At Ronaldo’s age, he’s in the twilight of his career, and taking into account his unbridled obsession with success, he is bidding to make the most out of the little time he has left at the top.
Last year, he was on the verge of signing for City until the club of his heart Manchester United came calling.
Even his biggest enemies will agree he gave everything last season. Twenty-seven goal contributions in 38 games are no mean feat. However, at a collective level, the team struggled and it was clear that an overhaul was needed.
At 37, Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer a project player. I mean you don’t bring him and talk project. He needs a stable competitive team to deservingly enjoy his final days. On the flip side, Ten Hag’s Manchester United is a project. Realizing that, Ronaldo asked to leave, reasonably so.
However, United can be guilty of not having made things easy for him to leave. Ten Hag never ceased saying he was counting on the Portuguese.
He eventually stayed and here we are now. Ronaldo did not have a proper pre-season so his slow start to the campaign was expected. He has finally gained full fitness, yet the coach does not show any sign of wanting or needing him. Ronaldo has been too professional in handling the situation. He has been too considerate, placing the team above himself, and applauding goals all the way from the dugout.
Nonetheless, there is a limit to what a person can take. Yesterday night was a straw too heavy to bear for ‘el bicho’. Ronaldo was made to warm up for long minutes only to be snobbed at the end.
We are not talking about just any footballer here. We are talking about “a living work of art” as Peter Drury would describe, one of the greatest footballers ever to walk the surface of the earth.
A coach that has him must be ready to make concessions to keep him happy. For all that he has achieved, contributing enormously to the growth of the modern game, Cristiano Ronaldo is not just that boy from Madeira, he is a brand; he is football heritage. If you’re not ready to give him special treatment, let him go.
As Chinua Achebe says, he who brings ant-infested firewood to his hut should not grumble when lizards pay him a visit. Ten Hag failed. He should have facilitated Ronaldo’s exit in the summer, or at least he should have avoided giving him false hopes.
Ade Divine