Galliani's the man

AC Milan was seen as a club in crisis just under a year ago. Finishing 2009 at second spot, within touching distance of eternal rivals Inter Milan did not seem that bad. It had the fans hoping for Milan to break their 5 year jinx. But it also had the fans thinking and preparing themselves for the worst.

And the worst was just around the corner. With a team's average age resembling a sumptuous lady's bosom size and a list of injuries that would've had the opponents sniggering in delight, even the most ardent Milan fan would've thought the run in Serie A was too good to last.

They started in a way that dispelled our fears, 3 emphatic wins including a Ronaldinho inspired 3-0 away win at Turin, Juventus. With Inter turning their attentions to Champions League football, Milan were breathing down their necks only 2 points away.

The Derby della Madonnina was the next match, and on current form Milan looked set to leapfrog Inter and avenge the humiliating 4-0 loss earlier in the season. But Milan suffered another loss in the reverse encounter (2-0) and then on the only way was down for Milan. Resurgent Roma eased past them to second spot soon after and Milan just about hung on to the automatic CL spot under pressure from Sampdoria.

The season was a mixture of bouquet and brickbats for the legendary club. Bouquets for the manager and players for making a fight out of it, and brickbats for the higher ups for not investing in the club they had confessed their undying love for.

Owner Silvio Berlusconi and VP Adriano 'Uncle Fester' Galliani were looked upon as enemies to the club. And it seemed AC Milan was on its last legs as a top flight European club and would soon plummet the depths and bacome also-rans in the league.

A year has gone around, and now Milan boast of an attacking line up that can devour even the meanest of defences, a steady defence, promising youngsters and a mid-field that can always fall back on invaluable experience if their tired legs don't offer much.

Galliani has transformed Milan, this was the kind of transformation that Milan went through when it was bought by Berlusconi. A host of new stars changed the club into world beaters, and the period still remains vivid in the memories of many Milan fans as the Golden age of Milan.

Often compared with the incorrigible Unlce Fester, Galliani himslef seemed impossible to control last season when the higher ups kept refuting claims that the club was in crisis and the need for quality reinforcements was dire. Milan ended at a lowly 3rd spot after promising much and the result would've left many fans (including me) wondering what might have been if we had a few good players to back up the fatigued ones. And Milan fans echoed views that the club should be sold to someone who holds the future of the club in higher regard.

In came Galliani, dealt a few magical transfers and Milan are on course to repeat Inter heroics last year (Optimistic? Maybe).

Three world class forwards in Zlatan Ibrahimovic(loan), Robinho and Antonio Cassano for a combined total of around 20 million euros is jaw dropping enough. Add to this, awe-inspiring deals for KP Boateng (who was bought by Genoa and immediately sent to Milan), Mark Van Bommel and Urby Emanuelson for a little next to nothing and Galliani's value to Milan as a transfer guru doubles.

Now Milan sit pretty on top of Serie A and look set to break their jinx. The new additions to the squad have played a major part in the resurgence. Ibrahimovic has scored in plenty and turned provider on many occasions. Robinho confused us all saying his job is not to score goals, but hasn't done bad with his apparent secondary job chipping in with goals while Cassano is a bomb ready to explode.

Boateng too has made a huge impact on the squad, the fans and players alike taking a liking to the hard working Ghanian midfielder. Thiago Silva has already nicknamed him 'il treno senza freni’ – the train without brakes; and that is exactly the way the ex Tottenham player plays. Emanuelson and Van Bommel have only just arrived and will be key to the Milan

Galliani's work in the transfer market has drawn comparisons with the great Luciano Moggi of Juventus. The transfer guru made some inspired buys during his time including the big one of Zinedine Zidane.

Despite his success with his buys, Galliani was quick to do away with claims that Milan were the best players in the January window.
“I can't give a mark out of 10 to myself for the market. Inter have reinforced the most followed by Juventus and then the others. But I am not afraid of anyone."

What Zidane was to Moggi and Juventus, Ibra has and looks the part to be for Galliani and Milan.. thats what the Rossoneri faithful will be hoping for atleast.

Alexander Merkel: The Next Schweinsteiger?

Milan youngster Alexander Merkel is all set to become one of the tiny few German players to have had a successful stint in Italy. Jurgen Klinsmann and Oliver Biehoff, legends in their own right, were the stand out German players to have played in Italy.

The 18 year old showed tremendous promise and potential in his few outings with AC Milan which would probably have Germany boss Joachim Low take a second look at the budding midfielder.

Merkel is being touted as the next Bastian Schweinsteiger, and going by his performances for the current Serie A leaders one can see why these comparisons have been raised .

That the youngster gives the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso, et al a run for their money in a side no less in success and pedigree as Rajinikanth is in movies speaks volumes of his can-do.

After his performances lately, the Italian press have been quick to label him a 'baby genius'. To be waiting on the benches and press for a permanent spot in a team like AC Milan, which prefers experience to youthful exuberance on most days, puts him along the likes of Kaka, Pato etc.. The duo are few of the very few who got a chance to play for Milan in their early 20 or even teens, recently atleast.

No he was not bought for a handsomne sum from another club and thrusted into the main team.. he made his way up rung by rung.. from the youth squad to now along the sidelines waiting to pounce once any golden oldies can't run anymore.

Milan's youth director Filippo Galli showers praise on the midfielder.
"Alex is very good technically, and his speed and endurance are very good," Galli told the Internet sports portal Spox. "He needs to improve a bit in making the right decisions on the pitch when he has the ball."

"His fundamentals are good, he passes well, and he's got a good sense for positional play," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri told reporters after trying out the youngster in a series of test matches.

Playing with international superstars should keep Merkel in good stead for the future, and the youngster is quick to acknowledge that.
"Milan is one of the top clubs in the world, a team that has won all the titles there are and has a great tradition," Merkel said in an interview with the German Football League, the DFB. "Silvio Berlusconi comes to the grounds every once in a while, so you see him sometimes."

Being named in Goal.com's 10 Promising youngsters with the likes of Mesut Oezil and Sami Khedira is no mean feat, but for 'baby genius' life in the super league is just starting and Milan look to have sealed the services of a fantastic youngster.