Milan have three experienced goalkeepers in their squad for the coming season, in the form of Zeljko Kalac, Christian Abbiati and Nelson Dida, but neither of them particularly stand out as a cut above the rest. So who deserves to be Milan’s No.1?
For all the world class players that have worn the Milan shirt during the Silvio Berlsuconi-era, very few, if any, of these have been goalkeepers. While Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard, Baresi, Donadoni and Maldini led the Rossoneri to European and World domination in the late 1980s and early 90s, Giovanni Galli and then Sebastiano Rossi were the regulars between the sticks.
Galli is regarded by some as the worst goalkeeper ever to go to a World Cup as Italy’s No.1, which he did at Mexico ’86, while Rossi, who often excelled in a Milan shirt during 12 years at the club, never even played for the Azzurri. During the last 20 years, Milan have had their fair share of goalkeeping disasters, most notably Jens Lehmann, who was involved in an infamous game against Cagliari in 1998 when he was substituted in the first half after gifting the Sardinians a goal and conceding a penalty.
In the last couple of seasons the goalkeeping position has been regarded as something of a weak point for Milan. Midway through last season the blundering long-term No.1 Nelson Dida lost his first team place to veteran Australian Zeljko Kalac.
Adriano Galliani has confirmed that Kalac will start the new season as Milan’s No.1, ahead of Dida and Christian Abbiati, who has returned from a loan spell at Atletico Madrid.
"The hierarchy of the goalkeepers has been decided by Carlo Ancelotti," said Galliani.
"I think that at this point we can say that we start with Kalac, then comes Abbiati, and we are waiting to verify the conditions of Dida, who is following a recovery program."
Is this the right decision though? Well let’s weigh up the three options that Milan have at their disposal.
1) Kalac
Until displacing Dida in January of last season, Kalac was regarded as something of a joke in Italy. The giant 35-year-old, who signed on a free transfer in 2005, had never played for a big club, and was seen as something of a liability, as exemplified by his horrific error for Australia against Croatia in the 2006 World Cup.
However, ‘Spider’ largely did well in the final five months of last term, and pulled of a contender for save of the season during the 1-0 win over Fiorentina. Kalac will feel that he deserves his chance to start the new season as the No.1, although doubters will point to his failure to stop a harmless Cesc Fabregas long-shot, during the Champions League exit to Arsenal, as proof that he cannot be trusted.
2) Abbiati
The 31-year-old can be compared to England’s David James in that he has the technical and physical skills to be a great goalkeeper, but perhaps does not possess the tactical and mental attributes that are just as vital for this role. Abbiati has never won over Carlo Ancelotti, and has spent most of the coach’s time at the club either as backup to Dida, or out on loan, which he has done for the last three seasons at Juventus, Torino and Atletico Madrid respectively.
At Juve, Abbiati filled in admirably while Gianluigi Buffon was injured, displaying all of his undoubted ability. However, he has not completely inspired confidence with the Granata and Atletico. Nevertheless, many would argue that he is the best of Milan’s three options.
3) Dida
Back in 2000, Dida cost my father thousands of pounds on the football pools when he dropped a harmless 89th minute shot from Leeds United’s Lee Bowyer into his own net, causing Milan to lose the match 1-0. Fast forward five years and Dida cost my father, and myself (as I gave the tip), an even bigger fortune. It was the Champions League final, and having correctly predicted, at ridiculous odds, Paolo Maldini to score the first goal in a Milan win, and with virtually every scoreline covered, it seemed impossible to lose with Liverpool 3-0 down at half time. Dida then produced another blunder from Vladimir Smicer to make it 3-2 and the Merseysiders then came back for a seemingly impossible victory.
On a more positive note, between 2002 and 2004, Dida was, on form alone, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but since being infamously struck by a firework during a 2005 Champions League Milan derby, a month before the Liverpool final, Dida has been a constant liability. Last year he made a long-line of blunders, lost his place to Kalac, and indeed it a surprise to many that he is still at the club. Should he be offered another chance as Milan's No.1? I know what my father would say, and it begins with the letter 'F'.
For all the world class players that have worn the Milan shirt during the Silvio Berlsuconi-era, very few, if any, of these have been goalkeepers. While Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard, Baresi, Donadoni and Maldini led the Rossoneri to European and World domination in the late 1980s and early 90s, Giovanni Galli and then Sebastiano Rossi were the regulars between the sticks.
Galli is regarded by some as the worst goalkeeper ever to go to a World Cup as Italy’s No.1, which he did at Mexico ’86, while Rossi, who often excelled in a Milan shirt during 12 years at the club, never even played for the Azzurri. During the last 20 years, Milan have had their fair share of goalkeeping disasters, most notably Jens Lehmann, who was involved in an infamous game against Cagliari in 1998 when he was substituted in the first half after gifting the Sardinians a goal and conceding a penalty.
In the last couple of seasons the goalkeeping position has been regarded as something of a weak point for Milan. Midway through last season the blundering long-term No.1 Nelson Dida lost his first team place to veteran Australian Zeljko Kalac.
Adriano Galliani has confirmed that Kalac will start the new season as Milan’s No.1, ahead of Dida and Christian Abbiati, who has returned from a loan spell at Atletico Madrid.
"The hierarchy of the goalkeepers has been decided by Carlo Ancelotti," said Galliani.
"I think that at this point we can say that we start with Kalac, then comes Abbiati, and we are waiting to verify the conditions of Dida, who is following a recovery program."
Is this the right decision though? Well let’s weigh up the three options that Milan have at their disposal.
1) Kalac
Until displacing Dida in January of last season, Kalac was regarded as something of a joke in Italy. The giant 35-year-old, who signed on a free transfer in 2005, had never played for a big club, and was seen as something of a liability, as exemplified by his horrific error for Australia against Croatia in the 2006 World Cup.
However, ‘Spider’ largely did well in the final five months of last term, and pulled of a contender for save of the season during the 1-0 win over Fiorentina. Kalac will feel that he deserves his chance to start the new season as the No.1, although doubters will point to his failure to stop a harmless Cesc Fabregas long-shot, during the Champions League exit to Arsenal, as proof that he cannot be trusted.
2) Abbiati
The 31-year-old can be compared to England’s David James in that he has the technical and physical skills to be a great goalkeeper, but perhaps does not possess the tactical and mental attributes that are just as vital for this role. Abbiati has never won over Carlo Ancelotti, and has spent most of the coach’s time at the club either as backup to Dida, or out on loan, which he has done for the last three seasons at Juventus, Torino and Atletico Madrid respectively.
At Juve, Abbiati filled in admirably while Gianluigi Buffon was injured, displaying all of his undoubted ability. However, he has not completely inspired confidence with the Granata and Atletico. Nevertheless, many would argue that he is the best of Milan’s three options.
3) Dida
Back in 2000, Dida cost my father thousands of pounds on the football pools when he dropped a harmless 89th minute shot from Leeds United’s Lee Bowyer into his own net, causing Milan to lose the match 1-0. Fast forward five years and Dida cost my father, and myself (as I gave the tip), an even bigger fortune. It was the Champions League final, and having correctly predicted, at ridiculous odds, Paolo Maldini to score the first goal in a Milan win, and with virtually every scoreline covered, it seemed impossible to lose with Liverpool 3-0 down at half time. Dida then produced another blunder from Vladimir Smicer to make it 3-2 and the Merseysiders then came back for a seemingly impossible victory.
On a more positive note, between 2002 and 2004, Dida was, on form alone, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but since being infamously struck by a firework during a 2005 Champions League Milan derby, a month before the Liverpool final, Dida has been a constant liability. Last year he made a long-line of blunders, lost his place to Kalac, and indeed it a surprise to many that he is still at the club. Should he be offered another chance as Milan's No.1? I know what my father would say, and it begins with the letter 'F'.
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