It must not..
ALL Ronaldo's future/comments/speculation
- Thread starter Tabasco Sauce
- Start date
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how admirable that he wont name who they're interested in....
what a joke of a club...Another variant on The Times article:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...ed-minder-watching-him-in-la-115875-20673350/
This time including the following:
"We know that success changes people, but often that means an elevation in their own esteem and personality and that can make them better players. Cristiano is now reaching the stage of his career when he will stamp his presence and personality on the world stage - and we have a duty to help him.
"That's why he was always scheduled to have this time in Los Angeles. There was never going to be any harm in him going there."
Just a few extra words but an interesting angle, I think.
Meanwhile, in Spain, even AS and Marca are struggling to come up with new angles and have started looking for Plan B. Hardened Madrid watchers say things always go quiet just before an actual bid (RvN and Beckham) - others think it just indicates that unless Ron deliberately lands a helicopter on SAF's car at Carrington then the story's got nowhere to go.
Schuster hasn't given up on getting Ron but has started talking about Plan B's and needing time. He also said that if he was SAF, he wouldn't want to lose Ron either and would do everything he could to keep him.
Injury watchers will be pleased to know that Ron is having safe sex. At least according to:
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2707_ronaldo.shtml
Those of a sensitive disposition should not click on the link.
In fact you shouldn't read the rest of this post.
Possibly not even the rest of this thread.
For anyone still here - the following is more than you need to know:
She smiled: "We were just chatting at first. I told him he was my favourite footballer in the world and Liverpool's Fernando Torres was second. He didn't look too pleased about this though and seemed to roll his eyes when I mentioned Torres."
"Several times throughout the night he put some kind of ice pack down his boot to ease the swelling. He was desperate not to put it in jeopardy. But he did his best to make sure it did not bash me though and thanks to his athleticism he was able to control his foot just fine.
"He was adamant his boot would stay on whatever happened."
I shouldn't laugh, I know I'm supposed to be too annoyed with him to laugh. But still!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...ed-minder-watching-him-in-la-115875-20673350/
This time including the following:
"We know that success changes people, but often that means an elevation in their own esteem and personality and that can make them better players. Cristiano is now reaching the stage of his career when he will stamp his presence and personality on the world stage - and we have a duty to help him.
"That's why he was always scheduled to have this time in Los Angeles. There was never going to be any harm in him going there."
Just a few extra words but an interesting angle, I think.
Meanwhile, in Spain, even AS and Marca are struggling to come up with new angles and have started looking for Plan B. Hardened Madrid watchers say things always go quiet just before an actual bid (RvN and Beckham) - others think it just indicates that unless Ron deliberately lands a helicopter on SAF's car at Carrington then the story's got nowhere to go.
Schuster hasn't given up on getting Ron but has started talking about Plan B's and needing time. He also said that if he was SAF, he wouldn't want to lose Ron either and would do everything he could to keep him.
Injury watchers will be pleased to know that Ron is having safe sex. At least according to:
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2707_ronaldo.shtml
Those of a sensitive disposition should not click on the link.
In fact you shouldn't read the rest of this post.
Possibly not even the rest of this thread.
For anyone still here - the following is more than you need to know:
She smiled: "We were just chatting at first. I told him he was my favourite footballer in the world and Liverpool's Fernando Torres was second. He didn't look too pleased about this though and seemed to roll his eyes when I mentioned Torres."
"Several times throughout the night he put some kind of ice pack down his boot to ease the swelling. He was desperate not to put it in jeopardy. But he did his best to make sure it did not bash me though and thanks to his athleticism he was able to control his foot just fine.
"He was adamant his boot would stay on whatever happened."
I shouldn't laugh, I know I'm supposed to be too annoyed with him to laugh. But still!
how admirable that he wont name who they're interested in....
hypocrite.
"Several times throughout the night he put some kind of ice pack down his boot to ease the swelling. He was desperate not to put it in jeopardy. But he did his best to make sure it did not bash me though and thanks to his athleticism he was able to control his foot just fine.
"He was adamant his boot would stay on whatever happened."
I shouldn't laugh, I know I'm supposed to be too annoyed with him to laugh. But still!
Normally I take these girls with a pinch or salt, but this sounds like it really is true. That's something I can see him doing.
Normally I take these girls with a pinch or salt, but this sounds like it really is true. That's something I can see him doing.
Everyone always talks about how professional he is about his football.
This thread is dying.
It died when SAF said he was staying.But i suppose some can't get enough of Ronaldo wearing hotpants and sunbathing.
The thread started of well, but it will soon be put out of its misery... Like all things that carry on after their peak (Mike Tyson?), it's turning into a bit of a joke.
While these kiss and tells can be somewhat entertaining, I'm not sure if they fit in a thread in the United forum. I know I'm being a kill joy but I realised this as I was just about to post something marginally related to Ronnie and similar to some of the recent articles.
Can't wait for the season to start that's for sure
Continue...
While these kiss and tells can be somewhat entertaining, I'm not sure if they fit in a thread in the United forum. I know I'm being a kill joy but I realised this as I was just about to post something marginally related to Ronnie and similar to some of the recent articles.
Can't wait for the season to start that's for sure
Continue...
This thread is NOT dying.
Real Madrid's Robinho ready to join Chelsea
Chelsea will make one more big signing this summer, with Brazil international Robinho the player most likely to move to Stamford Bridge.
Robinho is top of Chelsea's list - Real Madrid's Robinho ready to join Chelsea
Centre of attention: Robinho is top of Chelsea's list Photo: Getty Images
The Sunday Telegraph understands that the Real Madrid winger has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, and that the club have made a first offer of £31.5 million. A second offer – and British transfer record – of £35 million would be acceptable to Real but they will not let the move happen until they have a replacement of equivalent stature in place.
The player Real most covet is Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo but they have been investigating the possibility of signing long-term target Kaka from Milan, after hearing that Chelsea had put in an offer for the Brazilian playmaker. Chelsea, though, will not sign both Robinho and Kaka.
No off season has been as full of transfer intrigue as this summer yet very few of the proposed big-money moves have actually happened as the various switches have become dependent on each other.
At the hub is Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger has been in limbo all summer. He wants to move to Real, who want to sign him, but Manchester United have refused to let him go. Ronaldo thinks the ball is in Real's court, but the Spanish champions feel that he has never made it explicit he wants to leave Old Trafford.
Sources in Spain suggest that the problem is complicated by Ronaldo and his agent, Jorge Mendes, having serious differences about how the situation has been handled. Mendes has been eager for his client not to cause problems at Old Trafford, where he also represents Anderson and Nani, and has counselled Ronaldo to be discreet and patient. Ronaldo, it is suggested, believes Mendes has not been forceful enough.
With the impasse, Real are getting increasingly anxious that the deal will not go through this summer. They are putting contingency plans in place. Real's supporters have demanded a signing of the highest quality with club president Ramon Calderon promising to deliver. If they fail to get Ronaldo then Kaka would be the best possible alternative.
Real are also reported to be putting together a £30 million bid for Valencia's David Villa. They had agreed a deal in principle before this summer's European Championship, at which the Spain striker excelled, but have been holding off to see what happened with Ronaldo. Valencia are in a desperate financial situation but had been making brave noises about keeping Villa. But, riven by internal disputes, their stance has softened.
Villa prefers to stay in Spain but Valencia would prefer not to sell to a rival. With Robbie Keane having joined Liverpool and Dimitar Berbatov still Manchester United's top transfer priority, Spurs are in the market for a top-class striker and Villa's agent has invited them to make a bid for his client, even if just to force Real's hand.
Yet Bernd Schuster, the Real coach, wants to keep Robinho. "I don't see Robinho out of this team because it doesn't make any sense," he said. "It's normal that being in Brazil stories reach him from 10,000km away, but it's rubbish. He has to be with us. He's a player in our project. We've shown him his goals from last year and we all realised that he is one of the most important players in this squad and we need him for the next few years.
"The only problem is when a player can't train with a group as he should, and more so in the case of Robinho, who needs to show his joy on the pitch and to be happy with his team-mates.
"He's recovering from his injury and that is cheering him up. I'm very calm. The day he starts training with the team again he'll soon pick up. It's not a worry."
According to sources in the Real camp, Robinho is angry with the club, not because they have prevented him from going to the Olympics with Brazil but because he feels they undervalue him. Robinho earns £1.7 million a year at the Bernabeu, which would rise to £6 million a year were he to sign the five-year deal that has been put together for him at Chelsea.
Robinho's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, was angry that his client had been offered as a makeweight in the Ronaldo deal and met with Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic on Aug 15 and told him his client wanted to leave.
Robinho has been moping around Real's pre-season training base in Austria and is eager to join up with Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea. Scolari is apparently unimpressed that Ribeiro has gone public about any potential deal but is still keen to sign a flair player who would invigorate the Chelsea attack.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/2462457/Real-Madrid's-Robinho-ready-to-join-Chelsea.html
Real Madrid's Robinho ready to join Chelsea
Chelsea will make one more big signing this summer, with Brazil international Robinho the player most likely to move to Stamford Bridge.
Robinho is top of Chelsea's list - Real Madrid's Robinho ready to join Chelsea
Centre of attention: Robinho is top of Chelsea's list Photo: Getty Images
The Sunday Telegraph understands that the Real Madrid winger has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, and that the club have made a first offer of £31.5 million. A second offer – and British transfer record – of £35 million would be acceptable to Real but they will not let the move happen until they have a replacement of equivalent stature in place.
The player Real most covet is Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo but they have been investigating the possibility of signing long-term target Kaka from Milan, after hearing that Chelsea had put in an offer for the Brazilian playmaker. Chelsea, though, will not sign both Robinho and Kaka.
No off season has been as full of transfer intrigue as this summer yet very few of the proposed big-money moves have actually happened as the various switches have become dependent on each other.
At the hub is Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger has been in limbo all summer. He wants to move to Real, who want to sign him, but Manchester United have refused to let him go. Ronaldo thinks the ball is in Real's court, but the Spanish champions feel that he has never made it explicit he wants to leave Old Trafford.
Sources in Spain suggest that the problem is complicated by Ronaldo and his agent, Jorge Mendes, having serious differences about how the situation has been handled. Mendes has been eager for his client not to cause problems at Old Trafford, where he also represents Anderson and Nani, and has counselled Ronaldo to be discreet and patient. Ronaldo, it is suggested, believes Mendes has not been forceful enough.
With the impasse, Real are getting increasingly anxious that the deal will not go through this summer. They are putting contingency plans in place. Real's supporters have demanded a signing of the highest quality with club president Ramon Calderon promising to deliver. If they fail to get Ronaldo then Kaka would be the best possible alternative.
Real are also reported to be putting together a £30 million bid for Valencia's David Villa. They had agreed a deal in principle before this summer's European Championship, at which the Spain striker excelled, but have been holding off to see what happened with Ronaldo. Valencia are in a desperate financial situation but had been making brave noises about keeping Villa. But, riven by internal disputes, their stance has softened.
Villa prefers to stay in Spain but Valencia would prefer not to sell to a rival. With Robbie Keane having joined Liverpool and Dimitar Berbatov still Manchester United's top transfer priority, Spurs are in the market for a top-class striker and Villa's agent has invited them to make a bid for his client, even if just to force Real's hand.
Yet Bernd Schuster, the Real coach, wants to keep Robinho. "I don't see Robinho out of this team because it doesn't make any sense," he said. "It's normal that being in Brazil stories reach him from 10,000km away, but it's rubbish. He has to be with us. He's a player in our project. We've shown him his goals from last year and we all realised that he is one of the most important players in this squad and we need him for the next few years.
"The only problem is when a player can't train with a group as he should, and more so in the case of Robinho, who needs to show his joy on the pitch and to be happy with his team-mates.
"He's recovering from his injury and that is cheering him up. I'm very calm. The day he starts training with the team again he'll soon pick up. It's not a worry."
According to sources in the Real camp, Robinho is angry with the club, not because they have prevented him from going to the Olympics with Brazil but because he feels they undervalue him. Robinho earns £1.7 million a year at the Bernabeu, which would rise to £6 million a year were he to sign the five-year deal that has been put together for him at Chelsea.
Robinho's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, was angry that his client had been offered as a makeweight in the Ronaldo deal and met with Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic on Aug 15 and told him his client wanted to leave.
Robinho has been moping around Real's pre-season training base in Austria and is eager to join up with Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea. Scolari is apparently unimpressed that Ribeiro has gone public about any potential deal but is still keen to sign a flair player who would invigorate the Chelsea attack.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/2462457/Real-Madrid's-Robinho-ready-to-join-Chelsea.html
Wow 'sources in spain'. Must be true then
Even quotes from spain are proving to be false these days
Even quotes from spain are proving to be false these days
When is it Ronaldo is due back at the club? Or did it change with the surgery?
8 days according to SAF
And here's the counter claim:
Kenyon: No Robinho deal
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon insists there have been no developments over their pursuit of Robinho.
A report on Sunday suggested Chelsea, currently on a tour of Asia, had agreed terms with Robinho in a deal that would smash the British record transfer.
But Kenyon said: "Due to the time difference so there is no update. We will have further discussions but this is one that could rumble on."
Bit like this thread.
How often is it that the agent doesn't push hard for a transfer that would net him a nice chunk of chain?
How often does an agent have two top young players at the club he risks upsetting?
Far greater interest in him keeping the peace. To be fair, it looked like Ronaldo was either getting extremely bad advuce, or ignoring what he heard this summer. These agent stories seem to indicate the latter
Can't believe the grinder this kid has been made to endure over a stupid comment...
:feckingcrazy:
:feckingcrazy:
Aye. And that's the second or third time I've heard that Mendes has been advising him to stay put.
Ronaldo really is a stupid gimp.
Great footballer though, so I'm pleased he's not going anywhere.
If he performs he shall be worshipped again, mark my words
this thread will be back next summer, mark my words
this thread will be back next summer, mark my words
Ronaldo will be the best player in the world once again, mark my words
Reckon this will get closed and their will be a new one, that said once Calderon gets dumped on his ass, Real will have a black eye and won't come calling next year, they will soon, but if in the end we keep Ronaldo what a bunch of cnuts they look like as does FIFA visa ve Blatter
I just want to see Ronaldo score against them, if he does that actions will speak louder than words
Apparently Ronaldo heading back to Manchester early for further talks with SAF......
From Sky Sports Transfer Centre
9.31 There is no escape. Another day, another story about Cristiano Ronaldo. According to reports in the Portuguese media, the in-demand winger is due to fly to Manchester for further talks with manager Sir Alex Ferguson
From Sky Sports Transfer Centre
9.31 There is no escape. Another day, another story about Cristiano Ronaldo. According to reports in the Portuguese media, the in-demand winger is due to fly to Manchester for further talks with manager Sir Alex Ferguson
He's got to come back to Manchester soon anyway but why not attach a crisis talks story for extra drama.
Exactly. He is coming back this week anyway as SAF said, but lets make it a crisis to spice it up
crisis talks, typical of the press.
The only crisis meeting taking place will be at the FA afterif Fergie lays into Blatter and ends the hiopes of the 2018 WC being held here
B*llocks to the ABU press
B*llocks to the ABU press
Schuster waiting on Ronaldo
28/ 7/2008
REAL Madrid coach Bernd Schuster admits the club are in limbo as they wait for United's Cristiano Ronaldo to make a decision on his future.
The Spanish champions have courted the Reds star all summer despite his club's insistence he is not for sale.
Ronaldo, 23, has done nothing to dispel the reports, revealing it is his dream to play for Real and refusing to confirm where he will be playing next season.
However, Schuster is beginning to tire of the protracted saga and claims it is difficult to prepare for next season without knowing whether the Portugal winger will be joining his squad or not.
"As all the world knows, we are interested in signing a player like Ronaldo," he said.
"But it seems as if he won't finish deciding, and all the rest depends on that.
"If this doesn't work out we have other alternatives, but everything depends on how it finishes with Cristiano Ronaldo."
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co..._united/s/1060079_schuster_waiting_on_ronaldo
28/ 7/2008
REAL Madrid coach Bernd Schuster admits the club are in limbo as they wait for United's Cristiano Ronaldo to make a decision on his future.
The Spanish champions have courted the Reds star all summer despite his club's insistence he is not for sale.
Ronaldo, 23, has done nothing to dispel the reports, revealing it is his dream to play for Real and refusing to confirm where he will be playing next season.
However, Schuster is beginning to tire of the protracted saga and claims it is difficult to prepare for next season without knowing whether the Portugal winger will be joining his squad or not.
"As all the world knows, we are interested in signing a player like Ronaldo," he said.
"But it seems as if he won't finish deciding, and all the rest depends on that.
"If this doesn't work out we have other alternatives, but everything depends on how it finishes with Cristiano Ronaldo."
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co..._united/s/1060079_schuster_waiting_on_ronaldo
He's going to have a long wait.
He's coming back. Ronaldo is coming back!
Sorry?
As I have said, cant wait til the lad scors fore us again
From 'Marca, this morning;
Ferguson puts a spy on Cristiano
Alex Ferguson has controlled in every moment the movements of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Scottish manager, in order to be informed for the Press of the trips and news of his footballer, said it is sufficient to send a person of his confidence to Los Angeles, where the Portuguese extreme carries since last July 15, to watch to the still player of the reds.
"We have a person that is always with him", assured the manager of Manchester United. A formula, spying on a footballer of his team, that Ferguson would have copied from his mentor as coach, the legendary Jock Stein, for whom Ferguson was an assistant in the Scottish selection.
For Ferguson "there is nothing wrong" in the crack Portuguese being on holidays in the United States instead of giving a more professional image toward the outside. More still when in Manchester sat down as a shot that the player expected two weeks to be operated and to decide to do the rehabilitation far from England. "The boy loves to play soccer and to train, but now cannot do anything for the reds. His trip to Los Angeles was planned some time ago and Ronaldo is in California for commercial motives. There is nothing wrong in it".
Information of first hand
The eventual location of Cristiano Ronaldo has been the cause of speculation since the elimination of Portugal of the Eurocopa, last June 19. And Ferguson, before the avalanche of rumors and indiscretions appeared on the player, has preferred to know first hand the lifestyle of its footballer before the English tabloids break the news. "On Ronaldo they have themselves written many lies. The first thing is that it is not true that he drinks vodka. We know that Ronaldo does not drink alcohol. And also other stories are false", said Ferguson in statements to the British newspaper The Times.
"All the young players that have acts of this type call the attention, but what is important is the way in which they negotiate the situation. We know that this changes people, but there is a positive change it is that of self-esteem that makes you grow and to be better. This it is the case of Ronaldo, that at the age of 23 is acquiring his maturity and personality".
A similar case to Beckham? " I do not want to enter that history, but would say that is obvious".
In the wake of Jock Stein, the coach spy of the Celtic
The relation between Ferguson and Cristiano has an antecedent in the history of the soccer. In 1967 Jock Stein, the legendary coach of Glasgow Celtic, had in his staff Jimmy Johnstone (you ally 'Jinky'), to the season he crashes of the team esocés. Both they won the European Cup that year and they have passed to the history not only by their sports merits but by the devious relation that maintained out of the lands of play.
Stein considered various spies corners of Glasgow to watch its players and 'Jinky' was the one that more headaches of head gave to its míster. In an occasion, a 'fan' of the Celtic telephoned to Stein for chivarle that 'Jinky' had entered a localities of cups. Stein called to the localities asking for its player and when this caught the telephone, the míster told him: "It removes your bum from there". Ferguson has always declared that Stein is one of his great idols.
Linky
Ferguson puts a spy on Cristiano
Alex Ferguson has controlled in every moment the movements of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Scottish manager, in order to be informed for the Press of the trips and news of his footballer, said it is sufficient to send a person of his confidence to Los Angeles, where the Portuguese extreme carries since last July 15, to watch to the still player of the reds.
"We have a person that is always with him", assured the manager of Manchester United. A formula, spying on a footballer of his team, that Ferguson would have copied from his mentor as coach, the legendary Jock Stein, for whom Ferguson was an assistant in the Scottish selection.
For Ferguson "there is nothing wrong" in the crack Portuguese being on holidays in the United States instead of giving a more professional image toward the outside. More still when in Manchester sat down as a shot that the player expected two weeks to be operated and to decide to do the rehabilitation far from England. "The boy loves to play soccer and to train, but now cannot do anything for the reds. His trip to Los Angeles was planned some time ago and Ronaldo is in California for commercial motives. There is nothing wrong in it".
Information of first hand
The eventual location of Cristiano Ronaldo has been the cause of speculation since the elimination of Portugal of the Eurocopa, last June 19. And Ferguson, before the avalanche of rumors and indiscretions appeared on the player, has preferred to know first hand the lifestyle of its footballer before the English tabloids break the news. "On Ronaldo they have themselves written many lies. The first thing is that it is not true that he drinks vodka. We know that Ronaldo does not drink alcohol. And also other stories are false", said Ferguson in statements to the British newspaper The Times.
"All the young players that have acts of this type call the attention, but what is important is the way in which they negotiate the situation. We know that this changes people, but there is a positive change it is that of self-esteem that makes you grow and to be better. This it is the case of Ronaldo, that at the age of 23 is acquiring his maturity and personality".
A similar case to Beckham? " I do not want to enter that history, but would say that is obvious".
In the wake of Jock Stein, the coach spy of the Celtic
The relation between Ferguson and Cristiano has an antecedent in the history of the soccer. In 1967 Jock Stein, the legendary coach of Glasgow Celtic, had in his staff Jimmy Johnstone (you ally 'Jinky'), to the season he crashes of the team esocés. Both they won the European Cup that year and they have passed to the history not only by their sports merits but by the devious relation that maintained out of the lands of play.
Stein considered various spies corners of Glasgow to watch its players and 'Jinky' was the one that more headaches of head gave to its míster. In an occasion, a 'fan' of the Celtic telephoned to Stein for chivarle that 'Jinky' had entered a localities of cups. Stein called to the localities asking for its player and when this caught the telephone, the míster told him: "It removes your bum from there". Ferguson has always declared that Stein is one of his great idols.
Linky
A comment on the Mendes/Ronaldo thing. From the past few months I can find "Spanish sources" who'll tell you just about anything you want to hear. The thing to remember about Mendes is that he's a businessman, the thing to remember about Ron is that he isn't. He didn't just get sold a move on financial grounds - Madrid, he's been told, would be easier on his family and it would be the next great football challenge.
When SAF said no, Gill said no, the Glazers said no - I think Mendes took them seriously and backed off - he's a businessman. For Ron it's more complicated than that and partly its down to stubborness and partly in my opinion down to how things have played out between him and United.
Anybody want to bet that Mendes told him that United would negotiate a new contract? The Spanish/Portuguese press thought they were negotiating and were shocked (like me) when nothing came of it. Anybody want to bet that Mendes told him that Madrid would never come up with an acceptable image rights/ pay deal - and then they did.
Watching the Spanish/Portuguese press you could sense Ron's mood go downhill fast - the list of alleged "grievances" includes things like: Mendes had assurances (from last year's contract renewal) that United would "never" try to keep an unhappy player. The "rot in the stands" headlines. And even that when Ron asked United for permission for the ankle surgery they said he'd have to wait until the usual club doctors got back from holiday so one of them could sit in on the consultations with the specialists (though I'm sure our doctors would say that they prefered to look at if after he'd rested it and a week or so holiday not worrying about rehab wasn't a bad thing anyway).
None of it unreasonable from a United perspective, but all of it adding to the emotional pull of the pro-Madrid lobby and I'd guess reducing Mendes' ability to argue that the move had already failed.
What's happening now? Madrid are still asking Ron to do the work. We're not looking at "buyer beware" or even "seller beware" - United and Madrid were there before Ron and they'll be there after - it's Ron, who's managed to get hurt by all this. With any luck Ron'll have spotted what a bunch of jokers Madrid are and will want to get back to work. He'll have one last chat with SAF saying that he still wants to move but will agree that playing for United isn't a bad alternative and it'll be over.
And if that happens, we get Ron as a free transfer from Madrid who (at some emotional level) probably did own him for part of the summer.
When SAF said no, Gill said no, the Glazers said no - I think Mendes took them seriously and backed off - he's a businessman. For Ron it's more complicated than that and partly its down to stubborness and partly in my opinion down to how things have played out between him and United.
Anybody want to bet that Mendes told him that United would negotiate a new contract? The Spanish/Portuguese press thought they were negotiating and were shocked (like me) when nothing came of it. Anybody want to bet that Mendes told him that Madrid would never come up with an acceptable image rights/ pay deal - and then they did.
Watching the Spanish/Portuguese press you could sense Ron's mood go downhill fast - the list of alleged "grievances" includes things like: Mendes had assurances (from last year's contract renewal) that United would "never" try to keep an unhappy player. The "rot in the stands" headlines. And even that when Ron asked United for permission for the ankle surgery they said he'd have to wait until the usual club doctors got back from holiday so one of them could sit in on the consultations with the specialists (though I'm sure our doctors would say that they prefered to look at if after he'd rested it and a week or so holiday not worrying about rehab wasn't a bad thing anyway).
None of it unreasonable from a United perspective, but all of it adding to the emotional pull of the pro-Madrid lobby and I'd guess reducing Mendes' ability to argue that the move had already failed.
What's happening now? Madrid are still asking Ron to do the work. We're not looking at "buyer beware" or even "seller beware" - United and Madrid were there before Ron and they'll be there after - it's Ron, who's managed to get hurt by all this. With any luck Ron'll have spotted what a bunch of jokers Madrid are and will want to get back to work. He'll have one last chat with SAF saying that he still wants to move but will agree that playing for United isn't a bad alternative and it'll be over.
And if that happens, we get Ron as a free transfer from Madrid who (at some emotional level) probably did own him for part of the summer.
According to an AS poll it looks that Madrid fans now want Villa or Van der Vaart rather than Ronaldo.....81 vs 19%
http://www.as.com/encuestas/encuesta/Real-Madrid-10125
http://www.as.com/encuestas/encuesta/Real-Madrid-10125
According to an AS poll it looks that Madrid fans now want Villa or Van der Vaart rather than Ronaldo.....81 vs 19%
http://www.as.com/encuestas/encuesta/Real-Madrid-10125
Thats always been the case.
Would you want your club to spend 80 million on one player, when there were other areas that needed improving?
Just a shame Calderon ignored them
a fair bit of supposition in that, Jo - but I've come to the same conclusion. I don't think Ron was ever 100% for going although he clearly fancied a move but knows there's worse places to be than OT. Having not seen much committment from them he may have been having 2nd thoughts anyway. If he feels he has to win us over again, it might've been worth it.
According to an AS poll it looks that Madrid fans now want Villa or Van der Vaart rather than Ronaldo.....81 vs 19%
http://www.as.com/encuestas/encuesta/Real-Madrid-10125
That's Villa AND Van der Vaart they want. By all accounts, they'll probably get VdV this weekend when they play in London.
You'd be hard pushed to find one poll this summer in Marca, AS, amongst the RM fan forums and peñas etc that was in favour of buying Ron. The fans are scared of the debts, of galacticos. A lot of them are anti-Ron already - just because it would be Calderon bringing him in.
If they get him - they'll have Ron sliced, diced and served as (very expensive) tapas if he breaks down during the recovery from the injury or if anything goes wrong on the field, in the dressing room or even in the P.R. department.
Lots of suppositions from me
but then there are a lot of suppositions kicking around this summer. It's the ones that masquerade as insider knowledge that make me laugh.No one had heard about the ankle surgery until Ron told us.
The press said SAF was refusing to go to Lisbon until SAF told us that he already had done.
The media didn't know about Ron's travel plans until the paparazzis found his new locations.
There are some rumours that have more pedigree than others and some that have more self consistency, but really all the UK press have shown this summer is that they're clueless and that most of them have got an agenda (if only to sell more copies)
those shameless real cnuts still haven't given up though.
- Status