Look who is back: "IL Capitano" taking over the Red & Black!

xtremeRED

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It was probably scripted somewhere, and had to happen one day..

It wasn't about if or not, but rather, when!

Though there was no way I expected this day to come so soon, but missing out on Europe, doing so bad in the league, a deteriorating team, performances, ambition.. my team lacked soul!

And that is something I just can not accept!

I gave well over 2 full decades on the pitch for my team, and today, it's just not a football club to me, it's the way of life for me and my family..
It runs in my blood, my very veins!


I was somewhat prepared for this day, albeit not expecting it so soon, but I have had my coaching badges, travelled to the home ground many a times, went watching the team play away as well..
Going to games not involving my team to watch young players around Europe to advise on potential wonderkids, and so on..

Now I am to take over, and guide my club back to where it belongs, among the best in Europe- a team that everybody would pray not to face, like how we were in the past, and to become a dominating force again in our league!

I was the decorated Number 3...

For the next season, and maybe more, I'll be the numero uno at the club, its helm..
Maybe I come close to be as decorated as when I wore the number 3!
 
Paolo Maldini


Maldini has won 26 trophies with Milan: the Champions League five times, seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup!

He is also the record appearance holder for Milan, with 902 appearances in all competitions.


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1st June 2014, I was in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil when Galliani phoned me with the news.
I was there to watch the WC, look at the players, scouting missions and so on. I have been doing that since my retirement for Milan, advising whenever called upon.

This time was no different.


There were talks in paper and media that Seedorf would be removed from charge as manager of the club, with Inzaghi as the presumed name everywhere.

A short conversation, that's all it was. My tickets from RDJ to Rome were already at the hotel reception, and I was expected to fly my way back the next morning.


I relaxed for most of the day, letting the news sink in, and the feeling...


It was sad watching the club the last season... 3 different managers in the season, no identity, poor on the pitch, and so on..


My blood is red because Milan flows in it- my club, my city! And this was the time for me to take over, take things in my hands, and get us back up, up where we belong, to the top!
 
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There wasn't much I could do with regards the transfer or wage budget when I met Galliani. The club had agreed to a few deals already, players who would join on the 1st of July, as a result, there was barely any money to spend on wages, and just about $8.5m on transfer fees.

So it's all on me to judge the players at the club now, who to keep and who not to...

For if I am supposed to lead Milan back to the top, there's a lot that needs to be changed!
 
Haha,when i've seen it for the first time i thought that this is gonna be for FM2016,proved me wrong. :D
Good luck mate ! Following for sure. ;)
 
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First things first, I was looking for a solid left back, and preferably Italian. I narrowed down on Criscito, and had a bid of around $13m accepted for him, and despite the restricted wage budget, convinced the board to sanction a good contract for Criscito.
He went to PSG instead. What it showed me were 2 things- 1) We need more money to compete with the newer super powers in football, 2) We need to be in the Champions League, constantly and consistently, for players to overlook the 1st option at times!

Similarly, I went with a bid for Verratti, young and Italian, to be a presence in our midfield for a long time... What happened? Ask Verratti, or Chelsea!

That was when I realized I had to look at more "realistic" targets for us.. We couldn't compete with Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and others for our transfer targets, there was a huge gap between us and those clubs, and it should only be a matter of time, I hoped...

I was in Brazil watching the group stages of the World Cup, and a few knock out games as well, and it was only on the 7th of July I returned back to the club. I decided on 2 players from watching at the WC I wanted at the club- Eder Balanta from Colombia, a young CB, composed and dominant...
And Fernando Gago impressed with his performances for Argentina..
Also, I had asked Tassotti- my assistant manager at the club to look at a few youngsters.. I handed him a list, and told him to do all he could to get those players here at the club! I have watched these lads play for their clubs in the last year or two, as a part of my scouting missions for the club...


But to sanction these deals, we needed money...




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Some difficult decisions there- De Jong, Honda, Muntari, Pazzini... but I figured we would strengthen further with the money from these deals..
Mexes and Essien- they were on very high wages, and not a part of my plans, so they left for low sums, but freed up a lot for me in terms of wages that I could adjust for fees..
Poli just didn't make the step up to be what we need, Abate had his contract coming to end at the year end, so for a decent fee I let him go, with Sciglio there at the club...



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Vallejo, Ould- Chikh and Ajer were among the young players- the names I handed over to Tassotti, and he did well getting them at the club.
I asked Luis Enrique at Barcelona- wanting a couple of attacking players, and he let me take Rafinha and Munir on loan.. at the end of the phone call, he joked saying, "Paolo, I could have let you even take Messi on loan if you had asked!" Wonderful!

With Criscito going to PSG, I ended up getting one of their own- Lucas Digne, an attacking left back.. We paid just a small sum upfront, with the rest being paid over the next 4 years..
Sviatchenko, Saul Niguez, Lamine Sane & Cedric came in to shore up the defence, for cover options..
Jean can play anywhere in the midfield or defence, and he is a jack of all trades, a very good player..
Costa and Lacazette.. Glad to get these players, amazing attacking players, who should link with Shaarawy well, and score goals for us!

Ezequiel is a quick Spanish winger, and on a free, we couldn't ask for more.. Only a back-up player for now, though..

Lastly, Jonjo Shelvey.. I was speaking with Carragher one day, talking about Istanbul... when I asked him to help me with a young and strong midfielder for the team.. He suggested Shelvey, and assured me that with the right management, the boy could do wonders..

Swansea bought Muntari & Honda for combined $20m+.. We bought Shelvey for a fee little below $18m(mostly in instalments).. and only time will say who had the better deal between these 2 clubs!
 
Forza Rossoneri!

Get them back to the top!

No better man to take AC back to the top!

Haha,when i've seen it for the first time i thought that this is gonna be for FM2016,proved me wrong. :D
Good luck mate ! Following for sure. ;)

Thanks a lot everyone!
Serie A is tough mainly because of Juve.. Won't be anytime soon to dethrone them, and then there's Europe to look at as well..
Targeting to unsettle Juventus in 2-3 years, and challenge in Europe around that same time frame..
 
Wow,lots of new guys,young and cheap,good players,but i think too many,they'll need some time to acomodate...
 
Key players for the season:

GK: Diego Lopez

RB: De Sciglio

LB: Digne

CB: Rami, Balanta

DM/CM: Jonjo, Gago, Montolivo

AMR/AML: Shaarawy, Costa, Bonaventura, Jeremy Menez

ST: Lacazette

These players should form the spine for the team, with others rotating along over the course of the season..

Aiming to qualify for the Champions League, and have a good run in the Italian Cup..
 


There were many new players coming in, and I arranged an extensive pre-season- we played a total of 12 games in order for the team to settle down well..

Montolivo- captain and a key player wouldn't be available before late November due to injury...

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Some great buys but Shelvey.... haha

Looking forward to seeing how you get on
 
Some great buys but Shelvey.... haha

Looking forward to seeing how you get on

on my previous save, when I went till 2021... Shelvey turned out a beast, an amazing regista, and was valued at over $40m..
if he turns a success, awesome.. if not, i am sure am English club would pay more or less what I paid for him in a few years!
 
Qualifying in UCL shall be fine.

thanks mate..
hopefully.. there's Juventus, definitely first..

then there's Roma and Inter.. Napoli and Lazio are good, but I believe we should do better than them anyway..

Shaarawy I've seen in my other saves is quite injury prone.. just hoping he stays healthy for a good time.. if he has a good season or two and generates interest in that time, I'll definitely consider selling him..
 
Robinho is out on loan, Torres is out on loan, and whilst I have nothing against any of that, I find it absurd we are paying a large part of their wages, while they are on loan, at other clubs!
And those aren't low wages..

I could easily use that money to buy and offer contract to a couple of players!
There are a huge number of players in their mid and late twenties out on loan at many clubs, and there's no way to recall any of them..

After this season, whoever is not in my plans, will be moved on, whatever the fee!

Youngsters needing game time will be sent on loan if they wouldn't be able to play a fair number of games here..

Players asking for silly pay raises will be sold, the sooner the better!

Players with their hearts elsewhere will also be allowed to leave on my terms!

Players who would have served their purpose at the club will also be sold..
And at the end of the day, it's about the club, and any deal that is financially logical for the club will be pursued.. and the nice versa holds as well.

We will look to bring the best of youngsters from around the world, and develop them at our academy, to nurture the finest footballers, not only in Italy, but allover the world!
 
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