Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag would have known Cristiano Ronaldo was never going to work in his system due to his unwillingness to sacrifice his own game time for the goals of the team.
Any player would rightly be annoyed over being left out of the club's starting XI. But when Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel at Old Trafford before full-time during the win over Tottenham, the mask had started to slip.
In a Piers Morgan Uncensored interview that is set to air on TalkTV on Wednesday and Thursday night, Ronaldo has made wild accusations that threaten to tarnish his legacy at Old Trafford. It appears now that the mask has well and truly come off, as the 37-year-old looks to have burnt his bridges with the club.
ALSO READ: Christian Eriksen verdict has shown Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag how to fix problem
The former Real Madrid man has claimed that he has "no respect" for Ten Hag, something that is no doubt linked with his lack of minutes this season, and of course the attempted last-minute introduction against Spurs. The United manager would have been hoping to use Ronaldo as a role model for the rest of his side, particularly for the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, but his behaviour this season has seen him become an example of what not to do.
The Dutchman values those with a strong team ethos, putting the needs of others above their own personal achievements. The former Ajax manager made this abundantly clear during his time in the Eredivisie, as he outlined how he goes about telling players they are being dropped from the first-team and how he expects them to handle it.
Ten Hag told his old side : "That’s one of the most difficult bits, but you can’t run away from it. What’s important is that you do it with a clear consciousness and that the team’s needs come first, above everything else. Then you make the choices you have to make. In many cases they [the players] won’t understand that. A player thinks about himself, as he should.
"Of course they want to win with the team, but they also have to look at their own career. They want game time. Nevertheless, they’ll have to sacrifice that for the greater goals of the team."
With Ronaldo turning 38 in a matter of months, it is perhaps clear now to Ten Hag that the United forward must prioritise his own goals with the little time has left in his career, something that the Dutchman will surely not accept.
READ NEXT:
