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| Friday 4 April, 2008 |
| Blog: One season wonder? |
| Marco Borriello has won widespread acclaim for his scoring exploits this term, yet Antonio Labbate insists the Genoa man still has it all to prove |
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Igor Protti scored a sensational 24 League goals in 33 appearances for Bari in the 1995-96 Serie A championship. It was an amazing tally, which saw him become the first man to top the Italian scoring charts and be relegated in the same year. But that was an anomaly for the Rimini native – he was basically a one season wonder at the top level and the same fate could easily await Marco Borriello.
Is that harsh? Premature? Probably a mix of the two, but it’s just as untimely to hail the Genoa player as the answer to Milan’s striking problems. It’s also a little optimistic to expect him to be a viable alternative to Luca Toni in the Euro 2008 plans of Italy boss Roberto Donadoni, a Coach whose tactics revolve around the big and powerful Bayern Munich bomber.
The Neapolitan has had a tremendous campaign to date – of that, there is little doubt – and he’s scored 18 of the club’s 38 League goals so far. Given that Genoa’s next highest scorers are Lucho Figueroa, Julio Leon and Giuseppe Sculli on only three goals apiece, it is clear just how vital he has been to the Rossoblu cause.
It’s a remarkable achievement – especially after his stuttering career was dealt a further blow last season when he failed a drugs test – and he has deserved the plaudits which his goals and performances have gathered. Nevertheless, let’s not get carried along the predictable wave of enthusiasm.
Borriello still has it all to prove and that’s why his expected Rossoneri return could potentially be a step backwards. We don’t know at this stage of his vocation which calcio dimension Borriello really belongs to and a Milanese recall may potentially arrive a season too early.
The 26-year-old will not be guaranteed a regular starting berth at San Siro next term. As this campaign testifies, Marco needs to see some action on a week in, week out basis in exchange for goals. Anything else and he risks returning to the shadows where he came from.
As it stands, we have no clear idea of what the future holds for Borriello. Heck, we don’t even know where he’ll be playing his football come August. All that we are certain about is that, for the time being at least, he’s a one season wonder. It’s a tag which only he will be able to free himself of…
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Even though Borriello could fall off the map next season, you are looking at things from a pretty pessimistic perspective. Antonio, you are a glass half-empty kind of guy aren't you? At 26 years of age, Borriello is still a few years off his peak as a footballer. In addition, Genoa is far from a first rate Serie A team. I strongly believe that if Borriello was given the opportunity that Alberto Gilardino has at Milan he could have a significant impact on the team. In fact, I think that if he were to score half of the opportunities that Gilardino squanders on a weekly basis, he would be a real Azzurri contender. After following a few Genoa games I have come to realize that Marco Borriello, not only, has a great instinct to score but he is also quite capable of setting up his teammates. The latter of the two is a quality that none of the current Milan strikers have.
Giovanni
Spot on analysis... All the the Diavolo have to think about is players like Tavano, Bianchi. If Borriello is given another two years and he proves himself then we can start hailing him as the next big thing…but a move now to a place with different tactics could hurt his football.
Oluwafemi Temidayo
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