Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd apologists are deluded

Cristiano Ronaldo's former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused the Portuguese forward of letting the club and himself down during their time together at Old Trafford. In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, ten Hag stated that Ronaldo struggled with fitness and preparation, failing to meet the physical demands of the team. The Dutch manager said he traveled to Portugal to discuss his plans with Ronaldo before taking charge of Manchester United in May 2022. Despite respecting Ronaldo as one of the greatest players in football history, ten Hag claimed he had to make a rational decision regarding the squad. "He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," ten Hag said. According to ten Hag, Ronaldo was not physically prepared for the team's requirements. He cited instances where Ronaldo pulled out of training sessions, failed to reach required heart-rate levels, and completed only two of three laps in a running punishment after United's 4-0 defeat at Brentford in August 2022. "I confronted him with this," ten Hag said. "Many times I say, 'Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can't bring yourself in the box, you can't score.' He was not capable to do this." ten Hag further claimed that Ronaldo "ran neither in possession nor out of possession" because "he didn't prepare himself." He noted that Ronaldo even advised teammates to "save your legs at the training." "I understand it when you are top fit, but first you have to train yourself to get into the right fitness levels," ten Hag explained. "Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team." Ronaldo joined Saudi club Al-Nassr in December 2022 and scored 14 league goals in 16 appearances before the end of the season. However, his relationship with ten Hag deteriorated significantly. Ronaldo eventually left United in November 2022 following a highly publicized fallout with the manager and an explosive interview with Piers Morgan. The situation escalated further when Ronaldo left the national team camp following a rift with coach Jorge Jesus, resulting in a 30-day ban and a fine of €215. At 41, Ronaldo remains focused on reaching 1,000 official career goals, one of the biggest personal milestones remaining in his career. Ronaldo's tenure at Manchester United saw him appear just 16 times under ten Hag, with his departure marked by acrimony. His criticisms of the club's hierarchy and lack of respect for ten Hag were well documented. Despite his goal-scoring record, his impact on the team's overall performance was limited, contributing to United's decline from second in the previous season to sixth. The conflict between ten Hag and Ronaldo culminated in Ronaldo's departure from the club, with both parties seemingly unable to reconcile their differences. As Ronaldo continues his career in the Saudi Pro League, the legacy of his time at Manchester United remains a topic of discussion among fans and pundits alike.