Where he should have been all along.

A part of me is glad Golden Balls loan move seems to have turned into a permanent migration, given the fact that Becks shied away from top flight football way too early. Although we were not going to see his name on any FIFA World Player of the Year shortlists, there was a lot the former Real Madrid star could bring to the table on a European level.

From the start there was really no way Beckham could A) settle, and B) do for the game what the the Galaxy and the MLS wanted him to do for the sport in America. Just like for a football side, big names won't bring you anything more than 15 minutes of notority. His star power attracted attention, but it wasn't enough to bring any permanent change. That has to come from development, just like a club's youth academy.

A big draw for Becks had to have been the money, and after realizing that by this point in his career, money doesn't mean all that much, playing in a side like AC Milan must have been like coming home after being lost at sea. With a host of superstars around him, Becks has fit into a strong Milan side and has even pushed Ronaldinho out of the starting XI. Milan will benefit from his play and his marketing abilities, while the US will use the fact that David Beckham used to play for one of their sides.

In hindsight, Beckham probably should have gone straight to AC when they were after him as it became clear that he was going to leave Madrid. Then perhaps, after a few years plying his trade in the Serie A would a move to the US seem slightly more rational and intelligent. But hindsight is always 20/20.

After Inter's owner Massimo Moratti poked fun at Milan's inability to reach the top spot over the last few campaigns, it seems Milan head honcho Adriano Galliani took the bait and bit back at the wild haired millionaire.

In return for the degrading jibe, Galliani declared: "Are we thrilled to be at the top of Serie A? Moratti should take a look at our trophy cabinet and then he would understand our thrills."

Speaking of old trophies, I wonder if Galliani is going to parade David Beckham around in front of Moratti? Surely he'd be classified as an old trophey as well.

After Juventus managed to dispose of Spalletti's wounded Roma in Turin, the boys from the Eternal City were welcomed back with feisty supporters hurling coins and shouting abuses to the team as they made their way off he bus. Things are not looking up for hurting Roma.

If anyone is next to go up on the managerial chop block it has to be Spaletti, but his efforts surely were not helped with the board deciding to part with the likes of Mancini while bringing no big names in.

FANATIC PREDICTION: Spaletti loses his job in the next month. Roberto Mancini to replace?

Mourinho has shown his scary side again. It's been reported Adriano has been out on the town with, none other than, Ronaldinho. Not only that but he was late to training and sent home by the Portuguese tactician.

After Adriano's successful return from a year long loan to Sao Paulo to get his head on straight, things looked on the up for the Brazilian to get his career on track under the ex-Chelsea gaffer. Now it seems that their relationship has soured.

I could only imagine if Ronaldo was still in Milan. Yikes.

Ok, for arguments sake, let us get a few things out of the way.

Becks:

1. Wicked right foot, worth it for free kicks alone.

2. Has looked sharp in cameo roles for the national team.

3. Probably went to the US too soon and could do more damage in Europe.

4. World class, for the time being anyway.

Well now that those points have been made, David Beckham to AC Milan in January? Seriously? The side that took on fatty Ronaldo, have signed a lagging yet promising Ronaldinho and have floundered midtable for nearly the last two years, losing nearly every friendly they've played in while making marks in unknown waters for themas '06 Champions League winners in the UEFA Cup.

If they want a deal breaker, a real solution to their right midfeild problem, why not go for a young world class talent with years of service to give? Why not chase some starlets with their legendary club status? Beckham has experience on his side, yet alongisde the likes of Emerson, Maldini, Nesta, Pippo, Zambrotta and Seedorf, Milan are starting to look like a geriatric side in a Sunday league. Beckham would be another bloke with a walker stumbling through the halls of the San Siro.

Milan need to get serious. Their future isn't in Beckham, their future isn't even with Ronaldinho or Kaka. (Well, maybe Kaka.) It's with the Pato's who are coming on strong, and the Gourcoff's they've scared away and loaned out. It could even lay with the Flamini's they enticed for free. It's in world class youth with a nice mix of experience, with experience in abundance in Milan at the moment. Time to use the AC Milan name and entice some world class lads for the future, not names soon to be left in the past.

A tradition is born! This week we begin a mainstay to the Fanatic. Pretty straight forward: Someone has it tough, someone is kicking some 'A, so here they are for week one!

Winner: Catania Supporters

The constantly troubled Serie A ran into problems last weekend, finding Catania and Chievo fans at odds during a league match which found a Cheivo fan being robbed of his sat-nav system in a public scuffle. Instead of the story ending there, as many Italian football stories do lately, a regal group of Catania fans took it upon themselves to raise funds in hopes of making it right. Going one up on the hooligans who caused the trouble, the Catania organization organized (lots of organing) a fund raiser that saw a new sat-nav purchased and presented to the Cheivo fan. Classy move.



Loser: Sven-Göran Eriksson

There can be little doubt of Eriksson's pedigree, but the Swede just can't find his groove. After a disappointing international spell with the English national team followed by becoming the first managerial victim of the morphing Manchester City, becoming the Mexican national coach might have been viewed as strange choice and an effort to jump-start a bumpy career. After Mexico's latest loss to Jamaica the gaffer is on ice again. The loss compounded by the fact that Mexico has now been leapfrogged by their neighbors to the North in the FIFA rankings will not sit too well with the Mexican FA. With Mexico booked to play Canada this week, the Swede better hope for a win or face a whole new round of troubles from the unforgiving Mexican people. Muy interesante!