The law of unintended consequences may complicate Real MadridâÂÂs interest in Cristiano Ronaldo. If Kaka, the fourth best player in the world (according to FIFA) is worth ã103m, how much is CR7 worth?
The rumoured Real offers â ã50m, ã60m, even ã80m â for Ronaldo once seemed generous but now, post-Kaka, look a bit paltry. Indeed, whatâÂÂs to prevent City outbidding Real?
Whoever wins the election to replace interim Real president Vicente Boluda might want to reconsider this strategy anyway.
The history of such deals â where one club bets the farm for a galactically talented player â suggests they fail as often as they succeed. Zinedine ZidaneâÂÂs ã46m move to Real was a treat for fans and gave us one of the greatest goals to grace a UEFA Champions League final. But Zizou arrived in 2001, conquered Europe in 2002, and by the end of 2003 Real had begun to implode.
Zizou wallops home in 2002 final at Hampden Park
For every masterly record signing â Cruyff to Barcelona, Maradona to Napoli, Gullit to Milan â there are loads of deals which went awry.
The Kaka/City circus must have fascinated a 39-year-old recently retired attacking midfielder called Gianluigi Lentini. His world record ã13m move to Milan in 1992 was dubbed âÂÂan offence to the dignity of workâ by the Vatican and after a bad car crash in 1993 he never recovered his old form.
Perhaps Kaka wasnâÂÂt swayed by his Christian beliefs at all. Maybe he just glanced at the history books and decided that risking he might become the new Denilson wasn't worth it â not even for a sheikhâÂÂs ransom.
Much has been made of RobinhoâÂÂs exit from Manchester CityâÂÂs Tenerife training camp. I wouldnâÂÂt worry too much. I suspect the imminence of Craig Bellamy has prompted the hyperactive young genius to return to Brazil to buy some industrial strength golf clubs.
Same as he ever was?
âÂÂHe has seen a lot of football and IâÂÂm sure he has a plan.â That was how Fulham defender â and Norwegian skipper â Brede Hangeland greeted the return of Egil âÂÂDrilloâ Olsen as caretaker national coach.
Critics â many of whom coach top flight clubs in Norway â worry that OlsenâÂÂs plan is, as Talking Heads might say, the âÂÂsame as it ever wasâÂÂ: zonal defence and long diagonal passes for a striker to nod into the box.
But DrilloâÂÂs return has done something useful: excited interest in the national team which, under Age Hareide, had begun to slip off the mediaâÂÂs radar. The April 1 friendly against Finland may sell out.
Olsen: "Hello boys... I'm back"
OlsenâÂÂs wellies, Marxism and the ability to identify the height of every mountain on earth should make for entertaining press conferences.
Jim White sees OlsenâÂÂs return as proof of footballâÂÂs unerring ability to reward failure. But Drillo did manage the most successful Norway team ever â the national side won 30% of their games before he took over and 70% while he was in charge â and he is still only 66. LarsArhusâÂÂs stats show why so many Norwegians still hope he may get the job permanently.
And finallyâ¦
PR email subject of the week: âÂÂAston Villa FC hero flies Air Malta.â I kid you not.
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