Today Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Cristiano Ronaldo, the club's star player, will be remaining at Old Trafford. Uncertainty about the Portuguese winger's future has added fuel to rumours for months. The question now is, if Ronaldo is to stay, how do he and United progress from here?
It is not the first summer that there has been intense speculation about Ronaldo moving away from Manchester.
Following the 2006 World Cup, in which he played a controversial part in England's quarterfinal stage defeat to Portugal, the majority of football pundits and fans believed that Ronaldo's position at United was untenable, such was the anger directed at the "winker." Videos of Man Utd fans burning their Ronaldo No. 7 jerseys even surfaced on various video sharing websites.
Despite all that, Ronaldo was persuaded to stay. He went on to enjoy his most productive two seasons at Old Trafford, culminating in claims from many quarters that he was the best footballer in the world.
Ronaldo re-captured the hearts of Red Devils followers, while also converting those who previously had seen him as an over-hyped show pony.
Now, though, the situation is different. Ronaldo has allowed the tabloid speculation to go on for far too long, rarely expressing any desire to stay at Old Trafford and even boldly declaring that he "didn't care" about the opinions of his mentor Ferguson or anyone else.
Rather than accepting that he owed it to United fans to see out his contract, he publicly stated his happiness with FIFA President Sepp Blatter's assertion that Man Utd were treating him like a "modern slave" and that the club owed him his "dream move" to Real Madrid.
It is this attitude that has done real damage to Ronaldo's reputation in England.
In a country in which the continued failure of the national team is causing football fans to become increasingly disillusioned with the modern day football excesses of bling, cars, WAGs, and magazine deals, Ronaldo's claims that his wages of £120,000 per week make him United's slave incite near universal vitriol.
Whatever a player's achievements, the mantra in England is "no player is bigger than the club." At a proud club such as Manchester United, this belief is stronger than anywhere else, and for many Devils fans what offends most is the implication that their club is smaller than the Spanish champions Real Madrid.
The accusations flying between the managers and executives have been a sideshow. The real issue is the attitude of the player himself.
Now, if Ronaldo is to stay at United, will the marriage be any more than temporary, with his standing at the club done irreparable damage? Will the chemistry between he and his teammates be affected considering his behaviour?
Or will this situation prove to be no different than the last time, with the United fans and staff forgiving and forgetting once their mercurial number seven starts scoring in the famous red shirt once again?
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about 1 month ago
When did Ronaldo say he was happy or at least agreed with Sepp Blatter's comments? I don't remember that.
about 1 month ago
I watched the interview myself, but here is a news article repeating his comments.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/11/sfnbla111.xml
about 1 month ago
why manu wants to keep that player???
his attitude is not as a great player or as a manu player.....
about 1 month ago
United fans burning ronaldo shirts after the world cup? I seriously doubt that.They would have been england fans.
about 1 month ago
Yeah I guess it's true Ronaldo did agree with Blatter's comments. But it's weird because most ex-players have criticized Blatter for saying that.
But I agree with Anthony, I don't think any United fans would burn his jersey after the world cup. No United fan would do that, especially if it's their own club jersey! But even it was a t-shirt I still doubt they'd do that.
about 1 month ago
Sounds unlikely I know but following the World Cup I remember seeing such a video posted on a football blog. Have unsuccessfully attempted to find that video again so have no proof of its existence. In any case, it could have been an opposition fan posing as Utd fan I guess.
Most ex-players, including Pele and Gordon Banks, disagreed with Blatter, but I think 'ex' is the pivotal word. These players plied their trade in a very different environment, and the money and glamour of today's game was not around in their time. Without wishing to over-generalise, many players of the current era - especially the likes of Ronaldo - seem to see what they get as a right, not a privilege.
about 1 month ago
Good point by Nicholas - where's the gratitude by these modern day players? I understand that times are different than before but with the likes of Real Madrid recycling players constantly and booting them out when they are past their best - is it not them that treat players like a piece of meat?
Giggs and Scholes would have seen the exit door ages ago if they were at Real while United go as far as to keep players on as coaches even if they were blighted by injury (Solskjaer) and probably had less of a right to expect club loyalty than these so called superstars.
As for Sepp 'my IQ 29' Blatter saying we treat him as a slave - apart from the sheer ridiculousness and laughability of the comment - I wonder if the same comparison would be made if Ronaldo was an employee of a big firm and not a footballer but in exactly the same situation - in a contractual agreement? Football applies to different rules apparently.
It seems skill and ability is now abundant yet attitude and loyalty is thin on the ground.
about 1 month ago
Good point Ric. Modern day footballers seem to have different priorities. I guess it's not about playing for the pride of your club or for the joy of the game anymore. Such a shame. Before we know it even players on international teams will be insisting on getting paid! Hopefully not though.
about 1 month ago
ronaldo is a very shrewd person. So he doesn't need anyone to make decisions for him. He will go were he wants to.He doesn't give a shit about anyone else!! Atleast rightnow it seems like that. If he wants to go to real...........in which there is no doubt he will.HE WIll GO THEN!!why should'nt he go there??..................money whores sun beach,......................spain ..................................what else does that bastard need??...........What if it means leaving manchesterunited...............leaving england.............forgetting to repay alex ferguson.......................he doesnt care.................he doesnt give a fuck!!.............................we can just wait for the future.................and his decision....................
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