Erik Ten Hag vs Cristiano Ronaldo : Two victims of a needless scheme propagated by Manchester United

It will forever be a mystery, the reason Manchester United choose to keep Cristiano Ronaldo beyond the summer even more due to the role he is playing under their new manager, Erik Ten Hag.

The Dutch manager said in the summer that the Portuguese is in his plans, though Ronaldo requested a move away following the club's inability to secure Champions League qualification.

Certainly, it would have been better for all parties, mostly Ronaldo and Ten Hag should the player got his move away in the summer. The clash of egos is always going to come to be at the Theater of dreams after that denied move.

For Ten Hag, he would have inherited only a group of players who have gone through the preseason campaign with him. Also, there is no denying the issue of Ronaldo's ego, he will not settle for less play time, not because of any reason.

For Ronaldo, whose hunger and efforts last season was not equally shared by his teammates, as they were mostly found wanting when needed to step up, maybe the time was right to say farewell to Old Trafford for a second time. And now, it is obvious the time was right in the summer.

However, the saga dragged on for most part of the summer and affected Ronaldo's participation in the preseason games. Even when he returned and played against Rayo Vallecano in the club's final preseason game, it was unconcealed his intention was to move away.

However, the club was reluctant to let him leave and now the manager, who had said Ronaldo is in his plans appears to have found another formula, one which the five time Ballon d'or winner is now an outcast.

A player can not be bigger than the club but keeping an unhappy player like Ronaldo can bring division to the dressing room, so much that even Erik Ten Hag might not have it as Ronaldo would.

His influence is very stronger and even Ten Hag knows this fact. If he continues to be unhappy at the club, it could be devastating for the ongoing project as all efforts might in the end be sabotaged.

It is not the first time this has happened at the club, managers losing the dressing room due to clash with players. In the end, it is the manager that suffers most and for United, it will be as though the same scene keeps on repeating itself.

Signed a two year contract with the option of a third upon his arrival from Juventus in the summer of 2021 and finishing the season as undoubtedly the club's best player, Manchester United will know that a Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been very competitive all his career will not settle for a back up role.

He will always fight to be in the starting XI in those two years he signed despite his age. Despite his age, he still is the best option United have in attack. Though he has not played much part this season, Ronaldo still is the club's top scorer in the calendar year.

After overcoming a poor start to the season, which saw them lost to both Brighton and Brentford, two games Ronaldo started one, the manager choose to take him out of the starting XI for Premier League games only for his next start to be against Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

Evidence from what has been seen so far, Ronaldo is now third in the pecking order in the United attack, coming after both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

If that is anywhere near acceptable for any player who had been the best player of a team in a just passes season, then maybe Ronaldo can be questioned of his commitment to the project under Erik Ten Hag.

But as much as the manager and Ronaldo are to take part of the blame, much should be directed to the Manchester United hierarchy, who in the first place sanctioned the return of Ronaldo to the club.

As at now, it is obvious Ronaldo is not the kind of profile needed for a rebuild but as long as he remains in the books at the club, Erik Ten Hag will have to adopt a better means to handle the situation.

Banishing him from the first team is surely not one of his options as now, not only him but even Manchester United have realized how much damage such a decision could cause to the club’s image.

In 2018, Ten Hag has had the same kind of issue with Amin Younes. The German refused to come on as a substitute in Ajax’s 4-1 win against SC Heerenveen. Then then Ajax manager kicked him out of the squad for two weeks and made him train with the reserves.

Younes didn’t play a single minute for Ajax again until he left the club in the summer to join Napoli.

Addressing the situation, Ten Hag said in an interview in 2018, “We still have six games to play and I only want players who are 100 per cent motivated.”

“A lot has happened with and around Amin during this season, that will undoubtedly play a role. But he does not give us the feeling that his attention is completely with Ajax.”

“I informed him today that he is training the remaining weeks of this season with Jong Ajax.”

Ten Hag had ordered Ronaldo to train alone but many knew that would not last for long and the former Real Madrid man is now back with the first team.

It is easy for people to criticize Ronaldo or the manager for their part but it is the club who has put them both in such a awkward situation. Ronaldo is like a player who can improve them under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and even though he can still improve them under Ten Hag, it's a different project now.

The long-term structure of the plan under Ten Hag means the team definitely has to be more reliant on players who will be here in the future, not a 37year old. At the same time, not letting him leave also means you require his services for the year left on his contract. And when Ronaldo is around, he plays.

United knew of Ronaldo's ego even before he left the club. They knew what they were getting into when to persuaded him to return to the club and by the standard, you are not far from right if you say he has been disrespected by Ten Hag.

However, Ronaldo himself did not only disrespect the manager but his teammates as well as the club. It is not the first time a player has refuse to be subbed on but it is not supposed to be for a role model like himself.

To make matters worse, he left the sideline before the full time whistle with obvious disgust. But one would be a hypocrite to deny this would come to be in the first place.

Ronaldo was not going settle for being just a squad player and only getting to come on in the later stages of games. It is okay for United fans to now turn on him because the result is getting better in is absence but a man will not seize to fight for what he feel he deserves.

Manchester United's top scorer in the league after eleven games has three goals. Surely Ronaldo would not have fared worse getting the nod to lead the line.

And about him not affect him not affecting play positively, this is just a conspiracy cropped up by the media to make him look bad, just as others will bring up their own to back him and slander Ten Hag.

Who cares about how many touches strikers get in games as long as they can get you goals and without a doubt, a run of games in the team to get back his confidence, with United in better shape than they were in the last season, Ronaldo’s goals would go a long way to help the team.

But maybe that ship has sailed. The best for all party as at now will be for Ronaldo to leave in the next transfer window. It was a move that shouldn't have been. Though there were fun memories but the awkward ending will be much remembered by fans around the world.

Ronaldo has returned to training after serving club suspension and is expected to be in the squad to face Sheriff Tiraspol at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi