Gilardino: Making Sure Shevchenko isn’t Missed?

Tom Oldfield

Times have been better for Alberto Gilardino. The AC Milan and Italy striker has had many good moments in his short career but currently he is suffering a serious lack of confidence. The man known as “Gila” has come under fire recently as he struggles to find the net domestically continue. To make matters worse, the front man has also been axed by the national team – no doubt doing even more damage to his morale. A journey that seemed destined for stardom has taken an unwanted twist.

It all began promisingly for Alberto. After impressing at Piacenza, he earned a move to Verona where he furthered his football education. Serie A is a very tough place for any young striker but Gilardino gradually grew in stature as he gained more and more first team action. His talent was undisputed as he combined neat control and good aerial ability with some clinical finishing. Although he did not score many goals during his one season at Verona, it was clear that he had the qualities that would later make him a much sought after player.

However, it was still somewhat surprising to see Parma move for Alberto in 2002. Even though Parma’s stature had diminished by this point, useful players remained in the squad including Australian Mark Bresciano and Italian Marco Marchionni. His three year stay at the club proved to be the launch pad for the success that followed. He secured his status as a fan favourite by grabbing more than twenty goals in each of his last two seasons – finishing as second highest scorer in Serie A on both occasions. Suddenly Gilardino had attracted the attention of the big guns in Italy and the rest of Europe.

It was AC Milan who moved fastest and most decisively, signing Alberto for a fee of around £18 million. For “Gila”, it was a dream come true and he was now at a club that would challenge year in, year out for the trophies that he craved. He would be in the spotlight more now than ever but it was an exciting preposition. Gilardino had played in the San Siro a number of times and he knew all about the passion of the Rossoneri supporters. Moving to Milan would bring major changes in Alberto’s life.

He joined a front line that already boasted Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi and would certainly learn plenty from training and playing alongside such experienced, successful players. Shevchenko’s move to Chelsea in the summer of 2006 promoted Gilardino in manager Carlo Ancelotti’s plans and gave Alberto more chances to justify his price tag.

Unfortunately, it has been a rocky ride for the striker since. Most Milan fans remain unconvinced by Gilardino’s displays and he has been guilty of some costly misses for the team in vital matches. 2006 and 2007 at least brough silverware for “Gila” – in the form of the World Cup and the Champions League. He has rather underperformed at times but, at the age of just 24, he had won the biggest domestic and international tournaments. Not too bad for a man who has been written off by supporters and the media at various intervals!

Even during the World Cup, though, Gilardino failed to live up to expectations. He began the competition as a starter but fell away as the team progressed to the final, where they beat France on penalties. Alberto scored with a good header against USA in the 1-1 group stage draw and laid on Alessandro Del Piero’s goal in the semi-final with Germany. These were rare highlights but it definitely took no gloss off his and Italy’s achievements during that famous summer.

Similarly, he has been phased out in Milan. He lost his place in the starting line-up towards the end of the Champions League run, though he did score as a substitute in the 3-0 semi-final second leg win over Manchester United at the San Siro. Inzaghi wrestled the lone striker role away from Gilardino and, although he led the team with 12 league goals in 2006-07, the former Parma man has mainly had to settle for a place among the substitutes. Rumours have subsequently circulated suggesting that there is a lot of tension between Inzaghi and Alberto.

When “Gila” has received playing time, his confidence has appeared to be so low that he has failed to do himself justice and the Milan supporters have not been shy about making their disapproval known. The change in formation in recent seasons has not helped Alberto either as the team has abandoned the approach of playing two strikers up front in favour of tightening up the midfield with the inclusion of club vice-captain, and central midfielder, Massimo Ambrosini.

You sense that Gilardino just needs a few goals to turn his fortunes around. He still possesses all the attributes required of a top class striker and, if AC Milan show patience with him, he can return to the form that made him such a hero at Parma. The trouble is that at a club like Milan, time is rarely on a player’s side.