Now? Actually, we weren't in a position to attract them last season either, going by that logic, given that we finished seventh even last year.
Yes...
Under those circumstances, I don't think it would've been wise to get rid of the players that had age on their side, and offered a fair share of creativity in their play. Call Diego what you want, but he'd still be more useful than half the players we currently have on our roster. Giovinco may have been a bit part player, but he contributed more in the time that he played than the people who came into replace him. And its like you said, thanks to a succession of coaches, neither he nor Diego got the continuity they deserved. Also, I don't think this is being said in hindsight, it was pretty evident at the time those deals were being made that they would come back to haunt us, and they did.
On Diego I'll just repeat my other point. With hindsight or foresight I'd still rather have what we have now, he isn't even close to being an important issue. Goalscoring wasn't even an issue until we had no strikers and then we brought in a good Matri, currently we are two goals shy of Napoli's fabled attack. Rather than focus on the flashy might have beens the fullbacks are the real issue that needed, and still needs, addressing.
I think the other topics we have spoken about before, let alone others. Talk of luck with Quagliarella seems subjective, depending on the point you are trying to make. He had a list and went down it, all could work or all could flop, the director general only has a part to play in that eventuality.
Destabilised a pretty decent unit? Nah, let's go back to this time last year and try and tell me the same thing. They were a joke just like this team, nothing stable about it. Think back in time, a revolution was called for, rightly or wrongly. Older players needed releasing whether it was last season or this. However this is my main worry, we don't seem to be building anything.
Having said that I personally don't think one year is enough and didn't back when he was appointed, I didn't think 5 months was enough, or 6 months, or 9 months, but it'll be a big summer for sure. This summer he has no excuses, he's had time to scout and find the right players.