PROFILE

FRANCESCO COCO

CAREER

Francesco Coco is a left back or a left winger if the team plays with a 5 men midfield. Coco started off his career with Milan, where he at the age of 17 joined the first team with Milan. He didn´t play any matches in his first season which was the season 94/95. It was Capello who brought him up from the Primavera team if I am not mistaken.
It was the seasons after this, he had the chance to start playing some matches. Not a regular with Milan and they decided to loan him out to Vicenza the summer of 97. He played a season with them as a starter, but was hampered with injuries a bit.
He moved back to Milan after that season, but only played 6 matches. He was especially impressing in the friendly matches before the season had started. That was the time I discovered him. The summer of 98 was the summer I discovered one of the most talented left backs in the entire world. I could see then that he would be a worldclass player. But competiting with Maldini and struggling with injuries made him only play 6 matches.

So next season he was loaned out again. This time it was to Torino. Now he was an established U-21 squad player and was supposed to be one of Torino´s best players. But once again it was injuries that ruined his season. He could play 21 matches, but it should have been more if he wasn´t so injury prone.

But next season would be his big breakthrough. Now he returned to Milan once again, and was this time a starter with the team. He got the chance to play as a defensive left winger in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Milan and was ruling the left flank with Maldini. Although he had to fight for his place because Serginho was giving some good matches. But this was still Coco´s major breakthrough. This was the season 2000/01. 2 years after I started to adore him.

The problem arrives the coming season. Fatih Terim takes over as a coach and prefers Serginho as a left back instead. Coco doesn´t get along good with Terim and now the left back that is just on the verge of a NT place is being in real problems. He doesn´t wanna stay with Milan anymore, so Milan loans him out AGAIN. This time it´s to Barcelona, the Catalan club in La Liga.
Coco becomes fastly popular among the Barça fans but equally as impopular among the Milan fans. The Milan boy is now taking out his anger towards Milan and doesn´t seem to have any nice things to say. Barcelona was also received with an option of buying him after the season is over. But we all know what happened.

Coco still struggled with keeping a regular spot with Barca as their icon Sergi was holding up a place there as well. Coco IMO, didn´t reach his ordinary standard with Barca and wasn´t suited for La Liga. Still he was able to grab a spot with the NT to the WC that is going on right now.

Now that is shortly about Coco´s career so far and his career will continue with Inter.Now onto him as a player and what is pluses and minuses are.

PLUSES

He is very experienced even though he is still quite young. He has experienced winning the Scudetto with Milan, even though he might not have been a starter. He has also been a year in another league and tried that out. He has probably with Barca learned how to be better offensively. He had a more offensive role there than in Serie A and what he will be received with Inter.
Coco is also extremely good tactically and defensively. Unlike Gresko, Coco is a naturally defensive minded player and a left back.
He´s also quite versitile where he can play in different kind of formations. Since we play a 4-4-2 formation, his position becomes a left back. If we would ever move to a back three and use defensive wingers, he can also play there.

Coco is also very good at both feets. He can cross with both the left foot and right foot. He is left footed though, but he can usually move the ball over to the right foot and try to cross it in. He did that many times with Barca, and some of their fans even thought he was right footed.

He has an extreme work rate and shows commitment on the pitch in every match. He runs a lot and is a very good tackler. He´s also quite good technically.

MINUSES

His attitude is his biggest flaw. The stories with him and Milan is well known and his fights in the locker room with his teammates and coaches. He seems to have a very bad attitude and especially if he doesn´t get a starting position. If Cuper can tame his attitude then he will be a fantastic transfer and one of the best in our history.

He´s a Milan boy. This might sound irrelevant, but I don´t think it is. He´s a homeboy in Milan and has been brought up there. He can never show the same compassion for another team like he has with Milan before the fights with Terim. Moving to the rivals is very odd. I don´t think he can never be able to love Inter like he loves Milan. That´s a big minus as well.

His crosses are extremely inconsistent. He can make the most wonderful crosses right on the forehead of the teammate, but he can also make the most awful cross that goes by the ground and can easily be taken care of. I also think he lacks some power and determination in his crosses.

He can also be quite vulgar in his tackles if he is behind the player.

But all in all, we have bought one of the best left backs in the entire world and if he gets a great start with us, then we can look forward to a fantastic transfer. He will give us the confidence that we have lacked when it comes to left backs throughout the years.

Jimmy Fredholm