"Ronaldo is coming home," read the official club announcement last summer. Manchester United had re-signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-year contract with the option to extend by a further year but that extension clause need not have been included.
Ronaldo might have returned 'home' but he's long since been ready to leave. His comments in his interview with Piers Morgan, in which he said he does not have respect for Erik ten Hag and claimed he feels 'betrayed' and 'forced out of the club' have stunned supporters and damaged his United legacy.
It's unlikely there will ever be a statue of Ronaldo at Old Trafford, just like there is of Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law. Ronaldo will not be immortalised in bronze, although he'd probably have insisted it was a statue made of gold instead, with it clear that his ego remains intact, despite his rapidly waning ability to influence football matches.
Read more: All the fall-out from Ronaldo's chat with Morgan
“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me," Ronaldo said about Ten Hag before Morgan pressed him about his future. "Yes [being forced out], not only by the coach, but two or three other guys that are around," Ronaldo replied. "I feel betrayed. Honestly, I shouldn't say that [trying to get rid of me], but listen, I don't care, I feel like some people don't want me here."
Ronaldo expressed it was his desire to leave the club in the summer and yet somehow he's being 'forced out of the club'. This is a player who indicated he wanted to leave, returned to pre-season late and only received a concrete offer from Saudi Arabia.
When Ronaldo did eventually return against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford, he wrote on Instagram: "Sunday, the King plays." It felt like he was trying to get under Ten Hag's skin and that feeling only increased when he left the friendly early without permission. Ten Hag said he 'does not condone' that type of behaviour after that game and perhaps that was the beginning of the end.
The claim that Ronaldo has been 'disrespected' by Ten Hag is as absurd as the comments about being 'forced out', unless the player reveals some new evidence when the full interview is released across Wednesday and Thursday.
It's actually Ten Hag, not Ronaldo, who has been disrespected. The Tottenham debacle, when Ronaldo refused to be substituted on before heading down the tunnel, was embarrassing and Ten Hag's handling of that delicate situation was masterful.
Ten Hag refused to allow the childish tantrum to overshadow the Tottenham victory and he made Ronaldo train on his own at Carrington, while he also suspended him from the first-team squad for the Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge.
There were talks between Ten Hag and Ronaldo that followed and he was reintegrated back into the squad. Ronaldo was pictured smiling in training and he started against Aston Villa at Villa Park at the start of November, wearing the captain's armband.
That came just 18 days after he refused to play and he wouldn't have been given that responsibility had Ten Hag truly 'disrespected' him.
Ronaldo has scored three goals this season and two of those (a rebound and a penalty) were against FC Sheriff. He's looked like a 37-year-old, providing nothing off the ball and his finishing has been uncharacteristically poor. He's been rightly benched by Ten Hag, making just four Premier League starts, and yet his overinflated self-opinion makes him believe he should have started most games.
There was no sign of Ronaldo in the squad to play Aston Villa in League Cup last week and he was absent again due to an apparent illness at Craven Cottage at the weekend.
The break for the Qatar World Cup has begun and United do not have a competitive game for six weeks, so the timing of the interview with his 'friend' Morgan is interesting, as it's also set to be released well ahead of the January window.
Ronaldo is pushing for an exit, just like he's done since the end of last season. That is completely his prerogative, of course, but his comments about Ten Hag, who is trying to rebuild the club, were incredibly disappointing and legacy-spoiling.
It's clear that Ronaldo only cares about himself, not the success of Manchester United. He is not bigger than the club, contrary to what he might think, and it's shameful that he's disrespected Ten Hag to seemingly get what he wants: a transfer away.
When Ronaldo re-signed for the club last year, he said he wanted to make 'history' during his second stint. Ronaldo has not won any silverware, but he's been able to make history regardless, as nobody will forget the manner in which he's conducted himself.
It will be a relief for Ten Hag when he leaves.
READ MORE:
