Gary Neville speaks out on Cristiano Ronaldo interview

Gary Neville has weighed in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments following the first instalment of his interview.

Neville himself was mentioned in the first hour of the interview, which aired to the public last night, as the former Manchester United captain had criticised Ronaldo for his behaviour this season.

Ronaldo insisted that Neville and Wayne Rooney, who had also previously spoken out on the forward’s situation, were not his friends and instead, colleagues.

Neville had a heated debate with another ex-captain Roy Keane during post-match analysis for the Chelsea game on Sky Sports in October. Ronaldo was omitted entirely from the squad, after refusing the come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hostpur. He then departed Old Trafford before the final whistle.

Due to the right-back’s comments, Ronaldo looks to have cut ties with his former teammate and was even shown blanking him at a recent United match at Old Trafford. Neville likely won’t lose any sleep, though.

Neville weighs in

On Sky Sports, he said (via Football Daily): “I don’t know what he thought in respect to what the United fans would think. 

“I can’t think that any PR advisor would have told him to go and do what he’s done, I think he would have done this off his own back with his own strength of character and personality. I think there was probably a different way to do it.

“When I had that debate in the Sky Sports studio after the Chelsea game three or four weeks ago with Roy Keane, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dave Jones, I urged Man Utd and Cristiano to come together that week, ‘cause it was obvious that the relationship was failing – or had failed. And to navigate a pathway to January or the World Cup whereby they created a truce.

”Exits don’t have to happen this way, both sides are proactive and mature. I’m disappointed that that meeting doesn’t seem to have happened.

“Cristiano hasn’t been controlled or managed.”

He added: “It’s ended up in this quite unsavoury situation whereby it looks like Cristiano’s going to end this period of his reign at Man Utd not as great – I suppose – feelings as it should be. He’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game in the world and he’s certainly one of United’s greatest ever players.

“I remember when played left Man Utd when I was there and it didn’t always end in the right way, it never felt right when I was at the club and it still doesn’t feel right now as a Man Utd fan. Somebody that I played with needs to leave the club in this way or that the club need to end it in this way.”

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