Paolo Maldini - the farewell

Originally Posted by lanuora

Who do they think they are ? the owners of AC MIlan ?

They are the ones who should be thanked for participating in making the product of AC Milan.

Without the cheers, songs and backing from the supporters in a match, the match gets really boring. They provide the magic just as much as alot of the players.

Without good, loyal, dedicated local supporters then the club doesn't mean anything.

Originally Posted by Iggy

They are the ones who should be thanked for participating in making the product of AC Milan.

Without the cheers, songs and backing from the supporters in a match, the match gets really boring. They provide the magic just as much as alot of the players.

Without good, loyal, dedicated local supporters then the club doesn't mean anything.

Ok, Iggy, I understand that part of the story - that is how it should be.
But here is an article from a dutch paper. I will try to translate as good as possible. If there dutch people around here - please help me.
Italiaanse supporters worden tifosi genoemd, afgeleid van het Griekse woord typhus, om de ziekte te omschrijven. De voetbaltyfus komt het vaakst voor onder ultràs. Ultràs zijn de meest fanatieke fans onder de aanhang. Ze staan opeengepakt in de curva. Ultràs zijn zeer invloedrijk. Ze runnen hun eigen bars, radiozenders, brengen kranten en fanzines op de markt en verdienen bakken met geld aan de verkoop van shirtjes en sjaals.

Aan het hoofd van elke groep ultràs staat de capocurva, een soort maffiabaas die in het vak achter het doel de lakens uitdeelt. De Don Corleone van de curva bepaalt wie de tweede ring op mag, bedenkt de tekst voor op spandoeken, bepaalt de maat voor de muziek, welke speler wordt aangemoedigd en wie juist niet.

Capocurva's worden niet gekozen, ze staan op. Het zijn natuurlijke leiders die de nummers van spelers in hun mobiel hebben geprogrammeerd en die privé kunnen bellen met president Berlusconi. De relatie tussen club en harde kern was er ooit één van wederzijds respect maar inmiddels regeert de angst en spelen tifosi de baas. Ze eisen steeds meer, gratis kaartjes, nieuwe spelers. Krijgen ze hun zin niet, dan dreigen ze met geweld of de curva blijft leeg.

Adriano Galliani, vice-president van AC Milan, wordt al twee jaar lang door een stel capucchonnetjes geïntimideerd en gaat zonder escorte de straat niet op. Toen Milan in 2005 de Champions League-finale na het nemen van strafschoppen verloor van Liverpool, werd de ploeg bij thuiskomst bijkans gelyncht.

Als één van de weinigen durfde Paolo Maldini het daarna aan om het gedrag van de ultràs te veroordelen. En hij was al legendarisch, Paooooolino.

in a few words, this article says that the ültra´s are a very mighty group. "They have their own bars, newspapers, radiostations and make a lot of money by selling shirts and scarfs. They also have the numbers of the players in their mobile phones and talk privately to president Berlusconi.
The relationship between Milan and the ultra´s was never build on respect for eachother, but in these days fear reigns and the ultra´s became the boss. They claim more and more for themselves, like free tickets, new players, etc. If they don´t get what they want, they threaten with violence or to leave the crva empty. Galliani has been intimitated for two years and won´t walk the street without bodygards.
Maldini, as one of a very few, dared to judge te behaviour of the ultra´s".......and so on....

Is that all true ? Does it really go that far ?

i dont think the ultras have enough money..all they earn they spent it on watching and travelling with milan..if they ask for free tickets its probably because they dont have enough money..

there is this guy the head of ultras called Il barone..he has contacts with the top officials in the milan board..

all this idoitic expresions were all due to the team being incompetent for years..at one point you get too frustrated and you lose it all...this is what happens with these fellows...

Originally Posted by Iggy

They are the ones who should be thanked for participating in making the product of AC Milan.

Without the cheers, songs and backing from the supporters in a match, the match gets really boring. They provide the magic just as much as alot of the players.

Without good, loyal, dedicated local supporters then the club doesn't mean anything.

They may have provided a lot of passion in the support but by no means does that mean they can do such things. I mean, the fact they threatened repeatedly the club the "love" shows how low they really are. If they really are such great supporters, they wouldn't have ever thought about such actions.

Originally Posted by regin

i dont think the ultras have enough money..all they earn they spent it on watching and travelling with milan..if they ask for free tickets its probably because they dont have enough money..

there is this guy the head of ultras called Il barone..he has contacts with the top officials in the milan board..

all this idoitic expresions were all due to the team being incompetent for years..at one point you get too frustrated and you lose it all...this is what happens with these fellows...

That's a rubbish excuse for what they did, and it's not even correct as they quite clearly aimed their displeasure towards Maldini himself, not at the club for which they did separate demonstrations.

In response to the curva's reaction last wee, a group of Milan fans have come together to set up a tribute site for Maldini. Check it out! http://www.paolomaldini3.com/

Originally Posted by ACMILAN1983

They may have provided a lot of passion in the support but by no means does that mean they can do such things. I mean, the fact they threatened repeatedly the club the "love" shows how low they really are. If they really are such great supporters, they wouldn't have ever thought about such actions.

I agree that there should be bondaries and I think what's lacking between supporters and clubs around europe is dialogue between them. We're all about the same goal, making a successful club with a good supporterbase that provide a fantastic atmosphere. I don't get why there seems to be lack of working together between them (and yet, let the ultras feel that they have freedom, just with guidelines or something).

Hi everyone,

Haven't been here for ages. A friend of mine just created a tribute website for Capitano. Would be great if you guys can post a message for him there

http://paolomaldini3.com/home.html

Guardiola wants Paolo at Barca

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain...e-at-barcelona

goal.com honour to Maldini
http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/22...ames-for-italy

Paolo Maldini's career in photos
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8066004.stm

Thanx for that site and good to see you here Gabrielle

oh well, that's now every single footballer that was playing when I started watching football and milan retired (well their might be some really old goalies I guess in a lower league)

it's a bit weird.

one of my all time sporting idols. I never tired of telling people no matter how good they thought messi or ronaldo or ronaldinho were, all the glamour players, that not one of them, not a single one would walk into an all time XI. There was however one player still playing that would, and it was maldini, who cemented his place as not just one of the greatest defenders, but the greatest left back the game has ever seen. (though he made handy centre back as well in the later years)

i feel very sad to last night. I mean, maldini, the heart and the soul of Milan, isn't going to play anymore. He's a remarkable person. He's the one and only. He has a very good personality, he's the inspiration of all milan's players, and of course he had inspired me a lot. I don't know what to say, as a milanisti, a thousand words of "grazie" wouldnt be enough for him.
i hope milan will be just fine without him. we hope..
Hali to Maldini. Grazie capitano!
i really hope to see and meet him someday..

PAOLO: O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN