The End of the Mercato

By: cathal | September 1st, 2008

Can I begin this post by declaring that I feel like I have been hit by a very large truck? Ok, I just did. Now let me explain why.

Today has been an exceptionally long day. It is approximately 5am with me now and I have just spent the last 18 hours of my life sifting through every bit of speculative news I set my hands, eyes, feet, whatever upon. The truth of the matter is not much happened and it wasn’t worth the anticipation. Hell, I should have known better. This is Lazio, this is Lotito and this is life. Any of you who are reading solely to hear of our latest acquisitions, please look away now for your own sake. Yes, that’s right, we got nothing, nobody, nowt. On the plus side (well, depends what side of the fence you stand on) we did manage to offload a couple of players. Satisfied? Didn’t think so.

I barely had time to fetch my soggy toast this morning before the bad news began to filter in. Domizzi to Udinese, Moti to Siena, Pele to Porto, all the “targets” moving on and yet not on to us. I quickly lost the appetite, not only for my toast (which actually went down well once I had calmed down) but for the whole transfer rigmarole. As a child, did you ever lick an ice-cream cone only to somehow lose the ice-cream and therefore be left with just the cone? That’s pretty much how I felt this afternoon…

Ok, here is the breakdown of today’s deals. Domizzi signed for Udinese on a co-ownership deal for a somewhat measly fee of 3-4 million euro. Romanian, Moti, signed for Siena on loan with a buy-out clause included. Hardly megabuck signings but perhaps it goes to show we were sensible in evaluating the situation, assessing the value and deciding we would no longer proceed in pursuing our interest. After all, at least we have Stendardo…or not. The commanding centre back has been sent out on loan to lowly Lecce. It now seems we will have to rely on Methuselah himself, Sebastiano Siviglia to lumber on in Guglielmo’s absence. I know Stendardo was hardly top of Rossi’s Christmas card list but I can’t help but feel he would have been useful this season. Another man who has joined the list of club loanees is Roberto Baronio. After 12 years of numerous upheavals, it seems he has set off for Brescia on a new adventure. Well, I guess it’s just another upheaval in his eyes but I hope he finally settles there. I do find his situation quite sad but he has to go I’m afraid. He lacks in quality these days. In fact, you could argue he always has. As for Crespo, I don’t have a clue what happened there…

Lotito has managed to cut the wage bill but unfortunately it hasn’t prevented copious amounts of smoke from exiting his ears. Our president is fuming because some players went back on their promises. I can’t say I have much symapthy for him, he’s a business man, he knows how it works, a deal is only a deal when pen is put to paper. I share his concerns though; it seems we have been left with the likes of Mutarelli, who is not happy to say the least and Inzaghi, who takes home a nice wage every week. However, Lotito did seem keen to point out that some markets were still open. Maybe he has convinced some billionaire club owner from somewhere in the world to accept our hand-me-downs? Possibly, but I doubt anyone is that foolish.

I think on the whole we have strengthened this mercato but I think every other club in Serie A would argue that as well. Keeping Ledesma and Pandev was massively important and thus far, we have managed it. Bringing back Foggia will prove to be smart business I’m sure and securing Radu and Rozehnal on long-term deals was a step forward. We also have a safer pair of hands guarding the net, a couple of experienced midfielders to steady the ship and a competent right back who can motivate and further inspire Lorenzo. You know, when I look at it objectively like this, I feel a whole lot better. In saying that, when I go here to see who everyone else has brought in, I get in quite a state. I can’t say I’m not worried but it’s certainly been an interesting mercato for us and hopefully, given time, it will prove to be a successful one too.

Until January it is then. Sigh.