Winter Mercato 2011

"Liverpool are ready to take on AC Milan in the race to sign £9m-rated Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda from CSKA Moscow."

Just copy pasting it here, who knows

Originally Posted by ACMILAN1983

Sorry to double post, but another decent article (from goal.com surprisingly) which is relevant to us, given our injury problems over the past few years.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1124/cal...out-20-players

Serie A should be 18 teams imo as it used to be. Hated the idea of having 4 extra matches a season, especially given the impact that CL also has.

Will only happen if players and agents stop asking for huge contracts and record breaking transfer fees.

Originally Posted by Gio-mania

At first it seemed very funny too. It sort of pissed me off; these guys are the last ones who should be going on strike. But having looked at the proposed contract, the players aren't 100% wrong…

1. WAGES
Clubs want: Flexible contract, tied to results
AIC* wants: Only up to 50% variable

2. EXCLUSIVE
Lega Calcio: Players can be exclusively players.
AIC: players should be free to do what they want when they dont work

3. BEHAVIOR
Lega: Strict behavior code even off the field
AIC: total freedom off the field

4. MEDICAL TREATMENT
Clubs: Only from club specialists.
AIC: freedom to choose, making the clubs pay.

5. SANCTIONS
Clubs: Automatic incase of absence
AIC: To be decided on occasion by the the referee board

6. REFEREES
Lega: reform the board, with a president external to football
AIC: no change.

7. PREPARATION
Lega: The manager/coach can decide to separate players into different training groups
AIC: keep an only group

8. REJECTIONS
Lega: A player cannot reject a transfer to a club of the same quality and with guaranteed money. If he refuses, the contract will be resolved with 50%
of the salary being paid, and the player is free to sign with whom he pleases.
AIC: no change.

My Opinion:

1. 50% Guaranteed, 50% tied to results ( Barring injuries)

2. Players FREE to do what they want when they are not at work

3. Total Freedom off field

4. Only from Club specialists, or Option to go elsewhere ( Players then PAY)

5. Sanctions? Not sure what they mean but I tend to say if there are sanctions on a player, it should be decided by Referee board

6. COllina until he DIES

7. Manager/coach decides what he wants to do in his training sessions. PERIOD.

8. Both sides must honor contract. If a player wants out, then and only then can a contract be negotiated. In other words, if a player acts up because he wants to be sold, then club could negotiate contract. This is a difficult subject...

When will actually Ronaldinho's contract be expired?

According to this, it is 2012 (this list is old but his contract end but the contract situation should be true or if not, the real contracts from the players are longer that it said.

Offtopic: World Soccer magazine will now have a regular tactics column by Jonathan Wilson (author of Inverting the Pyramid)

Originally Posted by Reza

"Liverpool are ready to take on AC Milan in the race to sign £9m-rated Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda from CSKA Moscow."

Just copy pasting it here, who knows

9m is a good price for honda.. he'll add some depth in r midfield and attack, i think it would be best option for jan if we are not to sell anyone and contracts are still to finish in the summer.. imo i cant see a big transfer going through as far as january mercato is concerned, especially with alot of players cup tied etc midway through seasonn

Milan Milanovic to Juventus?

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy...-join-juventus

In Honda we trust. Just gets Honda, Hernanes and/or Jucelei to replace Dinho, and Seedorf for the coming season. Both midfield and attack will be fix and Milan can actually play modern football for a change.

As for defense, I know a lot of you are crying for another CB but thats the problem, if Nesta is healthy there is no way he will be bench. I think Milan should just stick with Bonera and Papa until Nesta retires, then go for a WC CB. FB wise, Milan just need someone that can actually run for 90mins. Abate is a good start, Antonini is solid, if they can get Nagamoto or Cissokho, that will be awesome.

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

In Honda we trust. Just gets Honda, Hernanes and/or Jucelei to replace Dinho, and Seedorf for the coming season. Both midfield and attack will be fix and Milan can actually play modern football for a change.

As for defense, I know a lot of you are crying for another CB but thats the problem, if Nesta is healthy there is no way he will be bench. I think Milan should just stick with Bonera and Papa until Nesta retires, then go for a WC CB. FB wise, Milan just need someone that can actually run for 90mins. Abate is a good start, Antonini is solid, if they can get Nagamoto or Cissokho, that will be awesome.

Ambitious plans for the midfield, but I'm not against them even though there are plenty of other possibilities.

Disagree on the defence though. Bonera and Sokratis aren't trustworthy, Sokratis is still young so he can have another chance. Antonini is slightly above average. Abate has pace, but is still below average in my view and I don't really believe he will get much better.

Defence (full backs especially) and midfield need to be our top priority. Inzaghi is probably finished at this level, so we need a backup striker. Maybe some youth like Paloschi, Berretta or Zigoni?

Just so that we are linked with Hulk.

Since when did we stepping away from English and Spanish targets become stereotypical?

If Honda comes, I think the strikers are fine, since Honda can also play as a CF.
The reason why I said the CB are good enough simply bc if Milan sign someone like David Luiz, then if Silva, Nesta and Luiz are all healthy, which two will start? Beside, thats why I said, Milan should only sign a WC CB when Nesta retires not while he still can play at a top 5 cb in the world.
As for FB, nothing against them, but I am never a fan of having great FBs, esp now since there are only few. Simply bc, FB is the icing on the cake, if the team got a strong mid, great attk and balance, any solid FBs will do. Simic and Kala were the fbs when Milan won in 03, some might say Kala was great that year, but I still think he was mistake prone and Nesta and Cap covered his ass very well. Then came Cafu and Pancaro, both free transfer and over 32, and Milan won the league. Cafu was awesome and Pancaro was solid, but I think Kaka made the bigger diff. Point is that, as long as the team is balance with a strong midfield and attk, you will only need solid FBs.

Originally Posted by mihan

Just so that we are linked with Hulk.

Since when did we stepping away from English and Spanish targets become stereotypical?

I think it will be tough to attract top class strikers for Milan mainly based on the lack of funds and most importantly, no top class strikers will want to come to Milan knowing that they could be sitting on the bench. Pls don't think players don't mind the competition bs, as most if not all players would rather be playing regularly than worry about whether or not he will start the next game. That's why Milan is going for players like Hulk

Originally Posted by Gabriel489

If Honda comes, I think the strikers are fine, since Honda can also play as a CF.
The reason why I said the CB are good enough simply bc if Milan sign someone like David Luiz, then if Silva, Nesta and Luiz are all healthy, which two will start? Beside, thats why I said, Milan should only sign a WC CB when Nesta retires not while he still can play at a top 5 cb in the world.
As for FB, nothing against them, but I am never a fan of having great FBs, esp now since there are only few. Simply bc, FB is the icing on the cake, if the team got a strong mid, great attk and balance, any solid FBs will do. Simic and Kala were the fbs when Milan won in 03, some might say Kala was great that year, but I still think he was mistake prone and Nesta and Cap covered his ass very well. Then came Cafu and Pancaro, both free transfer and over 32, and Milan won the league. Cafu was awesome and Pancaro was solid, but I think Kaka made the bigger diff. Point is that, as long as the team is balance with a strong midfield and attk, you will only need solid FBs.

Unfortunately, in the last few games, he was far from the Top 10 CB in the world, he wasn't even in the Italian Top 5 ... I hope it's just because he was tired, or we're going to have problems if Sokratis is unable to step up during the season or if Thiago Silva is again injured.

I think that was being tired and having nagging injuries. Ofcourse, if he continues to play crap like that, I think he will call it quits himself.

Originally Posted by Arildonardo

Ambitious plans for the midfield, but I'm not against them even though there are plenty of other possibilities.

Disagree on the defence though. Bonera and Sokratis aren't trustworthy, Sokratis is still young so he can have another chance. Antonini is slightly above average. Abate has pace, but is still below average in my view and I don't really believe he will get much better.

Defence (full backs especially) and midfield need to be our top priority. Inzaghi is probably finished at this level, so we need a backup striker. Maybe some youth like Paloschi, Berretta or Zigoni?

How nice would it be to go out and get DZEKO now???

-----------------------Dzeko---------------
--------Ibrahimovic------------------------
--------------------------------------------
-----------------Honda--------------------
--------------------------------------------
-----Jucilei------Pirlo-----Boateng/Flamini
---------------------------------------------
Coentrao-----------------------------Abate
-------------T. Silva--Nesta----------------
----------------Abbiati----------------------


Then pato can sit on bench injured as much as he wants

And Ibra can have a Pippo-like penalty box player like he likes !!!

Seedorf and Ronaldinho can be sold for Gatorade