You know those types of players who are undoubtedly talented
but just aren’t able to consistently produce? Maybe they have injury problems
or they don’t get enough starts to find their form or they move from club to
club or so many other reasons. Well that seems to be the kind of player Milan
have been shopping for lately, and it is exactly the type of player that Jérémy
Ménez is. In his career, he’s shown plenty of brilliance, but has struggled to
string together two consistent seasons. However with all of the talent and
plenty of desire, I think Milan management are taking a gamble on him being a
big part of our French Revolution.
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| "Can you hear me now?" |
Ménez was born in the suburbs of Paris, France, and played
at three different youth academies before landing at Sochaux at the age of 13,
where he played for four years. In 2004, two months before his 17th birthday,
he signed his first professional contract with Sochaux’s first team. He debuted
later that year, giving him the distinction of becoming the youngest to play in
Ligue 1 at that time. In his two years with Sochaux, he made 55 appearances and
scored 7 goals. He was also nominated and narrowly missed winning the French
Young Player of the Year award, which went to Jérémy Toulalon instead, who is
actually 3 and a half years older than Ménez.
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| A very young Ménez at Sochaux |
From Sochaux, he went to Monaco, where he was given the
number 10 jersey and played on the left wing. However with coaching changes and
a couple of injuries, he struggled to maintain form and playing time. Still, he
managed 57 appearances, 14 goals, and 5 assists for the club over the two years
he was there. It is also of note that even before he signed with Sochaux, he was being courted by EPL teams like Manchester United, and Liverpool also showed interest in addition to Manchester United during his time at Sochaux. But to his credit, he always turned down the EPL clubs.
His next club was Roma, where most of us learned to hate
him. And we weren’t alone. Much of his time at the club was spent not getting
playing time or being accused of being lazy. Most notably, he spoke out about
his lack of playing time under Montella and then in April of 2011 reportedly
got in an altercation with the manager during training , who had been yelling at
him for his lack of commitment. During his three years with the Giallorossi, he made 84 appearances
scored 7 goals, and had 10 assists.
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| Scoring for Monaco |
After his Italian adventure, he went home to France and was
signed by PSG. There he was more prolific, scoring seven goals and 13 assists
in the 2011-12 season in 40 appearances in all competitions for PSG. The
following year, he scored 8 goals and had 10 assists in 43 appearances in all
competitions. Despite developing a good understanding with former Milan player
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, last year he was used less in Ligue 1 and seemed to be
reserved for Champions League and Cup matches. In all, he made 27 appearances,
mostly subs, and only scored 2 goals and made 2 assists, while PSG won Ligue 1
the past two seasons and also won the French Cup last season. It is notable
that he was also allowed to leave PSG on a free transfer.
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| His prior Italian exploits left something to be desired |
His not-so-secret meeting with his agent and Inzaghi prior
to signing for Milan stirred up a emotions in Milan fans. Which Ménez would be
coming our way? The lazy, oft-fouling Roma version we all knew so well, or the
more prolific early PSG one? At 27 years old, he could become a real asset to
the club, or he could be like his fellow countryman and Milan defender, Mexès,
being paid far too much and doing far too little. Inzaghi vouched for his
professionalism and desire, and we as fans didn’t really have any choice in the
matter after all, did we?
But it wasn’t long before he dazzled us with his ball
handling skills, his speed, and his ability to score fantastic goals. He can
play as a false 9, on the left wing, or behind the striker. He likes to move
around a lot, causing a lot of trouble for defenders, and can shoot with either
foot, too. Perhaps his greatest asset is a bit “furbo,” as he draws fouls and dives in a way that makes Neymar look
like an amateur. His “embellishments” have won him numerous fouls and cards
called against him thus far, without a single call for diving. An interesting,
but admittedly useful talent in his already extraordinary arsenal of talents.
And let’s not trivialize his ability here, the man takes a beating and gets
right up without complaint.
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| His first 2 years in the red, white and blue were his best, but last season people "lost faith in him" |
Hopefully, however, most Milan fans will know of him for
having scored 3 goals in 6 starts so far, including a spectacular backheel vs.
Parma that some have speculated “is up there with the best
goals of the Berlusconi era.” And of course, now he is injured, having
played in every match thus far. But it remains to be seen whether these moments
of brilliance will continue or if he will simply add Milan to his list of clubs
where he failed to be consistent. And also if he can break back into the French
national team. Having represented France at every level since U16, he has
fallen out of favor with Deschamps and not been called up in the past year.
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| That's the way we like it, too, Jérémy |
So for Ménez, Milan could be his make or break club. He’s got
a three year deal, and at age 27 could become a formidable force in attack or a
washed-up has-been, perhaps only in a single season. From what we have seen so
far, he plans to become the former, which would only endear him to Milan fans
more. Certainly, alongside fellow countrymen M’Baye Niang, Adil Rami, and the
aforementioned Philippe Mexès, Milan are looking for him to be that formidable
force and also a force for change in their growing French Revolution.
This post inspired by the music of
Prince and the Revolution