Cristiano Ronaldo’s damning four-word verdict on the extent of Man Utd failure to develop | Football | Sport
Cristiano Ronaldo has criticised Manchester United for making ‘zero progress’ since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. The Red Devils have endured a sticky nine years since the iconic manager left Old Trafford, and Ronaldo believes aspects ‘inside’ the club have stalled their development.
Ronaldo has appeared on ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’ and slammed different corners of United, including Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick and Wayne Rooney. And he also aimed fire at the club’s lack of development since Ferguson was replaced by David Moyes almost a decade ago.
He sighed before stating: “The progress was zero. Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed. The pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym, and even some technology. Even the chefs, who I appreciate. Lovely people. I thought I would see new technology and infrastructure. I saw things I saw when I was 20,21,23.
“I think the fans should know the truth. I want the best for the club. This is why I came to Manchester United. But you have some things inside that don’t help [us] reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal. A club with this dimension should be top of the tree, in my opinion, and they are not, unfortunately.”
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Ronaldo was pointing towards the lack of investment in United since his exit in 2008, which the club’s Glazer family owners have come under heavy fire for among the fanbase. Protests are held before every home game, and the #GlazersOut movement has spread like wildfire across social media.
United are in talks over redeveloping Old Trafford and the club’s training facilities, which would likely include revamping what Ronaldo has labelled dated. But there is warranted doubt over whether the Glazers will make the required investment after 17 years of what many will argue has been mistreatment of one of the world’s biggest clubs.
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Amid heavy speculation surrounding his future in M16, Ronaldo may well have played his last game for United, with the January transfer window lurking on the horizon. And if that’s the case, he’s made sure to go out with a bang.
After growing a legendary legacy at Old Trafford, his latest comments have risked burning bridges with a fanbase that largely adores him. But they also provide a damning insight into how far United have been left behind by their rivals.
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