carragher sacchi baresi

‘The greatest club side’ – Liverpool legend reveals admiration for Sacchi and Baresi

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has once again spoke about his admiration for Arrigo Sacchi, Franco Baresi and the legendary AC Milan sides of the 1990s.

Carragher has often publicly stated that he grew up watching and loving the Milan side that dominated the European scene and that he is fascinated by the work of Sacchi and some of the defenders that wore the red and black shirt.

As part of of a special on The Overlap’s ‘It Was What It Was’ series, the ex-Liverpool captain spoke again about the legendary Italian coach and the defender who worked under him. You can listen to the full podcast here.

“The AC Milan team that he produced and then passed on was in most people’s eyes one of if not the greatest club side we’ve seen in modern times,” he said.

“And every great coach or manager of the last 15-20 years, whenever you ask them who their idol was or who was their inspiration, Sacchi is normally at the top of that list.

“If you asked me my favourite player of all time I’d say Franco Baresi because of basically the hold he had on that team and the organisation, the concentration levels that would have been needed to organise that team on the pitch.”

Sacchi is regarded as a visionary with a unique story given he went from coaching at a low level to winning the Serie A title in his 1987–88 debut season and then dominating European football by winning back to back European Cups in 1989 and 1990.

Baresi meanwhile spent his 20-year career with Serie A club Milan, captaining the club for 15 seasons, winning three UEFA Champions League titles, six Serie A titles, four Supercoppa Italiana titles, two European Super Cups and two International Cups, as well as a World Cup with Italy.

Tags AC Milan Arrigo Sacchi Franco Baresi Jamie Carragher

29 Comments

  1. And still we have professed AC Milan “fans” who continually criticize him for just being lucky that he had the players available that he had because according to them he wasn’t a great and innovative coach who actually has been an inspiration for coaches like Ancelotti, Klopp and Guardiola.
    Spice that up with the regular accusations that he is a racist and that he should just stay quiet because he knows nothing and they know much better.
    Unfortunately those notions sums it up pretty well. Sigh…

    1. I also don’t think ppl have seen Sacchi’s side in full stride (as I say this as someone who was in younger years when his football methods were employed). It was like a video game. U press a button and the entire team just moved up in synchronization and pressing while doing so..it was a spectacle. The way we pressed was insane looking back at it now. Guardiola himself admitted that his team mimicked alot of football from Sacchi (and in combo with the Dutch school).

      You can have superstars, it doens mean you’ll win. You need a proper coach. It reminds me of basketball in some regard. Kobe and Shaq really only started to win until Phil Jackson came in. Jordan too.

      1. Well I did and he certainly is one of the revolutionizers of the game regardless if some of our misguided supporters doesn’t think so. Pretty the teams under Sacchi back then would be able to play up against the best teams after that era.

        Yeah I agree if it was only about buying hyped up players or super stars surely teams like Chelsea and City who has been on a spending spree for the last 2-3 decades would have won a lot more cl trophies than they have done.
        Even though I know those basketbal players my knowledge of the sport is far more limited than in regard of football so I wouldn’t really know but there is no doubt nevertheless that coaches pays their part and same goes for tight knitted groups with consistency and coherency,

        1. It’s a sad really the lack of respect shown to the people who made AC Milan what it is now. I value those people highly. Sachhi, Gullit, Van B, Baresi, Maldini, Weah, Sheva, Kaka, Seedorf the list is long. I really don’t understand why any fan wouldn’t want them to succeed in whatever endeavors they would be pursuing much less at the club itself. I have a huge sense of attachment to them.

          1. Fully agree and feel the same way. Cried when Van Basten had to retire and always supported and will support those people you mentioned.

          2. “It’s a sad really the lack of respect shown to the people who made AC Milan what it is now.”

            Ha ha 😂. Aren’t you the same guy who said that Baresi can’t hold a candle to Maldini?
            That’s is way beyond showing lack of respect.

          3. Yes Z context next time please……I already clarified that statement already and said it was not meant as a direspect to Baresi but more to who was more synonymous but yea thanks for dredging it up which 🤔🤔🤔 if correctly was you aiming a dig at Maldini in the first place the backhanded “he’s not my il capitano” curva vibes. Next don’t try to paint or turn your disrpect of Maldini as my disrespect of another player

          4. Nice try buddy.
            Me saying that Baresi is the first player I think of when we are talking about Milan captains isn’t a disrespect to Paolo, but something that is backed up by facts, since he was a Milan captain longer than Paolo and for almost the entirety of his career, age 22 until retirement at age 37.
            You got so triggered, as you usually do when Paolo’s name is mentioned, that you not only showed lack of respect but started full blown disrespect of Baresi like you were comparing Calabria and Maldini and not a player on the same level as Maldini and Milan and serie A player of the 20th century.
            You should have sit this conversation out today, instead of calling people out for something that you did.
            You only look like a hypocrite.
            I have criticized and criticize Paolo Maldini the director, not the player, while you lost your mind and disrespected one of the greatest players of all time. Next time at least say WE, you included, because you certainly didn’t value Baresi that day.

          5. Did u just gaslight ppl here into thinking somehow I have a consistent behavior of disrespecting or disparaging past players? Bro stop projecting. Multiple times you’ve disrespected Maldini, we’ve seen it and stop pretending it was only his role “as a director”. U even made personal attacks. U outright called him a fool, said he’s a coward and should go hide under his wife’s skirt 👀👀👀 and so on.
            Maldini is synonymous with Milan, go ask anyone that or even outside of Milan and that is no disrespect to Baresi, who you view as “just a mascot” of the club yet somehow here we are, right? U understand the point now. Maldini is Milan’s biggest legend, right? But he’s no Zlatan, right? Hahahaha..and that’s exactly my point. Literally the same point but just in reverse (in case ppl are wondering, those are all Z’s words). At least I have the decency to check myself. I never intended to have to bring one down to elevate the other and thats on me. I took ownership of it and will reiterate it again here. My words here aren’t perfect and I know they can be contentious. No need to beat a dead horse, ppl can go look at the convo which you’ve miscontexualize but it’s not the first. We both said our pieces.
            And that brings this thing full circle, the whole thing was based on u having to take a jab at Maldini after Ted referenced Maldini as Il capitano and then pretend it wasn’t a jibe. It is a trend of yours,.any article related to Maldini. What the point of you bringing up Baresi? Couldn’t just leave it there eh. As if the moniker of Il Capitano was never bestowed on Maldini. Puullleeaasee. Your hatred for that man goes so deep it’s incredible. It funny to watch, annoying but also sad.

    2. Martin: Rassist is the Argument for Kids which do Not read Books and have Never Seen an university from inside!
      I like Martin

      1. I’m sure you are right that there will be an influx of replies in that regard but wasn’t really taking shots at anyone specific as I doesnt remember who has said it and to be honest I think that there has been several trying to use that sort of arguments because he wants a more Italian identity in the clubs.
        Thanks fr the kind words.

          1. I’m not even Italian myself but part of the lure of each league is also the locals participations and the history and traditions of said countries and clubs.
            If it was up to me all leagues around should have rules about fielding a minimum of 66-75% of its players being natives and it would also strengthen the identity and reinforce the national teams.
            Yeah that would be some sight to see someone bashing Japanese culture if they practised karate themselves.

  2. I prefer the final 1994: Milan vs. Barca
    8 Italians vs. 8 Spaniards
    But I think 1994 was Not possible without the sacchi times

    1. Thank you. I think its probably only in the thousands. I think Italians immigrate more to countries like England, Germany, France and Switzerland, In Denmark I think the biggest group of immigrants is Turks and people from the Balkans and some Middle eastern countries but that is more what I would call a qualified guess but overall I think maybe roughly 10% of the population is from other countries but again just a guess on my behalf.

  3. Ok I know that the Most persons with italian Heritage live in Germany, usa, Brazil, Argentina, belgium, France and Swiss
    Sao Paulo has got. more inhabitants with italian Heritage than Milan!

    1. I was also meaning in regard of European immigration because otherwise I would surely have mentioned USA as well but yeah I’m aware of a lot of Italian immigrants when to South America beack in the past. Same goes for German Immigration back then.

      1. Denmark was Not directly Part of the european project. I think This was the reason why Italians went to other european countries! If I See the Problems in sweden and denkmark I am sure that she will prefer more Italians or spaniards instead of ……

        1. We have some special status in some regards as we voted for a lot of stuff so for example the Euros isn’t our currency and there are some other stuff that i cant presently remember. I think Sweden has far bigger problems than us but now it seems a lot of those issues starts to get over the border from there as well. Personally I wont judge people from where they come from as such as there are good and bad people everywhere but sure generally speaking Europeans probably has more in common with each other than with a lot of people from other sorts of societies that varies a lot more than ours for example do.

          1. It is Not a question of Race it may be a question of Culture,. In 1950 the Italians has many children and today Only the japanese Are older in average
            In Europe there Are Problems with Young man and Boys from islamic countiries expecially without Family!
            In Denmark the System is Most financed with taxes! I Like This system

          2. Yeah I don’t think its a race issue either but there are many variables like type of society they come from, education, traditions and also what bagage they come with because a lot of them come with traumas from wars as well which is all things that can play a part of the equation of how well they integrate.
            Yeah I think its a good society as well as I’m of the view that if the society cant take care of its most downtrodden why even have a society, Everyone here has a safety net below them to some extent even if it isn’t a perfect system its a good one nevertheless.

  4. As much as I hate Liverpool have to respect Carragher for his comments over the years on Milan. Him and Gerrard knew how lucky they were in 05… (with us not scoring, the ref and their keeper cheating.)

  5. Martin: My father is from Italy and my mother is from Germany. I live in Germany. If you Go to the german cities you will have the feeling that the whole Country is a mixture from East Europe and the islamic world! It is to much. Good Friends from mine with Turkish roots do Not Like This Situation. They think in the Same way. Violence is a Daily Problem today

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