We must avoid relegation!!

By: Jeremy | April 23rd, 2008

Yeah I know what a dumb statement as that is what any team would say who is fighting for their Serie A lives. For once, Cagliari seems to be on a run of good news and survival will likely lead to continued momentum that would actually cause us to come into next year without being considered obvious relegation candidates.

In addition to huge wins against Livorno and Empoli, fellow relegation strugglers, which have caused us so much more positivity then we were already seeing and to be an amazing five points clear of the relegation zone with four weeks left, it seems like our new golden boy and his agent are saying all the right things and he may actually want to stay in Sardinia for another year. Yes Im talking about Robert Acquafresca.

Everyone has him abandoning Sardinia next year and returning to Milan to play for one of those big Milanese sides. Inter owns half of him, but his agent Paolo Fabbri stated that

“I really dont think Robert will be playing for either of the Milanese clubs. Regarding Inter, I think Aquafresca still needs to mature a little for at least another year before he can wear the Nerazzurri jersey. As for Milan, well, I just think it’s fantasy talk. If Cagliari survive then he will definitely stay here.”

Yeah I know things change day to day with these rumors and fantasies, but how good is that?

To put it simply, if we can surivive this year, I think there is a good chance Acquafresca comes back next year. He really likes playing here and has become the player that seems to make everyone positive in the club. His maturity and performance have coincided with the move up the standings and he is not looking to leave. Youth, especially talented youth, is so invigorating for a soccer club, especially one with limited finances. He knows he could use another year rather then go to a big club and fight for playing time which could slow his development. His approach may also get Foggia to stay and who knows, maybe Milan will let us have Storari for another year. Players may actually want to come to Cagliari instead of looking at it as a wasteland where if you are forced to go there, atleast you get Serie A football for the only year you plan on staying with the club.

While every club wants to avoid relegation, Cagliari has so much to gain and so much to lose depending on what happens. If we can survive, bring the current players back, and add a talent or two which might not be such fantasy with new ownership and a stable of positive talented players, we could actually finish in the top half of the standings next year. Cagliari has played like a top eight team the second half of the year. Now we face the big boys the next three weeks and it would be great to get some surprising results to avoid the stress of the final weeks game against Reggina. Surivival is still not a guarantee at this point but the stakes are very high.

I was a big fan of Roberto Baggio and it was great to see him transfer to the big club Juventus just as the 1990 World Cup was arriving. We will lose Acquafresca at some point to a big club, but every year we can keep him will only cement his legend in Sardinia and cause him to look fondly on the club that allowed him to play and develop at a young age. The days of players with the talent of Gigi Riva playing most if not all of their career in places like Sardinia are simply gone so we need to get and keep great players for as long as possibile even if it is just for two to three years. Acquafresca is one of those players. Wouldnt it be great if we survive this year, keep him for next year, push for european football, and maybe just maybe get a third year out of him before he makes a big splash in the transfer market just before the 2010 World Cup(ok im putting the crack pipe down now). Kind of reminds me of 1990.

None of this happens if we dont survive this year.