A.C. Milan - Il Juggernaut Europea

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Why A.C. Milan?

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I watched a lot of A.C. Milan games when I had just started off playing soccer, as I was an immensely big fan of Kaka. That is why I have picked Milan, over Juventus. As you all know I had a bit of a dilemma about which team to pick, so I picked Milan because I believe that it will be harder than Juventus, and Atletico (in a way - debateable). A.C. Milan have currently fallen in some sort of a hole, which they cant seem to climb out of - from winning two Champions League trophies (and me watching my favorite Kaka lift them) to being overshadowed on the European stage, things have definitely changed for the Rosaneri and I hope to change this.

I want to bring back the days when A.C. Milan used to be a European powerhouse, the 2000s, when we looked like true champions on the pitch - apart from the loss to Liverpool -.- So yes, I want to make A.C. Milan the next European Juggernaut!

I Am...

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Clarence Seedorf
I will be club legend and the very talented Clarence Seedorf who is currently managing A.C. Milan (and having a tough time at it).Seedorf was appointed the new head coach of A.C. Milan on 16 January 2014. But for the sake of the game, Seedorf will be assuming control of the club from July 2013. A.C. Milan are Seedorf's first venture into management and hopefully he will do a good job at it in the game (and IRL too in the future).

A.C. Milan announce Seedorf as new manager

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9 July 2013

Italian Club A.C. Milan have just announced that they have appointed former player and club icon Clarence Seedorf as the new manager following Massimiliano Allegri's resignation. It has been said by our sources that Allegri was planning to quit A.C. Milan at the end of this year, however, he decided to resign following the 2012-13 season as he felt that coaching was a high stress job and he could not take the stress.

Following Allegri's resignation, Club President Silvio Berlusconi had personally gone through quite a few managerial candidates, but eventually appointed Clarence Seedorf once Seedorf evinced his interest in taking the job at San Siro. Clarence Seedorf is one of the most decorated of the club's former players, having won two Champions League trophies with them. Seedorf, who turns 38 next April, also holds the rather amusing distinction of being the only player to win foru champions league titles with three different teams - one each with Ajax and Real Madrid, and two with the Rossineri.

With such an accomplished playing career, there are bound to be expectations of an equally good display from Seedorf as a coach. The Milan fans have given mixed reactions - being pleased that a former player such as Seedorf is taking up the reins, while also being cynical of how well he can perform as a coach - considering that this is his first venture into management.

Seedorf sees himself step into A.C. Milan at one of the weaker moments for the Rossineri, having not been able to establish the kind of dominance and performances they had once been famous for in the 2000s.

Seedorf will be officially introduced to the club's fans and journalists alike tomorrow at San Siro!

The Pack Of Vultures



Oh boy Clarence, what have you gotten yourself into? I wondered, as I stared the conference room that would soon be packed with journalists, from pretty much every corner of the world. I imagined how they would look at me, oh, like a pack of vultures, looking to tear me apart. I took a huge gulp. This was not going to be easy. Oh I had been in plenty of press conferences, but this time, going as a manager, all eyes would be on me, one mistake and I would regret it. My gaze, which was by now transfixed at the conference room, soon returned to normal as I saw Silvio Berlusconi approaching me. Oh he was at the ripe old age of seventy seven, but both his body and mannerisms defied it. He extended his hand towards me with a large grin wrapped around his face.

"Clarence! Ready for the press conference today?" he asked me.
"Yeah, I guess I am. Why did you call me early today? Isn't the press conference about to start at 11?" I asked him, looking at my watch and noticing it was still 10, a whole hour to go for the moment that I had not been looking forward to as eagerly as other parts of the job.

"Oh. I wanted to have some chat about the club. You know transfer budgets and the like. Come on, let's go to my office" he motioned towards the other end of the corridor.
"Oh yeah. Sure. After you, Mr. Berlusconi" I said, showing some courtesy.


Wow. Transfer budget I thought, wondering what big amount I would be offered. Silvio was one of the wealthiest in Italy and obviously the world, valued at $5.9 billion. When someone so rich is in charge of the club you are managing, you can expect a big transfer kitty. And I was no different. Playing out all the scenarios in my head, the players I would buy if I got a budget of £15 million, or of £20 million. Oh the possibilities were endless.


As we entered his office, he took his seat and offered me mine, "Come Clarence. Consider this your own place. Feel free to drop by anytime. And dont be ashamed to take a chair. I shouldn't have to offer it to you. Come, Sit!" he said.
I took my seat, looking at him with my hands crossed on the desk.

"So, how do you feel about a budget of £6 million Clarence?" he asked me, looking intently at me.
Did he just say six million? Or was it sixty million? Six million was not really a lot in today's times, especially when you consider the fact that best players today were being sold at exorbitant prices. It was not so during my time, oh, even Luis Figo's record looked meager when compared to the what the superstars of today were valued at!

£6 million, well, I will take it. But let me try to get that increased, atleast a bit.
"Can I have a bit bigger transfer budget? Quite honestly Mr Silvio, I have a few targets in mind, and that would really help me get this club where both of us want it to be" I asked him, wondering how he would react.
"See Clarence, the board has set a transfer budget of £6.75 million, and I have no problems providing it to you, but you will have to ensure that the team make it to a Champions League spot this year." he replied.
"That will not be a problem. I guarantee you that" I spoke confidently, this might not be as strong as the Milan of the Millenium, but it was something, the media predicted it to finish second, so this was definitely achievable.

"Great, then I will make sure the funds are made available to you. And I know that this isn't a lot of money, but I can't pump in my own money, the board is at my neck, and then these Regulations and what not" he tried to make me understand his position.
"Don't worry, Mr. Berlusconi, that is enough for us to achieve what we want" I assured him, even though I was not so assured myself.

"Okay. Great! Oh, I guess, we should be ready for the press conference, starts in fifteen minutes! Oh how time flies!" the seventy seven year old replied.
"Oh yes, almost forgot about it" I wish I could!
"Oh, and Clarence, one more thing"
"What Mr. Berlusconi?" I asked quizzically.
"Call me Silvio!" with that he smiled at me as we made our way to the conference hall. You better be ready for this

A.C. Milan move for Varane

Real Madrid and A.C. Milan both have just officially confirmed that the Rossoneri have just landed Real Madrid's 20 year old French defender, Raphaël Varane on a five year contract, for a mammoth sum of £14 million initially - and this could rise up to an eventual sum of £26 million - which seems highly overpriced for someone as young as 20 years old. As per our source, the deal means that initially A.C. Milan will pay £3 million to Los Blancos for acquiring the services of Varane, and would later be liable to pay £11 million over the course of 4 years/48 months.

Newly appointed Milan manager, Clarence Seedorf has claimed that this move will benefit the club and would add more power to the defensive capabilities of the team, also ensuring that this signing will secure the team for the near future. After being quizzed about his new signing, Clarence Seedorf had this to say about Varane, "I believe Raphaël is one of the best young defenders in the world, and I am hundred percent sure that he will become one of the best and most solid defenders on the planet." Upon being pressed by the media about how others believe that A.C. Milan overpaid for him, specially considering the fact that he is only 20 years old as of now, Clarence replied by saying that "According to me, £14 million for someone of his calibre is not a lot, even a double of that amount would be justified, because we are talking of somoene who can transform into one of the best, and easily has more than a decade of solid gameplay left in him" he continued saying that "I am absolutely delighted ti have been able to bring Raphaël to the club and I hope that we can achieve our ambitions together!"

A.C. Milan also disclosed that the defender will be apparently making £45,000 a week. Clearly, manager Seedorf seems to have placed a huge amount of faith on the shoulders of the 20 year old Frenchman. Only time will tell whether Varane will be able to justify the immense faith displayed in him!

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Pre-Season Friendlies






On the Pre Season...
We started and finished the pre season on high notes, albeit under weaker teams, the game against Bayern we just did not show up and they dominated us all around and played us out of the park. In the Juventus tie, however, we started off great, but our defence gave away some crucial chances by committing silly errors just as the game was about to end. All in all, a decent pre season, hopefully the last game's victory will give us momentum to kick off our season, and more importantly, the Champions League Best Placed Playoff match, on a high note.

August Review

UEFA Champions League Best Placed Playoff First Leg

Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira:
Anibal Mesquita (61)
David F Jardim (55)
Carlao (71)

A.C. Milan:
Kaka (46, pen 63)
Kevin Constant (68)
Andrea Poli (83)
Montolivo (18)
Kevin Constant (61)

Kaka, 9.1

Serie A

Fiorentina:
Guiseppe Rossi (pen 64)
David Pizzaro (78)

A.C. Milan:
Kaka (38)
Abate (83)

Abate, 8.0

UEFA Champions League Best Placed Playoff Second Leg

A.C. Milan:
Nocerino (1)
Kaka (pen 23, 80)
Abate (90)

Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira:
Gregory (80)

Kaka, 9.3

Serie A

A.C. Milan:
Varane (45+2)
Kaka (58)
Abate (84)
Nigel de Jong (19)
Bonera (86)

Livorno:
Christian Piccini (36)
Marco Benassi (71)

Constant, 8.8


On the month...
A great great start to the season. We opened very well against Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira, and even though they are not a prominent club amongst the CL participants, we did well to beat them 7-1 on aggregate. Initally, my worries about going in without Balotelli and Sharaawy - and playing a very unconventional strikerless formation - gave me some worry, but after we picked up that beautiful 4-1 away win, I let it be and the team has gelled together with this formation. 4 wins out of 4 possible. Could not have asked for something better.

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A.C. Milan bring in Argentinian starlet

A.C. Milan have just confirmed the signing of 17 year old Argentinian defender Thiago Casasola from Boca Juniors in a £4 million deal. Thiago, who is somewhat of an obscure figure to soccer fans in Europe is said to be delighted at being given the prospect of moving to such a popular and successful club, like A.C. Milan. Thiago caught the eyes of Boca scouts while playing for second division Argentinian club Huracan, and made the switch to Boca in 2012 in an estimated £475K deal. Now, however, Thiago seems to have made the leap to a much bigger club - and will definitely be the center of attention of many.

Some football pundits are criticising newly appointed Milan boss Clarence Seedorf for spending £4 million on an entirely untested player like Thiago, someone who has no experience of playing Europe and who is of such a young age. One unnamed source in particular said that this move was "a rather weak attempt by Seedorf at making a mark on the transfer market"

This move is A.C. Milan's second activity in the transfer market, after the shock acquisition of former Madrid defender Raphael Varane, for an exquisite sum of £26 million, which sent shockwaves throughout Europe. This move is also being touted by many as an attempt by Clarence Seedorf to strengthen the Rossoneri's defence, particularly with an aim to invest in the future.

Upon being contacted, Seedorf said that he had immense confidence in Thiago and that "this would prove to be a solid move in the near future". He also expressed his hope that new signings Thiago and Varane would prove to be the heart of the Milan defence for years to come. Seedorf initially refused to respond to claims that this was a move that he made to leave a mark on the transfer market and that this was made without any prior research or consideration. However, after being pressed he responded by saying "We had been scouting Thiago for a good month now, ever since we sold off Muntari and Emanuelson, I was desperate to get another young face to San Siro with the transfer money we had made, and the scouts recommended Thiago. After watching a few clips, I was assured that this boy was a must buy. And that is what we did. People will see what an effect Thiago has soon enough".

Even though Rossoneri fans are curious to see their new man in action, since the deal was completed after the deadline, the new signing will not be in San Siro for the next match against Sassuolo and will only join Milan in January of 2014.

Squad Overview
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Total Players: 23

Goalkeepers
Ferdinando Coppola, Marco Amelia, Christian Abbiati

Defenders
Philippe Mexes, Raphael Varane, Daniele Bonera, Matias Silvestre, Cristian Zapata, Ignazio Abate, Mattia De Sciglio, Kevin Constant

Midfielders
Nigel de Jong, Antonio Nocerino, Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Poli, Riccardo Saponera, Stephan El Shaarawy, Maks Barisic, M'baye Niang, Robinho, Kaka

Strikers
Alessandro Matri, Mario Balotelli

Transfer Activity

Sulley Muntari - to LOSC Lille for 1.8 million
Urby Emanuelson - to Crystal Palace for 1.9 million
Crisitan Zaccardo - Mutual Termination
Valter Birsa - Mutual Termination


Raphael Varane - from Real Madrid C.F. for 26 million
Thiago Casasola - from Boca Juniors for 4.1 million (to go through on 1st of January 2014)

UEFA Champions League Group Draw

Group A


Group B


Group C


Group D


Group E


Group F


Group G


Group H