I Am Jose-Chapter 102 - : The Position of Ronaldinho

When Ronaldinho pushed open the door to the head coach's office, José had already prepared two cups of hot tea—one for himself, and one for Ronaldinho.

"This..." Ronaldinho looked at the yellowish tea in front of him, feeling skeptical—can this be drunk?

"Try it. It's better than cola, at least it doesn't have any sugar." José had seen this kind of expression many times before. Juan had looked like this, Piri had looked like this, and even old Alemany had looked like this...

But soon enough, they all began to enjoy the drink's subtle yet lingering flavor, especially since it was somewhat beneficial to the body.

After taking a couple of cautious sips and finding the taste decent, Ronaldinho started sipping it carefully, one small gulp at a time. José smiled and said, "It's definitely not as refreshing as cola, but drinking some tea after intense exercise isn't a bad idea."

After seeing Ronaldinho take a few sips and set the cup down, José started: "Have you thought more about the question I asked you before?"

Hearing José's words, Ronaldinho shook his head in slight helplessness. "I still don't know... Whether it's playing as an attacking midfielder or as a forward, in the middle or on the left wing, I like playing all of them. But somehow, it doesn't feel quite right. When you ask me which position I prefer, I can't really say."

After saying this, Ronaldinho felt a bit guilty, thinking that such a simple question had been troubling him for so long—it felt like he was letting José, Mallorca, and his own 800,000 salary down. However, after hearing this, José smiled happily. From Ronaldinho's words, he could tell that his judgment about him was absolutely correct.

This was a player who needed freedom and couldn't be restricted by a fixed position on the field. Too much structure would only slow his growth—methodical development could only create workers, but a genius needs a special way of nurturing.

"Ronaldinho, honestly, I'm very satisfied with your answer." José smiled as he looked at Ronaldinho, who was slightly lowering his head.

Ronaldinho, surprised, looked up, and when he saw José's serious expression, he realized that José was genuinely pleased with his response.

"You saying that shows that you've seriously thought it over and didn't just brush it off. I'm very happy about that."

José explained why he felt that way and then got to the main point.

"Understand, this confusion you have is completely normal because you're not a player who should be confined to a single position," José said, standing up. "In this world, there are all kinds of players. Some players figure out their best position early on, and their strengths in that position are obvious—these players are the least troublesome for coaches. But others are different. They're outstanding, full of talent, but a fixed position only lets them show part of their potential, or even worse, they might perform worse because they're uncomfortable. Many of these players, due to various limitations, might never reach their full potential, but if they find the right position, they can immediately unleash a massive amount of energy!"

José's words were quite inspiring, and Ronaldinho looked at him, realizing his heart was being pulled in by José's passion. He had an inkling of something...

Seeing Ronaldinho's anticipation, José gave a small nod. "Exactly. You're that kind of player... You're fast, technically skilled, have great ball control, and possess outstanding awareness. You're strong in physical confrontations, and you have the advantages of both European and South American players. Your positional awareness is excellent, and you can play almost any attacking role. These traits make you unique— even Ronaldo, in this respect, can't compare to you. Sure, he was able to play a huge role when dropping back, like in the 1998 World Cup quarter-final against Denmark, where he helped create all the goals by dropping deep... but that's an exception. It's not something he can always do. His best position is still as a forward, and it's only there that he can truly shine. You, on the other hand, are different!"

"Playing as a forward, your goal-scoring ability is slightly weaker. As an attacking midfielder, you're not the type to patiently build up attacks through passing. You have strengths in every position but haven't reached your peak in any of them. Keeping you fixed in one position would only limit you and prevent you from reaching your full potential... So, in the upcoming matches, I won't fix your position on the field. Whether it's as a forward, an attacking midfielder, a winger, or a wide midfielder, you'll be a special presence in Mallorca's attack. You'll have the freedom to roam anywhere on the field and fully unleash everything you have! Remember, I won't restrict your position, but I will set certain roles for you. There are a few things you must do!"

Ronaldinho, who had been fired up by José's passionate speech, suddenly stood up. "What are the things? I'll definitely do them!"

José glanced at him and suddenly smiled. "Don't worry, you'll definitely do them... When counterattacking, you'll be the first to receive the ball, whether you score yourself or pass to a teammate. You'll make the decision. In organized attacks, you'll be the key to breaking through tight defenses. You'll receive the ball in the right place and create opportunities with your dribbles! After the winter break, we'll be more proactive, there's no doubt about that. Our attacking tactics will become more varied, but no matter how it changes, you'll always be the key player. In attack, you'll be the sharpest weapon. In front of you, there will be forwards; behind you, central midfielders; and on the wings, players who will make runs to support. Your job is either to pass the ball to the right place or use your dribbles to tear through the defense. In short, the responsibility for scoring goals will largely fall on you! These are my expectations... Can you do it?" By the end of his speech, José softened his tone, hoping Ronaldinho would think calmly about it.

Ronaldinho didn't disappoint him. Clearly, Ronaldinho was no fool.

"These are the duties of an attacking player. I believe I can do it."

Ronaldinho's eyes gradually regained their bright clarity. He clenched his fists and said with determination.

"Great." José nodded in approval. "In the next half of the season, I'll firmly stick to this tactical approach. If things don't go well sometimes, I'll understand. But after this half-season, I want to see results. If the results are good, you'll keep this freedom as long as you prove it. If not, I'll have no choice but to treat you as an ordinary player, using you as a forward, attacking midfielder, or winger."

"Boss, do you think I'm a player who shouldn't be restricted?" Ronaldinho asked José.

"I do," José replied without hesitation. "But you also need to prove that you are."

"I will prove it," Ronaldinho said firmly, his eyes shining with confidence.

After Christmas, the Mallorca team gathered for their training camp.

The next league match would start on January 7, and Mallorca's players had gathered on December 28, four days earlier than other La Liga teams, who usually met on January 2.

No player complained, as they knew the serious challenges ahead.

On January 7, Mallorca would face Barcelona at home. On January 14, they would play against Alavés, also at home. Then on January 21, they would travel to face Real Madrid.

With such a tough schedule right after the winter break, it wasn't the best situation for Mallorca, but it also presented a great opportunity. If they could get good results in these matches, they would build momentum for the rest of the season!

All Mallorca players knew that with the changes during the winter transfer window, the club had big ambitions.

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They had been eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers last season, which had left many veteran players disappointed.

After the team gathered, Mallorca's players focused on training, getting their form up and preparing for the tactical drills José had set during the break.

With a solid four-defender formation, José wouldn't take risks with three defenders. Besides, with strong attacking full-backs like George, who had shifted to right-back, and Kaladze and Capdevila on the left, the team's attacking width wouldn't be lacking, as long as they covered their defensive duties. In midfield, there would always be two defensive midfielders, with the possibility of three depending on the situation. The attack would revolve around Ronaldinho and Eto'o, with players like Luka and Ibáñez as support, focusing on small, quick combinations in attack. In counterattacks, Ronaldinho would be key to breaking down defenses.

In midfield, Ronaldinho was the focal point, while players like Ngonga and Mota controlled the midfield. Currently, Ngonga was in charge of organizing, but Mota, being younger, stronger, and technically better, would eventually take over.

With the squad numbers reduced, José felt that every player was useful, and he was proud of how well he had improved the team within a modest budget.

With a budget of $13 million, he had overhauled half the team, bringing in strong players while still leaving $2 million, making him feel like a genius.

Now, all that was left was to face the upcoming matches—22 more league games. Mallorca needed to climb from their current 10th place to the top four, which would require passing many more tests.

Even though six games had moved them up by 10 positions, everyone knew that the higher they were, the harder it was to move up.