RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale reassured fans after visiting the Milan Museum that the best is yet to come. ‘Our job is to be good stewards for your club and I take that very seriously. We will do everything we can to win with honour and integrity, and have the same future that I’ve seen here in history.’
The American fund signed the paperwork today for the €1.2bn takeover of the Serie A club from Elliott Management, although the previous owners will remain in a minority shareholder role.
“It’s incredibly inspiring. The first thing I have to say having seen the history is what an honour and privilege it is for me to be welcomed into the Milan family,” Cardinale told Milan TV.
“Particularly after last weekend, seeing this historic Scudetto, I am very much looking forward to embracing this history and making sure that we have an equally impressive future. That’s very important.
“I feel a tremendous responsibility to continue that going forward.”
Cardinale got a perfect view of just what Calcio means in Italy when he was a guest on the open-top bus parade through the streets of Milan following the first Serie A title victory since 2010-11.
Although RedBird also have shares in Liverpool, he was still stunned by the scenes.
“I have been in sports for close to two and a half decades. I’ve been to Super Bowl championships, I’ve been to World Series celebrations, NBA Championships, I have never seen anything like what I saw last Sunday and Monday.
“I understand what this team means to the city of Milan, for the Milanistas and for people around the world. It is such a privilege and an unbelievable life experience to really experience that.
“I feel a tremendous responsibility after an intensive couple of weeks, I had the opportunity to be a fan, to watch this very quietly and nothing inspired me more in all my time in sports than what I saw last weekend.”
RedBird were favoured to the original approach from Dubai investment fund Investcorp because of their history of working in sports, including football with Liverpool.
“The thing I learned in sports, and we at RedBird had tremendous longevity in sports with some of the best sports owners, teams, leagues and players in history.
“So when I come here to Milan, I come here very humbly, knowing full well what my role is. RedBird’s role is to be a great steward for this club and for the fans.
“Having been here and seeing this history, you look at this and say there is a responsibility to do that in future. I see this as a responsibility, a privilege and an honour.
“I say thank you to the fans for accepting us, I know we have a job to do, to be good stewards for your club and I take that very seriously.”
His final statement will be the one that resonates most with the supporters who cheered on Milan when they were the most successful club in world football.
“I love to win, I hate losing. I am sometimes impatient, but I will do my best. The one thing I can commit to the city of Milan and the fans is we will do everything we can to win, win with honour and integrity, and have the same future that I’ve seen here in history.”
Welcome redbird please make sure you invest more money in our transfer budgets.
Yeah yeah whatever just open your wallet and buy players.
Very good first impressions.
Welcome. We don’t want nothing crazy. Just a budget appropriate for the name of Milan the club considering today’s market. Maldini will do the rest.
Welcome to Ac Milan, the best in the world of football. Please do your best and bring close to Real Madrid, Madrid are our rivals for the past 50 year
Are Redbird rich? How much?
The sale of Milan was necessary to compete with the best. Not surprised that most fans have not said a bad word about American ownership. Imagine if they had been bought by the Chinese or with Arab oil money. The criticisms would be flowing. Personally not bothered who bought them. As long as they have a long term plan, can spend, give youth a chance to grow and never hire back PhD Max, they will grow better with time.
Well, some excellent statements by the man.
I confess that I’m quite hopeful and confident. Clear ideas, modern and effective management models, a self-sustainable long-term investment plan, capable of strengthening and making the team competitive without financially weakening the institution. We will succeed, my fellow Rossoneri.