Gratitude

Despite the Borini signing, which makes less sense the more I think about it, the team is returning to Milanello on Monday a much better team than when it left. We can finally function in the mercato for the first time since January of 2016, and we also have the funding to buy players worth talking about. Not only that, but our CEO and Sporting Director had plenty of time to scout quality players while waiting for the sale of the club to finally close. The mercato officially opens tomorrow, and we already have four quality signings and Borini. So perhaps it’s time to express a little gratitude.

Grateful for two amazing kits so far

Even if this all goes south at some point, right now is a great time to be a Milan fan. Finally, we can proudly wear our jerseys again in public. And speaking of jerseys, the first and second kits have both been released now and are simply spectacular. Simple. And spectacular. The second kit is much better than the original leaked version. Clean, simple, and so very Milan. Just like the first kit, it points to a return to the Milan brand. And that was such a concern with the change of ownership. Yet so far, this Milan seems to be more classic Milan than the team had been in at least 10 years under Berlusconi. And while they have yet to even play a game, they are going to look amazing doing it.

The first four signings were exactly the kinds of players fans have been begging for all of these years. Strengthening in all of the right areas, with the proper mix of experience and youth that gives hope of some actual football again. Signings made live on Facebook for all the world to see, with brief and professional statements from everyone, the signatures, handshakes and presenting the new player with the Milan jersey. Five minutes of our time, but feels like it was worth an hour of our time. Pictures of the new players signing pointing to the crest, displaying their new allegiance. And speaking of allegiance, one of the most important requirements Fassone and Mirabelli are looking for is players who will play for that crest. No more free transfers and players who are washed up and with bad attitudes, not wanting to train properly and causing problems in the dressing room.

Grateful for a strong ex-player to remind our players what it means to play for Milan

Speaking of the dressing room, it will now be carefully guarded by Abbiati. Not too many people more intimidating than that. He always had a very high standard of conduct for his fellow players, and represented Milan for 18 years, too. Particularly in contrast to that other team manager they were looking to hire, we should be very grateful for the big, bald, and beautiful’s presence back at Milan. Thank you, Fassone and Mirabelli.

Other than signing Borini and perhaps some of the way they handled the Donnarumma nightmare, the new management have been impeccable and demonstrating a return of the faith fans put in them. No more long, self-absorbed speeches about past accomplishments and lecturing the fans on how they need to be grateful to the President. Just direct, professional, and fan-oriented dialogue that is so refreshing. I believe it was Dino Zoff recently that talked about how the fans had been so disrespected and they needed to be heard by management. I am so grateful that this new management seem to have heard that.

Our first Italian signing of the new era... still, four out of five is not bad

No management is ever going to be perfect. Hence Borini, whom Fassone and Mirabelli have been chasing for three years for some inexplicable reason. Maybe they still think they are at Inter. But after everything else they have done and continue to do, I’ll allow them a Poli moment. There is so much already in place that we have to be grateful for. Especially for not being told that we need to be grateful. That way our gratitude is truly organic. Whatever happens from here, for now, we have been given so many things to be grateful for in contrast for where we have been the last five to ten years. So before our new team officially arrives at Milanello, I had to share just a little gratitude.

This post inspired by the music of Danny Elfman’s “Gratitude”

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