A Christmas Break for Ronaldinho

As Christmas approached, Millwall secured a solid 3-0 victory at home against relegation-threatened Everton. Ronaldinho stole the spotlight, showcasing his talents. With Nedved absent, Aldrich maintained a 4-4-2 formation, but Ronaldinho's role transitioned from a wide midfielder to a more central attacking position. This change activated the forwards Van Nistelrooy and Henry, and he ended the match with one goal and two assists, earning him the title of Man of the Match.

After the final whistle, Aldrich was in the mixed zone for an interview, while Ronaldinho bypassed the locker room and dashed into the area, shouting as he ran up to hug Aldrich.

"Boss, we won!"

His excitement was well-founded; it was more than just a typical win.

The camera focused on the close-knit duo as Aldrich laughed and pushed Ronaldinho away for a moment. He then turned to the camera with a serious tone: "Chelsea lost? I don't really care about them. Yes, the league standings have shifted after this match. After we lost to Leeds, Chelsea took the lead. Now, we're ahead again. But Millwall's goal isn't just to surpass Chelsea; there are two teams ahead of us still—Manchester United and Arsenal. Our ultimate goal this season is simple: to have no team ahead of us."

"Before the season, you mentioned that Arsenal would be distracted by European competitions. Now that they've been eliminated from the Champions League, they can focus solely on the league. Do you think the tables have turned? Isn't Millwall now the one distracted by European games?"

"Arsenal has surprised everyone. Back when Manchester United and Millwall's players first participated in European competitions, we struggled in the first half of the season. Yet Arsenal has been stable. The cost of their stability, however, was not qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages. I thought they would give their all to secure a place in the quarterfinals, but their focus on the league played out beyond my expectations. They might have a lighter schedule in the second half of the season, while both we and Manchester United will be juggling three competitions. I believe Millwall will actually benefit from this because after Christmas, Pirlo and Larsson will return. By March next year, Southgate will be back when we need him most. I remain confident that Millwall will achieve success this season."

"Thanks for your insights."

After the interview, Aldrich put his arm around Ronaldinho and asked, "How long do you plan to be away?"

Before the match, Ronaldinho had requested time off to return to Brazil for Christmas with his family.

With the festive matches coming up and the busy holiday schedule, most coaches would likely reject such requests right now. But Aldrich believed that if Ronaldinho was unhappy and unable to concentrate on the game, it was better to let him enjoy the holiday. Aldrich usually grants holidays to players who want to be with their families during such traditional times.

Before the match, he hadn't provided a definitive answer, merely saying they'd discuss it after beating Everton. So as soon as the game ended, Ronaldinho sought him out.

After thinking for a moment, Ronaldinho extended his hand and said, "Five days—two days before Christmas and three days after."

Aldrich considered it and replied, "I'll give you twelve days, starting tomorrow. Report back on January 1st. Is that okay?"

Ronaldinho was overjoyed, nodding eagerly, "No problem! I'll definitely be back on time!"

"Good. Just don't go too wild, stay safe. And send my regards to your family. Merry Christmas!"

"Yes, boss. Merry Christmas to you too! I'll bring you a gift from Brazil."

Singing a little tune, Ronaldinho happily left.

Aldrich reflected on the schedule; Before January, Millwall had two crucial matches to play—one on Christmas Day and another three days later. With Ronaldinho requesting five days off, his absence would coincide perfectly with these fixtures. Aldrich decided to grant him some extra time. Ronaldinho needed this chance to reunite with his family in Brazil and celebrate the holiday spirit. It was better for him to enjoy his time fully rather than return half-heartedly and unable to give his all in the matches.

The title race in the Premier League was notably tight, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Millwall, and Chelsea all in contention.

Leeds had fallen behind by six points, but there was still a long way to go. The top four teams' rankings seemed poised to change with every matchday. Over the course of 18 matches, these four teams took turns at the top, each enjoying roughly three to four weeks in the lead.

Before the Christmas fixtures, Aldrich watched the announcement of the Ballon d'Or ceremony from home.

Nedved missed the Everton match because Aldrich had given him leave to attend the awards. He felt it important that Nedved deserved time to celebrate with family after a successful league and Champions League run.

As the results were revealed on television, Aldrich sighed, disappointed.

The 1998 Ballon d'Or went to Zidane, while Nedved finished second.

Looking at on-field stats, Nedved's performance surpassed Zidane's in both goals and assists.

However, due to club and international honors, Nedved couldn't compare in the same light. Zidane boasted a league title and a World Cup trophy, especially shining with two goals in the final. In contrast, Nedved's accolades—a League Cup and a Champions League title—didn't carry the same weight.

Before the result was announced, Aldridge had already prepared himself mentally. If the World Cup champion lost to the Champions League champion, it would be a bit unreasonable, especially considering that Zidane also has a background as a league champion.

What struck him as particularly unfortunate was that Nedved lost to Zidane by just two votes.

Two votes!

If two judges had ranked Nedvěd as their top choice in the voting, he would have been elected.

His goals and assists this year were stunning, nearly putting many of Europe's top forwards to shame.

Aldrich sent a text to Nedved: "Don't be disappointed; you'll have more chances."

It was just a matter of timing. In a non-tournament year, Nedved's performance was surely award-worthy; But in a year with a big tournament, national team achievements carry so much weight.

maybe he thought being second was worthless. After all, how many people actually remember who came in second? Even if they do, does it really matter? There's always a first-place winner to steal the spotlight.

When Nedved took the stage to accept his award, he bore a smile, embraced Zidane, and, upon seeing Aldrich's text, replied cheerfully: "I know there are more opportunities. I'm not disappointed; Zidane's win was uncontested."

Optimism radiated from him. At just 26, he was in the prime of his career, and he was confident that he could perform even better than he had in the past.

This confidence may have stemmed from his trust in Aldrich, believing that together they could achieve even greater success.

As Christmas drew nearer, the club was busier than usual, preparing presents for each player. Aldrich personally wrote messages on Christmas cards to each player; his sentiments varied from blessings for the older team members to encouragement for the younger ones. This included youth players who were thrilled to receive Aldrich's handwritten cards. Many players kept them as treasured mementos. For instance, when Villa faced challenges during training or in matches, he would often revisit Aldrich's past cards filled with motivational words, lifting his spirits back up.

Supporters' groups also sent gifts to the club, even international fan clubs, keeping the workload quite heavy.

When friends and family inquired about Aldrich's Christmas plans, he consistently replied with the same diplomatic line about focusing on the upcoming matches.

On Christmas Eve, Aldrich attended the pre-match press conference for the festive showdown.

In previous years, Millwall's games during Christmas had drawn significant attention and excitement.

But this year's anticipation had diminished greatly.

It wasn't because of their rivals; they were set to face Arsenal, who sat just one point ahead in the standings. It would be another London derby.

The real issue was the significant loss of personnel and injuries that plagued Millwall this season.

"With such a crucial match approaching, Ronaldinho has returned to Brazil. Was this permitted by the club, or did he take it upon himself to decide?"

The Fleet Street reporters noticed Ronaldinho's absence at the training ground and had even caught wind from Brazilian media showing him attending a nightclub in Rio de Janeiro late at night.

In response, Aldrich offered a calm: "He asked for leave, and I granted it."

The reporters were incredulous.

The next match for The Lions was not against a weak opponent; it was the defending Premier League champions, and it was an away game!

Richard, looking confused, asked: "Why would you approve this request when the team is already short-handed? Many foreign players complain about the Premier League schedule at this time, yet they're professionals who should demonstrate some professionalism and abide by the reality of the situation."

Aldrich shook his head in disagreement. "My management philosophy doesn't require external justification. Players are human too; if they struggle with their environment and the reality of their situation, you can't expect them to perform well. I'm not criticizing foreign players for lacking professionalism; rather, I believe they need some time to adapt. The truth is, during those first two years under my coaching at Millwall during the hectic Christmas schedule, players like Schneider and Makelele didn't perform up to their usual standards. But in recent seasons, they've shown remarkable stability."

Richard furrowed his brows and asked, "Even if Ronaldinho is partying all night in Brazil, you think that's a good thing for him?"

"I don't endorse excessive nightlife, but I also don't impose restrictions. When he returns, we'll see how he performs. If he underdelivers, he'll find himself sitting on the bench. The competition within Millwall is fierce; I believe he understands this. It's perfectly normal for young players to indulge occasionally. Many here have likely had nights where they partied late with friends. Especially since I allowed him to enjoy some downtime at home, I see no reason to hold it against him."

Aldrich spoke plainly; Ronaldinho's trip to Brazil was just a brief break from the team, unlike last year's partying scandal, which was a different matter entirely.

Professional athletes aren't saints; it's entirely normal for them to indulge in leisure when they're not on the pitch. As long as they maintain their focus and don't let those distractions undermine their careers, there's nothing wrong with enjoying life.

"Let's switch gears and discuss Nedved. Will he be present for tomorrow's match? He's already returned to London, right?"

"No, he won't be in the lineup. He'll return in the next round, but he won't participate tomorrow."

The reporters from Fleet Street looked disappointed.

Compared to last year's Christmas clash, where Millwall had a star-studded lineup, this year's squad appeared significantly weakened—both their standout players from the first half of the season would be absent.

Ferguson commented, "Arsenal sure is lucky this time around."