The Ronaldinho Conundrum

By: Rob | September 19th, 2009

So the big question from Serie A this week is, what does Milan manager Leonardo do about Ronaldinho? Built up over the summer by Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi as the answer to why Milan never replaced Madrid-bound Ricky Kaká, Ronaldinho looked great on the opening day, but awful in his sides loss at inter-city rivals Inter, and ineffective last weekend in a 0-0 draw.

Pointedly, perhaps, he was left out of Milan’s side which beat OM in the Champions League midweek, and even worse for the former World Player of the Year, Clarence Seedorf stepped into his position and set Pippo Inzaghi up for one of his two goals.

So this weekend, Leonardo has a conundrum – Seedorf or Dhino? Well he might have lucked out of making a choice this weekend, as apaprently The Dhino has a cold and so might not be able to play. Although how truthful that cold is, I have no idea.

But the big question is long term. Is Leonardo going to stick with his compatriat in the long term?

The fall of Ronaldinho has been rather spectacular. Four years ago he would have waltzed into absolutely any team in the world. His smile lit up matches as he seemed to enjoy every moment of every game. Each divine flick, incredible bit of skill or cracking goal was really just icing on the cake.

His joy, was infectious. But sometime around 2006, it all went a bit sour. Brazil didn’t look like Brazil at the last world cup, Kaká stole his thunder in terms of the best player in the world, and he slowly fell out with absolutely everybody at Barcelona, among rumours of weight gain, clubbing and disinterest.

Milan nabbed him away from his soured experience in Catalonia, but despite Silvio Berlusconi obvious man-crush, he never really did it last season for the Rossoneri, and Carlo Ancelotti
wound up dropping him. Which possibly upset his boss more than his leaving to go manage in West London instead.

While I’ve all but given up on seeing the magical Ronaldinho of the first half of this decade, I think he has more to give than he has been showing, and I have to say, I hope Leonardo sticks by him, and he can at least rescue some form, and remind us that, actually, he is a really great player.

More than that, for a player who bought a smile to so many faces for such a long time with his magical football, I’d love to see him get that bucktoothed smile back on his face again.

Besides, if Leonardo’s other option is Seedorf, then sentiment aside, he might as well go for Ronaldinho. No-one is doubting Seedorf’s ability (his Champions League trophy haul alone is staggering) but if your main choice is one ageing genius and another, you might as well go with the younger, arguably more talented one that your boss loves. Right?

Ronaldinho, please come back.