Cristiano Ronaldo rocked the footballing world on Sunday evening by completely trashing his Manchester United reputation with an explosive sit down interview with none other than Piers Morgan. Ronaldo, 37, attacked the Red Devils and their progression since Sir Alex Ferguson left, slammed manager Erik Ten Hag, insulted former coach Ralf Rangnick and even accused senior bosses of trying to force him out.
Manchester United brought an ageing Ronaldo back to the club in 2020 simply to stop rivals Manchester City signing him. Since then, he has regressed personally, made the team as a whole weaker and behaved like a petulant child on more than one occasion. Yet still he feels the sense of entitlement that he is bigger than the club that built him.
Whether Ronaldo knew of the backlash he would receive or not, his tantrum over the weekend means he has now trashed his long-standing relationship with the Old Trafford faithful. It is likely he will never play for the club again - if someone dares take a punt on him and his massive ego in January.
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Ronaldo was last month linked with a move to Newcastle, with the Sun claiming the Magpies had been offered the veteran striker in January. Chronicle Live understands the Portuguese forward was not offered to Eddie Howe's side and isn't a player they would be interested in even if the idea was presented to them.
Howe has stressed from the very beginning of his Newcastle tenure that he wants team players in his ranks. Newcastle have the financial capability to tempt esteemed players to Tyneside these days - but if you don't possess the right character, Howe won't be interested.
Agents certainly saw dollar signs in their eyes when Newcastle were taken over by new owners over 12 months ago, with the Magpies since offered plenty of big-name stars on big wages. Howe has stuck to his guns at every turn, not wanting to disrupt the incredible feeling he has harnessed in the St James' Park dressing room.
No player is bigger than the club and if you aren't playing, you work hard in training and try to win your spot back. There is no public sulking or disobeying the manager.
The likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Ryan Fraser are testament to this attitude. The duo may not have enjoyed as much football as they would have liked of late, yet both have earned praise from Howe for their effort behind the scenes.
Lascelles and Fraser were both unused substitutes in the 2-1 win over Tottenham last month, and received hugs and handshakes from the boss at full-time, as if they had been out on the pitch themselves. These little touches are why Howe commands such respect in this dressing room, even with those first-team players struggling for regular game time.
As Newcastle continue to upset the Premier League apple cart, there will be the temptation to sign big-name talents, who arrive in the north east with huge ability and egos of a similar size. However, you get the feeling Howe will aim to keep the squad on as close to a level-footing as he can while he is managing at St James' Park.
It certainly feels like prima donnas such as Ronaldo won't be joining Newcastle any time soon. After his latest outburst, it feels like a wise stance by Howe.
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