I have just about made peace with this weekend’s catastrophe. After absorbing a ton of great articles here at the Offside and elsewhere I have begun to come to grips with a truly horrific situation that not only talks about the problems in Calcio, but also in Italy in general. Had it not been for a trigger happy policeman, or heck even a properly trained one, who had been given the job on qualification and not on family connections this whole mess would have been have avoided. Yes fans have been clashing with police on many occasions but much if the Italian workforce is in shambles because of nepotistic system that is ingrained in that country is sickening.
My cousin in Italy has gone to military academy and has extensive training, yet he sits around at home because his father or any immediate family members are not carabinieri, which means he is SOL. I know I am putting a weird spin on all this but if the Ultra’s behaved and the police were adept at handling them these problems would not escalate as they always do. As for the Ultra’s it is time to really crack down, I know attendance will fall, but only in the beginning. Once the Ultras have been calmed down and weeded out many fans who would not have gone otherwise will fill seats and make Serie A a better place. Maybe I am being optimistic, but that’s my brief take without taking pages of space and winding down a political, socioeconomic road that has no place here.
On to the good stuff…
-Kaka says he will leave Italy if the violence continues, well Ricky WWJD? Personally, I think he will leave Italy if Milan don’t qualify for Champions League.
-No word yet on the Atalanta game, if and when it will be made up. There is talk of punishing Atalanta and giving Milan the points. God knows we need them but it may cause a worser uproar.
-The Azzuri take center stage this weekend in their new away kits (pictures have yet to flood the net). Milan-Roma position battles are brewing at right back and midfield, with Oddo v. Panucci and DeRossi v. Ambro. I hope the Don does what is good for the team and plays the best match fit players, I always want Rossoneri on the pitch but a win is a win.
-Oliviera the outcast has said he wants to come back to Milan after a solid start at Real Zaragoza, someone should remind that Ricardo that he was not good and probably won’t be back. Then again a striker is a striker and we all know how badly we need them.
-As the January transfer window draws near a lot of names have been swirling around, but Carletto and Uncle Fester are standing pat with the squad so far and even making big time predictions about Pato. Carletto has claimed he is better than Ronaldinho himself, somewhere Silvio is crying, and a January debut is all but certain. I say play him, if he sucks swallow your pride and move on; I really hope he doesn’t suck. Karim Benzema has made eyes at Milan which means his name will not come up again for a long time, then again Karim your not Brazilian, so the odds are against you.