Ronaldo – Ego or ambition
Ronaldo – Ego or ambition
In this tough economic climate, there’s not much you can buy for 80 million pounds is there? Perhaps a tiny island in Dubai? A nice luxury private plane? Or what about a gorgeous cruiser moored in Monte Carlo? Of course, if none of them take your fancy, why not opt for a footballer instead? Cristiano Ronaldo is a snip of the price – or is he? Just 24 hours after the revelation of Real Madrid’s record-breaking deal for the Portuguese winger, the papers, both home and aboard, are full of it. Deal of the Century. Numero Uno. The Golden Boot.
Ronaldo is back where he belongs. Not in Spain but in the international spotlight. Let’s face it, Ronaldo craves the stage and you just knew the writing was on the wall when he walked off the pitch at the end of Manchester United’s defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League final. Deflated, petulant, sulky. Would he have stayed at Old Trafford had the Red Devils lifted the ultimate crown? Probably not. The victory would have undoubtedly massaged his ego for a few weeks but big hitters always need more.
Is it ambition or ego which drives Ronaldo forward? That’s just one of the questions opened up by Real Madrid’s 80 million pound bid which puts even their Kaka deal into the shade.
Whilst Ronaldo drank champagne in an LA nightclub with Paris Hilton, the rest of the soccer world was buzzing with the news of his incredible transfer. Is he really worth the money? Should there be a cap on transfer fees? Are the sums of money involved getting out of control? Should there be more prudency during the recession? Can you really buy a team? Oh, and let’s not forget about matters on the pitch either. Is Ronaldo going to fit in with Real Madrid? Can he adapt to their style of play? Is he going to deliver? And will he finally win the silverware he longs for?
Manchester United fans are either jubilant to see the back of Ronaldo who did not exactly endear himself to every supporter, courtesy of his often Prima Dona-like behaviour, or devastated because of his undoubted talent. He is, after all, World Player of the Year and is still only 24. He scored some cracking goals for United and has been described as even better than George Best. But he also committed some howlers, with several diving incidents and continued complaints of not being protected by referees.
Many feel his departure will leave a gap too big to be filled and could hand Liverpool the title. Others believe it opens up new opportunities for United who will come back even better than before.
Sir Alex Ferguson is a shrewd man. He knows that one man can’t build a team and there is absolutely no sentiment in business. Last December, he vowed he wouldn’t even sell a virus to “that mob” at Real Madrid but money talks and Ronaldo had made it more than clear that he wanted to leave.
Individuals can put you in the spotlight, yes, but sometimes for all the wrong reasons which slowly begin to outweigh the benefits. Ronaldo was not irreplaceable or the best Manchester United player if you choose to take into account all-round consistent performance as opposed to brilliance. Yes, there were occasions when his flash of genius won the day but success has to be built on team-work, solid foundations and loyalty. Stars add the icing on the cake but Manchester United still have Rooney as the king pin.
For the time being, at least, Ronaldo will be happier and in his element at Real Madrid as new president Florentino Perez aims for a return to the Galactico era of the greats.
Kaka and Ronaldo already head his list of conquests and there will be more to come, though one suspects that 80 million deal will stay a world record for quite some time.
As to putting a limit on transfer fees, it’s probably not necessary. There are few other clubs who could afford such outrageous bids as the recession bites and they might just have to rely on home-grown talent for a change.
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