The Milito Files (letter from Gabi)
By: Kevin | July 19th, 2009It’s rare that a player reaches out directly to the fans, but this is one of those cases. As we all know, our thuggish, lock-and-load defender, Gabi Milito, has been out with a knee injury since 2008’s Champions League rounds. Then, it was supposed to be 6-8 months. But false starts and continued chronic pain still dog the back line defender.
People who didn’t sign him, back in the day, are saying “Told you so.” But here’s a heartfelt letter from him, published at the official site:
“I would like to take advantage of this opportunity that FC Barcelona have offered me to express my deep regret that I will not be able to join my team-mates for pre-season training.
As everyone knows I have been recovering for over a year to return to playing after my injury. Up until now I and Doctor Ramon Cugat and the club’s medical services have sought many different paths to find a solution to the problems that I have.
Unfortunately, we still have not found the answer that would allow me to rejoin my team-mates and to be completely happy playing again.
Every day I work hard in order to fulfil my desire of putting this all behind me and coming through this complicated situation that I am in because it has been, without doubt, the worst moment of my career and my life.
I also want to thank the medical staff for the honesty and complete confidence that they have shown in me and they have assured me that there is no reason for me to feel the pain I do to today.
There is no doubt also that I will not let me head drop and I will continue to do everything I can to recover from this.
I also want to thank all my team-mates, the coaching staff and all the medics and physiotherapists that have offered their unconditional support on a daily basis.
I know that I will overcome this and recover.”
Gabriel Milito
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ramzi, yeah i agree all 3 are similar with their own unique skills.
Posted from
United Arab Emirates
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Cesc Pistol, Pep for me was the smart player whom you can samarize his style by three words: Vision, leadership, and passing quality.
“Pep was a monster specially as his positioning and reading of the game went very well with his physical aspect.”
Very true, thats how he succeeded to look a better player defensively than he actually was. Being in the right time, at the right position.
Posted from
Sweden -
I’m not sure what you’re hinting at (their tackling?)but I’ll just clear the fact that Pep made more defensive impact than Xavi. That is undeniable. Maybe you can say Xavi does more for applying pressure etc. and that may be debatable but impact wise not at all.
Posted from
India -
FYI, the pep guardiola press conference is being held now:
http://fcbtransfers.blogspot.com/2009/07/guardiola-wants-etoo-to-leave.htmlPosted from
Indonesia -
too many conflicting reports. some say if eto stays, ibra still comes, the others say the opposite!
Posted from
United Arab Emirates -
Cesc Pistol, of course he made more defensive impact than Xavi. He played deeper.
Physically Xavi is stronger, his tackiling is better and his marking is better as well. Positioning sense and the other mental attributes, pep is slightly better. So all in all Xavi has better defensive attribute. But its important to note that when I say “Xavi is better deffensively” it doesnt imply that “Pep was bad defensively” . Its important to note that. Its just the fact that Pep greatness was not the output of his deffensive qualities. Not as I see it at least.
Posted from
Sweden -
I dont think that there is any scenario that allows both Ibra and Eto’o at Barcelona next year. Its one or the other. It seems that everything hinges on Eto’o now, the agreement with both Inter and Zlatan are in place according to most reports. So now it comes down to Eto’o and his agent finding an agreement with Inter. I really hope this happens quickly so we can get on with the remaining transfers. I dont want this to drag on too long and delay all our other negotiations. Pep still wants at least two more players after Ibra.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Pep is BACK. Hallellujah!!! FINALLY some straight talk! The Eto’o answer is on Pep’s Place. Here are some of the other questions he answered for our friends who are not Spanish fluent. Damn, it feels good to here some blatant honesty rather than Laports-speak.
Q: Is it true Messi is back a week early?
A: Yeah. He wants to train. For me, its perfect. Better than he be here than far away. (AWESOME)Q: What do you think of Ibra?
A: He’s still an Inter player. Its very complicated. We dont know how it well end. I talked to Txiki after the season and told him what I needed. The club studies it and we have certain players scouted.Q: What about Maxwell and Henrique?
A: Maxwell is a very technically gifted player who has been in the elite for many years. We have to help hom out in the first week but I think he will help us a lot. Henrique adapted himself very well at Bayern. I have to see how he does in practice but I have several very good references of him. He’s coming to stay. (That’s one concern answered)Q: Caceres?
A: He’s going on loan to get more playing time. (Thanks for the honesty)Q: Keirrison?
A: He has spectacular numbers. He is a bet by the club. A true goal-scorer is hard to find and he costs money. Initially at least, he will be loaned. (So the deal is done. Apparetnly its like Henrique who was signed but never presented and just sent out on loan).Q: Villa?
A: I’ve talked with him. (The one vague answer).Q: Ribery?
A: It looks like he will not come. It seems his agent is set on making him go to another place (Zidane influece?). I am not worried about re-enforcing the wings, though.Q: Puyol?
A: He won’t go. If he thinks he’s gonna go, he has to remove that thought. Hwe will play wherever the hell I tell him to as well. CB, FB, or wherever. I am not worried that he has’t renovated. He will.Q: Marquez?
A: He’s good. Still a little day-to-day but progressing nicely. Like Puyol, I am not worried about his renovatio. He will come.Q: Henry?
A: I haven’t talked to him yet. From what I know he has some small amount of aches still but he’s alright. he played in Rome because he wanted to. He will determine what protagonism he has. It’s Henry. He will play and play a lot as long as he want to.Q: Guddy?
A: For now he stays with us but it is true that we are talking with him.Well’, that’s it. Pretty refreshing? Right?
Posted from
United States -
thanks Hector..
Posted from
Indonesia -
Shoot. I forget there’s more. I might translate later if I have time.
Posted from
United States -
so were not worried about getting a wing player?
Posted from
United States -
Apparently not. He seems confident with Jeffren, Pedrito, and Gai waiting in the wings.
Posted from
United States -
Man I love Pep, such a straight shooter, none of the lawyer speak you always get from Laporta. I loved his reply regarding Puyol, now thats how you make somebody feel instrumental to the squad. Are these direct translations Hector? (thanks for translating btw) Did he really say this : “He will play wherever the hell I tell him to as well”…. HAHA I love that!
We have plenty of wingers, we dont need to go spending silly money on a winger if we end up with Ibra (who can also play on the wing btw). What we need is a midfielder to cover for Xavi, lets see what happens.
I just really hope this Ibra deal is done in the next few days..
Posted from
United Kingdom -
The questions are paraphrased. The answers are as direct quotes I can make them. That quote you mentioned is direct minus the “hell” part which I added to emphasize the tone he said it in. Kinda like “and he WILL very well play any position I tell him!”. It was ironic, laconic, and funny. No wonder the guy is a media darling. He also answers in English and Italian.
Posted from
United States -
to color things up, check out Iniesta’s new crib:
http://www.fcbarcelonanews.com/iniestas-new-house-in-colours-of-fc-barcelona/
its pink.. and he has a Street named after him!
Posted from
Indonesia -
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Thanks for the translation, Hector. His comment about Puyol is simply incredible, there is no other manager like Pep in the whole world
Once again about Ibra-Eto’o: I’ve read on goal.com that Barca is ready to pay 50 Mio. € + Eto’o for Ibrahimovic. Now that equals about 75 Mio. € which is 10 Mio. € more than Kaka’s prize tag.
There is no way that a player is worth 50 Mio. € and all the contributions you could still expect from Eto’o next season(s). On an economic basis, this deal cannot turn out to be a good one for us.An acceptable deal in my opinion is 35 Mio. € + Eto’o (and maybe Hleb on loan), but everything above 40 + Eto’ is more like Real Madrid business, which Laporta (or Txiki, dunno exactly) claimed is not our style. They contradict themselves…
The longer the negotiations last, the less convinced I’m about it. Perhaps we should stick to Eto’o for another season, get Keirrison back after one year on loan and buy a striker for ~25m € in summer ‘10. Considering also the wages of Ibra, it would save us 50m €.
Posted from
United States -
official site has details on pep’s press conference. He say’s he has a feeling about Eto, and hence does not count him in next years plans. if that was the case, why was Eto offered a contract extension?
and i still don’t get why Inter would let go of their star player who apparently scores all the goals using his own skill…Posted from
United States -
Anyone catch the news that Villarreal blew away Catalan regional (below Tercera) side Navata by the egregious score of 27-0.
What’s the point of even playing those games?
Posted from
United States -
Is it just me or does it strike anyone else as weird that fcbarcelonanews.com lists “rumours” before “news” in their link hierarchy at the top of the page? It’s just unsettling, is all.
Posted from
United States -
we’re giving too much to get Ibra.
Posted from
United States -
Hectored!
Posted from
United States -
RE: Ibra Deal. Let’s look at it from a different perspective.
1) Hleb is NOT part of the deal. It is a separate operation that will leave cash FOR Barcelona. In any case it is a COST REDUCER. I hate it when all the sites and rags publish that we are including him in a straight swap. False.
2) Samu has one year on his contract and we are not renovating. This drastically lowers his value. Something a lot of folks can’t seem to accept.
If the deal goes through, Samu will sign a new contract with Inter. Hence, if we include Samu we will technically be gifting Samu to Inter for 4-5 years but doing it at a cost of technically only 1 year of Samu to us.
Look at it this way. If Citeh were really offering 35 million euros for the right to sign Samu to a 3-5 year contract… Lets be conservative and say they were willing to pay that amount for Samu and intended to sign him for only three years. That would mean they valued Samu’s presence, salary notwithstanding at approx 11.6 million Euros per year. That said, this is a rather qualitative value but for the example’s sake, lets use it.
This implies that the cost of the deal would be 11.6 + 45 (lets go on the high end) = 56.6 million Euros – Income from Hleb. If you look at it like that then the deal makes a lot more sence.
It looks bad if you factor in opportunity cost (what if we had sold him to Citeh for 35 mill) but financially this is irrelevant.
Ibra will earn almost the same salary that Samu did so financially , our cost is technically 45 million Euros + salary increase for Ibra – Hleb Income.
In summary. The deal is, financially speaking, much sounder than it is being made out to be. Its the opportunity cost that makes it seem too expensive but in terms of the health of our books, that is totally irrelevant.
Posted from
United States -
I live up to my namesake again
. Blast you, Kevin!!!!
This is so getting copy pasted on the next post.
Posted from
United States -
thanks for the translations hector!
Posted from
United States
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