Big or not, Phil hasn’t even set foot on Stamford Bridge turf and the speculation inflates the Scolari managerial status in the Premiership to gargantuan proportions. The reason is a simple one - he comes from Brazil - and the odds are that with him [player-wise] will come at least one countryman, probably two and maybe a third, should all my prayers be answered. Confirming Deco as a Brazilian by birth and style of play for the purposes of this topic, these new compatriots would fulfil Roman criteria more easily than any other of differing nationality, save perhaps the odd Bulgarian or the even odder winker, but more of them later because the real point here is that Brazilians damn near guarantee entertainment and that, when all is said and done, is what he wants and will get.
Lucky us, then, and lucky the entertainers in question who, by all accounts, may not be feeling that wanted at the moment, by current club and adoring public alike. Who could I possibly be referring to? Well, a couple of names spring to mind immediately and another hovers in the shadows awaiting [please let this be true] a late call into the spotlight. The three have more than nationality in common, being so good that they are named only once, and here’s my take on the eventual destination of each, based on the evidence provided, admittedly, by an agenda-driven Media….
1. Ronaldinho - let’s start with the least attractive option from Chelsea’s point of view, although the guy’s CV is second to none and he is a serial shirt seller who would have Peter Kenyon drooling. No, what is wrong with this brand imagers dream is that he really isn’t one anymore and, despite oft quoted efforts to rekindle past glories in the mind of our manager, he is carrying too much by way of weighty baggage for most fans liking. Not to worry, though, as his brother has revealed a 90% chance of a move to AC Milan and, whilst that in itself may not be enough to placate the Milanese fans, we can but hope that all this comes about. Sad as it will be for Mark Hughes, you have to think that, realistically, his chances of nailing a Ronnie deal down were about as good as they would have been of him luring the next two Brazilians on this list to the Bridge had he ended up as our manager instead of Scolari.
2. Robinho - strange to say, but there is a different feel about being linked to a player still aspiring to greatness, as opposed to one who has already attained it. The lad has been poorly treated of late by his employers, being immediately touted as a makeweight in what will be an inevitable Ronaldo move, and now mooted as straight swap material in a deal for Didier that, contrary to the perception of many a Real fan, would make a lot of Blues rather happy. Don’t get me wrong, Drogba has undoubtedly been a driving force for us over the last three years, but tempus fugit and, when you hit thirty, it fugits like lightning. The Brazilian has youth on his side, things to prove, and a mentor installed at SW6 who can get the best out of him, if anybody can. However, by no stretch of imagination would he be a replacement for a lone striker of renown and this leads nicely on to the last of the singularly named samba-swayers.
3. Kaka - we are told by AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani that he will never be sold, just as we were told by him that they would not break the bank for Ronnie and they were forced out of the race for Adebayor because they could not compete on price. However, the need for a target man still exists for them, no matter how much they sing the praises of Borriello, Inzaghi, and Pato, so the impression has to be that a Ronaldinho signing does not address this problem and that present difficulties [no Champions League place] prevents further transfer activity. With this in mind, was interest in Adebayor feigned and will supporter unrest [caused by the belief that he might be the only new arrival this term] ultimately kick start further market activity? Of course, the suits would not want to sell, their hand would be forced, and the fans themselves partly to blame, but at least acquiring the Ivorian would assuage them and also prevent a possible Real Madrid double whammy of Ronaldo and Drogba being measured against their paltry acquisition of Ronnie - and lo it comes to pass that Kaka is sold to Chelsea in a Drogba-plus-cash deal.
So there you have it, a new Premiership season begins with Berbatov at ManU, Jo at Citeh, Santa Cruz at the Gunners, Torres still with the Scousers, Anelka at Blackburn and Kaka at the Chels. And you never know, if Roman feels a twinge of conscience at foisting Arshavin on his Brazilian boss, we might even see Robinho put in a late appearance too.
Lucky us, then, and lucky the entertainers in question who, by all accounts, may not be feeling that wanted at the moment, by current club and adoring public alike. Who could I possibly be referring to? Well, a couple of names spring to mind immediately and another hovers in the shadows awaiting [please let this be true] a late call into the spotlight. The three have more than nationality in common, being so good that they are named only once, and here’s my take on the eventual destination of each, based on the evidence provided, admittedly, by an agenda-driven Media….
1. Ronaldinho - let’s start with the least attractive option from Chelsea’s point of view, although the guy’s CV is second to none and he is a serial shirt seller who would have Peter Kenyon drooling. No, what is wrong with this brand imagers dream is that he really isn’t one anymore and, despite oft quoted efforts to rekindle past glories in the mind of our manager, he is carrying too much by way of weighty baggage for most fans liking. Not to worry, though, as his brother has revealed a 90% chance of a move to AC Milan and, whilst that in itself may not be enough to placate the Milanese fans, we can but hope that all this comes about. Sad as it will be for Mark Hughes, you have to think that, realistically, his chances of nailing a Ronnie deal down were about as good as they would have been of him luring the next two Brazilians on this list to the Bridge had he ended up as our manager instead of Scolari.
2. Robinho - strange to say, but there is a different feel about being linked to a player still aspiring to greatness, as opposed to one who has already attained it. The lad has been poorly treated of late by his employers, being immediately touted as a makeweight in what will be an inevitable Ronaldo move, and now mooted as straight swap material in a deal for Didier that, contrary to the perception of many a Real fan, would make a lot of Blues rather happy. Don’t get me wrong, Drogba has undoubtedly been a driving force for us over the last three years, but tempus fugit and, when you hit thirty, it fugits like lightning. The Brazilian has youth on his side, things to prove, and a mentor installed at SW6 who can get the best out of him, if anybody can. However, by no stretch of imagination would he be a replacement for a lone striker of renown and this leads nicely on to the last of the singularly named samba-swayers.
3. Kaka - we are told by AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani that he will never be sold, just as we were told by him that they would not break the bank for Ronnie and they were forced out of the race for Adebayor because they could not compete on price. However, the need for a target man still exists for them, no matter how much they sing the praises of Borriello, Inzaghi, and Pato, so the impression has to be that a Ronaldinho signing does not address this problem and that present difficulties [no Champions League place] prevents further transfer activity. With this in mind, was interest in Adebayor feigned and will supporter unrest [caused by the belief that he might be the only new arrival this term] ultimately kick start further market activity? Of course, the suits would not want to sell, their hand would be forced, and the fans themselves partly to blame, but at least acquiring the Ivorian would assuage them and also prevent a possible Real Madrid double whammy of Ronaldo and Drogba being measured against their paltry acquisition of Ronnie - and lo it comes to pass that Kaka is sold to Chelsea in a Drogba-plus-cash deal.
So there you have it, a new Premiership season begins with Berbatov at ManU, Jo at Citeh, Santa Cruz at the Gunners, Torres still with the Scousers, Anelka at Blackburn and Kaka at the Chels. And you never know, if Roman feels a twinge of conscience at foisting Arshavin on his Brazilian boss, we might even see Robinho put in a late appearance too.
