Paddy Agnew examines old-fashioned concepts and how Inter Milan supporters were entitled to feel that it was pay-back time?

So, it's "Goodbye, Judas" from Milan and "Hello, Mr Phenomenon" in Madrid. Even as reigning European champions Real Madrid were yesterday celebrating their latest remarkable transfer coup, the signing of Brazilian ace Ronaldo for €45 million from Inter Milan, there was the suspicion that the mask had finally slipped on the face of the world's number one footballer, the Mr Nice Guy of the Beautiful Game.

When Ronaldo set out around lunchtime on Sunday to travel from Milan to Madrid, he did so more in the guise of someone on a witness protection programme than as an all-conquering hero, fresh from his World Cup triumph with Brazil.

It matters little that when he arrived at Madrid's military airport, he was received in a manner fitting for a head of state being escorted to his first stop (a restaurant) by four police motorcyclists and a squad car.

Twelve hours previously, as he left Inter's downtown Milan headquarters, he had needed police protection from angry fans who shouted everything from "traitor" to "crock" (and much else less parliamentary) at him.

On the way to his San Siro penthouse flat, police advised him not to spend the night at his own home but rather to book himself into a Milan hotel. The police had already seen angry Inter fans assault a decoy car in the mistaken belief it contained "The Phenomenon" himself.

As he boarded the plane for Madrid, Ronaldo reportedly complained he had been treated "as a Judas figure" in his last days in Milan. If he did say that, then his perception was dead right. Inter Milan, from its owner-president, petrol millionaire Massimo Moratti, down to its faithful fans, has no doubt but that it was betrayal.

Lest there be any doubt, just listen to what former Inter star and club vice-president Giacinto Facchetti had to say: "We will always respect him as a player but we simply could not hold onto a player who had betrayed us like he did. We cannot regret the departure of a player who didn't want to stay at Inter and who betrayed both the fans and the club. We waited a long time for him yet he, well you can see for yourselves what he has done."

Ronaldo wanted out, he wanted Real Madrid and what better moment to push for a move than in the immediate aftermath of a World Cup tournament where he was leading goalscorer.

Never mind, either, that Inter did not want to sell him nor that Real Madrid had expressed a specific interest. In the age of player power, such matters can easily be resolved with the aid of pushy agents.

Ronaldo and his clan obviously reckoned the time to move was now, while the iron was still transfer-market hot and long before, God forbid, another injury stops him in his tracks. (By the way, Real have included a "no play, no pay" clause in his contract, should he experience a recurrence of his knee problems).

All of which might seem sound reasoning for a 25-year-old in a notoriously short-lived career. Yet, what happened to old-fashioned concepts such as gratitude, loyalty or dues owed? After nurturing Ronaldo through five highly paid (his annual salary at Inter last year was €11.3 million after tax) and injury interrupted seasons (he managed one full season, his first in 1997-'98), were not Inter and their fans entitled to feel it was now pay-back time?

Last season, owner Moratti reluctantly agreed with club coach Argentine Hector Cuper that Ronaldo's season be planned so that the injury-stricken player would hit peak fitness in May, right on the eve of the World Cup finals. In that context, was Moratti not entitled to comment after the World Cup final: "Well done, Ronie. Now come and win something for us."

For reasons not yet clear, Ronaldo wanted out. Perhaps, as claimed yesterday by Milan daily, Corriere Della Sera, Ronaldo wanted to move to Madrid because of an amorous liaison with an unnamed Swiss banker's daughter who lives in the Spanish capital.

We know not. What we do know is that the move was not without cost, for Ronaldo has lost out on a €2.2 million sponsorship deal with tyre giants Pirelli while Real Madrid have had to pay out a $4 million compensation clause to Nike.