Stephen Maio


Fans all over the globe have been busy this summer trying to keep up with the flurry of transfer action, witnessing moves which have drastically shifted the landscape of the global game. And when there was a down moment, if there ever was one, the online newsmakers have kept busy by counting down the best of this past decade as we move into the next one. There is no doubt that this season is one where fans and clubs from around the world will be tip-toeing into like an explorer touching down on newfound soil.

Over in Italy the landscape is quite different now, but it has been changing for years and what is left are the remnants of what could have been described as a mini Ice Age, something which the calcio world has never quite seen before.

Inter Milan, the current champions, have just closed out the decade by winning their fourth Scudetto on the trot (their third on the field of play) as they continue their post-Calciopoli dominance. During that time frame, perennial giants Juventus and AC Milan have had to watch on, while 2001 title winners Roma are slowly crumbling by the wayside.

But, as so many pundits and observers have made apparent, this is a new decade. A new era so to speak. A wide open transfer market with inflated numbers pushing players in all directions, an era where a potential outsider could rise to power in England, and a new era of ‘Galacticos’ in a potential La Liga global domination, all coming in a World Cup year where the optimists believe Africa could shock the globe.

It is a new era in Italy too, although somewhat understandably overlooked by the glitz and glamour of Cristiano Ronaldo’s unveiling. A new time to cement the present and write the future of Serie A. Perhaps it is possible that the league’s transition from the bankruptcy and scandal laden pre-Calciopoli existence is complete despite the losses of two of league’s highest profile players to La Liga. Some would argue that while it appears Serie A is on an upswing, it may actually be the beginning of a downward slope, which damages the hopes of fans that long for a return the landscape where Juventus and AC Milan slugged it out for bragging rights each season while Inter had to battle Roma and any brave surprise packages for third place.

The skeptics aren’t quite ready to call it a rebirth. They say it will take another three to five years before Serie A reaches that point. And critics have slid the league behind the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga in terms of raw talent. It is beginning to be labelled a ‘retirement home’ for players in the twilight of their careers. At least fans of Serie A can take comfort in the fact that Juventus and AC Milan aren’t prepared to follow that tune.

In an effort to begin the decade with a strong kick and wrestle the title away from the Nerazzurri, both AC Milan and Juventus have opted for the blow-up theory. For a league being called the buyer of “washed up” talent, both clubs have helped to bring in a couple of young and fresh faces that could be the future poster boys of the league, and for a league notorious for the mastermind, 60-70 something aged legendary coaches, both clubs have opted for something different.

“More or less everything has changed at the Milanello complex. First of all it’s a lot more disciplined, as the coach is very strict”. These are the words of AC Milan forward Marco Borriello when describing the change that that new head coach Leonardo Nascimento de Araújo has brought to Milan after his arrival as a replacement for the departed Carlo Ancelotti who left for the vacant post at Chelsea.

In the hiring of Leonardo, Milan have continued to follow their own battle plan of bringing in former greats who know what it takes to wear the shirt and play their football in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, while still sending shock-waves by going against the grain in terms of experience. Until 15th July, 2009 Leonardo didn’t even have a coaching license and currently doesn’t even have the required credentials to coach in Serie A.

Throughout the initial weeks of Leonardo’s appointment, much of the talk in Milan centered around tactics, and how the Brazilian would put his emphasis on a squad that was cemented in the ways of former coach Carlo Ancelotti. Prior to Milan’s North American tour, Leonardo had some words about the hot topic: “We have done a lot of tactical work. It is true that the team has a certain style because it has played that way for a long time, but we will certainly try new alternatives in America. It will be a new system with players in different positions.”

Tactics are always a focus when a new coach is brought in. It was more so at Milan, where certain players appeared to be in the squad solely because they occupied certain roles required by Ancelotti’s system. To say that Leonardo has some molding to do is an understatement and only a fragment of his job this season.

In truth, the new Milan coach has a very difficult task ahead of his first campaign in charge at the San Siro. He has spent much of the off-season teamed up with Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani in the effort to cool the fire of tifosi backlash aimed at the club’s dismal transfer campaign after the sale of the popular Kaka. Despite a heap of capital that was expected to be spent lavishly by the Milan faithful big money signings never materialised. Only the recent signing of Dutch hitman Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has given some fans hope of a successful season after the failed pursuit of Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano saga left supporters believing that the club’s debt was much larger than the amount that had been made public.

The anger Rossoneri supporters felt only intensified with a dismal pre-season, which included losses all over the globe, embarrassment in the Audi Cup and a bottom place finish in the Trofeo TIM Cup.

Leonardo will have to ensure that a defence void of Paolo Maldini’s presence and containing old dogs Alessandro Nesta, Gianluca Zambrotta and Marek Jankulovski will hold up, find the right balance in midfield, and hope that Ronaldinho can shoulder the load left by the departure of Kaka.

On the black and white side of Turin a similar tale self destruction has been played out. Only this time the detonator was set prior to the end of last season. Following a 2-2 draw with Atalanta on 17th May, 2009, the Juventus board had finally seen enough and came to the conclusion that then head coach Claudio Ranieri was not the man who could restore the club to its previous standing. After extensive media coverage analysing the shortlist of names to succeed Ranieri, Giovanni Cobolli-Gigli, Jean-Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco settled on the naked and unproven former Juventino defender Ciro Ferrara to fill the post. The appointment made waves across the peninsula because for the first time in recent memory the club had gone with an inexperienced coach after decades spent with names such as Marcello Lippi, Carlo Ancelotti, and Fabio Capello in charge.

AC Milan 09/10 Away                Juventus 09/10 Away

Milan 09/10 away shirt                Juventus 09/10 away shirt

The fact that Juventus had put their faith in Ferrara spoke volumes. It seemed as though the board realised that if they are to take the club back to the top in these post-Calciopoli times they would have to adapt their thinking.

One of the brainwaves may have been to bring in Ferrara, somewhat of a defensive specialist, to shore up the weakest area on the pitch. The man from Naples is an eleven year veteran of the Bianconeri with a trophy cabinet that includes eight Scudetti, two Italian Cups, five Italian Super Cups, a UEFA Cup, a UEFA Champions League and a few other European honours including trophies won during the 1980s when he was a member of his hometown club and Diego Maradona’s fearsome Napoli unit from 1984-1994.

Upon his retirement in 2005, Ferrara immediately joined Marcello Lippi’s technical staff for the victorious 2006 World Cup. After the tournament Ferrara then joined the Juventus staff with former teammate Gianluca Pessotto and was given the role of youth system chief.

Fabio Cannavaro, Martin Caceres, Felipe Melo and Brazilian wizard Diego have arrived to make Juventus a legitimate contender this season, just ask Marcello Lippi. The current Azzurri coach stated that he expected the Old Lady to lift this season’s Scudetto, something which Inter boss Jose Mourinho immediately rebuked him for.

Ferrara has already been praised for a successful pre-season at the helm which saw Juventus claim the Trofeo TIM Cup and a prestigious victory over Real Madrid’s new ‘Galacticos’, while coming within touching distance of the 2009 Peace Cup after a penalty shootout loss to Aston Villa.

What is arguably more impressive than the club’s pre-season form is the changes that have taken place behind the scenes. The difficult relationship evident between Claudio Ranieri and David Trezeguet that appeared to all would leave the Frenchman on his way out has been soothed by Ferrara’s appointment. Now the striker is just another happy player committed to a successful campaign. The new coach can take credit too for turning the tale of Jonathon Zebina around, who after years of injuries and a lackluster attitude, it seems may be useful again, even if only at least to up his value for a potential sale.

Perhaps the best little nugget from pre-season for Juventus fans can be taken from the swift and surprising sale of Cristiano Zanetti, shipped out because he desired a long term deal. Of the move director of football Secco stated “He asked to be sold, and we don’t keep any players who are not 100% sure that they want to stay.” This type of attitude personifies the change brought by a new regime and the promise of a new challenge to be mounted by the club.

In a season that sees Inter lose Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a host of mid-tier clubs like Napoli and Palermo load up on ammunition in an obvious tightening of the competitive gaps, what Milan and Juventus will accomplish is anyone’s guess.

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