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A good move for Ronaldinho

"EVERYONE deserves a fresh start in life. And that includes one of the greatest players of all time ¿ Ronaldinho. The former two-time FIFA World Player of the Year joined AC Milan this week from Barcelona and I think he will get back to his best. He led Barca to the Spanish League title twice in 2005 and 2006 as well as the Champions League title in 2006 but last season he was out of sorts. The club didn't play him much, he stopped going to training a fair bit and gained weight. But one thing is set in stone ¿ skill never leaves you. Yes, your fitness may leave you but not the skill. I think this new start with AC Milan will be great for Ronaldinho as well as Milan who also had a bad year last season finishing fifth in Serie A and out of this season's Champions League. Now the club will concentrate on winning the Serie A title and get back to the heights they are accustomed to.

Ronaldinho is the kind of player everyone loves to watch and he will get an early start this season as he is set to play with Brazil in the Olympics. That will be great for him as he will come into the season in good shape. And then just think who he will be hooking up with ¿ current FIFA Player of the Year Kaka and the young Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato ¿ it will be an all-Brazilian attack that any club would envy.

Manchester City were desperate to sign him and would have paid more money but while it would have been nice to see Ronaldinho play in the Premiership I am not surprised that he chose Milan.

Milan, who were eliminated by Arsenal in the second round of the Champions League last season, will play in the UEFA Cup this season. But it will be the league title they will want.

Milan also signed Zambrotta from Barcelona, midfielder Mathieu Flamini from Arsenal and regained Borriello, who scored 19 goals while on loan to Genoa last season. Flamini will certainly be a welcome signing but there is one thing that does concern me about Milan ¿ their defence.

While their captain Paolo Maldini has been one of the best in the world in his position and certainly a player everyone can look up to, he seems to be insisting on playing another year. But he is 40-years-old and no matter how great you once were, wingers are going to get past you. I just hope Milan have a young kid in reserve in that position.

Another Brazilian is also on the move.

Gilberto Silva joined Panathinaikos from Arsenal this week and that is a great move for him. They are one of the top teams in Greece and Gilberto wasn't getting any time on the pitch at Arsenal ¿ and he wants to play.

He is 31-years-old and still has much to offer and obviously wants to play as much as he can before retiring.

Alexander Hleb was another player to leave Arsenal this week. He moved to Barcelona for about $23 million and I think that is a good move for the Gunners. They got a lot of money for a player who was OK. In fact I believe that Arsenal probably won more when he wasn't playing.

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NEW SPAIN BOSS

With Spain's Euro 2008 winning manager Luis Aragones having left to take over top Turkish club Fenerbahce, Spain have appointed former Real Madrid manager Vicente del Bosque this week.

And they couldn't have gotten a better man. He knows all of the players and his record speaks for itself.

Here is the fellow who guided Real Madrid to two Champions League triumphs, two league titles and a European Supercup during his few years in charge ¿ it was one of the most successful spells in the club's history by a manager.

And what do Real do? Well they fired him one day after he won the Spanish club their record 29th league title. That was disgraceful especially considering that del Bosque had a 35-year connection with Real.

He played for the club for 11 years and skillfully managed superstars with huge egos like Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo and Raul ¿ not an easy thing to do. The players all respected him and he now inherits a team of winners ¿ young winners at that.

His first game is next month against Denmark in a friendly.