Andrea Pirlo – A true legend of the game

There is current wave of euphoria in the red half of the great City of Milan this summer. The fans of the Rossoneri are currently basking in the glory of their clubs first Scudetto since 2004. Their most famous fan Silvio Berlusconi will of course be buoyed by this joyous season and will carry a great big Colgate smile into his campaign for re-election as Italy’s Prime minister. As we all know when Silvio Berlusconi smiles the sun shines in Italy.

However in AC Milan’s final training session of the season there was an air of sadness. Tears were being shed all round by the new Champions of Italy.

When grown men such as Filippo Inzaghi and Gennaro Gattuso are wiping their moist eyes it is for a very good reason. The reason is the training session was also a fair well to Andrea Pirlo. He announced his departure from the San Siro on the 18^th of May and we now know he will join Juventus. His team mates applauded him, they were all itching to hug him and console the man who had been such a leader for them on the pitch. Inzaghi threw a comforting arm around his team mate and walked with him as he left the training pitch for the last time, sobbing into his hand as he did it.

There was no doubt it was an emotional day in the Milan camp. The departure of Andrea Pirlo signals a new beginning for AC Milan and draws the curtain on an era which saw the Rossoneri reach 3 Champions League finals in 5 years becoming European Champions twice. Today is very much the day of Barcelona, they are the new dynasty of Europe. They are the side that we all admire and are never surprised to see in the Champions League final.

From the 2002/03 season to the 2006/07 season however, that team was AC Milan. Whilst the strikers in that time changed frequently featuring the likes of Shevchenko, Crespo, Inzaghi and Tomasson the midfield was consistent throughout. Milan adopted a diamond shape with Gattuso as the aggressive holding midfielder, Seedorf the smooth passer that would use his wit to beat many a defender. Kaka at the head behind the strikers, running at defenders and scoring goals that will live in the memory forever and of course the man who pulled the strings of everything Milan did: Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo symbolised the Milan side of this time, passing the ball round with seeming ease, always finding a team mate and jogging about the pitch as if he owned it. As all great midfielders do, he chipped in with a goal every now and then. Often from a dead ball situation, he was the master at scoring a free kick to the left of the box between 20 and 25 yards from the goal. Pirlo was what Xavi is for Barcelona right now. The Italian’s stats indicate this too.

During the 02/03 season, in which AC Milan won the Champions League. Pirlo completed an amazing 2093 passes. A stat which averages 90 successful passes per game. In the season of their next European triumph (06/07) Pirlo spent a staggering 2782 minutes on the pitch, the most of any Milan player that season. That along with the 32 goals in 284 appearances earned Andrea the nick name: The Metronome.

Now at the tender age of 32 and with the emergence of a new generation of Milan midfielders (the likes of Flamini, Boateng, Van Bommel etc.) Andrea has called it a day with the side he joined in 2001. It has been a magnificent 10 years which will earn him his place in Milan folklore along with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Marko Van Basten, Cesare and Paolo Maldini, Frank Rijkaard and Filippo Inzaghi.

The term ‘legend of the game’ may be thrown about a little too much these days. But I very much doubt anybody will disagree with you when using the term with Andrea Pirlo.

Juventus, you don’t know how lucky you are.

by Kevin Leonard, you can follow him on his Twitter - @megatronSTALIN, Kevin regularly writes for Away Goals too.

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Why the appointment of King Kenny Dalglish is the right move by Liverpool

The appointment of Kenny Dalglish is probably the appointment most Liverpool fans would have wanted to see in the summer of 2010. This was fuelled by the fact Dalglish made it clear that he was seriously interested in taking the reigns left by Rafa Benitez. However, the board opted to pick the LMA manager of the year, Roy Hodgson. And in hindsight this saw the club take to another level of decline. Within 6 months, Hodgson was kindly shown the door.

To most fans Dalglish is the perfect appointment. He is a man who cares so dearly about the club. He is a man who has won virtually every trophy with the club. And a man who has and knows how to inspire both players and fans. Fenway Sports Group have made an incredibly logical decision in their appointment. The continuous chanting of ‘dalgish’ a chant which foreshadowed the beginning of the end of Roy Hodgsons stint as the Liverpool manager. However, the chant clearly showed John Henry and Thomas Werner what the Liverpool fans wanted. And that was King Kenny Dalglish. This was the right move by the owners. As the owners in various interviews have spoken of the importance to listen to the Liverpool fans. The appointment clearly shows to the Liverpool fans they are listening to the demands of the fans. Even though the owners reportedly feel Dalglish has been away from the game for too long. Kenny Dalglish symbolises to the Liverpool fans that they have their club back. After all the turmoil with the two fools of Hicks and Gillett and the failure of Hodgson’s tenure, the fans feel that the individual at the helm cares and will do anything to see the club being successful.

One word which sums up the last two years of Liverpool Football Club is ‘insecure.’ The tensional battles off the field regarding the debt leveraged against the club and the brittle displays shown by the team have seriously hurt the Liverpool fans. The fans felt they were losing grip on their club, as the club was becoming a shadow of its former self. However, the appointment of Kenny Dalglish makes the fans feel a sense of security. As they know that the club is in the right hands. Dalglish offers the Liverpool fans a certain expectation. The fans know Dalglish is deeply embedded in everything that was right during Liverpool’s glory days in the 70’s and 80’s. Dalgish is fully aware of the dna which makes Liverpool successful. He understands the club and the fans understand him. This will motivate fans, and get them behind the team.

The Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has gained a lot of credibility by their decision to appoint Dalglish. Ive discussed the idea of the owners listening to the fans demands, but the group have taken an intelligent gamble. If Dalglish actually improves the fortunes of the club it could pave the way for Dalglish to have a period as Liverpool boss. After all, Damien Comolli confirmed he is a candidate for the permant role. And it seems apparent the club are unwilling to spend this January. If Dalglish can get this underachieving squad to fulfil its potential, he surely has to be a strong contender for the job- for the long term. Which im sure the fans would be more than happy to back. However, if Dalglish is unable to progress the team the owners can look to appoint someone who they feel is suitable for the permanent role. The fans would be far more supportive than they were of Roy Hodgson’s tenure. As they know that their first choice was given the chance at the helm.