Erik Ten Hag has {accused} Cristiano Ronaldo of double-crossing him over his acrimonious exit from Manchester United.
Ten Hag hit again on Friday at feedback made by Ronaldo in final month’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan that he felt betrayed by the membership and had no respect for the United boss.
The Dutchman claimed Ronaldo had, in reality, stabbed him within the again by ready for the bombshell interview’s launch earlier than revealing for the primary time that he needed to give up Outdated Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract at Man United was terminated by mutual consent final month
This transfer got here simply days after Ronaldo’s bombshell interview with Piers Morgan
Throughout an hour-long interview at United’s base in Jerez, the place Ten Hag and his gamers have been coaching in the course of the World Cup break, it was put to Ten Hag that Ronaldo didn’t have the decency to inform the supervisor his intentions.
‘Sure, so it’s,’ stated Ten Hag. ‘In the summertime we had one speak. He got here in and stated, “I’ll inform you in seven days if I need to keep”. Then he got here again and stated, “I need to keep”. Till that second (the interview) I by no means heard something. He by no means advised me, “I need to go away”.
‘The interview I believe, as a membership, you may’t settle for. There will likely be penalties. To make that step, he knew the results.
‘I’ve seen most of it, however not all of it. I believe it was fairly clear after that he needed to go away,’ added Ten Hag, who took the choice to tear up Ronaldo’s contract with chief government Richard Arnold and soccer director John Murtough six days after the interview aired. ‘We didn’t have to debate it. It was fairly clear. Richard, John, me, it was (achieved).
‘I believe the membership can solely achieve success and function when all of the decision-makers are on one web page and again one another.’
Ronaldo stated in his interview with Morgan that he has no respect for United boss Erik Ten Hag
Ten Hag introduced Ronaldo again into the fold after punishing him for refusing to return on as an alternative towards Tottenham in October after which strolling out of Outdated Trafford earlier than full time. He even made him captain in his ultimate recreation for United at Aston Villa.
Requested if he might forgive the participant for turning towards him, Ten Hag stated: ‘I don’t need to reply this example. I’m open to speak with him, so why not?
‘I did every part trustworthy, open and clear, and we had talks about my imaginative and prescient, so I don’t have an issue to speak with him. Not that I’d say one thing particularly to him.’
Although there was a robust suspicion at Outdated Trafford that Ronaldo needed to power his manner out, Ten Hag insists he needed to maintain the 37-year-old.
‘I needed him to remain from the primary second till now however he needed to go away,’ he added. ‘When a participant undoubtedly doesn’t need to be on this membership then he has to go, that’s clear. We would like a brand new way forward for Manchester United and he didn’t need to be a part of it. We transfer on.
‘We’re in a course of. Ronaldo was a part of it however he has chosen to take one other pathway. I’d have most popular it to be a distinct manner as a result of I needed to work with him. He selected one other manner.
Ten Hag has claimed Ronaldo by no means advised him personally that he needed to go away United
‘I did every part to convey him into the group as a result of I worth his high quality. We needed him to be a part of our challenge and contribute to Manchester United as a result of he is a good participant. He has such an awesome historical past, but it surely’s the previous and we have now to look into the long run. I don’t spend my vitality on it.’
Ten Hag turned more and more conscious Ronaldo was not in high form, having missed the membership’s pre-season tour of Bangkok and Australia as a result of private causes.
However he wouldn’t have been towards providing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a brand new contract if he might have reproduced the shape that noticed him rating 24 targets in his first season again at United.
Ten Hag stated: ‘Final yr he scored 24 targets, sure? So what does this group want? We want targets. Sure, doubtlessly (get a brand new contract), however it’s theoretical. When he’s in good condition, he is an efficient participant and he might assist us to get again and obtain the aims we have now, that’s fairly clear — however he wasn’t.
‘I’ve to make the alternatives if the participant isn’t performing. I’ve to select the most effective group in favour of the membership and the group. These are the choices I’ve to make and it doesn’t matter which individual it’s.’
Ronaldo’s issues with United have been mirrored with the Portugal nationwide group after coach Fernando Santos made the daring transfer of benching his iconic No 7 for the World Cup conflict towards Switzerland within the final 16, which resulted in a 6-1 win following a hat-trick from his alternative Goncalo Ramos.
Ten Hag has needed to face awkward questions on Ronaldo ever since he took over, however dismissed strategies United — like Portugal — could also be higher off with out him.
‘No, I prefer to work with world-class gamers,’ he stated. ‘I do know they’ll make a distinction, so that’s the reason you need such gamers in your dressing room.
Ten Hag needed to maintain Ronaldo, however after his interview he knew the ahead needed to go away
‘You need to have them however lastly we had been by no means on one web page after which what occurred, it occurred.’
Having overshadowed the win over Spurs along with his walkout, Ronaldo stole the headlines once more after United beat Fulham of their final recreation earlier than the World Cup break when Morgan leaked the primary excerpts of their interview straight after the sport.
‘You need to cope with it. By no means as a supervisor attempt to spend time on points you may’t affect,’ stated Ten Hag.
‘So it’s important to let it go and cope with the scenario and drive it in the correct path, that’s what I attempted to do. Preserve give attention to that and don’t get distracted.
‘I do know the Cristiano subject distracts the entire world, however I don’t suppose the dressing room is distracted. They know the worth of the performances. It confirmed we’re in the correct path.’
