‘He let the team down’: Former Man United manager Erik ten Hag breaks silence on Cristiano Ronaldo saga
New Delhi: return to ended on a bad note, with former manager Erik Ten Hag now offering his perspective on the entire saga. The Dutch coach said that Ronaldo let both him and the team down, arguing that his reputation could not outweigh the importance of discipline and putting the club first.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag opened up on a relationship that deteriorated during the 2022-23 season. While acknowledging Ronaldo’s achievements in football, Ten Hag said that the Portuguese striker’s approach to training and fitness made it difficult for him to implement his vision at Manchester United.
Ronaldo made a sensational return to Old Trafford in 2021, scoring 24 goals across all competitions in 2021-22, including 18 in the Premier League and six in the Champions League. But things changed dramatically under the Dutch, with Ronaldo netting just three goals in 16 appearances across all competitions.
Tensions further escalated after Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur and left the stadium before full-time. Manchester United then terminated Ronaldo’s contract after he gave an explosive interview to Piers Morgan, criticising the club’s hierarchy, manager infrastructure, and facilities.
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him. I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United. Obviously, he’s one of the best in football history. I respected him a lot. But at that time, as a manager, I had to make a rational decision and keep the players I admire in,” Ten Hag said in an interview with The Athletic.
“I confronted him. Many times I say, ‘Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can’t bring yourself in the box, you can’t score.’ He was not capable to do this. It’s the wrong idea to put this to me that I expected him to do the pressing, that he’s exhausted. But he couldn’t. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” he added.
‘Owners didn’t keep their promises’
Despite winning the FA Cup and signing a contract extension, Ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United just five months into the 2024-25 season. The Dutchman said the club’s owners had made promises during negotiations over his new deal that were ultimately not fulfilled.
“They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn’t keep. I said: ‘No selling Scott McTominay.’ And in the end they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed,” Ten Hag added.
After Ten Hag, Man United appointed Ruben Amorim as head coach, who has also left the club, and Michael Carrick is now in charge. The club is currently placed in 13th position in the Premier League standings with 7 points in as many games.