The advent of social media has introduced a whole new battery
of casualties. There are psychological
injuries to everyday users, but have you ever considered the power of
your words as they influence others? Not just other fans online, but the
players themselves? This year in particular, I’ve noticed a trend that plagues
Twitter and other online forums like a disease. A trend where words become more
powerful than reality. I like to call it the Birsa Effect.
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| Social media has a lot to say about all of these guys, but how much is true? |
The name comes from one of social media’s biggest
casualties, Milan’s own Valter Birsa. Brought in as part of a swap this summer
at the age of 27, he was never destined to be a Ballon d’Or winner, although
playing next to one does not exactly help his cause. Before he ever played a
match for Milan, I wrote about his career to date, saying that he had flown “under
the radar.” I also defended him ad nauseum on one
of the podcasts, as the effects of social media had already set in.
Since that time, Birsa’s role as a ‘squad player’ stepped up
exponentially as he’s made 12 starts and 3 substitutions with 2 goals and an
assist in all competitions. His assist came in the Champions League match away
to Celtic, in which 2 of Milan’s three goals started from Birsa corners. In
fact, when he is on the pitch, he is the default corner taker, as that seems to
be a specialty of his. But more importantly, both of his Serie A goals came in
games where his were the only goals, meaning he personally is responsible for 6
points in the league. That’s 6 of Milan’s paltry 19 points from a measly ‘squad
player.’ Not Muntari, one of the preferred starters of Allegri’s Milan, but a
Slovenian ‘squad player.’
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| Muntari is a starter, apparently for both his goals and his liabilities? |
Not only has Birsa been crucial in Milan’s stats this season
so far, he played a very important role in covering for some very important
injuries. And despite being out injured now for about 3 weeks himself, his
numbers are still better than a lot of players that Twitter users deem “worthy
of Milan.” So if you are rational, look at the numbers, or read this blog, then
you probably have a healthy respect and/or appreciation for Milan’s number 14,
Valter Birsa.
But social media can influence even the most discerning and
respectable fans. I know it affects me. For the longest time, I would write my
match reviews having not been on Twitter since before kickoff. Then I would go
to Twitter and be surprised at how a few people’s comments would have
snowballed and influenced opinion (which you can actually watch as you read
through a timeline.) More recently, as I have sometimes kept up with Twitter
during a match, I see how some people’s comments affect my perception of a
player or an event during the game, etc. Sometimes it’s for the good,
especially if someone posts an astute observation, but more often, it’s for the
worse, as people calling our players names or wishing them ill (like when they
get injured) will change my mood entirely, and often what I write.
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| The guy bleeds for the shirt and gave Milan almost 1/3 of its points in the league to date |
This absolutely seems to be the case with Birsa. He was
maligned early on, at least on Twitter, and got a lot of hate. So much hate, in
fact, that I’m told he doesn’t tweet anymore himself, although he used to. And
putting in perfect corners to give Milan two goals from corners in a single
game for the first time in a long time (even Galliani noticed this) wasn’t
enough to change the perception forged by social media. People on Twitter don’t
care that his goals are responsible for nearly 1/3 of Milan’s current points on
the table after nearly half a season. They don’t care that if he hadn’t played
while El Shaarawy was out, we would have been stuck with players and/or
formations that would have been even worse, and would have been in the
relegation zone without his goals against Sampdoria and Udinese.
It’s interesting to note the difference between Nocerino’s
welcome to Milan just after a Scudetto winning season. Many did not feel he was
worthy of Milan, and he cost us a mere €500.000 in transfers. Whether it was
luck or a fluke or whatever, he ended up with 48 appearances, 11 goals, and 3
assists that season. Playing alongside plenty of players deemed worthy of the
Milan jersey, he helped us to a 2nd place finish. His numbers and performances
have dropped off significantly since, as have Milan’s fortunes. He, too, now is
demonized on Twitter and elsewhere as not worthy of the Milan jersey. In fact,
recently, Andrea Poli said that none of the current Milan squad would have been
starters in Milan’s glory days.
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| Nocerino had the fortune to play with "Milan worthy" players in a winning season |
So why Birsa? My theory is that it is misplaced anger. It’s
not Birsa’s fault that he is a squad player at Milan. He has done everything in
his career to develop his talents, and this is as good as it gets for him. But
he has been able to make solid contributions at Milan this season and to fill
in when necessary. He has done everything he has been asked, and maybe a little
more, to be honest. He has a fantastic attitude and work ethic, gets along with
everyone in the squad, and puts the t-e-a-m in Milan this season.
But fans on Twitter and elsewhere think he’s not worthy of
the Milan jersey. Their hatred is misplaced. Because it’s not him who signed a
player of his caliber to Milan. He did not call himself up for those 15
appearances. Their anger is misplaced. The fans on Twitter try to hate Valter
Birsa, because they are really mad at management for lying about the commitment
to youth and bringing in players of Birsa’s caliber instead of players like
Pirlo or Nesta or Pippo or Gattuso. And aren’t we all?
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| At least management didn't spend €11m on Birsa. |
It actually has nothing to do with Birsa, or anything he has
done at Milan. They are not mad at a player who has done everything he was
asked and became integral to the squad while doing it. They are mad at the
club. At Milan’s position on the table. At all of the events that led us to
needing to rely on a player like Valter Birsa instead of a player who cost so
much more and was paid so much more and maybe would actually be considered
someday for the Ballon d’Or. It’s the Birsa Effect.
While it is easy to rely on social media for news and
opinions, don’t ever lose yourself in it. It’s too simple to get caught up in
the hysteria and lose sight of reality. Birsa is, in fact, a blessing to Milan
this year, even if he’s not a starter even during these meager times.
Particularly considering that we traded him for Antonini, and lost Traoré in
the process, too. We probably all have anger toward Milan’s situation, and at
various people who got us to this point. But let’s not misdirect it at those
who have helped us most. If everyone uses the brains they were given to be able
to discern between reality and opinion, we can avoid getting caught up in The
Birsa Effect.
This post inspired by the music of
The Smiths’ “Bigmouth Strikes Again”