Troubled Adriano to leave Corinthians
Reuters - Tuesday 13 March 2012, 01:33
Adriano will leave
Corinthians by mutual consent, the Brazilian championship club
said on Monday, a move that could signal the end of the troubled
striker's career.
The former Inter Milan and Brazil forward joined Corinthians
last year after a disastrous, injury-ravaged stint at Serie A
club AS Roma, but has been unable to resuscitate his
once-glorious career in his homeland.
"At the end of Monday [March] 12th, the directors of the
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and the striker Adriano decided,
in joint agreement, to end the work contract between the two
sides, which was valid until next June," the club said in a
statement on their website.
"As a consequence, [Adriano] is dispensed from showing up
tomorrow with the rest of the line-up."
Adriano, who has been beset by drinking, depression and
weight problems in recent years, arrived at Corinthians last
March, pledging to regain his Brazil spot for the 2014 World Cup
on home soil.
He suffered a serious Achilles injury within days of
resuming training, however, and has managed just seven
appearances for the Sao Paulo club, scoring two goals.
Adriano scored one of those off the bench against Atletico
Mineiro to give Corinthians a win that all but sealed them the
2011 Brazilian league championship, but the club has grown
impatient with the player's lack of fitness.
With reports of his weight ballooning to 220 pounds,
Corinthians gave him several chances to get back into action,
even confining him to a health club to try and help him lose
weight.
The final straw for manager Tite came last week when he
missed training and refused to let the club doctor weigh him.
His departure could bring a premature end to a mercurial
career that began as a teenager with Flamengo in his home town
of Rio de Janeiro and took him to Italy, where he earned the
nickname 'The Emperor' for his rampaging performances and
prolific scoring in the Serie A.
Adriano notched nearly 50 caps for Brazil, where he was top
goal-scorer in both the 2004 Copa America and 2005 Confederations
Cup, but disappointed at the 2006 World Cup and was used
sparingly in subsequent years as he battled with personal
issues.
"Myself, many other analysts and the entire Corinthians
support had a real desire to see him do well," said Neto, a
former Corinthians player and now a commentator.
"But the reality is that this guy is not professional. He
never made even the slightest effort to work hard and secure his
future. Only a madman would sign him now."