I had been watching television footages of American football but did not quite follow the game till I had the opportunity to visit the USA for the first time in 1975 when a friend fully explained the essence of the game. Apart from the frightening protective gear on the heads and shoulders of the players what intrigued me most was the way the players seemingly fought each other when the ball was not around. I was told the idea is to prevent your opponent from getting to your team mate who has the ball.

I like this bit of the game as it brings a lot of action into the sport. The idea of weakening your opponent tickles me. And it reminds me of a similar tactic adopted by the then management of Kumasi Asante Football Club in the early eighties when they had been crowned champions of Africa. It was a solid team but they went for many more outstanding players notably goal poachers Anane Kobo of Real Tamale United,George Arthur of Brong Ahafo United, Saarah Mensah, Opoku Sampene of Bofoakwa Tano and others.

Asked why they were creating such a glut of star players the explanation by Asante Kotoko’s team strategist Charles Gyimah was that it was meant to weaken their opponents and keep Kotoko on top for a long time.

Indeed this strategy worked to perfection. Kotoko could assemble two strong standing teams at any given time and they remained a dominant force winning the league six times within a decade.( the 80s)

I am inclined to believe that is the tactic Portuguese national coach Felipe Scolari wants to adopt as he plans to take over the management of English premier club Chelsea. Having realized that Manchester United is the team to beat to win honours in England he wants to get rid of United’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to pave the way for him to have things easy. That is how ardent supporters of United see in his advice to Ronaldo to leave for Real Madrid.

Scolari’s sermon that opportunity comes but once and that the life of a footballer is unpredictable seems a bit disingenuous. If you want to stretch the argument far then players should change clubs annually for the highest bidder "because life is short". Scolari has been long in the football business and he should know that contracts are not signed just for the fun of it. If Real Madrid want Ronaldo the FIFA regulations say it must be put into writing. The shadow boxing must therefore stop.

These young football millionaires definitely need pieces of advice here and there for the good of their future and to this writer submits that it is dangerous to implant in their minds that life is short so they must exploit their skills for big money no matter the circumstances. Therein lies prostitution.

Ronaldo is in the thick of Euro 2008 and he should be given the piece of mind to ply his trade. I pity him. He appears confused. One moment he says he would like to play in Spain if United would permit him, another moment he declares his love for United and he is on record as saying that he would talk about his future after the European Cup. The young man is understandably confused. The media has succeeded in unsettling his thoughts and in my capacity as an ardent admirer of this young Portuguese football gem I would plead that he should be left alone for the moment.

In my 40 year plus career as sports journalist I have had the privilege of making close contacts with footballers in the dressing room before and after matches and off the pitch and I can say with some kind of authority that many of the high profile players cannot be said to be as fast thinking as they do on the pitch. They can be easily upset by what one may regard as trivial issues and extremely sensitive to media reports about them. Sports practitioners in general are a special breed and you need special managers like Alex Ferguson to handle special kind of players like Cantona, Rooney, Giggs and Ronaldo.

Please leave Ronaldo alone