Ronaldo

[gerbie]

Ronaldo

I read in the paper that Ronaldo is back in the Brazilian squad. How absurd is that? A player who hasn't played for 22 months, plays 27 minutes in a match that has been decided anyway, apart from that has virtually no significance and now he is ready to play again for the country that traditionally is the best in the world.

This is an insult to other stars in Brazil. True, the Brazilian team hasn't been playing up to scratch lately, but how desperate can you get. If you're from Bolivia, Slovenia, Algeria or Scotland you know the situation. The star player is in the squad all the time, even after his left leg was amputated, he still plays, he never used that leg anyway. But Brazil has got plenty of choice, there are about a zillion boys on the beach in Rio who are dying to wear the beautiful yellow shirt just once in their lifetime. There are hundreds of professional players who are still dreaming. And now there is one player, who has played 27 minutes in this millennium and he gets in the squad!

Ronaldo isn't the cure for Brazilian football. He is not at the same level as Rivaldo. He might be as good as Romario was, but he is not the star he was made into by Nike. He will never reach the level of Garrincha, Pele, Socrates, Zico or other great players that have worn the canary shirt. He has pace, knows how to score a goal. That's it. I hope Brazil will make the world cup, I don't doubt they will, but selecting Ronaldo to me is a big sign of panic. Were I to live in Montevideo or Bogota, it would give me confidence. Australia watch out, Brazil might be coming your way to qualify!

Comments

Ronaldo

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Agree with you there!! Imagine the big bosses at NIKE being told that the 'Star Player' isnt going to be selected!! Brazil should check the small print in the NIKE contract, it'll say something like "As long as Ronaldo is breathing he must play". Imagine the World Cup "without" Brazil??

On another note Argentina have some class players, will be interesting to see how Javier Saviola does at Barcelona. The new number 1 team in south america - possibly?

Re: Ronaldo

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

Possibly? Definetely! At the moment they have by far the best side. The WC qualifying table doesn't lie. The best players are from there, they have just won the youth world cup, in their own country though, which was an advantage. But I have to problems in putting money on them reaching the last 4 next year.

Re: Ronaldo

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

At least Scotland wont be going to make idiots of themselves..........once again. Shame though its always a good laugh watching Scotland play football (or trying to). Yeah Argentina look pretty good, but as for ENGLAND!!! That 5-1 spanking of Germany was damn good.

Come on England!!!

LOL

Re: Ronaldo

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

remind me again, who did you play before Germany? And what was the score?

Re: Ronaldo

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

We played some funny little team called Holland i think in a FRIENDLY and lost 2-0. This team went on to NOT qualify for the world cup. How can a team of this quality not qualify??

Re: Ronaldo

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

If I knew I would have applied by now and succeeded Van Gaal. Seems like a nice job. Only three-four days at the time, about 10 times a year, in the meantime you can do whatever you want, visiting footballplayers everywhere but in your hometown, all on expenses. And a giant salary to go with it. Whats wrong with this world?

[lorelei-aisling.livejournal.com]

I thought he tore his ATL and it was a career ending injury.

Re:

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

Out for 22 months is career ending for a lot of players. Luckily he is still relatively young, so he has a good shot at a comeback.

Or?????????

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Either that or NIKE will pay for new bionic legs!!

Re: Or?????????

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that isn't possible. Then again, we would get Van Basten back. He's still fairly young. If MJ can get back to the NBA, with new bionic legs Marco could be the solution for Dutch misery at the moment.

Re: Or?????????

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Whoaaaa Van Basten (my mate sean reckons that Van Basten is the best player that has ever played football). Yeah MJ will be slam dunkin' when hes shuffling around with his zimmer frame.

When i referred to the Ajax team of the 90's (a few posts back now) i meant the one that won the Champ League, a friend reeled off a list of players and told me to guess the team. I said "the Dutch national squad from 95-96" He said "No its Ajax's champ league team".

Re: Or?????????

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

When the Dutch played Ireland at Anfield (why do we always have to play the paddies?) in november 95, qualifying for Euro 96 (don't dare mention that 4-1 anymore), 10 out of 11 players were Ajax or former Ajax players. Only Cocu was in, he has since played for Barcelona, the second Ajax...

Re: Or?????????

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Remember watching that one Kluivert scoring 2. So have Ajax still got this 'World Famous' youth academy, producing more and more stars of the future?? Newcastle are maybe 5 years behind Man Utd in the Youth Academy situation, weve got maybe 12 local players in the youth teams breaking into the reserves and maybe one or two coming into the first team this year......maybe.

Re: Or?????????

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

Which is the same with Ajax. They still have the academy, but not enough come through anymore. More mediocre and very few big talent. One made it last year: Rafael van der Vaart. Only turned 18 recently, scored every single important goal this season until now, and he is a midfield player. At 17 he made his way into the team, benching Richard Witschge (wasn't he on loan at Newcastle a couple of years ago for half a season?), quite an achievement.
But one is not enough for Ajax.

Re: Or?????????

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Newcastle were rumoured to be wanting to buy Van Der Vaart this summer, ?7 million. It was more a rumour from Newcastle press rather than from the Dutch press. We then went and bought Lauren Robert for ?10 million and he has played really well. And we also enquired about Van Bommel from PSV.

Damn, still annoys me that John Dahl Tomasson didn't work out for us.

Re: Or?????????

[gerbie.livejournal.com]

Tomasson was brilliant at Heerenveen, a bit more patience and it would have worked. I'm afraid patience hasn't been the strongest point of either of our teams. Van der Vaart scored the first one again today! Another victory, my team won as well, my legs are still sore, but were only one point down on the leaders now.

Re: Or?????????

[harryroberts.livejournal.com]

Woo and Hoo!!

Good luck with the league and stuff, Newcastle were total shite today we lost 2-0

complete shite.