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Spanish Inquisition: Will Kaka Really Succeed At Real Madrid?
Goal.com's Feras Saad looks at the ups and downs of Kaka's move to the Bernabeu...
25-Jun-2009 3:30:50 PM
Milan starlet Kaka has finally made a move to Real Madrid after a week of tossing and turning earlier this month saw the Brazilian playmaker lie in a cloud of uncertainty about his future.
The Brazilian is undoubtedly a world-class player, a man who once reached the insuperable heights of football, almost single-handedly granting Milan the 2007 Champions League title. He is the undisputed focal point of any offence he plays in, having the skill and precision to alternate between midfield and striker positions.
Madrid's dream of bringing Kaka to the Bernabeu started three years ago when then presidential candidate Ramon Calderon made him a presidential promise (one he could never fulfil). But there are several reasons why the 'Kaka Dream' could potentially become a nightmare for Real Madrid, and why he is not the right player to spearhead Los Blancos into a future era of success.
First of all, his price tag is absurd. To pay €65 million for a single player is too much to even consider - let’s not start about Cristiano Ronaldo. Such an astronomical sum could rather have been used by Perez to sign three world class players, covering three more positions, and giving Manuel Pellegrini three more options. Also, loans taken out by Perez to secure the signing are a burden on the club's debt. Although Kaka could end up paying for himself, his market value is sure to drop radically after a good three years - which brings us to our next point.
At 27, Kaka is no longer the explosive attacking midfielder he once was back in 2006. In the past two years it is easy to notice that Kaka has lost more than a yard of pace. He no longer has the speed to take the ball past defenders or drift out wide to bomb down the flanks. Attacking midfielders, as oppose to deep-lying playmakers, usually struggle to keep up the physical demands of the modern game as they get older. This is not to say that Kaka is by an means too old, but he is not a practical long-term solution and it is difficult seeing him at the Bernabeu when he is 32.
This, paired with the fact that Kaka has been out with a knee injury for most of this season, makes him a risky player to buy. Knee injuries are known to be the most devastating injury a player can suffer, and spending too much time on the sidelines in Madrid could drastically lower his stock - just ask Arjen Robben.
What many people in the footballing world fail to realise is that there is no place for Kaka to slot into Pellegrini's formation. The Brazilian is an attacking midfielder by nature, and plays 'in the hole' - one of the most difficult positions in football. Earlier, Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said that he would implement the standard 4-4-2 formation he used at Villarreal, with one defensive midfielder and another central. Kaka plays high up-field and is not the type of player who can pull the strings and dictate the pace of the game, unlike Barca's Xavi or Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas.
Coupled with the fact that he can't play as a winger and shouldn't stifle the growth of Gonzalo Higuain up front, he could be played well out of position, which will do nothing to help him fit into Real Madrid's style of play. Kaka needs to feature in either a 4-3-1-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation, but that is unlikely to happen as long as Pellegrini stands as head coach.
Last of all, his profile doesn't fit the needs of Real Madrid. Kaka does have 'superstar' status and will sign thousands of shirts for Perez, but that is exactly the type of hype Real Madrid must avoid. With Cristiano Ronaldo well on the way to Madrid, it is hard to see a balanced dressing room because of all the big egos (sound familiar?).
Kaka isn't a Spanish player either, and with Raul set to retire in 2010, only Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas would remain as Spanish starters. This would leave Real Madrid four Spanish players short of the ‘6+5 rule’, the implementation of which is being taken very seriously.
Perez should have looked elsewhere for success. He has a batch of brilliance in his own back yard, the cantera. After years of dispersing their player across Spain to play at smaller clubs, it’s time Real Madrid relied to their own breeding ground, and should recall young Madridista Juan Mata or reinstate Ruben de la Red as soon as possible.
But Kaka could end up enjoying himself in the Spanish league. In Serie A, he usually faced a solid back line of five to six players. La Liga, on the other hand, is much more open, and Kaka is likely to capitalise on the change in speed and tactics that are more suited to his game-play. Also, should Pellegrini employ Kaka in his favourite position, then the Brazilian will be given the license to a 'free role' up front. He excels at this role, considering his performances with the national team.
Maybe Kaka will be the big hit everyone expects him to be, or maybe he will find himself falling to failure in the dungeons of the second Galactico era. Only time will tell...
Feras Saad, Goal.com
The Brazilian is undoubtedly a world-class player, a man who once reached the insuperable heights of football, almost single-handedly granting Milan the 2007 Champions League title. He is the undisputed focal point of any offence he plays in, having the skill and precision to alternate between midfield and striker positions.
Madrid's dream of bringing Kaka to the Bernabeu started three years ago when then presidential candidate Ramon Calderon made him a presidential promise (one he could never fulfil). But there are several reasons why the 'Kaka Dream' could potentially become a nightmare for Real Madrid, and why he is not the right player to spearhead Los Blancos into a future era of success.
First of all, his price tag is absurd. To pay €65 million for a single player is too much to even consider - let’s not start about Cristiano Ronaldo. Such an astronomical sum could rather have been used by Perez to sign three world class players, covering three more positions, and giving Manuel Pellegrini three more options. Also, loans taken out by Perez to secure the signing are a burden on the club's debt. Although Kaka could end up paying for himself, his market value is sure to drop radically after a good three years - which brings us to our next point.
At 27, Kaka is no longer the explosive attacking midfielder he once was back in 2006. In the past two years it is easy to notice that Kaka has lost more than a yard of pace. He no longer has the speed to take the ball past defenders or drift out wide to bomb down the flanks. Attacking midfielders, as oppose to deep-lying playmakers, usually struggle to keep up the physical demands of the modern game as they get older. This is not to say that Kaka is by an means too old, but he is not a practical long-term solution and it is difficult seeing him at the Bernabeu when he is 32.
This, paired with the fact that Kaka has been out with a knee injury for most of this season, makes him a risky player to buy. Knee injuries are known to be the most devastating injury a player can suffer, and spending too much time on the sidelines in Madrid could drastically lower his stock - just ask Arjen Robben.
What many people in the footballing world fail to realise is that there is no place for Kaka to slot into Pellegrini's formation. The Brazilian is an attacking midfielder by nature, and plays 'in the hole' - one of the most difficult positions in football. Earlier, Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said that he would implement the standard 4-4-2 formation he used at Villarreal, with one defensive midfielder and another central. Kaka plays high up-field and is not the type of player who can pull the strings and dictate the pace of the game, unlike Barca's Xavi or Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas.
Coupled with the fact that he can't play as a winger and shouldn't stifle the growth of Gonzalo Higuain up front, he could be played well out of position, which will do nothing to help him fit into Real Madrid's style of play. Kaka needs to feature in either a 4-3-1-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation, but that is unlikely to happen as long as Pellegrini stands as head coach.
Last of all, his profile doesn't fit the needs of Real Madrid. Kaka does have 'superstar' status and will sign thousands of shirts for Perez, but that is exactly the type of hype Real Madrid must avoid. With Cristiano Ronaldo well on the way to Madrid, it is hard to see a balanced dressing room because of all the big egos (sound familiar?).
Kaka isn't a Spanish player either, and with Raul set to retire in 2010, only Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas would remain as Spanish starters. This would leave Real Madrid four Spanish players short of the ‘6+5 rule’, the implementation of which is being taken very seriously.
Perez should have looked elsewhere for success. He has a batch of brilliance in his own back yard, the cantera. After years of dispersing their player across Spain to play at smaller clubs, it’s time Real Madrid relied to their own breeding ground, and should recall young Madridista Juan Mata or reinstate Ruben de la Red as soon as possible.
But Kaka could end up enjoying himself in the Spanish league. In Serie A, he usually faced a solid back line of five to six players. La Liga, on the other hand, is much more open, and Kaka is likely to capitalise on the change in speed and tactics that are more suited to his game-play. Also, should Pellegrini employ Kaka in his favourite position, then the Brazilian will be given the license to a 'free role' up front. He excels at this role, considering his performances with the national team.
Maybe Kaka will be the big hit everyone expects him to be, or maybe he will find himself falling to failure in the dungeons of the second Galactico era. Only time will tell...
Feras Saad, Goal.com
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