AC Milan reviewer in the mixed zone
Conversation with Enrique Mendoza about the jersey he reviewed and the club.
So lets get started!
Q: Which was your first jersey and whom gave it to you ?
A: My first jersey was an early 98/99 Real Madrid jersey, back when their sponsor was “Teka” rather than today’s “BWIN”. My father gave it to me as my family is from Spain and both the national team and the club, Real Madrid, are a part of our identity.
Q: If you were to give a piece of advice to the clothing manufacturer what would that be?
A: If I had to give a genuine piece of advice to clothing manufacturer’s, I would advise that they try to keep the fabrics of their jersey’s uniform throughout a single product. I love collecting jerseys from teams around the world, no matter the allegiance, and the only time I’ve ever been disappointed is when the manufacturer opted to have a mesh, thick, or uncomfortable material on just one segment of the jersey, like having athletic mesh builds underneath the arms and down the side, but then keeping the rest of the jersey with a thicker material. This is for an authentic feel, but it can cause some wearers discomfort. In all honesty though, this is a tiny piece of advice, I’m quite satisfied with what I see in all football apparel today.
Q: If you were to give a piece of advice to the name and number kit manufacturer what would that be?
A: My advice to a name and number kit manufacturer would be simple: keep the printing and the adhesive thin and clean. Some jerseys are a joy to wear with your favorite player’s details on the back, but occasionally, you get a customized jersey where the name or number feels thick and vulnerable, or the adhesive seems loose or the heat transfer weak. My only other advice would be to keep the fonts on the smaller and thinner scale. It helps to keep the details fitting nicely and it also lowers the chance of damaging the printing when folding or laying down a jersey.
Q: What is the greatest challenge for your favorite team right now ?
A: I think I have the easiest answer to that question for my team, AC Milan, are really trying to climb their way out of what could be considered the most difficult and pressing era in their storied history. The biggest challenge for AC Milan is to finish in a convincing spot in Serie A (Italy’s premier league), qualify for the Champions League comfortably, and go as far as they can in this season’s Champion’s League. As of this interview, Milan have some momentum and I’m confident they can succeed. As a fan, it’s become intriguing to watch a young team grow out of the bare-bones left behind by sold, retired, and leaving players.
Q: When evaluating the club at the current moment what is more important: the legacy or the players in the current squad ? club or athletes ?
A: This is a very good question. If you had asked me this a year ago, I would have said the legacy. I would have said that AC Milan’s most important aspect is their history, their glorious past. They are the most titled club internationally and they have much to be noble and proud of. However, times have changed. Many stars, veterans, and fan favorites have gone over this past summer alone. AC Milan are a different team now, they are a book without a title, and it is up to them to write the story of the return to success, both domestically and internationally. The past means nothing now, AC Milan have got to get their heads together. In this subject, I would say the current squad is more important than the legacy. This is a question that could and should be asked of everything today.
Q: Excellent answers – very interesting to read these comments. Thank you for the contribution.