Ronaldinho: Starting to shine

Loaning out young players for development is a common practice in professional football, but Aldrich was always very strict in this regard. In previous seasons, for example, Van Nistelrooy had limited playing time at Millwall, and despite interest from lower-league clubs, Aldrich rejected all offers after careful consideration.

He couldn't allow another tragedy like what happened with David Larmore to occur.

Loaning players is meant to provide them with game experience and help them improve their skills, but the prerequisite is that the player must have a place in the loaned team where they can fully utilize their talents. For instance, technical players like Larmore, if loaned to a team that plays a high-ball, long-pass strategy and is expected to play as a target man, will gain little from the experience. Worse, a failed loan spell can damage a player's confidence, which completely contradicts the purpose of the loan.

Because of this, Aldrich needed to have a deep conversation with Moyes to understand his tactical approach and the role he envisioned for the player. Only after understanding these aspects could he make an informed decision about whether the loan was suitable for the player.

Moyes, being Scottish, came from a football culture that prized teamwork and short-passing strategies. Though he hadn't yet displayed a refined coaching style, at least he wasn't known for a crude, direct football approach.

In front of Aldrich, a championship-winning coach, Moyes appeared more like a student. When explaining his tactical ideas, he would often adopt a questioning tone, as if seeking Aldrich's approval.

Aldrich remained silent, merely listening. He knew better than to play the teacher and lecture. Although Moyes might be genuinely humble and eager to learn now, Aldrich wasn't naïve; after all, Moyes was around 15 years younger. Would he still respect him after this conversation? Aldrich didn't know, but he saw no need to act superior.

After understanding Moyes' coaching philosophy, Aldrich was stunned when Moyes mentioned the first player he wanted to loan.

Ronaldinho.

Aldrich shook his head repeatedly, muttering, "No, no, no…" as if someone were trying to steal his prized possession.

And in a way, Ronaldinho really was Aldrich's treasure at Millwall.

Everyone in the club, from the first team to the youth squad, knew how strict Aldrich was with Ronaldinho's training. Even when Ronaldinho was still in the youth team, Aldrich would often drop by to watch him train and pull him aside for individual guidance.

Yet, Ronaldinho was the only player unafraid of Aldrich. Outside of training, he would often joke around with Aldrich, even sneaking into his house to grab food, and had embarrassed Aldrich in front of others multiple times by pulling pranks, such as pretending to be the team mascot and making Aldrich dance on the sidelines.

But this unique relationship made it clear to everyone how high Aldrich's expectations were for Ronaldinho, and how close the two of them were.

After Ronaldinho's stunning debut in the FA Cup final last season, he hadn't featured in any more first-team games. Everyone understood that this was Aldrich's way of protecting him, giving him a period in the reserves to gradually adapt and avoid being thrown into the physical intensity of the Premier League too soon.

This path was one many players Aldrich held in high regard had taken, like Pirlo and Shevchenko. Though technically ready to play upon joining the club, they had to work their way up through the youth and reserve teams, carefully adapting to English football before being judged ready for the Premier League.

Among the players who hadn't yet appeared for Millwall, the most anticipated was Ronaldinho. His dazzling debut had captured everyone's attention, and now the outside world was eagerly awaiting his Premier League breakthrough.

So when Moyes requested to loan Ronaldinho, Aldrich refused without hesitation. It wasn't just about the fear of Moyes misusing him; Aldrich had already planned to promote Ronaldinho to the first team in the second half of the season.

Moyes was disappointed. He knew about Ronaldinho's performances in the reserves and marveled at Millwall's depth of talent—how could such a player be left in the reserves to "rack up stats"?

Moyes then listed several other names. After careful consideration, Aldrich eventually agreed to loan out four players: goalkeeper Paul Robinson, full-back Paulo Ferreira, versatile forward Mark Bresciano, and midfielder Tim Cahill.

These players, all around 18 years old, had the physical attributes to handle the rigors of senior football. However, their loans would come with strings attached, as the club required them to return weekly for specialized training sessions. Tony, who had been loaned out earlier in the season, followed a similar regimen, returning for individual technical training with Moniz each week, for two to four hours at a time.

Moyes left satisfied, having bolstered his squad without spending a penny. As a novice manager, he was grateful for Aldrich's help and quietly vowed to repay the favor in the future. In the world of football management, he was still a rookie, and other clubs wouldn't even consider trusting him with their players, let alone offer loans for free.

The next day, Aldrich met with the four players to discuss the loan arrangements. He preferred a candid approach, engaging the players in honest conversations rather than issuing commands. If any player disagreed, Aldrich wouldn't force them, as the loan would significantly affect their lives.

Fortunately, all four players agreed to the loans. They had outgrown the youth league, where they dominated their competition. With younger players like Alonso and Pedretti already making waves in the youth team, it was time for them to move on.

As soon as Aldrich finished his conversation with Paulo Ferreira, the office door hadn't even closed when someone burst in, bringing with him the smell of sweat.

"Boss!"

Ronaldinho, dripping in sweat despite wearing winter gear, appeared in front of Aldrich, shouting with glee, "23 goals, 26 assists! I did it!"

Aldrich, momentarily stunned by the outburst, chuckled and replied, "Strange, before you went back to Brazil, it was 19 goals and 26 assists, and now in the first game back, you've scored four?"

Ronaldinho went straight to the corner, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and gulped it down. He had sprinted over from the reserve game immediately after the final whistle, much to the amusement of his teammates.

In the freezing weather, steam still rose from his head as he drained the water bottle in one go. "Frank and that German guy were great today! They set me up with so many chances. Hey, boss, why didn't you send Frank and Rio down to the reserves earlier?"

Aldrich crossed his arms, looking up at the ceiling with a silent smile.

It turned out to be because Lampard and Klose provided assists to Ronaldinho in the reserve team."

They were being disciplined. They'll return to the first team soon enough. You'll start training with the first team tomorrow. Perform well, and I'll give you your chance when the time is right. But remember, you came from the reserves. If you don't want to go back, don't let your performance drop."

"Don't worry, boss. Are you cooking tonight?"

"Why? You planning to freeload again?"

Ronaldinho grinned before dashing out of the room.

Since the FA Cup preparations against Preston had begun, Millwall's coaching staff had shifted their tactics for the second team, reverting to a conservative 4-4-2, similar to the one they used against Arsenal earlier.

Millwall dominated the game against Preston, but the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough was a different story.

Aldrich once again fielded a reserve lineup to rest the starters, and at Riverside Stadium, Millwall came away with a 0-0 draw.

It was a decent result. Not losing away meant they'd have the home advantage in the second leg.

As the Premier League resumed, Aldrich promoted Ronaldinho to the first-team squad—and he was in the starting lineup.

Before their trip to St. James' Park, the pre-match press conference was packed with reporters eager to ask questions.

"After two consecutive Premier League losses and falling nine points behind Manchester United, is Millwall shifting focus? Perhaps concentrating on the Champions League or attempting a third consecutive FA Cup win?"

Aldrich, calm and collected, replied, "My philosophy is to never give up on any official match. So, Millwall will fight for every game. There's no such thing as shifting focus; that's a sign of weakness. Even if Manchester United win the league, we'll still approach every game with the same seriousness, because there's more to a match than just the result."

"So, will Millwall field their strongest lineup against Newcastle United tomorrow?"

Aldrich smiled mysteriously at the question and replied casually, "I can tell you the starting lineup for tomorrow right now. Goalkeeper: Butt, Defenders: Neil, Materazzi, Elguerra, Capdevila, Midfielders: Gronkjaer, Gattuso, Ballack, Ronaldinho, Forwards: Van Nistelrooy, Gudjohnsen. This is the formation and the starting list that Millwall will have for tomorrow."

The room fell silent.

The same reporter raised his hand again, frustration clear in his voice. "This contradicts what you just said. Using reserves clearly signals that Millwall is giving up on the Premier League title, doesn't it? A third consecutive loss would be a serious blow to the team's morale!"

"No," Aldrich shook his head. "You can't jump to conclusions just because the match hasn't even been played yet. Think about it—Millwall could very well surprise everyone. Of course, Daglish is a great coach, and Newcastle United is known for their attacking football. I remember when Keegan was in charge, Newcastle was hailed as playing the most beautiful football in England. And then there's Shearer—he's still that lethal striker who can create problems for us."

"Since you know that Newcastle United is a tough opponent, why are you letting the substitutes play? The starters have rested for so long; why not let them take the field?"

"Well, to be honest, I want to save the main players for more crucial matches, like the upcoming showdown against Liverpool!"

As Aldrich finished his sentence, the reporters who grasped the implication fell silent.

"Isn't that just a way of looking down on Newcastle United?"