Ronaldo concerned about his future
ROME (March 25‚ 2002 10:39 AM EST ) - Inter Milan coach Hector Cuper on Monday revealed that the club's Brazilian striker Ronaldo was worried about his future in the game after a series of injuries that have blighted his career over the last three years.
Cuper did not include the two-times former FIFA World Player of the Year in his squad of 19 players for the 3-1 victory over champions AS Roma which makes Inter firm favorite to win the Italian title, allowing him to return to Brazil for Wednesday's friendly with Yugoslavia.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said after the Roma match that Ronaldo had been fit to play if selected but Cuper revealed that the player was tortured with doubts about his future.
Talking to Radio Anch'io Sport the Argentinian coach said: "He is worried (about the World Cup) - he is worried for his future.
"It is a long time since he played - apart from three or four matches almost three years. The problem is that he is not 100 percent fit to play continuously - neither for his national team nor for Inter."
Cuper, who has instilled a ruthless team ethic in his team, delivered what looked like a thinly-veiled swipe at Ronaldo.
"Now Inter is a real team," said the former Real Mallorca and Valencia coach. "The technical ability of great players is important but that's not always the most important thing. The solidarity of the group is important.
"I know that Ronaldo is a world-class player but I like it when a player like that also thinks of the team."
Asked about Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba - two more stars that have had reputations for being difficult to handle but who have buckled down to propel Inter toward the title - Cuper adopted the same tack.
"They are important players, but a team must play like a team, be compact. For me it's better when a group does not depend on two or three star players."
Looking back on the victory over Roma, Cuper said: "It was a sweet night."
On Sunday night Moratti, speaking on the Controcampo program after the Roma match, had further fueled speculation that the tensions between the Brazilian national team and Inter were high over the handling of Ronaldo.
"Ronaldo could have played tonight," said Moratti. "But Cuper, talking to him, realized he was not at the right intensity and preferred to send him to Brazil.
"There is no Ronaldo-gate and now we entrust him to Brazil with whom we have a memory that is not good to say the least because we have had a bad experience with them. I hope this time all goes well."
