Former Manchester United assistant boss Steve McClaren has said Erik ten Hag was right to take on five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, as the Portuguese did not meet the manager’s benchmark.
One of the most successful players of the 21st century, Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2021. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner enjoyed an exceptional first season, scoring 18 goals in 30 Premier League games and finishing as the club’s top scorer. However, things went sideways the following season, as Ten Hag came on as the club’s permanent manager.
Ronaldo and Ten Hag had tiffs right from the beginning, with the manager often opting to leave the superstar on the bench. Frustrated with his situation, the former Real Madrid man publicly criticized Ten Hag during an interview with Piers Morgan, saying he had no respect for the former Ajax manager. In the aftermath of the interview, Manchester United and Ronaldo parted ways, as his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Steve McClaren Says Manchester United Boss Erik ten Hag Was Right To Axe Cristiano Ronaldo
Much has been said about the forward’s abrupt exit, but McClaren is adamant that Ten Hag handled the Ronaldo situation “very well.”
“I couldn’t fault Ten Hag’s approach,” McClaren told The Telegraph.
“He really handled it very well. I said at the time he was the right man to go in. That was shown in the way he handled [the departure of Cristiano] Ronaldo. He came in with set standards. Set rules. Set way of playing. And if you didn’t run, you didn’t play.”
He continued:
“He was rigid on that. Which the Dutch are. He knew that was what was needed. There could be no flexibility, no way the players could maneuver [out of that responsibility].
“This is what you had to do – or you didn’t play. And he took on Ronaldo, and quite rightly. Other managers have tried to adapt. Erik didn’t feel it was necessary to do that. Ralf Rangnick had tried and it hadn’t quite worked out and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the same. So Ten Hag stuck to his guns and developed other players.”
Ronaldo, who is currently plying his trade at Al-Nassr, played only 16 games under Ten Hag. He scored just thrice and claimed two assists in all competitions.
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