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Old 28-10-2007, 23:31   #46
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Well, in the column we don't necessarily talk about how BAD (REALLY? REALLY? REALLY?) Milan is; we can talk about different types of things and I can come up with different topics. The most important point is to be critical. I certainly welcome your idea, drucurl, even if you just bash Gilardino. Not too extreme though, please.
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Old 28-10-2007, 23:32   #47
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I'm all for that.

I'll gladly check punctuation and spelling.
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Old 28-10-2007, 23:49   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff
Well, in the column we don't necessarily talk about how BAD (REALLY? REALLY? REALLY?) Milan is; we can talk about different types of things and I can come up with different topics. The most important point is to be critical. I certainly welcome your idea, drucurl, even if you just bash Gilardino. Not too extreme though, please.
Nope no gila bashing (today) I am more upset with the ref. I don't mind refereeing mistakes or bad decisions....we're human.....but when an official is consistent in giving the other side their way it doesn't go down well with me at all
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Old 29-10-2007, 16:57   #49
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From theGuardian:

Quote:
Paolo BandiniOctober 29, 2007 5:19 PM
Say what you like about Silvio Berlusconi (he always will), but he does support his manager. OK, so he might occasionally criticise Carlo Ancelotti's selection policies, refuse to buy the players the Milan manager wants and attempt to take credit for all his successes, but in a league where managerial job security is flimsier than Laura Esposto's grasp of footballing basics, Carletto has been able to enjoy a rare stability. Appointed to replace Fatih Terim in November 2001, Ancelotti has been in his job almost twice as long as closest rival Roberto Mancini. Those two aside, of Italy's 18 other top-flight bosses, 12 have held their posts for less than 10 months.

Of course, Ancelotti has justified such faith - two Champions Leagues, two Super Cups, one Scudetto and a Coppa Italia isn't a bad return for six years' work - but has also had to endure criticism. Many would have considered Berlusconi to have been justified in cutting his losses last season during a campaign that only brightened in its closing act. Were it not for one marginal win over Liverpool last May, the clamour for change would now surely be deafening. Yesterday's defeat to Roma left the Rossoneri slumped in 13th, with 10 points from nine games and no wins in five league attempts at the San Siro.

"Even Homer slept sometimes," soothed Silvio after the defeat, breaking into Latin ("Et Homerus aliquando dormet") and slightly misquoting Horace. "I remember years when we racked up negative results and then we started winning again, as usual. There's nothing to worry about. Even I, if I had to give a speech every three days, would make a mistake sometimes."

Unlikely as that last part may sound, Silvio's main point is justified - under Ancelotti, Milan have made a habit of slow starts and strong finishes, and there is enough quality in the squad to believe they will improve. But it is also true that Milan have not started this badly at home since 1981-82, when they were relegated to Serie B. Believing that things will turn around, just because they always do, betrays a shocking naivety over the extent of the club's shortcomings.

Dida and Alberto Gilardino have been held up as scapegoats - for not saving and scoring enough respectively - allowing the club to kid itself that the entire solution lies in their replacement. Yet it was not Dida and Gilardino who let the side down yesterday against a Roma side that had won only one of its previous five league games. Gilardino, receiving only fitful service from midfield, made incisive runs and helped set up Kaka for probably Milan's best chance of the game; Dida could not be faulted for failing to block Mirko Vucinic's superlative diving header.

Instead Milan were exposed for the same reason they have been so many times this season - a lack of pace, athleticism and tactical nous. At 39 Paolo Maldini was always going to struggle with Cicinho and Milan's failure to adjust to his repeated surges down the captain's flank was so blatant even John Barnes spotted it on Five. Massimo Ambrosini - a spring chicken at 30 - simply couldn't be bothered to track back to assist, while Gennaro Gattuso was scarcely better on the right.

Much has been made of the imminent return of Ronaldo, due back in November (at this rate probably not this November, mind) and the promise of Alexandre Pato, but this is a side that needs new blood - even if only reserves to add depth - at almost every position. Even if Ronaldo and Pato live up to the unreasonably lofty expectations being put upon them, they will not reinvigorate a defence with an average age of 34, or a midfield that - Kaka and Andrea Pirlo aside - seems to have allowed a lack of serious competition for places to kill their motivation.

Not that any of this should take away from an impressive and much-needed win for Roma that brought them back to within three points of Inter. Deprived of captain Francesco Totti after he injured his ankle during Tuesday's win over Sporting Lisbon, the Giallorossi didn't always control the game but did always look the more likely to score, and would have had a clearer margin of victory had Daniele De Rossi not lazily chipped a late penalty over the bar.

It was also a second goal in a week for Vucinic, who'd only claimed his first of the season after replacing Totti during the win against Lisbon. Strong and slightly taller than Totti, Vucinic possesses less instinctive flair than his captain but is well-suited to leading the line. After yesterday's game he promised to follow up with a brace in the derby against Lazio on Wednesday, though he may have to settle for a deeper-lying role if Totti recovers in time as anticipated.

But Milan v Roma was only one of a number of stories on a weekend when Inter, Fiorentina and Juventus all dropped points. Inter couldn't find a way past Palermo's ageing stopper Alberto Fontana in Sicily, la Viola were held at Genoa, but it was Juventus who endured the most frustrating weekend - going down 3-1 at Napoli following a pair of shocking penalty awards against them from referee Mauro Bergonzi.

"We cannot be treated this way," said Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, before implying that officials were being instructed to give decisions against his side when in doubt following the fall out from Calciopoli. "It is not possible that the authorities did not see what happened today. Nobody will give us back our three points, but we do need the referees to officiate our games without all this pressure," he added, easing the pressure nicely.

Juve's frustration is easy to understand - the first penalty was awarded for an immaculately timed tackle from Giorgio Chiellini on Ezequiel Lavezzi in the area, the second for a dive by Marcelo Zalayeta. Their sense of a conspiracy against them has been heightened ever since their 3-2 win over Cagliari in round two - when two penalties were given against them and a third had to be waved off by a linesman. Bergonzi has been dropped from this week's matches and will likely be given a month or so off for "reflection".

Antonio Cassano could probably do with a little introspection himself after a moody first-half exit from Sampdoria's defeat at Catania. Injured in the 39th minute, Cassano simply put his head down and walked straight off the pitch, shrugging off team-mate Vincenzo Montella's attempts to stop him. Cassano later explained the incident by saying he was just too upset to want to see anyone after suffering his "umpteenth injury". Sadly, knowing Antonio's luck, he'll probably get a lot more than a month off.

Results: Catania 2-0 Sampdoria, Empoli 0-1 Atalanta, Genoa 0-0 Fiorentina, Lazio 0-1 Udinese, Milan 0-1 Roma, Napoli 3-1 Juventus, Palermo 0-0 Inter, Parma 3-2 Livorno, Siena 0-0 Reggina, Torino 2-0 Cagliari
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/20...ed_inject.html
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Old 29-10-2007, 19:42   #50
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MIlans slow defence was the key problem in the lose to roma, and if de rossi wasnt sucha flop and missed a penalty that was handed ona plate to him, then it would have been 2-0. They have officialy been ruled out of the scudetto race. There is still the champions league though.
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Old 29-10-2007, 22:17   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Guardian
Dida and Alberto Gilardino have been held up as scapegoats - for not saving and scoring enough respectively - allowing the club to kid itself that the entire solution lies in their replacement.
Amen to that.
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Old 30-10-2007, 03:54   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Guardian
Dida and Alberto Gilardino have been held up as scapegoats - for not saving and scoring enough respectively - allowing the club to kid itself that the entire solution lies in their replacement.
Amen to that
They're right, replacing those two would not be the entire solution, but it doesn't mean it wouldn't be part of the solution either.
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Old 30-10-2007, 04:33   #53
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Both played well againist Roma, Gila was quit good and dangerous and Dida saved lots of dangerous shoots, so why are they criticized now?
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Old 30-10-2007, 10:00   #54
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Lets remember the reason for this thread folks!!
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Old 30-10-2007, 10:54   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warro Bantan
Lets remember the reason for this thread folks!!
Sorry...

Boban blasts struggling Milan
Tuesday 30 October, 2007
Former Milan star Zvonimir Boban has criticised the current Rossoneri side and insists that they need more than Alexandre Pato to turn things around.

The European champions are in the doldrums after last weekend’s defeat against Roma left them in 13th place.

The Diavolo have pinned their hopes on Brazilian striking starlet Pato, who arrives in January, but Boban is not convinced.

“I strongly doubt that Pato will be enough to jumpstart the Milan engine,” he told La Stampa.

“If the Rossoneri want to compete on all fronts they need one really big signing.”

Boban believes that the priorities at the club have changed since he won four Scudetti at the San Siro between 1992 and 2001.

“Milan have changed their philosophy and now they put the Champions League first and let everything else follow,” he stressed.

“As Europe seems to matter more than everything else, the side are unwittingly snubbing the League.”

The Croatian ex-midfielder concluded by casting a critical eye over the men at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal.

“It’s a different squad now because you can’t ask the old guard to keep working miracles,” he warned.

“Ancelotti doesn’t have the strikers who can turn a game, let alone a season, like Jon Dahl Tomasson or Daniele Massaro used to.

“Inter have Julio Cruz, Juventus have Vincenzo Iaquinta and Roma Mirko Vucinic, but Milan have nobody.”

(Channel 4)
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Old 02-11-2007, 03:24   #56
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A football fan hauled before the courts over a pitch invasion that marred Celtic’s victory over the reigning European champions will be sentenced today.

Robert McHendry (aged 27), ran on to the pitch and confronted an opposing player as Celtic celebrated a last-minute winning goal against AC Milan in Glasgow last month.

He admitted causing a breach of the peace at the October 3 match at Glasgow Sheriff Court, saying he was “carried away” by the goal.

Sheriff Craig Scott told him he viewed the incident seriously, before calling for reports ahead of today’s sentencing.

Single father McHendry ran up to Milan goalkeeper Nelson Dida, after running on the Parkhead pitch, and made contact with the player before disappearing back into the crowd.

After briefly chasing after the fan, the Brazilian collapsed theatrically to the ground before being stretchered off with an ice pack against his face.

(Ireland Online)

Wow, to think this jackass is also a father. He sure set a great example for his kid last month.
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Old 16-11-2007, 20:03   #57
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Haven't come back for a while; here is an interview between Rae and Seedorf:

Seedorf critical of Italian society
Derek Rae
Archive

Once again, the Italian game has come under the spotlight following the death of Lazio supporter Gabriele Sandri at a motorway rest stop in Arezzo last weekend; although the scenes that unfurled 400kms away in Atalanta were just as worrying for the state of Italian society as a whole.


GettyImages
Clarence Seedorf (R) and the Milan players surround the referee as he abandons the game against Atalanta.

News of the shooting prompted violence on the terraces at the game between Atalanta and AC Milan in Bergamo while, later in the day, fans in Rome armed with batons and stones attacked one of the police units in the vicinity of the Stadio Olimpico before raiding the CONI headquarters.

A problem that has blighted Italy's reputation across Europe, the killing of policeman Filippo Raciti after violence broke out at the Sicilian derby match between Catania and Palermo first sent shockwaves around the country nine months ago, and it would appear that nothing has changed.

One of the players involved in the scenes at Bergamo, Clarence Seedorf has seen a lot in his long career and has been in Italy since 2000, playing for both Milan sides, but has been critical of the Italian government for failing to put an end to the trouble.

Derek Rae caught up with the AC Milan midfielder to ask him about the problem of violence in the Italian game.

Derek Rae: Do you think this is a football problem or one for Italian society in general?

Clarence Seedorf: Well it's obviously society's problem and it's not the first time we have talked about it. It's really a pity that things still have not changed in Italian society and in the people that come to the stadium. Of course in Italian football we can improve and make it safer and do a lot of things to improve everything that's going on in the stadium, but even this accident has nothing to do with football directly.

Certainly I think it was a miscommunication, or they made the wrong decision, to say it was a Lazio fan. I don't think we're going to find too many Italians that aren't linked to a club. Every time someone dies in Italy, it could be a Milanista or an Interista or a Roma supporter - they are all fans of clubs, so why communicate it like that?

That's what provoked the reaction in the stadium of the Curva, the supporters of Atalanta and Milan, because after the Catania incident where a police officer died, they stopped the games that weekend and for two weeks afterwards. So they said now one of our people died, so they have to stop the games also. And that's when they started to be violent in the stadium, to stop the match.

DR: You've been quite critical of the Italian government in recent days.

CS: Yes because I don't really think it's good for society to blame football all the time for things that are not really our responsibility. I think government has to take the responsibility, the federations have to take the responsibility, but these are two separate things.

One thing is to try and improve the environment of football, and one thing is to resolve society's problems. And I think, more than once, the government has had great opportunities to make major changes using football to better the community; but it's still not happening and unfortunately they just point the finger at football and that's not really changing anything for the better.


GettyImages
The Atalanta Ultras make their feelings known over the death of a Lazio fan.

DR: Your Milan team-mate Kaka has been quoted as saying that he fears this kind of violence might lead eventually to people not wanting to play in Italy. There's also been talk about his own potential departure. Is that something that you could see happening?

CS: Well I have a different point of view because we all have good contracts and I think we all have been treated very well by Italy and Italian clubs and Italian fans. Personally, I want to help as long as I'm here, and as long as I'm playing for AC Milan, I want to create a better environment for football.

I want to lead by example, on the field, off the field, with interviews and things of that nature, and all the ones who are thinking of leaving, I believe that's a simple escape. I don't think it's going to help football in general. Italy is way too important for players just to say: 'Well it's still just the same, I'm leaving.' A lot of the players are paid very well, so I think you have a certain amount of responsibility, especially to the young players to try to make a change for the better.
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Old 19-11-2007, 16:06   #58
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From UEFA.com magazine:

Present perfect for Ambrosini

After a career beset by injury, everything is finally falling into place for Massimo Ambrosini. The 30-year-old played a pivotal role in AC Milan's UEFA Champions League triumph last term and has become equally central to his country's hopes. Ambrosini has never had it so good. "I feel so good at the moment," he told uefa.com. "What I've learned from everything I went through is that I have to focus on the present, without complaining about the past or worrying about the future."

Rise and fall
Ambrosini joined Milan in 1995 but, having failed to force his way into the side, was loaned to Vicenza Calcio two years later. He was recalled in the summer of 1998 and became a key player in the Rossoneri's Scudetto success that next season. There seemed little doubt, at the time, that Ambrosini would become an influential figure in the Milan midfield – and perhaps even Italy's after his Azzurri debut in April 1999. The only surprise since has been how long this process has taken. A persistent knee problem, coupled with a loss of form, put his progress on hold. Between 2003/04 and 2005/06, Ambrosini started just 23 Serie A games. As a consequence he makes sure he savours every appearance now.

Living the moment
"I've learnt to enjoy every match I play," he said. "All the time I spent on the sidelines or on the bench was useful. It made me understand I have to live the present. I know it could happen again, but I don't want to spend time thinking about it. Perhaps [Milan coach] Carlo Ancelotti will decide to play with two or three forwards when Ronaldo and Pato are available, and maybe in that case I'll have to sit on the bench again. But it's OK – and it's useless to worry about it. I'm just trying to do my best, stay in good form and enjoy it."

EURO goal
What Ambrosini does regret, however, is failing to make the Italy squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The tournament came too soon as he worked his way back from injury. Ever since though, he has been on fire. New Italy coach Roberto Donadoni gave him another chance in August 2006 and Ambrosini was recalled after a two-year absence to face Croatia. As a further sign of confidence, Donadoni even entrusted him with the captain's armband.

New contract
At club level too, Ambrosini has barely put a foot wrong. Ancelotti's decision to make him a fixture in the side midway through last season turned the campaign around. Defensively sound, he provided the cover that enabled Kaká to push forward to devastating effect. He was rewarded before the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool FC when Milan extended his contract until 2010. "Now it would be fantastic for me to take part in the upcoming [UEFA] European Championship. It would be great, partly because of my age. I'm 30 and it will probably be one of my last chances to do something important for Italy."

Winning mentality
Ambrosini, who began his career at AC Cesena, speaks with feeling and with a great desire to make up for lost time. "It was a big regret not to go to the World Cup. I think the Italy players who won it have developed a winning mentality, although the same sort of thing has happened to me and my team-mates as Milan have won a lot in recent years. That mentality helps, because once you win, you want to win again and again. This is another reason why I will give everything to take part in the EURO."

Inzaghi praise
Donadoni called up six Milan players for the Azzurri's final two UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers, against Scotland and the Faroe Islands, though with one notable exception – Filippo Inzaghi. Ambrosini has words of encouragement for the striker, who last week equalled Gerd Müller's 62 goals as the all-time leading scorer in European club competition. "I know it's disappointing to be left out, but Donadoni has found an amazing striker in Luca Toni who is in great shape. Inzaghi is a great forward and he will do many more good things for Italy, yet he just has to stay calm." So speaks the voice of experience. Having bided his time, the Milan No23 even captains the team these days when Paolo Maldini is unavailable. Yet the lessons of the past loom large: As Ambrosini looks forward to UEFA EURO 2008™ in Austria and Switzerland after helping his side qualify with victory over Scotland on Saturday, he will be taking nothing for granted. "I'm in good form but I don't want to think about the future," he said. "Whatever comes, I'll take it."

***

Very interesting read...
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Old 01-12-2007, 01:47   #59
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I found this published in FIFA.com:



Chatting with the iconic Paolo Maldini is like having a conversation with AC Milan itself. In the world of modern football it is increasingly rare to find players like the Italian defender, now in the last season of an illustrious career, who have spent their entire professional life at just one club. Maldini is not just a role model in his chosen sport but in life as well.

With the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2007 kicking off in a month's time, FIFA.com spoke exclusively with the Rossoneri captain at AC Milan's training complex in Milanello. And who better to gauge the feeling in the camp ahead of their Japanese adventure than that great man Maldini himself.

FIFA.com: Paolo, you've said this will be your last year as a player. You've worn the same shirt in a career spanning 23 years. What does AC Milan mean to you?
Paolo Maldini: AC Milan is like my second family. My father was a player and captain on this team and I've followed in his footsteps. My son plays in one of the youth teams, although it's by no means certain that he'll become a footballer. For the Maldini family AC Milan means a great deal, and on a football level virtually everything.

What is the secret of staying at the top for so long? Has your playing style altered over the years?
One of the most important reasons is that I've played in a good team that has provided me the incentive to go on. As time goes by you gain experience. You perhaps lose something from a physical point of view but you improve tactically and mentally.

How important is the FIFA Club World Cup for you and the team?
We give it great importance because it enables you to become a world champion. It is the pinnacle of club football. It's a road I've travelled down several times in my career and which has, unfortunately, not always ended in ultimate victory. I was a winner the first two times I played in the tournament, but on the losing side in 1993, 1994 and 2003. It's always a great disappointment to leave the pitch as a loser because the Club World Cup is such a difficult competition to qualify for. It's a real pity to let the opportunity escape you.

This is the first time you'll be appearing in the FIFA Club World Cup with the new seven-team format. What changes do you think you'll see?
The approach to matches will definitely be different because we'll be staying in Japan for a longer period. There are less certainties but you get the chance to prepare better by dedicating more time to the competition.

Boca Juniors are the most decorated team amongst your possible opponents. What can you tell us about them?
We have to play a semi-final first before we even qualify for any final. And we all know that as the years go by the first game is becoming increasingly more difficult. Upsets are never far away given the improvements in the quality of football on other continents. If we do play against Boca Juniors then we'll be meeting a team that has always shown itself to be very compact. Their personnel changes a lot because they sell their best players but the team remains very solid. Squad unity and a winning mentality are the main strengths of the Argentines in my opinion.

What is the physical condition of you and the AC Milan team in general?
My physical condition is not ideal because I still feel pain due to long months of inactivity. I need to play a few matches if I am to arrive in Japan at my best. Ronaldo is in the same condition as me. The team is improving even though we haven't yet found the right continuity in Serie A. I believe we have turned a corner though.

On the basis of past experience the backroom staff are concerned about jetlag. Is this a serious problem?
From my point of view the defeats the last three times we played were not mainly due to jetlag. In 1993 against Sao Paulo we played a very good team and lost an exciting match, whereas against Velez (Sarsfield) and Boca (Juniors) we were probably the better team on paper but couldn't show it on the pitch. Jetlag affects everyone and the South Americans have to travel even further than us.

During your career you've played with some of the best players of all time. How do Kaka and Ronaldo compare?
Above all Kaka is a decent and hard-working guy. In football terms he combines excellent technique and ability to score goals with exceptional speed. The latter is vital in modern football. Ronaldo is a world-class player and as such when he's fit he gives the team that something extra in terms of technique and personality. Let's hope he's back quickly to contribute. He has innate scoring awareness because he has a unique ability to transform every ball he touches into a scoring opportunity.

Turning back to you, how disappointed were you last summer not to be part of the Italy team that won the FIFA World Cup in Germany? After all you'd played in four previous tournaments and hold the Azzurri appearances record with 126 caps?
I was very disappointed in 1990 when we lost against Argentina in the semi-final and in 1994 when we were beaten by Brazil in the final. So my disappointment doesn't really concern Germany 2006, given that I hadn't played for Italy for four years, but rather my career as a whole.

Incredibly it was left-back Fabio Grosso and central-defender Marco Materazzi, playing in your favoured roles, who were decisive in influencing Italy's fate...
The World Cup is like that. You have to grasp your opportunities. I, and the teams I played in, were not good enough or lucky enough to succeed, whereas (Marcello) Lippi's men deserved their victory.

Luck and your ability now give you the chance to end your career as a world champion. Did you know that if you play in Yokohama you'll claim the record for the most appearances in the FIFA Club World Cup in its various guises?
Statistics only count for so much but when I look at the numbers I can't help but notice this is the only club competition where I've lost more times than won having suffered three defeats but enjoyed two victories. I'd like to end my career with those statistics evened out. I'd love to lift the trophy with my team mates. Winning the world title with AC Milan means everything to me.

12 November, 2007


Link:
http://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/new...winning+finale
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Old 04-12-2007, 23:42   #60
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One more, an interview with Kaka`, again form fifa.com

Kaka: A burning desire(FIFA.com) Monday 3 December 2007
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Sitting opposite Kaka, the first thing that strikes you is the contrast between the tranquil person in front of you, and the driven, powerful, often unstoppable player who incites passions the world over with his skill, speed and elegance.


One cannot but think of the numerous spectacular goals the newly-crowned Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year nominee has scored, in particular the ten netted in last season's edition of the UEFA Champions League, including three in Milan's semi-final victory over Manchester United. Unsurprisingly, this goal haul made him the competition's top scorer and went a long way to helping his side claim the continent's top trophy, and with it UEFA's coveted slot at Japan 2007.


Listening to his down-to-earth answers and intelligent reasoning, you quickly realise that Kaka is no ordinary individual, but instead a young man perfectly suited to the environment and era in which he finds himself. The only question now is whether he and Milan can go on to conquer the world.


FIFA.com: Kaka, with Japan 2007 just around the corner, what are your expectations?
Kaka: I must admit I have a burning desire to win the Club World Cup, especially with it being my second crack at this title. I first played in it in 2003 - the format was different then - and I haven't forgotten our defeat that year to Boca Juniors. This time, my team-mates and I will be hugely motivated to see that things work out right for us. I'm sure we are up to the challenge.


Now that you mention Boca. Can you envisage another final against the Argentinians?
Let's take it one step at a time. First we have a semi-final to contest, even if we don't know yet who we'll be facing in it. I think it would be really nice but also risky if we came up against the home side [Urawa Red Diamonds] in our opening game. With them enjoying home advantage, they'd be sure to have a huge backing. If I'm honest, though, I love performing to packed stadiums in front of an enthusiastic and passionate fans, even when it's at our opponents' grounds.


Staying with Boca for a moment, it augurs well for a possible clash with the Argentinians that their nickname is the Xeneizes (the Genoese). This year in Serie A, Milan have fared very well against the teams from Genoa, who they have often struggled against in the past.
Let's hope that little coincidence brings us luck in Japan. But yes, we played magnificently away to Sampdoria and Genoa and won comprehensively on both occasions. That said, we've been lacking a bit of consistency in the league, although I'm convinced we'll arrive in Japan in excellent condition. If we make the final and end up facing the Argentinians, we'll have to reproduce the best form we've shown this season; in other words decisiveness as well as quality and creativity. The same would apply if we were to meet the Tunisians (Etoile Sahel) or the Mexicans (Pachuca).


Milan will play their semi-final on 13 December at the International Stadium Yokohama, which is also the venue for the final. It's a stadium you have fond memories of we imagine.
Very much so. It was there that Brazil won the World Cup in 2002 after beating Germany in the final. It's a day I'll never forget and one I hope to experience again at South Africa 2010.


I hope to be able to help my country finally heal the wound left by one of the most painful defeats in the history of football: our defeat to Uruguay at the 1950 World Cup.
Kaka


Perhaps even at the edition after that, which will take place in your native Brazil.
By then, I'll be 32, but I hope to be able to help my country finally heal the wound left by one of the most painful defeats in the history of football: our defeat to Uruguay at the 1950 World Cup. Before that, however, I have my sights set on winning other titles. Apart from the 2010 World Cup, I'd dearly love to win the gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, as it's missing from the Seleção's list of honours. And let's not forget the Confederations Cup in 2009.


Getting back to the FIFA Club World Cup, after winning the last three editions, Brazil's teams are conspicuous by their absence this year.
Another way to look at it is, with an Argentinian side as our main rivals this year and so many Brazilians at Milan, it will be down to our team to continue the success enjoyed by my compatriots in recent years. Sure, there are other Serie A sides with Brazilians in their ranks, but at Milan, with Cafu, Emerson, Ronaldo, Dida and the rest, I feel like I'm part of a mini-national team.


If the Rossoneri do reach the final, club president Silvio Berlusconi plans to jet out to Japan ahead of the big day. Is this a measure of the importance the club are placing on this competition?
The expectation is building by the day. I only need to think of the courage of [Rino] Gattuso or the desire and willpower of [Paolo] Maldini to realise we're going to win it. We're a tight-knit group and the squad is made up of genuine champions with the experience that comes with winning everything the game has to offer. There is no sense of envy among us. From the moment I arrived here four years ago, I've never had the slightest problem. I feel I've blended in well and I know I play a very significant part out on the pitch. On the other hand, I'm well aware that individuals rarely win you things; it's always the team.


For AC Milan, and even yourself, victory in Japan could be the culmination of a fantastic era. Can you see yourself leaving Milan some day?
I have a contract with Milan with a long time still to run on it, and I feel happy here. I belong to an institution that has enabled me to realise my dreams. Moreover, in a few months time, my wife is due to give birth to our baby. Here I feel appreciated and I'm surrounded by fellow Brazilians, with whom I share a small but very unified community. To tell you the truth, the thought of leaving has never even entered my head, even though in football, there are not many things you can be really sure about. Even with something as simple as food, here in Italy you eat exceptionally well. My favourite dish is pasta, and I can't imagine there's anywhere where they do better pasta dishes.


Would you consider returning to play in your homeland one day, what with the economy starting to recover again?
It would be wonderful to have such an opportunity in the years to come. In Brazil, there are many, many players, and they all want to come to Europe, as here we have the richest and most prestigious leagues in the world. Nevertheless, I think it will be many years before the current situation changes.


In Brazil, players learn very quickly that the Club World Cup is the most important [club] title.
Kaka


To sum up, what does the FIFA Club World Cup mean to you?
In Brazil, players learn very quickly that the Club World Cup is the most important [club] title. You have to win the Copa Libertadores to earn the right to take part. However, in Europe it's the opposite. The highest aspiration is to win the Champions League, and the Club World Cup is a bonus. That said, for a variety of reasons, things are different this year. At Milan, there are veterans like Maldini, who will shortly hang up his boots, and others like myself who have never won this trophy. In addition, there are players like Ronaldo who have on the sidelines for a while and therefore are hungry to shine again on a big stage. In brief, we're 100 per cent focused on the job in hand and we want that Cup

Link: http://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/new...burning+desire
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