The winker from Madeira as he is popularly known, has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, and unlike previous summers this is getting quite serious and interesting.
For starters I think for all his talent Ronaldo should not try to fool anyone, he knows it, as does every body else that Manchester United is the best place he can be. Unless he is willing to forget about his world’s best player ambitions in favour of the Madrid city (read women "Nereida Gallardo").
It really makes no sense for any player to leave a club that puts him in the right condition. He is adored by the fans, and soon to attain legendary status, but instead will move in order to fulfill the wishes of his mother, Godfather and Spanish girlfriend.
I believe Fergie should stick to his policy of “no player is bigger than the club,” that saw David Beckham and van Nistelrooy sold, unsurprisingly, to Real Madrid and let him go, Ronaldo is now setting decision deadlines.
Is there any decision to be made?
He still has four years on his contract at Manchester United. If he decides that he wants to go to Madrid, Fergie and the Glazers should cash in on him and try to get both Robinho and Sergio Ramos in part of the exchange (not that Ronaldo is worth both of them, I don’t think so) rather than letting him rot in the stands.
Because there is no difference between the Manchester United stands and Real Madrid as the obviously more talented Ronaldo da Lima found out.
For all their good football and excellent traditions, Spanish clubs are the worst in terms of looking after players compared to Italian and English clubs. Just take a look at what has happened to Ronaldinho, and how Barcelona has treated him.
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You can’t believe that just two seasons ago he was undoubtedly the world’s best player but after a season of poor form, Barcelona has done nothing to support him, apart from being castigated in the media and having the president (Laporta) talking about him leaving through the front door.
Had he been in England or Italy I believe he would still be on top of the world. Let's face it no player right now is capable of doing what Ronaldinho can do at his best not even Messi.
Look at what Manchester United has done for Giggsy and Scholesy, or what Milan has done for Maldini and Inzaghi, even misfiring Shevchenko is still very welcome at the San Siro. Ronaldo da Lima was always fat to the Madrid fans, when he didn’t score a goal, but the best in the world when he scored a hat trick.
Can you believe such treatment? Now that Cristiano is flirting around with the same guys, does he expect different treatment? Or is he more talented?
After scoring 42 goals this season from the wing, what will Madrid expect? His goals or his contributions in terms of assists, back tracking etc.
The Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster said “I don’t think Ronaldo can come and score 40 goals in a season for Madrid, but if he scores 30 then we will win the league.”
What will happen if he scores 15? I guess boos will follow next from his own fans.
The English for all their hype are very good supporters, they appreciate what players have done for them. On match days at old Trafford fans still sing songs of their past players like Roy Keane and Eric Cantona, and after what Cristiano has done for them this season he will be revered by the old Trafford faithful for a long time. Only a fool can sacrifice that for the Madrid sun and beaches.
So after investing £12 million to prize him away from Sporting Lisbon and enduring three years of frustration and inconsistency from him, he now has the audacity to set decision deadlines.
If that’s not stupidity then what is? No wonder Mourinho branded him “illiterate” last season.
When Thierry Henry left for Barcelona, the Premier League needed someone to take over his mantle as the king, and Ronaldo duly obliged. However, even Henry hasn’t been appreciated by the Barcelona fans. So for Ronaldo to join a league where many players can make step overs, and are extremely technically gifted (read Messi and Aguero) and hope to dominate it the way he has done with the Premier League, is nonsensical.
For Henry it’s sensible, he was 30 when he left Arsenal but at 23 Ronaldo is yet to reach his peak and I don’t think his peak will be realised in Spain.
So he should fool no one, he needs Manchester United and the Premier League more than they need him. Whether he decides to stay or go, my advice to Fergie and Queiroz is, let him go, there is more where he came from. But then again that's just me.
Manchester United is an extremely huge club, let alone the European champions. Even a ninth grader can tell that it’s a bad career decision when a player leaves the European champions to join a team that has not made the quarter finals of the Champions League for four consecutive seasons.
Ronaldo would be passing up on a chance to be a world club and intercontinental champion. That's if Man Utd go on and win them. For Manchester United, with Tevez, Rooney, Anderson, Nani, Vidic, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Evra, Ben Foster and possibly Karim Benzema, with or without Ronaldo, they are destined for greatness.
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3 months ago
no beaches in madrid
from 3 months ago
bit petty red, write something yourself you illiterate twit, hahahaha
3 months ago
no kidding, your a genius!
3 months ago
do the writers from spain make their palyers fool?
how many technically correct players play in the epl?
if he wins the fifa world player of the year award he will be the first to win it from england.
why wont he go to a club which has 9 european cups and 31 league titles ?
why do the best players in the world prefer spain (ex-de stefano puskas maradona cruyff Hagi zidane figo ronaldo ronaldinho messi)?
if ronaldo goes it wont be to fulfill his mom or gf's dream but to fulfill his own dream.
3 months ago
I am a Gooner and i hate Alex Furgeson, but i agree with him fully. Just like Arsene, no player will hold their team at ransom, it will never happen! If Cristano leaves ManU it is not over! It would hurt very much though (Henry Experience). You guys have a brilliant team and you will do fine with out him. I hate disloyal players who disrespect the team that made them who they are! So don't sweat it.
ARSENAL FOR THE TITLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 months ago
Great article. Totally agree.
3 months ago
I'm guessing the article is from somewhere whose a Man U fan or just english.. Truly shitty website.
3 months ago
Hope he stays and plays crap and thus costs you the chance to get a ridiculous sum for him reducing your debt substantially.
All this while you guys get deeper in debt. :)
That would be ace Manc scummers.
3 months ago
Cant agree more...sell him, get a striker, a midfielder plus some cash. Soccer game is about team work, not him alone. Let him realize his nightmare...
3 months ago
great job to the person who did this.He has searcheed a lot of facts that should convince ronaldo stay where he needs to.If he stays another seaon he wont be playing well only to go to madrid
3 months ago
a little of topic, but Spanish teams like Real Madrid and Barca treat their players very well. the players you mentioned caused their own downfall; disobaying the coach, drinking, partying, gaining weight, fighting with the other players; everyone was calling for their heads long before their teams finally gave up on them (note that Barca still hasn't completely given up on Ronnie yet even though he's a jerk). Man U fans on the other hand would turn on him again in a heart beat like they did with the whole Rooney fiasco.
3 months ago
all of the cristian's fan love him when he is in man unt RED DEVILS i wish that he stays in man unt i pray
3 months ago
This puts the 6+5 idea in context does it not? If CR was English (or British or UKish) he would want to stay at MU as have those like Giggs and Scholes. But CR is from Portugal and they grow up with Spanish football. Naturally they want to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona. It's understandable. If CR wants to play in Spain, he is entitled to try. MU cannot complain too much. What Real is doing to them only echoes what they did to Bayern Munich over Hargreaves.
3 months ago
a little bit below the belt in some places 'no wonder mourinho branded him illiterate' is a bit much i think, personal insults are not needed by a mere commentator on the guys career.
'obviously more talented ronaldo da lima' is also a bit much, the guy is young do you know how he will play for the next 7-10 years?
writing about the guy is one thing but petty insults are bordering on childish jealousy, have a little respect, would you insult him in person? perhaps you would.
reasonable argument but not anything new I'm afraid.
In this situation the most powerful person is Cristiano Ronaldo, not the Glazers not Ferguson and not anyone else, I think he is playing the whole situation nicely. Either way he will get a contract that will ensure his future for the rest of his life so before calling him stupid think on that fact.
3 months ago
Really enjoyed this. Its well written and very clear. Hope Ronaldo is reading this or somebody is reading for him if he "no comprende" ingles.
3 months ago
HE would be better of playing in spain in my opinion rather than carrying one team he can actually be an equal with madrids players.
3 months ago
no player is bigger than any club. if ronaldo, for all his value to man utd over the last two seasons, wants to go, then (a) he should show respcet to the club that have nurtured him (not to mention fans who pay hard earned cash) and state categorically his wishes and (b) more importantly, utd should get rid. By getting rid I mean play hard ball, get the best deal from Real and/or explore other interested parties.
Ronaldo, it seems, undervalues what Utd have and can give him. he recently stated he wanted to be a club great. He is a far far way off, judging on the behaviour. (take a leaf out of schole's book - who apparently, when approached recently about negotiating what would be his last Utd contract, stated that he was paid very well as it stands, thankyou very much, and that there were no negotiations needed, just his signature - a lesson for all footballers?)
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