Fabio Capello, former coach, recalled Davids’ experience with the Milan shirt and an anecdote about a specific request to the management
The Pitbull, as he was nicknamed Edgar Davids. The Dutch midfielder, born in Suriname, was one of the best interpreters of the midfield in the history of football. Mangy, extraordinary ball recoverer, Davids is 81st in the special ranking published by World Soccer regarding the best footballers of the 20th century. A recognition that makes it clear how much of an impact he had on football in the 90s.
In Serie A he played with the shirts of Milan, Juventus and, towards the end of his career, Inter. He played only one season for the Rossoneri, in 1996/97, with the Rossoneri taking the very young player born in 1973 directly fromAjaxstill today a true hotbed of talent.
A season and a half at Milan before being sold to Juventus in January ’98 for 16 billion of lire: a transfer coup that turned out to be an own goal for the Rossoneri club and a real fortune for the Turin team, due to a choice that – today – appeared too hasty on the part of the Milanese transfer men, perhaps one of the club’s biggest transfer mistakes led then by Berlusconi.
Milan, Davids’ farewell to Milan and Capello’s request
Fabio Capellothen coach of that Milan and now television commentator after a brilliant career on the bench, spoke to Sky about that transfer and the Dutch footballer.
“Davids was strong in our country too, not just there”, the reference is clear Juventus in the incipit of the former coach. “From a behavioral point of view there were problems and so I had to send him away” was Capello’s admission, which however also revealed another background relating to his departure.
“I had specifically asked that he be sold abroad and not to another Italian club” is his memory, “then the managers told me they had sent him to Juve and that’s how it went”, his comment, almost with a hint of regret.
And with the Juventus shirt Davids played from 1997 to 2004, winning three championships and an Italian Super Cup. Dry-mouthed with the MilanWith the’Inter instead he won the Italian Cup in the 2004/2005 season. The most important trophies, however, he won wearing the shirt ofAjax: with the Lancers, in fact, he won three championships, two Cups and a Dutch Super Cup but above all a UEFA Cup, the Champions Leaguethe UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup for a complete showcase with few equals.
