ARRIVEDERCI and good riddance! That was the message I felt like sending to Dino Baggio this week as he packed his bags for Ancona.

And I'm sure I would have been speaking for every Blackburn fan in the land as the former Italian international sloped off into the sunset, where I've no doubt another lucrative contract is awaiting his signature.

When Graeme Souness added him to his squad in the summer, Blackburn was buzzing with expectation.

Here was a guy with one of the most famous names in world football, who had represented Italy more than sixty times, at three different World Cup finals.

Surely with that kind of pedigree behind him, he could be a force in the Premiership?

But the performances that followed were hardly befitting of a man with such an imposing reputation.

In fact, based on the evidence of the last six months, I've rapidly come to the conclusion that the former Juventus star is one of the most over-rated players ever to pull on a blue and white shirt in terms of expectation and what he actually delivered.

I've got two lasting memories of the 32-year-old midfield stroller.

The first was in Turkey, when he made his one and only start for Rovers in the 3-1 UEFA Cup defeat against Genclerbirligi.

On that night, he was virtually non-existent as Rovers were brutally put to the sword.

The second was the recent derby with Bolton, a fixture which normally stirs the passion in even the most passive of players.

But passion was exactly what Dino lacked when he entered the arena with Rovers desperately clinging to a fragile 3-2 lead.

To blame what happened in the following 30 minutes solely on him would be taking things too far.

But I think it's fair to say his shirt didn't need to go through the washing machine at the end of the game.

In fairness to Graeme, I can understand why he signed him.

It was the last day of the transfer window and he had the opportunity to sign a world class player for nothing.

At the end of the day, you don't play 60 games for Italy if you haven't got talent so it didn't look like much of gamble.

But talent alone isn't enough to get by in the cut and thrust world of the Premiership.

In Italy, there are easy games (just ask anyone who's played Ancona so far this season).

That's not the case in England, though. Just ask any Manchester United fan who was at Molineux on Saturday.

If you're not 100 per cent committed every time you step out on the pitch here then you're effectively a passenger.

What Rovers need now more than ever is players like Garry Flitcroft who give every last drop for the cause.

Baggio might be blessed with more natural ability than the Rovers skipper but Flitcroft wins hands down when it comes to passion and commitment.

That's why Baggio, the Premiership's answer to the Tin Man, simply had to go.