The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

It’s been two months in the making.The story is breaking the internet. No, it’s not Kim Kardashian doing Kim Kardashian things with her buttocks, nor is it Meghan Markle embroiled in a Royal Family disagreement. Football fans, unless you have been living under a rock, I am referring to Piers Morgan’s interview with Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old former Real Madrid and Juventus player, in the 90-minute interview with the Talk TV host, the Portugal captain, tells all.

I know what you might be thinking, Piers insists Ronaldo came to him. Then again this is the same mind, who thinks he was friends with Meghan Markle ..

From club-mates eating habits to embroiling himself in verbals with old team-mates (Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville), Ronaldo’s interview with former Britain’s Got Talent now Talk TV host Morgan, didn’t see the United man hold back on anything. From Manchester United managers Erik Ten Haag and former boss Ralf Ragnick, Ronaldo who is seen as usually the ultimate professional, appears to have gone off script to launch somewhat of a tirade against the club that arguably helped CR7 become the name he is today.

I, try to digest all that was said (the parts that were shown to the media) and make some form of sense of it all.

Management

A criticism of the manager of both managers he has worked for in his second spell, Ralf Ragnick and Erik Ten Haag, have been criticised by Ronaldo. Ragnick saw his ability questioned as a manager/coach. Cristiano, in the interview, where part of it has been published in The Sun, says ‘he hasn’t heard him when referring to former Schalke and Hoffenheim manager Ragnick.

Sorry CR7, that’ a very classless remark. Ralf, is not a manager and was hired for the wrong role. He helps identify talent. Haaland, Sadio Mane, Jugen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.

Yes Tuchel and Klopp are managers, but he played a part in aiding their development.

Current manager Ten Haag doesn’t escape the wrath of Cristiano Ronaldo after the Man United attacker said he doesn’t respect people who don’t respect him.

There have been a couple of moments of contention this season. The 6-3 derby loss to Man City, saw 

CR7, not even brought off the bench, despite Manchester United needing some inspiration, after being outplayed in one of the biggest matches of United’s season. Then there was the ill-fated Tottenham game, where the former Real Madrid man refused to warm up and come on when The Red Devils were in need of a goal.

Signs of manager and player indifferences seemed to be obvious from the start as the 37-year-old left early in the Pre-season game with Rayo Vallecano.

State of the club

CR7, of course, left Man United in 2009, in what was the early years of what has become the doomed era of the Glazers running Manchester United. Six seasons, which saw the then 24-year-old leave Old Trafford a hero. In the 12 years since, the Portugal ace has won all the domestic honours that football has to offer, and individual awards too (four more Ballo d’Or’s). So in 2021, when United’s prodigal son returned to resume his Old Trafford legacy.

The first season did start well, Ronaldo was the club’s leading goal scorer with 24 goals. This was some achievement at 37 years old. Despite impressing on the pitch, directly/indirectly through sources close to Ronaldo, he wasn’t happy. Cristiano was reportedly not happy with the standards that the younger players were at. The Portuguese legend publicly slated players for lack of attitude, Ronaldo also mentioned the culture being different when he was first at the club.

In his interview, Ronaldo mentioned the lack of change and progression, something which clearly has been upsetting the champion athlete that Is CR7. In what many have seen as a criticism of the Glazers, Ronaldo has said the club have not progressed, ‘no evolution’ as the man put it. One of the biggest grievances of all was Man United showing a lack of empathy when his daughter was hospitalised in July.

This is something, that wouldn’t happen in the Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo recalls how the legendary Scott gave his star man CR7, some compassionate leave to be with his father in Portugal.

Player attitudes

This final point is something that I eluded to at the end of the paragraphs of the way the club is run. So to elaborate, CR7, blasted the attitude and the mentality of the younger players. Ronaldo didn’t mention some names until now. Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho were mentioned by name, for their chocolate eating. Left-back Luke Shaw has been one who has had a battle with food and attitude it could be argued as Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, blasted the former Southampton player in public

To cut CR7 some slack, it appeared that he took Anthony Elanga under his wing, and the academy graduate did perform admirably to keep Marcus Rashford out of the team. Reportedly, Rashford too was another player, singled out by Ronaldo, but it doesn’t appear to be the case.

Just like Ryan Giggs, encouraged Ronaldo to improve his diet, he too is trying to do the same at Manchester United as a senior player. Ronaldo will argue it’s falling on deaf ears, he will point to the examples of Shaw and Sancho. Talent is one thing, but hard work is another and hard work wins over talent every time.

Conclusion

So, here I have tried to bring light as to what was said in the explosive video by CR7. In my opinion, I think the criticism of the club was coming from a good place. Personally, I think he should have waited to have left the club then say and do all of this. CR7 is a brand, and I can’t help but feel this move by Ronaldo is brand damage to CR7. Where Ronaldo went wrong was when he criticised the Man United manager Erik Ten Haag.

I don’t agree with banishing Ronaldo like he has, but he has decided that the team’s style of play is going to change. Yes, he’s a fantastic athlete, but age waits for no one. Even CR7, can’t play game after game with this high intensity. Not many of the Man U players can, hence why there has been a lot of departures. So, these are my thoughts, what are yours? Let us know in the comments.

Thank you to sports direct for working in partnership with us. For brilliant products at brilliant prices including football shirts (such as La Liga club sides), or of your favourite team or even cricket jerseys too, be sure to check them out here;
https://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsdirect.com&key=0b649d569269c4962f26211a180d2a71

Thanks to perfume.com too (rated excellent on trust pilot) for working with us. Be sure not to miss out on big brands of perfume, and if you click my link, you will get 10% off your entire shop!
https://yazing.com/deals/perfume/ayyazmalik86