Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho casts his opinion on why Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United ended badly.
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2021 and there was an incredible homecoming to welcome him back, although the Portuguese superstar’s second spell at Old Trafford did not go to plan after a public spat with manager Erik ten Hag.
Manchester United were left with no other choice but to rip up Ronaldo’s contract. The club was taking a new direction under Ten Hag and could not let an ageing player negatively affect that.
Ronaldo said at the time, as quoted by the Daily Star: “I don’t have respect for him [Ten Hag] because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.
“Not only the manager, but the other two or three guys who are around the club [at the senior executive level]. I felt betrayed. I don’t care, people should listen to the truth. Yes, I felt betrayed. I feel that some people didn’t want me here, not only this year but last season too.”
It was also well documented that Ronaldo was not a fan of former interim manager Ralf Rangnick, but the German was not a popular figure among a number of top players.
Former United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed why he thinks Ronaldo’s second stint at United ended on a sour note.
“I think you don’t coach (Cristiano),” Mourinho told Five via YouTube. “Motivation you don’t need to give him. Ambition, responsibility, you cannot give him, technically you cannot give.
“It’s just to give some tactical adjustments and let the guy be happy.”
Mourinho was then asked if there was anything he could teach him. He replied: “I don’t think so, he doesn’t need it.”
After being sacked by AS Roma, Mourinho appeared on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast and offered his own insight on how to manage a character and talent like Ronaldo after managing his counterpart at Real Madrid, where they won La Liga and Copa del Rey titles.
It would suggest Mourinho had a different approach to dealing with Ronaldo than Ten Hag, but we must remember that the latter had ‘CR7’ in his prime and that wasn’t the case for the Dutchman at Old Trafford.
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