Tweet
Corinthians worried about Ronaldo's night lifeBy TALES AZZONI
updated 2:22 p.m. ET, Tues., Jan. 27, 2009
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -Ronaldo is already causing concern at Corinthians, even though he has yet to make his debut for the Brazilian club.
After Ronaldo was photographed outside a night club at 6 a.m. over the weekend, Corinthians coach Mano Menezes expressed his concern with the veteran striker, who for the third time in his career is trying to make a comeback from a serious knee injury.
"I have some concerns, although I respect the personal life of each professional,'' Mano Menezes told Globo TV on Monday. "He knows that with the repercussion of things these days, this will be hurting his image a bit, even causing some problems to us because we will have to give explanations.''
Menezes said he will not start monitoring what players do on their own time, but said they must make sure they show up at work 100 percent ready to perform.
"If this type of behavior does not affect his performance during practices or matches, then it's part of his life,'' Menezes said.
The coach said that if Ronaldo comes out playing well and scoring goals, his night life should not be a problem.
"You know how fans think,'' Menezes said. "If you win, everything is fine. If you miss a goal or lose a match, than they will say the (night life) is exactly what is affecting the performance.''
The day after he was photographed in the night club, Ronaldo had a physical exam scheduled with a team doctor and did not have to practice with the rest of the players. He reportedly showed up for the physical.
The 32-year-old Ronaldo has not made any comments since the photo was published by local media.
Since signing with the popular Brazilian club, Ronaldo is constantly making the sports headlines across Latin America's biggest country as he is trying to regain his fitness from the left knee surgery he underwent nearly a year ago while playing for AC Milan.
A date for his debut has not been set yet, but club doctors expect the three-time FIFA player of the year to be ready sometime in February, most likely at the end of month.
A four-time national champion, Corinthians will return to the Brazilian league's top flight in 2009 after spending a year in the second division.
Ronaldo had two other serious knee injuries which threatened his career, but he twice came back, including to help Brazil win the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, when he scored a pair of goals in the final against Germany.
updated 2:22 p.m. ET, Tues., Jan. 27, 2009
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -Ronaldo is already causing concern at Corinthians, even though he has yet to make his debut for the Brazilian club.
After Ronaldo was photographed outside a night club at 6 a.m. over the weekend, Corinthians coach Mano Menezes expressed his concern with the veteran striker, who for the third time in his career is trying to make a comeback from a serious knee injury.
"I have some concerns, although I respect the personal life of each professional,'' Mano Menezes told Globo TV on Monday. "He knows that with the repercussion of things these days, this will be hurting his image a bit, even causing some problems to us because we will have to give explanations.''
Menezes said he will not start monitoring what players do on their own time, but said they must make sure they show up at work 100 percent ready to perform.
"If this type of behavior does not affect his performance during practices or matches, then it's part of his life,'' Menezes said.
The coach said that if Ronaldo comes out playing well and scoring goals, his night life should not be a problem.
"You know how fans think,'' Menezes said. "If you win, everything is fine. If you miss a goal or lose a match, than they will say the (night life) is exactly what is affecting the performance.''
The day after he was photographed in the night club, Ronaldo had a physical exam scheduled with a team doctor and did not have to practice with the rest of the players. He reportedly showed up for the physical.
The 32-year-old Ronaldo has not made any comments since the photo was published by local media.
Since signing with the popular Brazilian club, Ronaldo is constantly making the sports headlines across Latin America's biggest country as he is trying to regain his fitness from the left knee surgery he underwent nearly a year ago while playing for AC Milan.
A date for his debut has not been set yet, but club doctors expect the three-time FIFA player of the year to be ready sometime in February, most likely at the end of month.
A four-time national champion, Corinthians will return to the Brazilian league's top flight in 2009 after spending a year in the second division.
Ronaldo had two other serious knee injuries which threatened his career, but he twice came back, including to help Brazil win the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, when he scored a pair of goals in the final against Germany.