Cristiano Ronaldo came back to Manchester United in 2021 at the end of one crazy transfer window and scored 24 goals in his first season. However, when Solsjkaer was sacked and Ralf Rangnick came as interim manager, it all went downhill and got ugly when Erik ten Hag arrived. The Portuguese was not seen as the most important player anymore and ended up as the reserve. He thought he was not respected and ended up doing an explosive interview after which the departure from Old Trafford was inevitable. But if you ask United’s legend Erik Cantona, it would have been a lot easier only if Ronaldo realized he is getting old.🚨🎙️| Eric Cantona: “He’s just older and he should have realised that instead of being not happy to play some games, say, ‘okay, I am not 25 years old, I cannot play every game, but I will help the young players and accept that situation and that’s my situation’.” [MEN]— Utd Xtra (@UtdXtra2) January 14, 2023 Former Manchester captain believes that a change of Ronaldo’s mindset was needed, but that didn’t happen and it led to a bitter divorce from his beloved club.“I think you have two kinds of players at the end of their career. Me, I decided to retire young, that’s another thing. And then the one who wants to play and play until the age of 40 years old. You have two kind of players: the one who wants to play every game because they still think they’re 25 years old and the ones who realise they are not 25 years old and they are here to help the young players, they know they will not play every game, they know they will play some games. But their part is to help the young players. Like Zlatan Ibrahimovic still does it with Milan, Ryan Giggs or Paolo Maldini when he was in Milan. But I think Ronaldo didn’t realise – and he still doesn’t realise – he’s not 25 years old. He’s just older and he should have realized that instead of being not happy to play some games, say, “OK, I am not 25 years old, I cannot play every game, but I will help the young players and accept that situation and that’s my situation” Cantona told the Manchester Evening News.Ronaldo unveiled in Saudi Arabia: ‘My work in Europe is done’Since retiring at age of 30, Cantona had a lot more time to contemplate on his decision and on footballers’ careers, who usually start to decline at that time.“It’s like everything in the world, you have people who accept they are older. I cannot run as fast as when I was 30 years old, I have to accept it. And the end of a career is like dying. It’s a little death. You have to start another thing. You can sing until you’re 80 years old, you can act until you’re 80 years old, but footballers or sportsmen know that after 30 years old, 33 years old, it becomes physically more difficult every day. You have to accept that, or you retire, or you say I will help the young generation” explained Cantona.Wout Weghorst has arrived, but too late for today’s derby with CityApart from Ronaldo, the famous Frenchman recently talked about the league in general, and admitted that if he was living in England now, he would watch the lower leagues.”I feel that if I still lived in England I’d support a club in the second division I think. The old atmosphere of football. I am old. I am a stupid guy as I’m too old. I love football, I love the atmosphere of football, I love the soul of football. I don’t know why some clubs change to a bigger stadium with a brand. I think Arsenal lost it, when they left Highbury, they left their soul” said Cantona to BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.PREMIER LEAGUEThursdayFulham – Chelsea 2-1 (1-0)/Willian 25, Vinicius 73 – Koulibaly 47/FridayAston Villa – Leeds United 2-1 (1-0)/Bailey 3, Buendia 64 – Bamford 83/Saturday15:30: (5.40) Man.Utd. (3.70) Man.City (1.75)18:00: (2.70) Wolverhampton (3.05) West Ham (2.80)18:00: (3.05) Nott.Forest (3.25) Leicester (2.55)18:00: (3.80) Brighton (3.60) Liverpool (2.05)18:00: (2.25) Everton (3.25) Southampton (3.60)20:30: (1.65) Brentford (3.90) Bournemouth (6.00)Sunday17:00: (1.62) Newcastle (4.00) Fulham (6.25)17:00: (1.65) Chelsea (3.80) Crystal Palace (6.25)19:30: (3.60) Tottenham (3.50) Arsenal (2.15)***odds are subject to change***
