Season Preview Part V: Expectations

Going to spend the next five days previewing the season, lots to talk about and while I sprinkle news in here or there depending on the silly season happenings and musings, the tentative Agenda is as follows:

Part I: Goalkeepers

Part II: Defense

Part III: Midfielders

Part IV: Attackers

Part V: Expectations

I have to admit this is always the hardest part for me. I am not one for delusions of grandeur, being around this Club for as long as I have, I had the pleasure of seeing the Top of the World and the bottom of the barrel. I look at this summer's exodus and I see the road ahead is not an easy one. It will test the mettle of each and every fan, and while I often get criticized for my "questioning" of fans I have seen enough of them come and go to at least have earned the right to make the statement. You may at some point this season ask why you made this choice, why you were drawn the Red and Black, and at that point the only person who can answer that question is you, and if you choose to come back then you earned your keep with me, but it isn't me that matters, it is always on you.

Do I think we can win the Scudetto? Of course I do, I didn't think we could win it two season's ago, I thought there was to much change, to much turnover, and I was surprised. So while I think we can win it, I don't expect anything at all. That is the key, not only in Football, but in life, if you expect nothing you will always be pleasantly surprised. It is not a gloomy expectation it is a reasonable one, and one that has yet to let me down. So while I don't in any way believe that having World Class players or making World Class signings is a prerequisite or requirement to winning Titles, this season's Milan will be the Club that helps me prove that.

Beyond my hopeful fan outlook, I don't think we can compete in the CL, we can certainly make it out of the group stage, and we certainly finish top three, but think of this a reset, a restart and jumping point for a future Milan. Is it OK? Of course it is, football is cyclical and Milan were due for this sort of rejuvenation for a few years now, some will argue with hindsight bias that it should have happened in 2007, but I am not ready to give away the recent Scudetto nor was I ready to throw in the towel when Leo was walking the sideline and Ronaldinho was walking the pitch. Is it possible we fall out of CL qualifying places, sure it is, it happened to Inter and it can happen to us. Is it possible we fall into obscurity? Yes of course, look at teams like Rangers, West Ham, Malaga and Leeds who spent frivolously and fell by the wayside. At least we are taking the right steps forward, if you don't agree, I apologize, but before you say your piece and type the next self deprecating comment, remember that it can always be worse. That is why in Football you enjoy the highs, it helps stomach the lows.

Go ahead call me a FanBoy, but this is my team and it always will be and in short I can leave with the following:

• I believe in Allegri
• I believe in this Club
• I believe in Fester
• I believe in this Project and I am here to see it through.

Your choice is solely up to you...