Arrivederci Champions
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 20: Clarence Seedorf (R) of AC Milan celebrates his opening goal with Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo (L) during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Bologna FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 20, 2009 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Being a sports fan is an exercise in uneasiness, because there is nothing that I can do to affect what I am watching or hearing. The same anxiousness took over me when the news of Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Ivan Gattuso, Fillipo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf leaving the San Siro hit me. The four players were part of a Milan I grew up watching, admiring and someday hopefully meeting and of course playing with (I did make the same team on my XBox), and to try and imagine them turning out for another team was a bitter pill to swallow. Seeing Andrea Pirlo at Turin has been pain enough.
Nesta, Gattuso, Seedorf and Inzaghi walking out together at the San Siro and lining up before the scores gathered at the San Siro had become such a familiar sight. The quadrant represented the cornucopia of talent, albiet totally different ones, in the Milan side. Nesta undoubtedly was the brickwall; Gattuso, the destroyer; Seedorf, the conductor and Pippo, the collector.
The playing field somehow transformed into something totally different for the players.
Nesta was always on the battlefield, fighting off waves upon waves of attackers, keeping them at bay with grace and skill that belies the general notion about a defender. Gattuso was in the hunting ground, never losing sight of his target. Running tirelessly, always closing down, always in your face; ready to pounce once the target is close. Seedorf walks into an arena that is waiting to be awed. He twists, turns, dances and often makes the opposition dance. He chips with delectable touches, finds teammates with unmatchable vision and cannons the opposition away with surprising power. He is there to entrall and so he does. Inzaghi goes into a museum. His collection is on display. There are the ones that are priceless, ones that only add to the tally, ones that seem ugly and many that leave you breathless, but there is always place for more…
The Brick-wall: Will there ever be a more graceful and effective defender?
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 13: Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan salutes the fans after his last game for AC Milan after the Serie A match between AC Milan and Novara Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 13, 2012 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
He may have announced himself to the world after breaking Paul Gascoigne‘s leg in training, but when he announced his intentions to leave Milan, he left as a legend, one that made football, and more importantly defending seem like an art.
Sandro Nesta on the battlefield was always a sight to behold. The Italian has always made defending look graceful and sometimes, I dare say, easy.
Nesta has often been asked to do the impossible. Often done the impossible. He has had to do with weak counterparts, been brazenly exposed to world-class attacks, wrested with hopes of a million fans to save the day and more often than not came out on top. A classy tuck of his hair behind his ear and the brick-wall is back to what he’s doing best – thwarting attacks.
The Destroyer: Spirit over skill
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 13: Gennaro Gattuso and Francesco Gattuso of AC Milan after the Serie A match between AC Milan and Novara Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 13, 2012 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Gennaro Gattuso, throughout his time with the Rossoneri, he was surrounded by players who were far more talented than him. He created his niche with hard-work, spirit and work-rate that was second to none. In a team that was not too keen on retracting if the ball was lost to the opposition, Gattuso was often left to do the dirty work and during his hey days there were few better than him in that and fewer still in the opposition who could get past the Italian.
In an era during which fans are easily won by a couple of step-overs, lightening quick passing, nutmegging opponents or scoring screamers, Rino created his own style with an undying spirit and loyalty towards the national and club side. He can quickly be branded cantankerous because he wears his heart on his sleeve, but it is this trait that left fans tear-eyed when Rino played at the San Siro one last time.
The Conductor: Red wine
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 13: Clarence Seedorf #10 of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Novara Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 13, 2012 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Clarence Seedorf has come a long way from the player he was when Milan promptly splashed the cash to lure him from Inter Milan. He may have one of the more decorated cabinets amongst players, but he has often painted a picture of hunger and the need to accomplish much more. It comes as no wonder then that the Dutch midfield maestro, apart from plying his trade in a top club was also technical director at Serie C club AC Monza, owner of ON Management (a sports management company), as well as president of Champions for Children and co-owner of Fingers, a small chain of Japanese restaurants in Milan. Seedorf, has been the man for many occasions at Milan. The midfield man hasn’t got the legs, heart or strength that many others can boast of, but his vision and sense of timing is second to none.
When younger, Seedorf ran harder, tackled harder and hit the ball harder, but with age he learnt, like many Milan players before him, how to work less and be more effective. He peaked when needed to, rose to the occasion when called upon but was happy to stay away from the spotlight when someone else was doing his job.
His expertise and experience will be sorely missed, especially when Milan take on top-class opposition.
The Collector: Lightening in a bottle
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 13: Filippo Inzaghi of AC Milan and his nephew Tommaso Inzaghi salute the audience after his last game for AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Novara Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 13, 2012 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
A Pippo Inzaghi goal celebration is a reflection of how valuable the goal is, no matter how fortunate. The scenes of Pippo running, arms flaying wildly, screaming were special not because they were rare. Hell, they came by the truckload, season of the season, they were special because it made everyone realize a goal is not a small achievement, it is a cause for the entire team and its fan base to celebrate, it often meant victory.
Saying the legendary Italian striker had an eye for goal would be a huge understatement, Inzaghi had an appetite for goal like none other. His predatory instincts in the box were second to none. He had none of the qualities many would associate with world-class strikers: strength, speed, dribbling, eye for the spectacular – None. But he had one trait in abundance – Being at the right place at the right time and he used that to the hilt, raking up goals upon goals, trophies upon trophies and fans upon fans.
Good or bad, ugly or beautiful, timely or not, needed or just a consolation; a collector would never pass an opportunity to add to his tally.