Cristiano Ronaldo has gone from a Man United legend to public enemy number one by making a single, ill-informed decision.
Just over a year ago, Manchester United pulled off the impossible. Cristiano Ronaldo came home.
The Greatest of All Time delighted fans upon returning. The iconic ‘Sui’ celebration echoed around the stadium when the Portugal international scored on his first game back against Newcastle United. Our former star was back in safe hands. It felt right.
Goals continued to flow. Ronnie would finish the campaign as the Reds’ top goalscorer, though the season wasn’t without any blemishes. Ronaldo was seemingly unhappy under Ralf Rangnick and the state of the club in general…
Ronaldo spent the summer trying to leave – though only making it public knowledge at the end of the most recent transfer window. It felt like a snide, sneaky way to make your intentions clear. It has only gone downhill from there.
Now 37, Ronaldo has drifted in and out of the team. Many questioned Erik ten Hag’s decision to bench CR7. With each passing performance from the player, those questions were answered. Ronaldo looked every bit like an ageing player. No longer the top dog. His ego couldn’t hack it.
Tempers would flare again when Ronaldo would walk down the tunnel after being substituted off while a game was still in play. Ten Hag, rightly, wasn’t best pleased. Ronaldo would spend a game on the sidelines.
Bridges would be mended. Ronaldo would return to the fold. Again, struggling for any sort of consistency, but the gaffer trusted him enough to give the striker the captain’s armband against Aston Villa. Incoincidentally, that would be United’s only defeat in twelve matches. Make of that what you will.
Then came the dreaded interview
It’s worth noting that the full interview is 90 minutes long. We’ve only seen snippets thus far. It’s grim reading.
Going at Ten Hag, Rangnick, Wayne Rooney, the club in general and the Glazer family. It’s the clearest indication that Ronaldo wants a clean break from the club that gave him so much.
Timing-wise, this is sneaky. Ronaldo is now off to the World Cup. He’s remained quiet, fingers on lips, for months. Why not come out and do this interview back in September? Because he knew that he’d be benched before the World Cup. It’s a calculated, scathing attack, during which Ronaldo is only thinking about himself. That’s nothing new. He’s always done that.
I guess it’s partly on us fans for thinking that Ronaldo actually cares. We believed the act. But now, his true colours are on full display.
More than anything, it’s just sad. United fans love Ronaldo like one of their own. He’s just thrown everything back in their faces. Yet it’s him talking of ‘betrayal’. Pathetic.
Why Piers Morgan? Why The Sun?
What makes it even worse is his choice of media outlet and journalist. Piers Morgan. Really? Ronaldo actually approached Morgan to get this interview out there. Not the other way around which is typically how these things work. Of all the brilliant media outlets and journalists in the world, this combination is the lowest of the low.
It’s all very calculated, deceiving and cunning. Morgan, The Sun and Ronaldo, quite frankly, are made for each other.
Apparently, a couple of weeks’ wages is what it’s going to cost Ronaldo. The financial aspect is a drop in the ocean for him. It’s his reputation that’s on the line. Ronaldo wants out. Okay, fine. That happens all the time in sport. But what club with any sort of reputation will want to take on a player with this sort of attitude?
It’s an ego thing
In the end, it all comes down to Ronaldo not being able to hack it that he’s not the main man anymore. He’s using deflection tactics to make himself feel better about that fact. Taking shots at Ten Hag, who is doing a stellar job, was never a smart move. United fans were always going to back their manager given everything that’s gone on over the last few months.
Simply put, there’s no way back. The sooner Ronaldo has his contract terminated, the better. I am super interested to see where he ends up, though. I don’t see an elite side picking him up anytime soon.
Then, maybe, the reality that Ronaldo is no longer the best in the world will truly set in. He’s absolutely not the type to apologise, mind.
Do you think Man United should terminate Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
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