Few observers took notice of one of the last transfers of the summer transfer window in Serie A, as Alberto Gilardino moved from Genoa to Bologna. Those that did quickly brushed over it in search of ‘bigger’ transfers. After all, this was a man on the wrong side of thirty who had failed to impress over the course of his last season in Florence, and did even worse after his move to Genoa.
That wasn’t the only explanation though. For whatever reason, Gilardino has always struggled to win over many calcio fans, who viewed him as one dimensional; some even rather harshly view him as a failure as a player. Quite how that accusation can be levelled at a man who is one of the all time leading goalscorers (151 goals, third only amongst active players to Di Natale (155) and Totti (216)) has always perplexed me, but there is no doubt that ‘il Gila’ has had more than his fair share of knockers.
It wasn’t always thus. When he broke onto the scene at Verona, and then Parma, he was viewed as one of the bright hopes for the future of Italian football. He quickly became a stalwart of the U21 side, leading them to victory in the 2004 U21 Euro Championship, as well as a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics, managing to notch up enough goals to become the all time leading goalscorer for the Azzurrini in the process. His form for Parma eventually led to a big money move to Milan, and that is where the problems began.
Thrust onto the big stage, il Gila struggled for consistency with the Rossoneri, and because he and Inzaghi had similar attacking styles, he often suffered in comparison. The tifosi there gave him a hard time – despite seventeen goals in his first season and twelve in his second, he just wasn’t accepted as being good enough. It was, in my view, a harsh judgement on a player who was perhaps misunderstood by the Milan fans due to the fact he was never really given a run in the team.
If you look at his career, il Gila has always thrived when he has been played as the main striker – and more importantly, when he has felt like he was the main striker. He had that for the U21s and for Parma, but that was never going to happen in a Milan team that had Shevchenko, Inzaghi, Kaka, Crespo etc. The classic ‘confidence player’, Gilardino struggled due to his uncertainty, and few wept when he was transferred on to Fiorentina.
However, trusted again with the main striking berth, he exploded again, scoring nineteen goals in the league in his first season, along with another six in Europe. The attack was built around him and he showed what he could do. His form tailed off along with the rest of Fiorentina after a few years as uncertainty swept the club, and injuries began to blight him. His move to Genoa seemed rushed, and after scoring on his debut for the grifoni, he was unlucky to be hit by injury again soon after, which limited any impact he could make.
In many ways, the move to Bologna was the ideal one. They needed a focal point for their attack after the loss of Di Vaio, and Gila needed to find a team that would rely on him. Throw in an assist machine like Alessandro Diamanti, and it really is no surprise to me that he is already scoring goals at his new club. Barring injury, I would fully expect that partnership to be one of the most potent in Serie A for the rest of the season.
His form is such that there have even been whispers of a recall to the Azzurri. That is not as far-fetched as it might seem – Prandelli was his mentor at both Parma and Fiorentina, and clearly knows how to get the best of him, and if Pazzini is being called up, would anyone really quarrel with an in-form Gilardino? Personally, I think he could still do a decent job for la Nazionale. Not as a starter, but as a willing squad player; he always gives his all (he’s presently the Azzurri’s highest active goal scorer), and I think his link up play is massively underrated. He’s also only just turned thirty, so he is not as old as some think.
All that being said, I do think it is unlikely, and it may be in everyone’s interests if he remains a consistent club player at Bologna, where I expect he and Diamanti will guide them to safety, and perhaps more. However, should his name appear on Prandelli’s list this weekend, I for one will not be disappointed.
Follow Marco on Twitter @marcoarrinaldi
