New Delhi: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism on the club’s performance and has said that opinions from outside the club isn’t his point of botheration. Ronaldo had recently criticised Ten Hag’s negative attitude and felt that was the reason behind the club’s recent performances.
In a conversation with Rio Ferdinand, his former United teammate, Ronaldo had weighed in on Ten Hag’s comment in a pre-season interview. The 54-year-old manager had said that the team was far from lifting a Premier League title, having last won in 2013. Ronaldo, though he agreed that the club’s chances of winning the championship were almost none, felt Ten Hag, as the manager of the club, should have sent out a more positive message in pre-season.
Reacting to the Al-Nassr forward’s comments, Ten Hag responded ahead of the team’s appearance in Southampton. Ten Hag felt that Ronaldo had made exactly the same comment about the team’s chance at bringing home the title. The United top boss further mentioned that while Ronaldo has the right to have a viewpoint on the situation, he was in Saudi Arabia and couldn’t judge the situation in Manchester from so far.
🗣️ Erik Ten Hag on Cristiano Ronaldo comments:
“No, he said this. If you read the article very well. He is far away in Saudi, far away from Manchester. He is entitled to have an opinion, it is okay.” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/woJUZNNRGk
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) September 12, 2024
The United manager noted that the team was still in “transition” and that the team is aware of their current situation and what their aim is. He noted that young players still needed time and space to be “integrated” in the club and the big stage. Further the team has been hit with a few injuries in the recent times and that is still a concern for Ten Hag. However, he has maintained that there will be no excuses for not winning and performing consistently.
When Ten Hag and United take to the Southampton pitch, they know that the side is in one of their worst shape since 1986-87 when Ron Atkinson was dismissed and Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed instead. After starting with a 1-0 win over Fulham, United suffered a 2-1 loss against Brighton and Hove Albion before suffering a 0-3 loss in their home at Old Trafford to Liverpool. In the two-week international break, there have been speculation over Ten Hag’s future with the club.
Ronaldo was part of the United dressing room for two stints. He first appeared for the club in 2003 and scored 103 times in 236 appearances overall. He left United in 2009, and although he made a brief comeback to the side in 2021, it wasn’t a successful one, and he left the side in 2022 to make his move to the Saudi Pro League to play for Al-Nassr.
Ten Hag’s commented on his team’s transition phase and that it didn’t bother on individual’s opinions who were not in the Manchester set-up. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
