Ronaldinho Gaúcho listed to come to Australia

Tuesday, 20 October 2015
by Nanni Henrique

In an attempt to make history in the National Premier League, the team Hume City is betting on one of the biggest names in world football in a FFA Cup semi-final on October 28.

The Brazilian football player Ronaldinho Gaúcho, best of the world in 2005,  is one of the names listed to play for just 60 minutes against Melbourne Victory.

Arda Turan, David Trezeguet or Giorgios Karagounis are the other names negotiable as guest players.

Thirty-five years old and non-contracted (he recently broke his contract with Brazilian club Fluminense), Ronaldinho is the most expensive option, a fact not so appreciated by Hume City coach Lupce Acevski. However, this may be the most important and lucrative match for Hume City, since a player with the weight of Ronaldinho would leverage finances and potentially attract a sell-out crowd at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Negotiations are pending with the approval of documents from the Department of Immigration needed to free-up a visa-player spot.  According to FFA rules, clubs can have only two visa-player in their lines. Consequently, Hume City obtaining one of the four biggest players in the world hinges on the Australian residency application of goalkeeper Chris Oldfield, who will receive his residence a couple of weeks after the FFA Cup semi-final. Hume City FC also has a British player, Nick Haggarty.

Lupce Acevski, suggested that the incentive to get one-off signing extends beyond publicity. “One factor is the publicity and the numbers. But at the same time, we want this player to help us match it with victory on the day, so it’s not just bringing him in as a publicity stunt, we want him to help us win the game,” he explained to the newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald.

The decision has to be made within three to five days, with the player joining his new team-mates a few days prior to the match. The FFA Cup final is on November 7, and the winner of Hume and Victory will face either Perth Glory or Melbourne City, who face off at NIB Stadium in the other semi-final on October 21.