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November 2, 2024
Ronaldo said it first and time seems to have proven him right. Erik ten Hag was sacked from Manchester United this week and the future of the club will now be at the hands of another Portuguese man: Rúben Amorim.
Just shy of two years after Cristiano Ronaldo claimed Manchester United would never win the Premier League under Erik ten Hag during a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, the Dutchman has been sacked as manager of the Red Devils. The 54-year-old departs Old Trafford without securing the title and his job will be taken by Sporting's CP manager, Rúben Amorim. So the main question, was Ronaldo right the entire time?
Cristiano Ronaldo - Interview about Erik ten Hag:
It has long felt as if Ten Hag's sacking was a question of 'when,' not 'if,' given United's inconsistent form since the start of the season. This unconvincing performance effectively dashed any title hopes within just nine games. Notably, those betting on Premier League winners in the outright market would find United's odds skyrocketing to 200/1, underscoring the decline of the club.
Erik ten Hag fired by Manchester United. pic.twitter.com/2oLDpmpWTW
— Darren Allan Kyeyune (@AllanDarren) October 28, 2024
However, it's not just the latest Premier League title odds that paint a bleak picture for United fans; the top-four finish market sees the Old Trafford club at an astonishing price of 15/2 to qualify for next season's Champions League. In short, the wheels have completely come off at United and there has been a total breakdown in discipline in the locker room - just as Ronaldo predicted.
At the time of Ronaldo's scathing comments on Ten Hag's management, many perceived it as an act of retaliation after he was excluded from the matchday squad. The majority of the English Press sided with Ten Hag in the wake of the interview and with his reputation taking a hit, Ronaldo left for Saudi Arabia shortly afterwards to join Al Nassr.
For those loyal to Ronaldo, it seemed unimaginable that a player who had made 346 appearances for the club and finished the previous season as the top goalscorer with 24 goals, could be dismissed so abruptly. Now that the dust has settled, and given how much United have struggled since Ronaldo's departure, it appears that the powers that be at Old Trafford shouldn’t have dismissed CR7's comments as mere troublemaking.
Every single word that @Cristiano told me about Ten Hag in our explosive interview was born out by events.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 28, 2024
He was an over-promoted, delusional, disrespectful, and thoroughly mediocre manager who couldn’t handle world class talent or run a club that size. pic.twitter.com/vpcPzm8zke
Indeed, much of what the 39-year-old said has largely come to pass, with multiple high-profile players expressing dissatisfaction and seemingly giving up on Ten Hag's leadership. Moreover, Ten Hag's comments about "sleeping well at night" irrespective of Ronaldo's opinion, and his parting shot that "we will see where we are in May next year" backfired after United finished in eighth - 31 points behind eventual champions Manchester City.
While Ten Hag managed to secure both the League and FA Cups, the prevailing sentiment is that the club has regressed in its pursuit of Premier League glory since Ronaldo's departure.
Indeed, there's little doubt the club has lost valuable time in chasing titles they seek to re-establish themselves as the most successful club in England — a title they comfortably held during Ronaldo's prime under Sir Alex Ferguson.
For Ronaldo, the past two years have been bittersweet, as the world awaited a verdict on who was ultimately right. With Ten Hag's departure and United now 11 years without a Premier League title, it seems Ronaldo has been vindicated in his views on the Dutchman.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on November 5, against Al Ain for the AFC Champions League. You can watch Al Nassr vs Al Ain, Valencia vs Real Madrid, Liverpool vs Brighton, AFC Bournemouth vs Manchester City, Newcastle vs Arsenal and Wolverhampton vs Crystal Palace, all matches provided from our live football game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Al Ain kick-off time (05-11-2024):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+7: 01:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+4.30: 22:30
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+2: 20:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 19:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 18:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 15:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 14:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 11:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / bbc.co.uk / thefa.com
