Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has offered up his thoery on why Cristiano Ronaldo was so desperate to call time on his second stint at Old Trafford
Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United as he felt he wasn’t trusted to lead the club, according to Red Devils legend Dwight Yorke.
The 37-year-old forward left Old Trafford in controversial circumstances late last year after participating in a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan that saw Ronaldo air all of his views on everyone from manager Erik ten Hag to the Glazer family – neither of whom were discussed particularly positively.
Having told the world that he had “no respect” for Ten Hag, United were left with very little choice but to oversee the departure Ronaldo so desperately wanted anyway. His Red Devils contract was terminated by mutual consent and he has since put pen to paper on a deal with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr where he is expected to earn around £173 per year as the highest-paid footballer ever.
United are unlikely to feel the repercussions of Ronaldo’s exit too much considering he was used sparingly under Ten Hag, something that Yorke feels annoyed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner who felt he had it in him to restore the club to their former glories.
“I know that there was someone who is really passionate and really loves Manchester United, and wanted to take Manchester United back to the top,” Yorke told The National. “But he clearly felt that the only way he could help the club get anywhere near that, I think he needed to be the leader.”
Despite the fact that Ronaldo boasts plenty of experience at the absolute highest level, he clearly felt his expertise was not being put to good use and reports of his frustration over the fact that Harry Maguire was the man with the captain’s armband littered his second spell at the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure for the majority of his second season at Manchester United ( Image: Getty Images)
Yorke goes on to address the much-maligned central defender as he adds: “‘I think, with Harry Maguire not being fully in the fold, I felt that Ronaldo didn’t think that was the right call; that he felt he should have led.
“Being the top scorer, he felt he didn’t get enough respect, because without him last year, United would have been nowhere near.”
During his bombshell interview, Ronaldo also took aim at United’s structure and the lack of improvements made since he first left the club back in 2009, something Yorke feels was the tipping point in the forward’s mind.
“I think he got to the point where he had enough. He saw that the club was not heading in the direction he wanted it to. He wanted to lead and wasn’t given that opportunity, so it just boiled over.”
United have barely looked back since Ronaldo’s exit and have not lost a game since the resumption of club football following the World Cup last month.
The Red Devils now sit fourth in the table, two points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham having played a game less. They also remain in both domestic cup competitions.
Plan for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabia debut revealed – with Al-Nassr manager fu
Cristiano Ronaldo has seen his Al-Nassr debut delayed due to a ban and now he could feature for a Saudi All-Star team before his new employers in a friendly with PSG
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘s planned debut in Saudi Arabia could not be for new club Al-Nassr, but instead a Saudi All-Star team who will take on PSG.
The exhibition fixture will take place on January 19 and could be the first time we see the forward in action since Portugal’s World Cup exit. PSG will be in the midst of a winter tour and have confirmed the fixture, which will take place at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh
Ronaldo has not played any domestic football for almost two months following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United. It was his antics whilst playing for the Red Devils that have delayed his debut. Ronaldo slapped a phone out of a young fans hand and was given a two-match ban, which he has had to serve in Saudi Arabia, thus delaying his bow for Al-Nassr.
The fact his first game in the Middle East will not be for his new club, who have paid fortunes to bring him to the kingdom, has greatly angered manager Rudi Garcia. “As coach of Al-Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match,” he said. “We have a league game three days later.”
Al-Nassr face Al-Ettifaq, which could be Ronaldo’s first run out for the new league leaders. Garcia’s side won at the weekend whilst their nearest rivals lost for just the second time this season.
The Al-Nassr boss, whilst clearly frustrated by Ronaldo’s potential involvement in the All-Star game, does accept that the 37-year-old’s arrival in the country has changed the dynamic. “It’s a bit like Pele’s arrival (in what was then the North American Soccer League),” he said. “Especially for the development of football, sport and culture in Saudi Arabia.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has been unveiled at Al-Nassr but is yet to make his debut
“It’s great. Great for us, for Al-Nassr. Great for Saudi Arabia. Cristiano Ronaldo is more than a player. He is one of the best players in the world. It’s amazing how much it’s put a spotlight on our club. Now everyone knows where our club is around the world. We must have gone from 800,000 (followers) to 10 million in a few hours, a few days, because of Cristiano’s arrival.
Garcia also added on Ronaldo’s character amid suggestions he has upset recent dressing rooms: “The greatest champions are the easiest to manage. He blended in with the squad. We saw him joking and laughing with pleasure with his new teammates. He was with us for the last game, even if he couldn’t play. He was in the locker room, riding his bike.”
Source: mirror.co.uk
