Flamengo shows patience with adriano – last chance?

Coach and management of the brazilian first division club in rio de janeiro, however, believe in the 30-year-old former national striker, who has also been under contract with inter milan and AS rom. But many fans doubt whether the "imperador," as he is nicknamed in brazil, will make it back to the pitch again. It could be his last chance.

"Adriano is completely confused, his head is full of chaos," flamengo’s director of football zinho said frankly and freely after speaking with the club’s problem child. Adriano has doubts about how his career should continue. "It’s those fears and doubts that have made him overstay and miss training."Instead of training, however, the athlete is spotted at night in discos or in the favela, the poor settlement, vila cruzeiro, where he is always drawn to party with friends.

But it does not seem to be a problem of recognition, because when the "number 10" signed the contract at the end of august, he himself said that flamengo could be his "last chance". "I have to follow a number of rules. Everything depends on me and no one else."So far the theory. After that he was absent from training three times. In addition, there were newspaper reports that put the player in the spotlight. "If i start drinking early, i’ll be a different adriano by midnight. Then I’ll go to the favela," he is said to have said jokingly in the dressing room, as the newspaper "extra" reported.

Then last week a video caused attention, in which adriano against 03.Was seen at 00 am in a discotheque in rio, but was absent from training the same day because of back pain. That would have been the fourth time, and zinho had already warned him on the third occasion: "if he wants to continue his playing career, he will have to stick to the time schedule. There is no more chance for absenteeism or tardiness."Adriano’s contract, which is already linked to performance, is in jeopardy.

Flamengo gave him all the help they could when adriano came knocking on "fla’s" door again after a rather unhappy and injury-plagued time with corinthians sao paulo (eight games, two goals in one year) – for the third time after 2000 and 2009. The tournament was opened even though he was suffering from a left achilles tendon injury and had to have another operation in april this year.

In august, flamengo doctor jose luiz runco gave the green light for the crucial rehabilitation training and coach dorival junior moral support: "he (adriano) deserves to come back to the top." Club, coach and fans want the comeback of the imperador, but that must also want adriano. On monday, he took part in practice again as normal. The wait for his first game after more than six months continues.