Former Milan man Marcel Desailly understands the frustration voiced by club legend Paolo Maldini, but says Adriano Galliani can't be blamed.
Former Milan man Marcel Desailly understands the frustration voiced by club legend Paolo Maldini, but says Adriano Galliani can't be blamed.
The ex-Rossonero openly criticised the recent decline of the team, claiming to the Gazzetta dello Sport that all his hard work in building Milan had been destroyed.
Desailly acknowledged that things are being operated in a different manner to the five years he spent at the club, and feels Silvio Berlusconi’s lack of funds and the failure to produce young talent is an issue.
“Paolo was my captain and I can understand his frustration,” Desailly told Football Italia’s South African correspondent Rossella Marrai.
“After 15 years at the top level, he [Maldini] was committed to the club and he wanted to put his finger on various negative things that was done.
“You cannot blame Galliani. He was part of the success of Milan – on his choices, on the players they brought in like myself, George Weah and keeping some of the historic Italian players.
“They have taken some wrong decisions, but you still need to believe in them, and that it won’t be as terrible as everyone is thinking.
“When you lose some of your historic players, and you don’t go to the Primavera and replace them with new talent, you face some problems.
“Even if they have the likes of [Franco] Baresi, [Stefano] Eranio and Filippo Galli I was expecting to see more players coming up and they are not.”
The 45-year-old went on to add: “There is also the money issue that Berlusconi doesn’t want to take money from his pocket – they are running things a bit differently now.
“Unfortunately, he bought some old players – ones that weren’t expensive – to try and see if they can still perform.
“It did not work. It worked at the time of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo but this time none of the experienced or the young players are performing. This has affected the spirit and the team at Milan.”
Desailly recently qualified for his UEFA coaching badges, a prerequisite in Italian football, and one current Diavolo head Coach Clarence Seedorf doesn’t have.
“Seedorf is the future. That season was finished and it’s just up to the fans not to be down and start off fresh next year,” continued the 1998 World Cup winner with France.
“They cannot sack him because he is not responsible for how the team is formed. I think it was a good idea.
“Will you see me on the bench one day? Nooooo.”