One of the most bitter transfer sagas of this summer has been the "will he/won't he" debacle regarding Cristiano Ronaldo. Although currently at Manchester United, the player is a target of Spanish giant Real Madrid, with the player himself stating "it would be a dream to play for such a club."
So incensed are Manchester United about this whole situation that they have (unsuccessfully) reported Madrid to world football governing body FIFA, citing the Spanish club's unethical tapping up of a player under contract. Although I have to think that it's fair karma for United, who have been guilty of the same thing over the years, I do have some sympathy for them.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Selective Memory
Although there is no denying his talent, there is also no denying that Ronaldo has a very selective memory. Much like other players of his generation, he seems to forget who helped make him who he is today, as well as believe in his own importance just a little too much.
At the World Cup in 2006, Ronaldo was involved in the controversial sending off of England striker Wayne Rooney, a team mate at Manchester United. Ronaldo was playing for his national team Portugal, and England were their opponents in the quarter finals of that year's tournament.
Despite the backlash that ensued across England on Ronaldo's return to the domestic scene, the protection and loyalty shown by Manchester United staff, players and fans alike was impressive, to say the least. Yet Ronaldo seems to have conveniently forgotten this.
Better than Ronaldo
Yet does it really matter anyway? It looks fairly settled that Ronaldo will probably end up at Madrid for the 2008-2009 season, but so what? Should United try and hang onto a player that has eyes elsewhere anyway?
Additionally, if the rumour mills are true, a certain Lionel Messi could be Old Trafford-bound and this little powerhouse midfielder could run rings around Ronaldo.
One thing that the Manchester United fans can be sure of-their manager Sir Alex Ferguson will do what's best for the team. He has never shirked from making big decisions, as the likes of Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam, Paul Ince, David Beckham and more have found out.
If he feels that Ronaldo will ruin what is clearly another exciting dynasty building up at the Theatre of Dreams, he'll ship him off faster than you can say "selfish brat". The team never suffered too much when the previous wearer of Ronaldo's number 7 shirt, David Beckham, was farmed out-I think it can survive the loss of a certain Portuguese prima donna.
24 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Jon Marum about 1 year ago
I agree broadly with the sentiment of your article because Manchester United will go on with or without Ronaldo.
But Leo Messi will not be coming to Old Trafford to replace Ronaldo and I haven't actually seen any reports linking United with a bid for him.
Good point about Ferguson not being afraid to take the big decisions regarding players' futures but I must disagree about your assertion that the team didn't suffer after Beckham went. It took United 4 years to win the league after he left because Van Nistelrooy's supply line had gone. Beckham made so many chances for the team and we missed that. It was only when Ruud left and we played in a different way that United really sustained a successful assault on the league title!
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Danny Brown about 1 year ago
Hi Jonathan,
The Messi connection came prior to the Euro championships, towards the end of last season. While he is stated as being happy at Barca, the chance to link up with Wayne Rooney (who he has forged a good friendship with, apparently) is seen as a strong case for his coming over to the UK.
I'll agree with you on Beckham - in hindsight, van Nistelrooy's supply line did dry up, although perhaps that was more to do with United's "flat" approach at the time, albeit due to the successful Beckham/van Nistelrooy partnership. As you say, when United realized that van Nistelrooy could really only play one way as a striker, then they changed the set-up accordingly and haven't really looked back.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
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vic hindocha 12 months ago
Sell the little arrogant player!
Im a United fan, im sick of this is transfer sage. Tell Madrid 100,000,000.00 pounds, (echo about sentance) buy Messi.
Ronaldo can have of the Spanish Hookers he likes, cause if he doesnt preform at his best ever game and score in every match, he'll soon be sold to some club in Japan (no dis-respect).
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Fingon Inglorio 12 months ago
so.. what's ur point?
u mean if Ronaldo leave, united need to sell rooney and tevez as well... and some other players like nani and anderson....?
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Alan McGuinness about 1 year ago
United will go on after Ronaldo but I think they'll have to bring a new striker in as Rooney isn't clinical enough to lead the line.
Ronaldo got double the amount of goals Tevez and Rooney got last season, and no one in United's midfield really contributed a significant amount of goals like Fabregas, Gerrard and Lampard did for their respective clubs last season.
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Danny Brown about 1 year ago
Hi Alan,
I agree on the Rooney front - I've always seen him as dropping off the main strike force as a leading attacking midfielder, as opposed to an out-and-out striker. Unfortunately I'd also say the same about Tevez - they're two very similar players and I see them struggling to work well together.
I think the fact that Nani, Anderson and Rooney played so well in midfield last year when called upon allowed Ronaldo more of a forward's role, and this definitely helped United's cause. Good point about another striker being needed - they must be kicking themselves that they missed out on Torres when they had a chance.
If they can get someone like Villa or Santa Cruz, then I feel United could be just as successful, if not more so, than they have been the last couple of season's.
Thanks for your opinion!
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Keith Griffin about 1 year ago
Hi Danny, good read mate...
Nice to see an article which shows a strong sentiment for Ronaldo.
As Ive said before in other articles, If Ronney leaves, although we will be sad to see him go and no doubt losing a great talent, we should give him a pat on the back, thank him for the great things he has done for the club in the last two years.
Someone else said it on this site......"he will be remmbered by the hardcore and hated by the 'prawn sandwich brigade' "
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Danny Brown about 1 year ago
Hi Keith,
Thanks, and nice to see a balanced response. Yes, he should definitely be thanked for what he has helped United achieve, and it will be the real fans that will offer this thanks.
I can't help but think that he could have handled things better, though - Thierry Henry is a prime example of how to leave a club in a respected manner. I guess that's just the way of today's footballing stars.
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Ishan Sardana 12 months ago
Tevez and Rooney cant play together? Really? Check out their combination against Boro on youtube first.
We do need an out-an-out striker, especially someone good in the air like Berbatov, Santa Cruz or even Huntelaar(who btw has said he likes United). Last season Nani and Anderson were feeding in to Ronaldo a lot, and this season, the 2 will certainly get more starts and improve their game. Also, the RB situation is a bit troubling. Brown was pretty good last season but I still dont think he can be the world class right-back we need. Neville will return but at his age, how good will he really be after such a long time out of the team? This and 2-3 more seasons, we need a good right back before the newly signed Brazilian twins can be brought into the 1st team.
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henry dumex about 1 year ago
i want ronaldo to leave the club and go and make money for himself, so that other players like nani can experssed their self
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Anthony Sanchez about 1 year ago
Rooney scored 18 goals last season while missing a third of premier league games and not being the penalty/free-kick taker.Ronaldo is a great player but after watching his 42 goals on mutv it has to be said a lot of them were tap-ins (or team goals whichever way you want to put it).
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Alex Ugarte 12 months ago
I like Ronaldo has a player, he is what makes me enjoy watching ManU play. Although I am very critical when he doesn't perform, even though he out performs most players on the pitch.
To me ManU did not make him what he is now, when he played for sporting Lisbon he demonstrated the same level of passion and skills, his skills is what attracted ManU to sign him up. ManU did not shape him to be the way he is.
I honestly hope his move to Real Madrid is a successful one, and that fans from both clubs respect him as a player.
I agree with Henry, this gives opportunity to really great players like Nani and new comers.
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Danny Brown 12 months ago
Hi Alex,
I understand what you're saying, though I feel that his move to United definitely enhanced his already impressive natural talent. When you're playing week in, week out alongside guys like Rooney, Giggs, Scholes, etc, as well as coming up against some of the best defenders in the world on the opposing teams, it's bound to make you a far better player than you currently are.
No disrespect to Portuguese football, but Ronaldo wouldn't be the player he is today without exposure to that kind of talent around him - something that would never have happened playing in the Portuguese league.
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Johnny Pinheiro 12 months ago
Man utd. need to buy Ricardo Quaresma from Porto to replace cristiano ronaldo. Man utd need to bring him up the way they did CR7, he's to good for the portuguese leauge, and needs the challange to achieve max potential, and when reached he will become 10X that of Ronaldo........
I believe Quaresma is starving to Shine, and who better to replace him then a former team-mate thats been in his shadow since back in the Sporting days???????????????
Brilliant
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Danny Brown 12 months ago
That's not a bad player to bring up, Johnny - Quaresma has been playing some great football for the last 18 months or so, he definitely deserves his chance in the spotlight.
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man u rules 12 months ago
But if ronaldo leaves he will end up like david beckham and other players who left man u for madrid and also will end up on the bench or somewhere else that the player doesn't want to be.
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Danny Brown 12 months ago
I'm not sure that's the case, mate. With Beckham, he was nearing the end of his prime anyway, and it was always public knowledge that he was bought as a commercial rather than sporting interest. Look at how successful Ruud van Nistelrooy was when he went if you want to see a Man Utd player that continued to have success outside Old Trafford.
Besides, Ronaldo is still to hit his peak, as good as he is now, so I don't think Madrid will be leaving him on the bench.
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yunie greenleaf 12 months ago
ManU will be better without him. We'll make a better new life.... CR7 just a looser!!!
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Necromancer The 12 months ago
I am glad to have seen Ronaldo represent the devils these 5 years. But am sure of the fact that I wouldn't really relish watchinghim represent us anymore after all that's gone on. Admitted, United have been guilty of the same offense in the past (more than one occasion) but right now seeing as his heart is no longer here, he should be allowed to leave, as I am more afraid about our teamwork values than anything else. And yes, I hope we milk Madrid in the process
Needless to say, he will be missed on the pitch, but with people like Nani and especially Anderson developing the way they are I think a couple of years should be good enough for them to fill the eventual void. I only wish we get a good out-and-out striker. While Rooney and Tevez are super hard-working, they aren't 'out-and-out strikers'
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ankur gupta 12 months ago
hi
a very well written article echocing sentiments of a large no of united faithfuls...i think united could ask ronaldo to leave since his heart is somewere else and he wud not do a gr8 job here lik this...but thsi raises the question can club loyalties sustain in todays money making mindset...its all about the moolah now not club loyalty...
about ronaldo leavin i think even kaka has sounded his wishes to play for united so i thin k they can get a back up and a certain nani can be groomed...but i wholly agree united need a striker since rooney and tevez both r support strikers
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Danny Brown 12 months ago
Hi Ankur,
Thanks for your compliments!
I agree wholeheartedly - it's a shame the way things have been handled, but you'd have to question the sense of keeping a player that so obviously doesn't want to be part of the team. As you say, Nani is sitting in the background and he's no slouch; and there are other excellent midfielders that are showing an interest in United.
So let Ronaldo go, take a good fee for him and keep the players that actualy want to play for the famous shirt.
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Lucky Muuka 12 months ago
Hi!
As a ManU Fan, I would say let us not plead for the young boy too much lest he will become too pompous. Let him go and we will continue surviving. We have the talents like Nani, Anderson, Tevez and Rooney.
Lucky
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TONY TROUBLE 12 months ago
if the self concious little rat wants to go....by all means!we survived before and we will after!!long live the babes!!
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ankur gupta 11 months ago
hi danny your article sparked me to write an article pls read..
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/42668-club-loyalty-does-it-exist
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