Your Oxford
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email »
Schuster retains hope of Ronaldo deal
3:12pm Sunday 12th October 2008
Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is hopeful that Cristiano Ronaldo will be wearing the Spanish giants' colours this time next year.
Madrid's pursuit of Ronaldo this summer was one of the most protracted and high-profile transfer sagas of recent years, but it ultimately ended in disappointment for the Primera Liga champions with the Portugal winger opting to remain at Manchester United.
"I think that next year it is going to be a little more complicated for his club to retain him. There is hope that next year he could be with us," said Schuster.
"You need to do everything possible (to sign Ronaldo) because this player is worth it," added the German, who felt Madrid had a decent chance of landing Ronaldo this summer.
"Since the start I thought it was possible although difficult. Possible because the player really showed an interest.
"His class, his position on the right wing and in other areas of the pitch, his work in attack. He would have been an important signing. He didn't come, but this is the team we have here now and we need to have complete faith in them."
Madrid's summer pursuit of Ronaldo came following a remarkable year of success for the Portuguese ace, who in helping United claim a Premier League and Champions League double struck a remarkable 42 goals.
For Schuster that should result in Ronaldo being rewarded with the Ballon d'Or - the award given to Europe's top footballer of the year - even though his own goalkeeper at Madrid Iker Casillas is also in the running to win the title.
"I think that this year Cristiano Ronaldo deserves it. He was the leading scorer in Europe with 42 goals, has won the league and Champions League...that should be sufficient," Schuster said in Marca.
"He didn't do so well with the national team (at Euro 2008), but this was due to Spain and Germany."
Editor's choice
Early taste of Christmas wine
This week is The Oxford Times Wine Club Christmas Tasting and, with just four weeks to go until Christmas Day, it is an excellent opportunity to sample a specially-selected range of wines for the festive season.
The Mole and Chicken, Easington, near Thame
One of the pictures on this page gives a good impression of the delights to be enjoyed at the Mole and Chicken on one of those sunny days that now seem as far as can be from our present situation.
Imagine This: New London Theatre
I had trouble shifting my +1 for the musical Imagine This, which opened last week at the New London Theatre. No-one was interested (one German friend would have come, but funnily enough I hadn’t thought to ask him), and while nobody actually said, “Sounds like a gas”, there were plenty of unprintable responses, averaging out at: “Holocaust – the musical? Um, no thanks . . . ”
Hansel and Gretel: Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company
Another winter rolls in and, to cheer our spirits, Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company travel hither and yon through the county with colour, music and fun trailing in their wake. For those of us who live in villages these harbingers of the festive season are a welcome sight.
United job is proving a big draw
Applications to be the next manager of Oxford United have been pouring in.
Cristiano Ronaldo
In this section
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
