The season, as far as Milan is concerned, is effectively over.
Though mathematically there is still a chance for Milan to claim the big prize, as there are still five matches remaining with just four points the difference, such an occurrence seems unlikely.
This is so because of one reason - this Milan squad is not good enough.
From the outset of this campaign there have been major question marks surrounding the competitiveness of the current Milan squad. The main question mark regards the complete lack of talent and depth in the squad.
So much is there a lack of talent and depth in this squad that ever since Pato and Nesta succumbed to injury in that fateful lead up to the United clash, Milan’s season has been on a downward spiral.
Milan have only won two of the seven matches played in the absence of Pato and Nesta. In the process, Milan were eliminated from Europe and have wasted three golden opportunities to make a real claim for the title. Now, with any hope of silverware fast evaporating, we see a Milan side that is somewhat stumbling to the finishing line.
So all it took was two injuries to two key players and the season over for Milan.
In order for Milan to be able to fight for honours next season and the subsequent seasons ahead, the solution is simple. Milan need to a have a stronger squad.
But, in light of Milan not being in the financial position to splash cash on the worlds best players, a long term plan has to be devised as to how Milan can become a force again whilst working within the means of the club.
Since this should be priority No. 1 in the Milan boardroom, come this summer Milan surely have to start to implement some new ideas and strategy about how to take the club forward.
In order to do so, I thought I would propose a few ideas of my own.
Idea No. 1: Keep Leonardo as coach
Leonardo has done a fantastic job this term with a Milan side short on resources. Despite a shaky start, Leo engineered a new look Milan side using many of the same old players and in doing so made Milan, for a while at least, one of the most entertaining football sides on the continent.
Not only did Leo make Milan look good but he made them into a team that got the results too. From the beginning of October through to January 17, Milan played 19 competitive matches, won 12, drew five, and lost just one. In this time Milan notched up a respectable 40 goals whilst they only conceded 19.
But more than an impressive run of results, Leo’s great achievement has been how he managed to push Milan up the table that come near the end of the season, gave Milan a more than fighting chance to win the title.
The fact that Milan have failed to do so, thus far at least, is no reflection on Leo’s coaching ability because for a rookie coach in his first season to get Milan thus far in the first place, is more than what was expected.
It is unfortunate that the Brazilian FA can see just how talented Leo is as a coach for, as some reports will have you believe, Leo is on the way out next season to coach the best national team of all time. Yet, our own club President, Berlusconi, is completely ignorant to the fact. Indeed, Berlusconi is even critical of Leo’s performance this campaign which is nothing other than absurdity.
Leo was a gamble from the start but it paid off as Milan have stumbled on a good thing in the young Brazilian coach. The club will do well to keep him and they should keep him.
Idea No. 2: Sell, release, just get rid of the dead weight
Here I allude to the need for the club, one way or another, to rid itself of players that are finished and/or too old.
The first players to go should be Gattuso, Kaladze, Jankulovski, Favalli, and Oddo. These five players are useless yet the club still spends excessive amounts on their salaries. The club needs to rid itself of these players in order to make room for young and new talent.
Idea No. 3: Focus on youth
There is no point speculating on Milan making big money moves for star players. The club is simply not in the financial situation to do so, unless of course Berlusconi decides to invest some of his private fortune. But this will not happen, not least til his criminal trial is over.
So, instead, Milan should take a leaf out of Monsieur Arsene Wenger’s book, and perhaps Barcelona’s too, and look to youth.
For one, this is a far more affordable approach, in fact it can even be profitable for if players are brought in at young age and are developed into stars of the game then they can be sold for good money and at a profit.
The days of excessive wages and transfer fees may be over for football and come 2012 when UEFA implements its new strict rules on financial regulation, clubs will be forced to become more financial viable and independent.
Having a sound youth system that is capable of producing the stars of tomorrow is one way for a club to become both successful and financially independent.
Secondly, as Arsenal and more so Barcelona have shown, it can even be a highly successful approach on the big stage.
Not only should the club focus on youth in much the way Wenger does, that is by buying cheap young players and developing them into the Fabregases and Songs of the world, but like Barcelona the club must develop a youth system capable of producing players like Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, and Pique of Barcelona. For these players are Barcelona through and through and such players help to keep the identity of the club intact.
Milan needs to do the same by producing talented young Milanese players that develop into world class players and that will form the crux of the next great Milan side.
Idea No. 4: A Change in Transfer Policy
In accordance with the previous idea, the transfer policy also needs to be changed.
Milan’s transfer policy for the last 10 years or so has been, with the exception of a few, to buy players that in age are closer to their twilight years than their peak years. Vieri, Beckham, Mancini, Ronaldinho, Oddo, Zambrotta, Amoruso, Emerson, to name but a few.
Whilst some of these players have been enjoyed some success, in general, such players have contributed little. And though they may come cheap, all these players have demanded high wages.
The focus should change from buying old "has-beens" to buying young and rising talents who will be the stars of tomorrow. The signing of Dominic Adiyiah is an example of the type of players Milan’s transfer policy should be looking too.
Adiyiah is an amazing young talent with big future potentially. If Milan can nurture his talents and help him become a star, then Milan will benefit both in Adiyiah’s time with the club and and when, if, the club decides to sell him at a later date.
Such a change in transfer policy will surely help the club move forward. However, if such a change in policy were to occur, the club would do well learn something from Wenger and it is this, too much youth is not a good thing either.
So even though the club should focus its transfer policy on young players, there needs to be one or two experienced players still present for when it comes to winning trophies, experience counts and this may just explain why Wenger, for all his good work, has won but a few trophies.
Frank Tigani is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, the open source sports network.
