Cristiano Ronaldo's Response to Manchester United's Descent into Relegation Troubles
Cristiano Ronaldo has the last smirk now.
When he parted ways with Manchester United roughly two years back, it was met with widespread criticism. Barney Ronay of The Guardian, echoing the sentiments of many onlookers, labeled him as a "narcissist" whose demeanor was incompatible with United's new identity under Erik Ten Hag.
"Manchester United has been a decadent vessel, a celebrity wax museum, subjected to exploitation for too long, treating it like a commodity to be exploited and milked dry," Ronay wrote.
"Where Ronaldo goes wrong is in believing that he, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the remedy for this. Instead, he is the most apparent manifestation, and the single most human embodiment of this decay."
"Only by shedding Manchester United of Cristiano Ronaldo can Ronaldo hope to mend some of the problems he, Ronaldo, correctly identifies," Ronay concluded.
"This is some of the best news the club has had in a while. Ronaldo feels estranged. Finally, there is a sign that the remedy may be starting to take effect."
Two years of separation did little to deter criticism against him.
Earlier this season, Ten Hag addressed Ronaldo's claim that the club "needs to rebuild everything," sharing that he had been tracking news about the Portuguese star's criticisms in the press.
"So he's miles away in Saudi, miles from Manchester," was Ten Hag's dismissive remark.
As time passes, it becomes more challenging for those who blamed CR7 to contradict the striker's prognosis about his former team.
Ten Hag may have captured the FA Cup last season with a stellar performance in a one-off final. However, this season has been a different story. It is evident that the overall performance trajectory is moving in a negative direction.
The difficulty for Manchester United is that things haven't improved since Ten Hag was sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim.
A Relegation Battle
If anything, matters have worsened. Manchester United has suffered four consecutive losses for the first time since 1961, now sitting seven points above the relegation zone.
Amorim has spent his initial weeks as Old Trafford's new boss discussing the potential for his dismissal, and now, most shockingly, his team finds itself fighting for survival.
"I think it is a possibility. We must be transparent with our fans," Amorim said after a disastrous 0-2 home loss to Newcastle United.
"It is also my fault," Amorim added when asked whether it was embarrassing for a Manchester United coach to discuss relegation.
"The team is not improving. It is a bit lost at the moment, and it is a bit embarrassing to be the coach of Manchester United and lose so many games."
"Our club needs a shock, and we need to recognize that," Amorim said. "It is also why I talk about relegation. That is painfully clear, and we have to fight. This is a challenging moment, one of the most challenging moments in Manchester United's history, and we have to address it honestly."
"We don't have that option in January if we don't sell some players," Amorim said. "You know the situation better than me. I am not arriving here and have the power to spend money to change the team."
In fairness to Ronaldo, he has refrained from gloating about being proven right in his criticism.
He also did not attack Amorim, instead reiterating the same complaints he made in his explosive 2021 interview with Piers Morgan, that the club has deep-seated problems.
"The Premier League is the most challenging league in the world," Ronaldo told the Globe Soccer Awards.
"All the teams are strong, all the teams compete, all the players run, all the players are strong. Football is different now. There are no easy matches now."
"I said that 1.5 years ago and I will continue to say it: The problem is not the coach. It is like an aquarium. If you put a sick fish in it and you remove it and you fix the problem and put it back in, the fish will get sick again. That is the problem of Manchester United."
"If I were the owner of the club, I would make things clear and correct what I believe is wrong there."
From Barney Ronay's perspective, Ronaldo's statement that he could fix Manchester United if he were the owner is further proof of his oversized ego.
However, considering Ronaldo is not only one of the greatest soccer players in history, with an endurance that few can match, but he has also been part of some of the most dominant teams of contemporary football, this is an opinion worth considering.
The counterpoint is that, under the leadership of minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, changes are happening at United.
It remains to be seen if these changes are the essential adjustments required to bring the club back to its former glory.
Manchester United's current struggles under Ruben Amorim have brought Cristiano Ronaldo's criticisms back into the spotlight. Despite not directly attacking Amorim, Ronaldo reiterated his concerns about the club's deep-seated problems, drawing parallels to an aquarium and a sick fish.
In contrast, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's changes at Manchester United have been noted by some, including Barney Ronay, who acknowledges that Ronaldo's extensive soccer achievements and past successes with dominant teams make his opinion on fixing the club worth considering.
