An opportunity not to be missed

The January transfer window is the time for many coaches across the continent to draw a list of wanted players to fine-tune their respective squads in the run-in to the second phase of the campaign.

Aware of their deficiencies, some clubs in Italy are acting fast to beat competition and get the names they want.

Milan, the early pacesetters in the Serie A, wasted no time and they’ve already reached agreement with Antonio Cassano who was dumped by Sampdoria several weeks ago. Milan are now set to off-load Ronaldinho who was not guaranteed a regular place in the starting line-up by coach Massimiliano Allegri.

The question that follows is… will Milan be better off with this change of guard in attack?

Allegri’s boys are playing like true champions this season and, testimony to this, they are currently leading the standings with 36 points from 17 games.

After a rather shaky start, where on one occasion they were floored by newcomers Cesena (0-2), Milan regrouped and went on to collect 33 points from the next available 45.

Following that upset at the Dino Minuzzi stadium on Day Two of the league, Milan conceded two other defeats – against Juventus and Roma – and were involved in three identical 1-1 draws with Catania, Lazio and Sampdoria. Still, they were good enough to top the Serie A table.

Over the past four months, Allegri meticulously built a winning team capable of breaking Inter’s dominance. The ex-Cagliari coach achieved all this without relying heavily on Ronaldinho.

It seemed that whenever Allegri deployed the Brazilian ace from the start, Milan did gain in attack but lost out defensively.

Allegri’s no-nonsense ap-proach induced him to stick with substance rather than style and this left 2005 Golden Ball winner Ronaldinho with no alternative other than to seek pastures new.

He is now expected to return to his native Brazil but there’s also interest from England.

One now has to see what position Allegri takes with Cassano in the squad.

For sure, he might be tempted to change Milan’s playing module and slot the ex-Real Madrid man in the team even though it makes more sense for Allegri to stick with his winning formula.

Up front, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho, Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato contributed significantly towards the Rossoneri’s ascendency this season. So, Allegri is likely to keep faith with these players.

At first glance, Cassano might be considered surplus to requirements but he will surely come handy when Milan need to unlock defences and score goals.

Whether Cassano will turn out to be a bargain buy or a mere flop at Milan largely depends on him alone. If he acts the same way he did during his short stay in Madrid, then he’s on borrowed time at the San Siro.

At Roma, Cassano was on song only until his feud with team captain Francesco Totti and the bad treatment he gave to Sampdoria supremo Riccardo Garrone is still a fresh memory.

His difficult upbringing turned Cassano into a rebel and at some point or another, he has always fallen out with those around him, be it club owners, coaches or fellow team-mates.

Up to now, Cassano has been lucky enough to find new, sometimes more ambitious, clubs ready to accept him the way he is and offer him another chance to prove his enormous talent.

The Cassano-Milan affair will become a truly successful story if the player does his part without upsetting or distorting a united dressing room within Allegri’s fold.

Otherwise, it will be another lost opportunity for Fantantonio.