“I don’t want to go down the road again.”
Former Man United captain Roy Keane and Arsenal legend Ian Wright have clashed over the manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United.
The two ex Premier league stars were discussing the matter live on ITV, and while they both agreed that Ronaldo’s departure is the best thing for both parties, they did not agree on the right and wrong of the situation.
The Irishman has been one the key defenders when it comes to the actions of the Portugal captain, often pointing the blame at the club, the manager, or other players in the team.
United released a statement, on Tuesday, saying that Ronaldo had left the club by mutual consent. It comes a week after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which he gave a damning assessment of the Red Devils. Soon after, Ronaldo released a statement in which he paid tribute to the fans and said that the club would always be in his heart.
“He declared, “Following talks with Manchester United, we’ve mutually agreed to end our contract. I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. It feels like the right time to seek a new challenge. I wish Man Utd all the best.”
Keane pointed out that the departure was overdue, and had been in the works for a while.
“I’d say it was on the cards for the last few months. The interview was the tipping point for him, but life goes on – Man United are a great club, Ronaldo is a great player.
“As you said, it is like a divorce, the end of a relationship. We all know how that feels, but you go your separate ways.
“Great player for Man United, should’ve probably left in the summer, whether that’s the player’s fault or the club’s… It was never going to happen, the new manager was never going to play him.
“You cannot have Ronaldo as a sub or fringe player, it’s just not right. And it’s sad, but these things happen.”
Ian Wright said Erik ten Hag was like a lot of Dutch people, in that they are straight-talkers and ‘will look you in the eye and tell you straight’.
The former Arsenal and England striker says the United boss has turned the club around and the Ronaldo exit is good for them, and the player.
“It has been a difficult situation, but I don’t think the manager comes out of it well,” said Keane. “People always praise the manager and say he put a marker down – part of manager is looking after your top players.
“This whole thing of you having to treat everyone the same, you don’t.””You do want your top class players to fit into the system of the team, as well,” Wright countered.
“You have to think about what’s going on in the team.””I’ll go back to it,” Keane cut in, “he’s a guy that scores goals for fun… that can’t be good.
💬 "Ronaldo should have left in the summer"
😬 "I think they're better without him!"
🔊 Get the sound on for a couple minutes of gold with Roy, Karen & @IanWright0 debating the Man Utd x Cristiano Ronaldo debacle ❌ pic.twitter.com/hyfpCs45Ng
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 23, 2022
“I don’t want to go down the road again, talking about pressing. Come the summer, the manager was never going to play him… Ronaldo was never going to [press high].
“He came back because he’s a great player, he’ll get on the end of things and score goals.”When you have a player who is 36, 37, he’s never going to play that way and the manager, just let him go… let him go in the summer and you’ll avoid this whole mess.”
Related links:
- Paul Scholes responds to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man United departure
- Rio Ferdinand gives live TV reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man United departure
- Cristiano Ronaldo releases statement after Man United exit confirmed
