Aldrich’s Verdict

Millwall's victory at the Bernabéu undoubtedly became the most sensational news in Europe. However, apart from the match report, two Millwall players also became hot topics in the media.

The first is Henry. With the season nearing its end, Henry has already established himself as a world-class striker due to his excellent performance throughout the season. Despite this being his first full season with Millwall, and having a competitor like Larsson in the squad, he still managed to put up perfect stats. Adding to this, his consistent and outstanding performances with the French national team have led many to believe that he will become one of the defining strikers of his generation.

The second is Ronaldinho.

From the youth team to the reserves, and now in his third season with the first team, Ronaldinho has gone from being a source of expectation to delivering results. He scored twice at the Bernabéu and captivated everyone with his joyful samba dance. He silenced his critics and made those who had criticized his mental toughness—especially for missing a penalty last year—eat their words. By 2000, the brightest new star in world football was none other than Ronaldinho.

Furthermore, unlike some other young talents often seen alongside him, his name is already synonymous with genuine stardom.

Every era sees a surge of "future stars" in the football world, players who are defined as the hope of the next generation. Nowadays, players like Barry, Woodgate, Zivkovic, Appiah, Riise, Donati, Maresca, Pinar, Léal, Smith, and Santa Cruz, to name a few, are hailed as geniuses or wonderkids, yet none of them are discussed in the same breath as Ronaldinho.

Other stars such as Xavi, Casillas, Eto'o, Saviola, Aimar, and Cassano also find themselves at a distance from Ronaldinho in terms of fame.

Anyone who makes a living from professional football knows that once they play well, fame and fortune will naturally follow.

However, as Ronaldinho became a star and the media inevitably hyped him up, it triggered internal conflicts at Millwall.

Some within the team were dissatisfied with the situation and directly expressed their views to the media.

Three days after returning to London, Aldrich finished preparing for the upcoming weekend's away match against Sheffield Wednesday. Then, Yvonne called him into her office, handing him a press release.

Aldrich looked at the document in his hand. It bore the logo of The Star newspaper, and the article was accompanied by a picture of the Dutch player, Van der Meyde.

"The relationship between Ronaldinho and the boss is well known," the article began. "The boss likes him, values him, and gives him treatment that far exceeds normal standards. I don't understand. I perform just as well as Ronaldinho, but I can't get the trust I deserve. If the boss had made me a starter last season after the Ukrainian and French players left, I know I wouldn't have been worse than the Brazilian. It's not about the money; I don't feel respected at Millwall. I don't want to waste any more time here..."

After reading the article, Aldrich raised his head and asked seriously, "Is this true?"

Yvonne nodded. "The interview ended at noon. There's a recording. My team confirms it was Van der Meyde."

Just then, Aldrich's phone rang. It was Andrew.

He gestured for Yvonne to leave the office, and she understood, quickly exiting.

When Van der Meyde was signed, Andrew had naturally become his agent.

Aldrich picked up the phone, and Andrew's voice, heavy and serious, echoed from the other side.

"You've heard about Van der Meyde, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take care of it. I'll make sure he doesn't say another word."

"No. You've misunderstood. Tomorrow, the news will break. You think you can fix this? What about me? You expect me to just stand by and do nothing? No, I'm handling this!"

"Alright, but—"

"You find him a new club."

Aldrich hung up the phone and leaned against his desk, pressing the speakerphone button. He called Adam and gave him direct instructions.

"Inform the sales department to take van der Meyde's jersey off the shelves; the club is putting him up for sale."

"Huh?"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Got it."

Aldrich hung up the phone, picked it up again, and dialed Van der Meyde's private line.

The moment the call connected, without waiting for Van der Meyde to say anything, he said in a flat tone, "Starting tomorrow, if you still want to train with the club, you'll be with the reserves. Or, you could just head off on holiday."

Van der Meyde was eating in the restaurant, feeling a bit uneasy about the interview he'd done earlier in the day. When he saw Aldrich's name on the screen, he'd expected the boss to give him a little pep talk, maybe assure him things would be fine, and promise him a place in the squad.

But when he heard Aldrich's response, his world seemed to freeze. His fork fell from his hand, hitting the plate with a sharp, hollow sound that reverberated in the silence.

Unbelievable!

It felt as if he was discarded like trash.

Aldrich didn't ask, didn't try to persuade him. He had just sentenced him to his "death" at Millwall.

The next day, the interview van der Meyde gave to The Star was published, quickly picked up by major media outlets.

Millwall traveled to face Sheffield Wednesday, who were fighting to avoid relegation. Other than Henry keeping his starting spot, Aldrich rotated heavily, fielding a squad of substitutes. Van der Meyde was expected to start, but he didn't even make the squad, with Joaquín replacing him in the lineup.

Sheffield Wednesday played aggressively, knowing a draw wouldn't be enough in their battle for survival. Millwall, meanwhile, executed a well-prepared counter-attacking strategy, giving their younger players a chance to gain experience.

Despite some tense moments, Millwall emerged with a 3-2 win on the road. With a midweek Premier League schedule ahead, Aldrich put the onus on Henry to shoulder the burden—a challenge the striker gladly embraced as he aimed to break the league's scoring record.

At the post-match press conference, no reporters cared about the result. The day before, Manchester United had beaten Southampton, so no matter the outcome of this match, Millwall couldn't win the title early. However, they were 12 points ahead with four rounds to go, and even if Millwall lost every remaining game and Manchester United won all their matches, Manchester United would still finish second due to a massive goal difference disadvantage. Of course, mathematically, there was still a slim chance, but if Millwall avoided defeat in the next round, they would officially seal the title.

The reporters were only interested in one thing: the storm caused by van der Meyde.

"Mr. Hall, have you seen today's interview with Millwall player van der Meyde?"

Aldrich, with a calm expression and a smile, replied, "I have."

"What do you think of it?"

"My opinion? There are countless opinions in the world, but they don't change reality, so opinions have never been important. Yesterday, I informed the player and his agent that van der Meyde could look for a new club. Today, Millwall officially put him on the transfer market. I don't want to waste his time anymore. I wish him good luck. This matter is settled, and that's all there is to it."

The room fell silent. Many reporters exchanged looks.

This wasn't right!

Everyone was hoping to see a spectacle, to see Aldrich in a fluster, wishing for more chaos in Millwall, more players to voice their dissatisfaction—that would have made for a better story!

When no more questions came, Aldrich nodded at the reporters and stood up to leave.

Journalists who followed Millwall closely weren't surprised. Even Gian Carlo, La Gazzetta dello Sport's Premier League correspondent, thought it was all quite expected.

The next day, The Times ran a special report on the van der Meyde issue.

There was no news in the Premier League.

The champions? Millwall.

And Millwall was in the spotlight again after their recent 3-1 win over Real Madrid away, with one foot in the final. At this point, even if Millwall farted, people would show up to watch!

David Miller wrote that van der Meyde's downfall was self-inflicted.

First, van der Meyde had made a serious mistake, one that echoed his fellow countryman Stam's past blunder.

When Stam's transfer to Manchester United caused a stir, it happened at the same time Millwall was fighting for their first league title and was deep into the European Cup Winners' Cup campaign, with the situation being quite similar to now.

At that moment, Millwall needed absolute internal stability, unity between manager and players. Personal interests could never outweigh the team's goals. van der Meyde, going against the current, became a focus for all of Europe when Millwall was in the spotlight. His comments only served to escalate the attention.

Aldrich, just like when he dealt with Stam, was quick and decisive. He wouldn't delay or allow the situation to escalate further and cause more disruption to the team's morale.

Millwall is no longer the Millwall of the past, and Aldrich is no longer the Aldrich of his former self. His authority now is something that cannot be challenged in the slightest.

Van der Meyde harbored some dissatisfaction and wanted recognition, which is only natural. Seeing other players in the team shine brightly, he wanted to be one of them. What's wrong with that?

But he chose the wrong way. Millwall maintains strict discipline, with the first rule being that internal matters should stay internal. No one should bring locker room issues outside.

He could have had a private talk with Aldrich, but by going directly to the media, his choice was nothing short of "suicide."

Van der Meyde's comments were the final straw that pushed Aldrich to act.

If he had only complained a little, Aldrich might have been willing to give him another chance or find a friendly resolution.

But he crossed a line by naming Ronaldinho in a public interview. Ronaldinho has been instrumental in Millwall's success this season, and his contributions are undeniable.

While Van der Meyde has excelled as a super-sub, contributing four goals and nine assists, his words came across as provocative. It's easy to see how this would alienate him in the Millwall dressing room. Compared to Ronaldinho, Van der Meyde lacks the seniority, tenure, or contributions to win over his teammates. Under these circumstances, can he really stay?

Aldrich had no choice but to let him go. Between the options of leaving or staying, it was clear that Van der Meyde had to leave. This way, Aldrich could assert his authority and stabilize the internal dynamics. Keeping him around would only create potential issues, and Aldrich needed to address these problems at this critical stage.

David Miller shared some final thoughts at the end of the article.

He believed Aldrich's role had changed completely.

Six years ago, when Aldrich took over the team, he was both the owner and the coach. He had authority, but whether he could command respect was a huge question. The departures of players like Thuram, Solskjaer, Stam, and Pirès may have been driven by doubts about his abilities.

But six years later, Aldrich had become one of the most prominent managers in European football. He had firmly established his status and authority. Players like Nedved, Southgate, Larsson, and Schneider—who every transfer window seemed to face immense scrutiny—had all willingly followed Aldrich, because they believed in him. Playing under him meant achieving glory. Larsson and Nedved's Ballon d'Or trophies and countless medals on display in their homes were the best proof of that.

Millwall's era had changed. Van der Meyde should regret his actions. He shouldn't have only seen Ronaldinho's meteoric rise; he should have recognized that many other players wanted to play for Millwall but couldn't get the chance.