The perfect storm is the fact that we have Elliot, we have Maldini, we have Massara, we have Moncada and we have Pioli and Ibra.
Don't think any other club have that sort of talent across the board in identifying in undervalued assets (Moncada), bringing them in successfully (Maldini & Massara), and nurturing them and making them the best versions of themselves that they can be (Pioli and Ibra). Even our club ethos is probably way different to most other clubs, which is why almost every player who has come to us only has good things to say about us.
The fact that we were able to do all of this also coincides with, as unfortunate as it is to say, the global pandemic, which forced all other clubs to examine their business sustainability when revenues were cut significantly and public health was the priority.
Had this not happened, all the clubs that borrow money and invest heavily through debt (ala Merda and Ladri) would still be forcing up prices of players. As would all those Super agents out there. Mediocre players would still be selling for 80M to 120M a piece. Elliot's management of the club, forcing us to reduce debt and lower expenses was always going to be hard to take (especially the not buying good players part) before the pandemic. We would never have been able to make out with the deals that we did for the likes of Mike, Tomori or Tonali. Their original clubs would be asking for exorbitant fees under normal circumstances.
Elliot's self-sustainability mandate saved our asses and led us in the right direction, but lets not kid ourselves. Had there been no pandemic to prove just how sustainable the model is in times of crisis, it would really be business as usual and excessive spending by all the money-rich clubs out there. If Covid had not happened, resetting a lot of revenue streams globally and exposing football clubs for the unsustainable, unhealthy money sinks that they were, forcing clubs like Barca and Madrid to shed players like Messi and Sergio Ramos, it would probably really have taken the 5 years which Maldini & Co had projected for us to get back into top 4 and Champions League contention.
One day, we're going to look back on this period, and realize just how blessed we were despite all the tragedy that was going on.
