That seems rather unfair. Everything i've seen about this story screams Actual Mental Health Issues, with which footballers are as likely to be affected by as anyone else (ie really quite likely). Calling him a "brat" for suffering what could well be a breakdown is vastly insensitive if you've ever known anyone that it has happened to, all the money in the world or the job you've dreamed about for 20 years wouldn't make a blind bit of difference...

Unfair and rather prejudicial.

Not considering the importance of the major loss of Adriano's father in 2004 was a huge mistake in this article. Also, the player's behavior during some years state that, despite all the money in the world, he's clearly suffering from some kind of mental issue.

Last year, while trying to find his good playing again in Sao Paulo F.C. in Brazil, Adriano was more than once involved in extra-field problems, even fighting with fellow players. Not to mention the series of alcohol-related issues we heard of.

Personally, I believe that he made the correct decision. It's better to leave everything behind than to maintain a low-profile career, similar to what Ronaldinho Gaúcho is doing for at least the past two years. Fortunatelly he has enough money to make this decision.

The world of football is fascinating enough to dream about and follow as an innocent bystander, but actually belonging to it, I believe, is a different matter when you are handicapped with a decent IQ.

Have to agree with CarsmileSteve. Adriano needs help.

Talent is not all that is needed to be a good or great footballer as the long list of duds, could've-beens, alcoholics and the like show.

If Adriano wishes to extract himself from a sport in which mental growth and stability is often intentionally retarded before it's too late, he's a lot smarter than some of the non-"attention-seeking brats" who end looking back at two decades of their lives with a lot of pathos and regret regardless of how much they may have made or won.

Whatever happened to Peter Knowles? Is he still knocking on doors?

He works in the loading bay at Wolverhampton Marks and Spencer.

COMMENT DELETED

Please refrain from personal comments. If you disagree with a point made in an article then justify it, but don't resort to insults. Thanks.

Admin5

I didn't make personal "comments" (by which I asume you mean insults) and I did justify my disagreement with the thrust of the article i.e. that it was simplistic in its "analysis" of Adriano's situation. I admit I then made a general comment about the similarly low quality of several other recent articles (several of which I've also commented on)(and to which you can add that very poor piece about Gascoigne's attempts to get his life in order) and questioned WSC's quality control but that surely doesn't warrent censure.

Cheers

Jim

Sorry Jim. Your previous comment was deleted in error due to technical issues when we were removing another comment. I hope you continue to, er, enjoy WSC.

Sound enough. Cheers Admin5. Rest assured - I've enjoyed WSC for 20 odd years off and on (but I do like a good moan now and then...)(and any chance of a bigger discount on overseas subscriptions - we really need a half decent football magazine down here in Oz)

Jim