make them less competitive.

Like I said above, the real money for TV deals is domestic. don't think language, think empire. England ruled the world and still holds much more influence in the world than Italy. It is a factor.

As for your other point I believe that is mostly based upon your bias and perspective, you live in Italy. I am not surprised you then comes to the view that Italian stars hold more sway and power. Check instead how the EPL holds clearly more national team players than serie A. What you said was true 7+ years ago. Not now.

Serie A teams have more Italian national team players, than EPL teams have English national team players. If that's what you mean. But the EPL clearly does not have more national team players... that's wrong. Incorrect. Inaccurate.

How does England rule the soccer world when Italy is considered one of the best in the world along with Brazil? Smell the coffee. Italy and Brazil rule everything these days. And the EPL is all about money and little substance. In fact I didn't come to this forum to hear about how great the EPL is, when it can't even hold players anymore. They are all trying to leave either to Spain or Italy.

I don't live in Italy, I live in HK, and I am 100% Chinese., pls dont use the race or culture or location card.


As for starpower, not going to argue with you, as I clearly see your points.

However, I can't agree with you since I doubt Series A have less media stars than EPL. Just look at all the commerials from Nike and Addias, with the exception of this past two years, how many players can u name that plays in the EPL. The other thing is how often did a player from EPL won individual awards.

What I am trying to say is that EPL did a great job of marketing themselves while Series A did not. The problem is that EPL did not just start doing it over the past few years, they had been doing it for a bit over 10 years now. It is only now that more and more people are starting to see the diff between wealth in EPL and Series A and other leagues in general.

Vargas has completed his move from Catania to Fiorentina:

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...ia/jun26b.html

Thursday 26 June, 2008

Reports: Lippi agrees Azzurri deal

Press sources in Italy are reporting that Marcello Lippi met with FIGC President Giancarlo Abete last night and agreed to return to the Azzurri bench.

I can't see Eto'o joining Milan. His wage is out of this world, and what really weights football club's balances are wages, not tag prices, which can be split over a x number of years (they are paid in several parts).
Adebayor's wage is lower, and wouldn't cause turmoil in the dressing room.

If you give Eto'o 8 M, then you have other key players asking for a considerable contract renewing.

On another note, Eto'o is not a target man, while Adebayor would do the dirty job which would open spaces for Kakà and Pato. No doubt Eto'o is a great player and would be an improvement for Milan attack nonetheless, but he prefers to play wide and then get into the box ( a bit like Sheva), while Adebayor is a target man and slightly better on headers, which is the purpose we're aiming for a new striker.

Ps. i watched Adebayor playing live at San Siro: he looked like a pro runner among amateurish athletes. He's physically unstoppable.

lippi's return will be folllwed by nesta's return from international retirement .. we don't want that because he will be playing more being more tired and injured more .. but as an azzuri fan i say he is essential for the national team now so a reliable CB must be bought to cover up for nesta ... zapata is the man for the job