Nani's Public Outburst May Have Sealed His Old Trafford Exit

If you ever want to stamp your ticket out of Old Trafford, publicly abusing Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly one of way of getting your wish.

Nani did exactly this last week and it seems increasingly likely that his third year in England may well be his last.

It’s not been easy for Nani who arrived at Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2007. He may have collected winners’ medals, but his form has been patchy at best, and he has struggled to emerge from the large shadow cast by his fellow Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nani will forever be tied to Ronaldo whether he likes it or not. Both hail from Portugal, both represented Sporting Lisbon as teenagers and they share similar styles and demeanours. It cannot be easy for United’s current winger to have people make comparisons with one of the world’s best but they are inevitable.

In his third year and particularly in the absence of Ronaldo, Nani was supposed to blossom into the player he threatens to be.

There have been moments of sheer brilliance and it is even more frustrating when everyone is aware of the sheer potential he has.

Good with both feet, quick and an ability to launch long range rockets into the top corner, Nani is capable of being the explosive winger to complement Antonio Valencia. But all too often he is inconsistent, constantly looking to cut inside on his right foot and shoot or failing to clear the first man with crosses.

It seems that Nani lacks the motivation and drive to become a better player. In his current surroundings and with the players around him, his game should thrive but instead he seems disillusioned with life in Manchester. When Ronaldo found life difficult, he pushed himself onto the next level.

He strived to channel his talents in a more effective way and went on to be the most devastating attacking player in European football. The hunger to want to become a great player is often just as important as technical ability.

Ferguson himself has always been a man who values hard work. It comes from his background, his upbringing and he expects his own players to give their all. His side is filled with players who perhaps don’t have great technical attributes but make up for it through pure commitment.

Nani claimed his confidence was “shattered” after not being guaranteed a first-team spot and maybe he is the sort of player who requires an arm around them rather than the harsher hairdryer treatment.

But he is unlikely to find this from Ferguson and those who have questioned his methods usually end up with a large slice of humble pie to accompany those queries.

You would think players would be astute enough to realise that mouthing off in the media is always likely to come back and haunt you. Words may well be twisted but it is surely better to keep quiet and not take the chance. Nani only needs to look at how Jaap Stam was discarded after spouting off in his book.

Perhaps the Portuguese winger is looking for a way out. If not, he may well have created one.