The Age of Men

If you are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy, you'll remember that there were different ages in the history of Middle Earth. The Berlusconi era at Milan has also seen changes in power. With the retirement of Maldini, I think we can all agree that most of the magical powers within Milan left the club. Sure, the other Senatori who were left may have stayed a few more years, but they were virtually powerless to affect the changes that were coming. Despite improvements in the squad this year, I think it is quite clear that Milan are now seeing the dawn of the Age of Men.

Has his ship sailed into the West?

The Age of Men will not be ruled by elves, dwarves, wizards, or any other beings with magical powers. Gone are the days when world class players left us breathless in every game. No more will winning be a formality or even an expectation for every game. We can only hope that Galliani's One Ring has been destroyed and that, like Sauron, his power will somehow be destroyed, too. Until then, it will be up to mere mortal players to battle for the crest and reign in relative peace after the carnage the club has seen these past few years.

Will Milan return to greatness? Without the magic of the wizards and elves and others who brought home riches in trophies all of these years, it is hard to see that happening anytime in the near future. All of the talent in Serie A, similar to the Elves and others from previous ages, has gone into the West, from whence there is no return.

Does this youngling possess the magic to bring back the greatness to Milan? 

There is hope that a new group of magical talent is developing in our youth sector. But they will need time to develop their powers, and will need to resist the lure of playing in a league that doesn't suck. Well also, there is the mpney, which Serie A and Milan have no more of. So to answer the question, it is impossible to know if Milan will return to greatness. That will be determined by powers we have no control over, like the economy, Lega Serie A, the FIGC, and more. Their recent decision to reduce squad sizes to 25 is well-intended, but certainly not the answer to the larger evils within calcio.

When Pippo and everyone tell us as fans to have patience, it is sincere. And we should have patience with this team. Not only have all of our magical heroes sailed into the West, but now these mere mortals wear the colors that course through our veins. This is not an age when powerful wizards and legions of dwarves and elves defended the Rossoneri crest. But rather, now it is  a time when we must look to mere mortals to do their best to carry the burden and wear the shirt honorably. I know that I will be grateful for every improvement, and will savor every moment of mortal brilliance they afford me. This is not an age of greatness, it is the Age of Men.

This post inspired by the music from the Lord of the Rings soundtracks

Our next match is

Milan vs. Udinese

Sunday, November 30 • 15:00 CET (9am EST)