Ex-Nigeria international, Taribo West, has opened up on his unsuccessful spell at AC Milan during his professional career.
West went across town in 2000 when he switched to AC Milan from Inter, where he had spent two years and won the then UEFA Cup.
In a surprise move, the former Auxerre defender joined the city rivals during the 2000 winter and made his debut on March 24 when he came on as a late substitute for Andriy Shevchenko in a 2-0 win over Juventus.
He scored his only goal for the club in a 4-0 victory over Udinese. However, Taribo did not last at the club, spending just one season and making five appearances.
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Speaking on Brila FM programme, ‘No Holds Barred’, on Tuesday, the 48-year-old alleged that Italians schemed him out of the red and black side of the Milan clubs after he benched ‘golden boy’ Paulo Maldini.
The former central defender disclosed that he was brought to the club by then owner, Silvio Berlusconi, and added that the coach at the time, Alberto Zaccheroni, was indifferent about his signing.
He lamented that the coach asked him to play in the left-back position, which he was not familiar with, but still managed to start in matches ahead of Maldini.
“The team was built around Costacurta, Albertini, Ambrozini, and when I went to the club, it was not that any coach influenced my signing, it was Berlusconi himself who brought me, but the man was far. The coach then Zaccheroni, was neutral”, West said.
“He asked me to play in the left-full back, and that was not my normal position. Yet, I played Maldini out the position, so it became a rivalry problem. So Maldini came to meet me at the dressing room and asked if I’ve played in the position before. I told him I’m an utility player and will play in any position. The five matches I played, I won man-of-the-match performance four times.
“And you don’t try that in Italy, because the national team is built around Maldini and then you, a foreigner, come to kick Maldini out of his position in the club”.
The Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist in football said he did not know what was going on until Inter president explained the situation to him.
“How did I know that? I went to meet my former president at Inter Milan, we sat and were talking, and he said: ‘Taribo, What you are doing, you are out of your head’. Quote me anywhere, that was what he said. ‘What you are doing, they don’t do it here, they will take you away’. He told me face-to-face”, West said.
According to him, Milan came up with lies that he had a heart problem which would not enable him play football again.
“From there, they came up with a programme that I had a heart problem, I can’t play football again, conspiracy and all that,” the silver-winning player at 2000 AFCON averred.
By Femi Ashaolu
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COMMENTS
Taribo could be saying the truth, another example is what Insigne and co are doing to Osimhen at Napoli.
100% agree with Taribo West. He was solid during his hey days.
Taribo as a left back better than or displaced Maldini? please that must be a joke, yes he went to millan from inter but by then Taribo was not as solid as he was while at inter or even Auxerre (sp).
I guessed they conspired again Weah for displacing Simone
The reason why Osimhen goal tally is low in Napoli. Those players are intentionally being selfish so he won’t outscored them. If Osimhen is an Italian am sure all passes will be laid for him to score.
Yet he is still the highest goal scorer despite their ploy. This has really affected Osimhen game because he don’t get passes often and the few that passes that came his way he hurriedly shot at goal to try to score because he might not get another chance so this is affecting his confidence level to calm with the ball and take his chances.
Ordinarily Osimhen don’t really miss chances he has been missing at Napoli. He is a kind of striker that can score 7 to 8 out of 10 chances. But now he misses because he is not calm enough to pick a spot and score.
This could be frustrating to any player if your teammates are not playing to strikers strength, such player will suffer. Same thing happening to Lukaku right now.
If you watch Osimhen 18 goals this season, you will notice most are headers assist provided by Di-Lorenzo and Mario Rui both left and right back. Uncle Insigne that claim to be the playmaker doesn’t even have up to 4 assist out of Osimhen 18 goals yet he has taken all penalties won by Osimhen. About 7 to 8 penalties if am not mistaken.
Other than scoring goals, Osimhen is capable of giving assists because he is not selfish. But most of it are always wasted by his Mediocre teammates.
Please, we are not doing this. Napoli don’t have any Italian striker, Insigne is a playmaker, so how could a playmaker be worrying about a striker out-scoring him?. Dries Merten is now Napoli’s all time leading scorer and he’s not an Italian so what are we talking about here. Please
@Ralph i never said Napoli has an Italian striker but now that you have bring it on. I will mention names for you because wingers in football today are regarded as forward. So they have Politano, Insigne, and Petagna the trio are Italian. So tell me which wing Mo Salah, Mane, CR7 at his peak, Neymar, Mahrez, Son plays if you say Napoli don’t have any Italian forward.
Then correct me if am wrong when i say Insigne if funking selfish and would rather prefer to shoot at goal from an impossible angle even when Osimhen is in a very good position to score.
Also did i lie about defenders been the one that contributed mostly to his total number of goals.
The guy just begin his career. Just wait for 1 or 2 more season and see how he will take football world by a storm.
He was better than Pele. Story for the winds. Why did Madrid or Man U not scramble for him? Did he not see the fight of Chelsea and Man u over Mikel? Milan also bought Taye Taiwo, I guess Taiwo was replaced because he was better than Kaka and Ronaldinho. Folk stories. Milan two young men just removed their captain from the team. West was substituted, he removed the Milan shirt and threw it at the Coach. Such contempt and indiscipline is not tolerated on a club like Milan.
I think you should better contact Paulo Maldini yourself. Instead of ranting frustratedly over an already achieved FEAT