Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has harshly criticized Cristiano Ronaldo, recalling the difficult period between the two at “Old Trafford“. The Dutchman, who is currently the sporting director of Twente, revealed details about his relationship with the Portuguese superstar and explained the reasons why, in his opinion, their joint work did not go as expected.
In an interview with the authoritative publication “The Athletic“ Ten Hag said that he was disappointed by the striker's behavior, despite the great respect he had for him. The specialist said that even before taking over Manchester United, he traveled to Portugal to talk to Ronaldo in person. Then he wanted to clarify his expectations of the star and the role that he should play in the squad.
„Cristiano Ronaldo disappointed the team and let me down personally. I traveled to Portugal to talk to him before arriving at United. I respected him a lot, but as a coach you have to make the best decisions for the team“, shared the Dutchman.
One of the main topics in the relationship between the two was Ronaldo's position on the field and the way in which he should participate in the attacking game of the “Red Devils“. Ten Hag explained that he wanted the Portuguese's teammates to create conditions for him to perform as effectively as possible as a central striker.
According to the specialist, however, the problem appeared when Ronaldo failed to position himself often enough in the opponent's penalty area. That's where he should be most dangerous and use his scoring instinct, but according to his former coach, this didn't happen regularly enough.
“I told him: “Ronnie, everyone is working so that you can play in your best position - a central striker. But if you can't get to the penalty area, you can't score goals“, said Ten Hag.
The Dutchman clarified that he didn't insist that Ronaldo constantly press the opposing players. According to him, the Portuguese was already exhausted and such demands would not have been realistic. His criticism was primarily directed at the striker's movement and his participation in the game, both with and without the ball.
Ten Hag expressed the opinion that Ronaldo was not active enough in these situations, linking this to the way he prepared physically. Thus, according to the Dutchman, the problem was not limited to tactical requirements, but also to the player's willingness to maintain the required level.
The former Manchester United coach used the occasion to explain his philosophy regarding discipline and the training process. He emphasized that players can afford to save energy during certain activities, but only if they have already reached excellent physical shape.
According to Ten Hag, world-class players should not be exempted from the responsibility of working for the team. Regardless of their individual qualities and status in the team, each player must contribute to the common goals and fulfill the requirements of the coaching staff.
„Every big club must accept that they have world-class players. "But a top-level player has to work for the team," the expert said.
In the interview, Ten Hag also touched on the impact Ronaldo's behavior had on the other players. According to him, some of the Portuguese's teammates perceived him as a negative example, which further complicated the situation in the locker room.
As a specific case, the Dutchman pointed to the 0:4 defeat by Brentford. After the heavy loss, the Manchester United players had to serve a punishment imposed by the coach - three laps of the field. According to Ten Hag, however, Ronaldo refused to participate in its execution.
This episode was indicative of the discrepancy between the coach's requirements and the star's behavior. For Ten Hag, discipline and equality in the squad were important conditions for building a team in which all players follow the common rules regardless of their name and achievements.
The Dutchman's statements once again draw attention to Cristiano Ronaldo's tense period at Manchester United and the differences between him and the coaching staff. Ten Hag's words present his perspective on what happened and reveal how serious the disagreements were over the Portuguese's role, fitness and discipline in the team.