Whether United wins, loses or Ronaldo scores or goes through a mini goal-drought, it is still too much about the CR7 brand and not enough about the team. After United’s midweek win, Ronaldo posted on social media about ‘the noise’ around the club. He cannot ignore where a lot of that noise comes from.
There was noise after Ronaldo’s response to being substituted against Brentford in the Premier League. There was noise after the overreaction to him being replaced against Young Boys in the Champions League group stages (when United were down to 10 men and protecting a point).
Letting Ronaldo go will solve more problems than it creates
There is noise generated every time Ronaldo heads straight down the tunnel after another disappointing result. There is noise every time a story is leaked about him ‘considering his future’ at the end of the season. And there is noise when we notice the underwhelmed reaction whenever United score and Ronaldo is not the goalscorer, as was the case when Marcus Rashford struck a last-minute winner against West Ham in January.
When a manager leaves out a 37-year-old, there should not be any noise.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and now Rangnick understand more than anyone that Ronaldo is no ordinary 37-year-old. When he is on the bench or subbed battle lines are drawn between those arguing he must play, and those who understand why he has reached a point in his career where that cannot always be the case.
Rangnick’s arrival was always going to amplify the situation and become a source of intrigue for tactical connoisseurs. Ronaldo does not press. Even in his prime, he didn’t press.
Whenever I say that on TV, or make that point in these columns, it is interpreted as harsh criticism. It isn’t. It is a considered, factual observation.
No single player can ever be bigger than the club. And no-one knew that better than Sir Alex Ferguson who, in 2006, sold one of the Premier League most prolific goalscorers, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, because he felt the striker’s personal hunger for goals was inhibiting the progress of younger, emerging team-mates.
Who reaped the rewards? Ronaldo, who thrived after Van Nistelrooy’s exit. Just like Van Nistelrooy 16 years ago, Ronaldo’s goal sprees have the capacity to make anyone deemed critical look foolish. It does not alter the fact that the next United manager will face the same issues as Rangnick in trying to keep him happy.
My conclusion last August was that re-signing Ronaldo was likely to create more problems than it solved for United. If his United reunion is limited to one season, letting him go will solve more problems than it creates.
