Gattuso Sticks The Boot In
(Soccer365.com) Gennaro Gattuso stuck the boot in English football and says Liverpool have bought their way to glory.
World Cup winner Gattuso rubbished suggestions that the Premiership is the best league in the world, and says the only reason for its rise is money.
He'll be a key man in the AC Milan side that lines up against Liverpool in Wednesday night's Champions League final in Athens, and is confident of victory.
He told The Sun: "The key factor in the rise of English club football is they have more money than any other country in Europe.
"That means their clubs are able to attract the kind of star players who would never have considered a move to England only a few years ago.
"Premiership clubs own their own stadiums, have foreign owners and get incredible money from TV which is unequalled anywhere in the world.
"Add the fact that the commercial men at their top clubs do a really good job and I'm afraid that money will finance a long period of English domination in Europe."
It's now two years since Milan blew a 3-0 lead to lose to Liverpool in the 2005 final Istanbul, a collapse Gattuso still can't watch.
He said: "You need strength and courage to watch the 2005 final again and I refuse to see it in full.
"The European Cup was within Milan's grasp that year but at the end of the final it was Liverpool who held the trophy.
"I will never forget what happened in Istanbul. Even if I win many more trophies, I will always remember that night.
"I was battered mentally and spiritually after Istanbul.
"I even decided to ask Milan for a transfer simply so I could turn the page mentally and forget the pain of that experience.
"However, I reflected on what happened and decided Liverpool had taught me the value of psychology in football.
"When you get to this level and when you get to a massive final at the end of a long season it's not about talent any more but about attitude and fighting spirit."
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Comments
Who does this guy think he is? Another dumb comment from a dumb player. He should look at his own teamates. They are not all Italian. Typical narrow minded comment from a typical narrow minded person. Every club in Europe has imported players' they depend on. The bigger clubs' like the one this guy play's on are more guilty of than the smaller less rich clubs'. They all do it.
Posted by: Dave | May 23, 2007 04:17 PM
Ok calm down hothead. You have a good point as all the big European clubs have imported players' it's nothing new & it's not going to change. It's just a game anyway so don't take things so personal. Relax :)
Posted by: DynastySoccerFC ... Rasputin | May 24, 2007 05:30 PM
By the way for the record it was an Italian player that scored for Milan yesterday & pulled them through to victory. Not one of their high dollar imports. This is just Milan's year & that's how it is. Don't cheapen their victory as they worked hard for it.
Posted by: DynastySoccerFC ... Rasputin | May 24, 2007 05:34 PM