Ronaldinho happy

SINGAPORE - A smile has returned to the face of superstar Ronaldinho following his transfer to AC Milan, Brazilian coach Dunga said yesterday as he prepared his young team for the Olympics.

Ronaldinho scored 70 goals in 145 appearances for Barcelona,

helping them win the Spanish championship in 2005 and 2006 as well

as the 2006 Champions League.

But after a dip in form last season, attributed by some to his

penchant for late-night partying, he was deemed surplus to

requirements by the Spanish giants and AC Milan signed him last

week for an estimated 30 million dollars.

 

Olympic coach Dunga, who is also coach of the national team,

said the two-time World Player of the Year finally seemed

happy.

 

"Ronaldinho is a very important member of our squad and he is

recovering from his problems," he said here, where Brazil are

training ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

 

"The most important thing is that he is happy and is smiling

again.

 

That's made things easier for us.

 

The 28-year-old is one Dunga's over-age players for the

Olympics.

 

Barcelona had initially refused to release him but AC Milan gave

the go-ahead and the Games will provide a global platform for him

to once again shine.

 

At international level he has yet to recover from his

anti-climactic performance at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, and

since then he has seen new Milan teammate Kaka usurp his position

as Brazil's star man.

 

But 26-year-old Kaka, linked with a move to Chelsea this week,

will not be in Beijing after the Italian club refused to release

him.

 

Brazil captured the Olympic silver medal in the 1984 and 1988

Olympics, and the bronze medal in the 1996 Games, but has yet to

strike gold.

 

Nampa-AFP

 

But after a dip in form last season, attributed by some to his

penchant for late-night partying, he was deemed surplus to

requirements by the Spanish giants and AC Milan signed him last

week for an estimated 30 million dollars.Olympic coach Dunga, who

is also coach of the national team, said the two-time World Player

of the Year finally seemed happy."Ronaldinho is a very important

member of our squad and he is recovering from his problems," he

said here, where Brazil are training ahead of the Beijing

Olympics."The most important thing is that he is happy and is

smiling again.That's made things easier for us.The 28-year-old is

one Dunga's over-age players for the Olympics.Barcelona had

initially refused to release him but AC Milan gave the go-ahead and

the Games will provide a global platform for him to once again

shine.At international level he has yet to recover from his

anti-climactic performance at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, and

since then he has seen new Milan teammate Kaka usurp his position

as Brazil's star man.But 26-year-old Kaka, linked with a move to

Chelsea this week, will not be in Beijing after the Italian club

refused to release him.Brazil captured the Olympic silver medal in

the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, and the bronze medal in the 1996 Games,

but has yet to strike gold.Nampa-AFP

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