Cristiano Ronaldo said he has no respect for Eric ten Hag.
A few days later, Manchester United terminated the contract with the star.
Now Ten Hag chose to break the silence.
– He told the Manchester Evening News that he had to leave.
In an attention-grabbing interview with The Sun just before the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo spoke for the first time about his difficult fall at Manchester United.
– I felt betrayed, he said and gave coach Erik ten Hag a shoe.
– I don’t respect him because he doesn’t show me respect.
Just a few days later, Manchester United chose to part ways with the superstar and will now be without a club when the World Cup ends.
Now, one of the main characters, Ten Hag, has chosen to break the silence about meeting Ronaldo for the first time.
– I think it was clear after the interview that he had to leave. We didn’t have to discuss it, Richard (Arnold) and John (Murtogh) me.”
‘There will be consequences’
The Dutchman also says he watched most of the interview, but not all of it.
– It’s part of my job, I believe a club can only be successful when all the decision-makers in the club are on the same side and support each other.
It is also believed that Ronaldo did not express his desire to leave United.
He knew what he was doing when he showed up for the interview. As a club, I think we cannot accept such an interview. There would be consequences, and he knew that. But before the interview he never told me he wanted to leave, says Ten Hag.
– I wanted him to stay from the first moment until his departure. He wanted to leave and that was very clear. And when a player wants to leave, he can’t stay in the club, period.
Looking ahead now
When asked if he could forgive the Portuguese, he replied:
– I’m open to talking to him, so why not. It certainly could be considered disrespectful but I don’t care. I don’t want to put any energy into it, but it belongs in the past and we’re looking forward to it now, he says.
According to Marca, Ronaldo is supposed to be on the verge of moving to victory after the World Cup, as Portugal will meet Morocco in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
