Guillem: You know that when you return to Manchester people will be upset with you
Ronaldo: But that will pass, a couple of good goals and people will be happy
Ummm I don’t think so Mister. It will take much more than just a couple of good goals for us to start liking you again.
Ronaldo`s Ego Talks Louder Than Money
by Pete Gill
‘Why would Ronaldo want to leave the champions of Europe?’ asked one perplexed Mailboxer this week. Only the man himself can produce the definitive answer, but it is probably precisely because Manchester United are the champions of Europe and England that Ronaldo wants to leave.
As a Manchester United player, he has nothing left to prove or win. If he has concluded that two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one Carling Cup and one European Cup amount to a satisfactory haul from his five-year haul in England, then who can argue? He has become a visitor from his own success.
The wording of the statement with which he finally confirmed his intention to leave Manchester this summer depicted money as fundamental to his choice. Yet what is money to Ronaldo, already a multi-millionaire at the age of 23? If simple greed was paramount in his outlook then his representatives would currently be in negotiations with United over a new deal, striving to engineer a bidding war between United and Madrid.
A £300,000-a-week wage – the amount Madrid are supposedly offering – is a sum that would capture anyone’s attention, but the status that such a deal would confer on Ronaldo is equally persuasive. The supreme egoist, Ronaldo wants to be regarded as the best player in the world. Is there a more trenchant cause to claim that title than becoming the best-paid player in the world as well as the most expensive? Note that his statement stipulated that he was willing to join Madrid only if they “pay what Manchester United ask of them”. Money matters to Ronaldo but not necessarily in the way that his detractors claim.
Not that labelling Ronaldo the supreme egoist is necessarily a rebuke either. Ronaldo’s game is based on confidence and arrogance in much the same way as Thierry Henry’s is/was on pace. Without belief, the tricks and outrageous showmanship would be redundant. Madrid’s trick has been to feed that swollen ego by making Ronaldo the subject of the summer. He is, it is reasonable to presume, loving the attention as well as the blatant implication from Madrid’s pursuit that only he alone – the greatest player on the planet – can save the Spanish giants from becoming also-rans on the continent (they may have won La Liga in successive years but it is four years since they progressed beyond the first knock-out stage of the Champions League).
There was a telling sight in the immediate moments after United’s Champions League victory in Moscow. As the rest of the squad rushed forward, seemingly joined at the hip, towards Edwin van der Sar, Ronaldo stood alone before throwing himself to the turf. Perhaps it was an instinctive reaction of relief following his failure to score in the penalty shoot-out. Or perhaps it was the response of a showman still striving to hog the limelight, unable to share the drug of adulation. Only Ronaldo himself really knows, but the moment was memorable in so much as it was the first public indication that he had bought into the notion that he was the core individual in Manchester United’s legendary one-man team.
Regardless of the money involved, Madrid’s approach, dressed up as a plea for a one-man rescue act, has thus become too good for Ronaldo to turn down. Without it, another year, and the risk of relative failure, at Old Trafford would await. He may lack the modesty to ask himself such as question, but how could Ronaldo realistically improve on a season of 42 goals, a Premier League title, Champions League glory and another Player of the Year award? The challenge of resurrection that awaits in Spain is the one that his ego craves and requires to sustain itself.
United have repeatedly and strenuously insisted that they will not sell their prized asset and the issue now becomes collision of two truisms: the first that Sir Alex Ferguson never sells a player he wants to keep and the second that clubs, even the biggest kind, never keep players who want to leave. The likelihood is that Ferguson will eventually be worn down by Real’s resolve and Ronaldo’s agitating into accepting a deal. United will surely eventually follow Ronaldo’s example and regard Madrid’s offer as too lucrative to refuse. With the fee bound to exceed £70m, Ronaldo’s departure would finance at least two high-profile signings, most probably either Dimitar Berbatov or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and, given Carlos Queiroz’s increasing influence, Porto’s Ricardo Quaresma.
Although Quaresma would be a like-for-like replacement for Ronaldo, the arrival of a second striker would also enable United to move in a new direction. The flexible, interchanging 4-3-3 formation of last season was designed in part to reflect Ronaldo’s evolution into a forward who was neither a winger nor a striker. As such, their development was reliant on his. Independent and once again masters of their own collective destiny, United could revert to a 4-4-2 system that would instead make Wayne Rooney and partner its centrepiece.
The question is whether Ferguson, now openly discussing his retirement, still possesses the energy for another rebirth. The ‘Ronaldo team’ should have been the last of his reign. Suddenly, and without warning, that plan has been scotched.
Yet the doom-mongers should tread carefully. Queiroz has already accepted the bulk of Ferguson’s day-to-day responsibilities and the loss of Ronaldo will no doubt be offset by headline-grabbing arrivals. The temptation will be to depict Ronaldo’s departure as a 42-goal reduction. It will be no such thing. Just as the £2bn supposedly lost by the British economy in the wake of England’s elimination from Euro 2008 didn’t go up in smoke at a giant bonfire, the player(s) who replace Ronaldo will provide their own number of assists and goals. It may not equate to the amount he produced in 2007/08 but it should suffice.
Thoughts of the day;Eric Cantona has told Cristiano Ronaldo: Manchester United will survive without you.
With Ronaldo touting himself to Real Madrid, United legend Cantona stepped into the battle yesterday declaring: “United is one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“They have been winning, are winning and will continue to win things generation after generation. They will always win whoever they have playing for them.”
According to The Sun, Ronny has told SAF himself that he will go to Real if the price is right…
Earlier today;
Real To Offer Ronaldo 300k A Week?
In the latest development in one of the most bizarre and high-profile transfer sagas in the history of football, Real Madrid are reportedly ready to offer Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo an earth-shattering contract to move to the Spanish champions…
»Comments (65) Print This Story Send To A Friend Contact Us galleria zoom Much of the English press are reporting that the Portuguese phenomenon will be earning the astronomical figure – comfortably over twice as much as the next highest earners in the sport – in a five-year contract worth a staggering £75 million.Los Blancos are reported to have made it clear to the player’s representatives that the offer will not be on the table in a year’s time – which is when it is now rumoured Ronaldo will eventually make his ‘dream’ move.
It was stated late last week that Ronaldo would make a final decision on his future in the coming days and rumours emerged yesterday that the winger had told family and close friends of his plan to leave the club, though there were conflicting reports released hours earlier that the player would stay on for a further year at Old Trafford.
next year?
watch out this space.
Ever since we won the Champions League, the speculation of Ronaldo’s imminent departure has been allover the place and only one person has the ability to put to rest: Ronaldo himself.
He has chosen not to, and there are a couple of reasons for this, either he wants to go to Madrid where he claims he dreams of or he wants more money from United. We all hope it is the latter, my guts tell me it isn’t about Nereida Gallardo or Dolores Aveiro, but he is willing and ready to go to Madrid.
I know no one wants to believe it but it does not take a genius to tell when a player wants to stay and where his heart is. Great players have come and go, but true legends like Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Solskjaer and others who live and breath red would not let such speculation go on and inflame it by claiming Madrid is their “dream”…
They have stuck with us all the way and many have committed their entire careers to United and leave no doubts. United has become stronger and stronger even when it lost very good players and will stay on top of the world no matter who leaves.
Ronaldo is a great player, has done a lot for us and we all love him. We hope he stays. But the million dollar question is: DOES RONALDO REALLY HAVE UNITED AT HIS HEART OR IS IT JUST ANOTHER CLUB?
Earlier today:
Robinho Reveal Ronaldo Proposal
Real Madrid winger Robinho claims he is part of a proposal which could see Cristiano Ronaldo leave Manchester United for the Bernabeu.The Brazil international, who says he has also interested Chelsea, is keen to remain in Madrid but concedes he would have “no problem in leaving”.
Robinho’s remarks, reported by Portuguese newspaper A Bola, contradict numerous statements from United, who have repeatedly said they are not interested in trading Ronaldo.
The Spanish champions declined to comment on Robinho’s claims.
The Brazilian said:
“There are proposals, yes. One is from Manchester United which would be in exchange for Cristiano Ronaldo and the other is from Chelsea.”
Robinho played an important role in Madrid’s Primera Liga title success last season – scoring 11 goals in 32 league games – but faces an uncertain future under Bernd Schuster.
He added: “I have never hidden my desire to remain at Real Madrid.
“But if the negotiations materialise into something I will have no problem in leaving.”
Robinho’s comments will increase speculation around Ronaldo, who said on Saturday he will make an announcement on his future in “two to three days”.
BREAKING NEWS:
Following the transfer of Gerard Pique to Barca;
Manchester United are expected to launch a £20m bid to lure Micah Richards from neighbours Manchester City to Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson is reported to have been keeping tabs on the England defender for some time and the imminent sale of Gerard Pique to Barcelona – United confirmed on Tuesday that an agreement has been reached between the two clubs – is likely to result in a formal offer.
Pique’s departure leaves Wes Brown as the lone cover for both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, a situation made all the more precarious by long-term doubts over Gary Neville’s fitness. The versatile Richards would be able to provide cover at both centre-half and right-back.
The Daily Mirror claims that Richards features on a three-man target-list along with Seville duo Luis Fabiano and Daniel Alves, while The Daily Telegraph reports: ‘The ongoing uncertainty over the future of manager Sven Goran Eriksson and any likely successor at Eastlands has convinced the United manager that a bid in the region of £20 million would be accepted.
Earlier today:
It’s official now.
MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gerard Pique is joining Barcelona.
The Spanish centre-half has decided to return to his homeland after failing to establish himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford.
Pique, 21, will sign a four-year deal with La Liga giants Barca, who were beaten by United in this year’s Champions League semi-finals.
The Red Devils snapped the youngster up from Barca’s academy in 2004 but he has made just 14 starts since arriving in England.
His hopes of breaking into the United team remained slim thanks to the formidable partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
A Barca statement said: “The player will this afternoon sign a contract that will link him to Barcelona until 2012 and which will include a buy-out clause of £39.9million.
“With this transfer, Gerard Pique returns to Barca, the club in which he began his career as a player between 1997 and 2004, when he left to join Manchester United.”
COMMENT:
Gutted, we just sold 1 of the best young central defenders in the world. We already knew about this for past few days. Though Rio-Vida pairing are unbreakable, we should give Pique chances. We could have keep him for another season, at least. Honestly i viewed Pique-Evans as a shadow and understudy to Rio-Vida and they were our future CB pairing. It’s obvious that Wes won’t continue as RB for the next season and we will sign a new RB for a long term replacement for Gary. As for Richards, he will be a quality addition to the squad.
Today is another boring Sunday since all major European leagues have wrapped up for 2007-2008 season. Cant wait for Euro 2008 to begin in June.
Here is some footy news (and rumours…);
Barca Stopped United Henry Bid
Thierry Henry was prevented from considering a move to Manchester United recently after being told that he was is Pep Guardiola’s plans at Barcelona for next season, according to a report.
“Thierry was told by the new coach he didn’t want him to leave, that he was going to be a big player for Barca next season and would have an important role to play for them,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying.
“That was the reassurance Thierry needed but United were ready to buy him.”
While United may have been monitoring his situation, Henry has always insisted that he would only return to Arsenal if he were to go back to the Premier League.
COMMENT:
HAHA! I doubt United would have paid a large sum for a 30+ years old attacker, we are not desperate in the slightest. Henry is Arsenal through and through. For example, you can never imagine Giggs going to join Arsenal under whatever circumstance. The story is just a joke, even though Henry will always remain a big player, he will never hit the form that he had during his Arsenal days, that is a fact. Whilst Saha’s days were numbered, Frazier Campbell is maybe worth of going for another season on loan with Hull and this time he will get his chance to ply his trade in top-flight football. Though I have this kind of feeling that Manucho is going to be a hit next season, I still like the idea of another addition of young and potential goal poacher in the mould of Ruud Van Nistelrooy to add another dynamic and options to our attacking force. We are still tracking KJ Huntelaar, Marcelo Moreno, Stevan Jovetic and perhaps, Karim Benzema. Any of those mentioned will make it happen for us.
