In any other circumstances, it would not have warranted the fanfare: a 36-year-old forward, worth £20m including add-ons, a style completely at odds with the brand of football sought by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the supporters, and defying conventional wisdom on how the rest of the squad would operate.
But this was Cristiano Ronaldo, the Glazers were in more dire need than ever of a PR-induced sugar rush, and their hand was forced by the lingering suggestion that if they didn’t do it, Manchester City would.
The fans congregated outside Old Trafford, the megastore sprung into life. Here was the return of a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who loved United and who symbolised the bygone era which they are trying to restore.
It is that genuine affection for the club which led to an outpouring of frustration in an interview with Sky Sports, during which Ronaldo questioned their mentality and ability to challenge for major honours.
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Key quotes
On United’s aims – “Manchester United should win the league or be second or third. I don’t see any other position for Manchester United. In my heart, I don’t accept that our mentality be less than being in the top three in the Premier League, in my opinion. I think to build up good things, sometimes you have to destroy a few things. So why not – new year, new life and I hope that Manchester [United] can be the level that the fans want. They deserve that.
On Ralf Rangnick – “Since he arrived five weeks ago he changed many things. But he needs time to put his ideas across to the players. It takes time but I believe that he is going to do a good job. We know we aren’t playing the best football but we have many games to improve. Since he arrived I think in some points we are better, but he needs time. It’s not that easy to change the mentality of players and the way they play, the culture, the system like that. I believe that he is going to do a good job.”
On his teammates – “I remember when I was 18, 19, 20, some old players speak with me, but I put that as, ‘Cristiano you have to improve’ … but other people don’t accept that if you criticise. Sometimes when you’re a little bit harder, they do the opposite. You have to find the right balance to speak with them. But in my opinion, that should be coming from inside you. You should be proud of yourself and look in the mirror and say ‘Listen, I gave everything.’ And I think all of us should do that. Because [it’s a] new year, we change the page. We have many things to win and we have to believe in that, because if not, it will be a nightmare.”
On winning – “We are capable of changing things now. I’m a player, I’m not a coach. I’m not the president. I know the way but I’m not going to mention it here because I don’t think it’s ethical on my part to say that. What I can say is we can do better – all of us. Manchester [United] belongs to important things, so we have to change that. I don’t want to be here to be in sixth place, or seventh place, or fifth place. I’m here to try to win, to compete. I think we compete but we are not yet in our best level. But we have a long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things”
United’s form – “I’m not the right person [to say] that we have to change this or that. Let’s be honest, the last five, six games do you think Manchester [United] played very well? No. You know that. Everyone knows that.”
On mentality – “For me, the most important thing is the mentality. For you to be professional, help the team, the right mentality, self-thought, positive. I think all the details depend on you — not the coaches, the fans, the press. It depends on you. If you are proud of yourself and have some dignity, I think you have to do much more. And it starts with me.”
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Whether it was a natural move after he had grown tired of Turin or not, Ronaldo returned to a very different United to the one he left. Nostalgia aside, that cannot have escaped him, even with his football father Sir Alex grinning down at him from the stands.
Romelu Lukaku recently landed himself in trouble on a similar Sky sofa when he criticised Thomas Tuchel’s tactics and hinted he was not enjoying his second coming at Chelsea – at least the Blues’ record signing can reasonably argue he was blindsided. Ronaldo ought to have seen this state of affairs coming from a mile off.
Ahead of the FA Cup tie at home to Aston Villa, fans once again unfurled a banner reading “STANDARDS”, a reminder of what exactly has changed since Ronaldo completed his dream move to the Bernabeu.
Reiterating it over and over again has not changed anything. Ronaldo came back despite United having not won a trophy since 2017, without a league title since 2013.
They were, at the time of his re-signing, managed by a coach who had never won a major honour outside Norway and yet for whom United did not line up a long-term replacement, shifting to an interim manager who for all his footballing intelligence and influence, has so little experience in that capacity that it delayed the granting of his visa.
That is why Ronaldo’s interview appears a transparent attempt at shifting the blame: his own mentality is flawless, he is a winner, and United’s problems are the down to his weak teammates, who are unable to take criticism or improve.
It will not land him in any real trouble as it did for Keane, but it has to be asked what exactly he thought he was walking into last September.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3fiy0F5
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