Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo has slammed Erik ten Hag for his recent comments regarding the club and their ability to challenge for major trophies.
Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested that Erik ten Hag should be more ambitious because he is managing one of the biggest clubs in the world, and he cannot make remarks that the team is not ready to compete at the highest level.
The Dutch manager has been backed significantly in the market ever since he arrived, and he has spent over £600 million on several new signings. However, Manchester United have not been able to push for the Premier League title or the UEFA Champions League trophy so far.
The Dutchman is clearly under a lot of pressure, and he will need to deliver if he wants to hold onto his job. Manchester United have started the season poorly, and they have lost two of their first three league matches. A club of their statue simply needs to do better, and the Dutch manager has been slammed by pundits.
“The coach says they cannot compete to win the [Premier] League and Champions League,” Ronaldo told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast before continuing, “As Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.
“Mentally [you can] say maybe we don’t have that potential, but I cannot say that. We’re going to try, you have to try. What I wish for Manchester [United], it’s what I wish for me – [to be] the best team they can. I love that club… I’m not that kind of guy that forgot the past.”
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has also suggested that ten Hag should heed the suggestion of former players like Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who know the club well and the expectations of the fans. The Dutchman has been appointed as an assistant manager, and it remains to be seen whether he can help his compatriot steady the ship at Old Trafford.
Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they are expected to compete for major trophies every season. Erik ten Hag will need to match up to their ambitions if he wants to coach them in the long run. It has been a long time since the Red Devils have won the Premier League title and the fans are clearly desperate for success.
Instead of dampening expectations, the manager must provide the fans and the players with hope that they can compete with the elite club and win trophies on a regular basis.
Manchester United need to rebuild
Ronaldo further added that Manchester United are in need of an extensive rebuild. They have already signed a number of quality players this summer, and it remains to be seen whether they can plug the remaining gaps in their site in the coming months.
Ronaldo added, “They need to rebuild everything, in my opinion. The club needs time to rebuild because it’s still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. They understand that this is the only way.
“If Ten Hag listens to Ruud, maybe he can [help himself]. I think it can help a lot because he knows the club and the club should listen [to] the guys who were there. You [Rio] or Roy Keane or Paul Scholes or Gary Neville [or] Sir Alex Ferguson. You cannot rebuild a club without knowledge – not guys who work in [the] office.”
“The people who understand the football are the people who were there in the dressing room. They know how to deal with the players. So I believe that Ruud is going to help because he was inside the club. He knows the club, he knows the fans. If the coach listens to him, I think they can improve a little bit the club.”
