The explanations were provided by Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Manchester United coach Mike Phelan, who also collaborated with the Portuguese superstar during his second stint at MUFC.
When Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021, there was a lot of optimism.
However, issues in the dressing room have hampered Ronaldo’s second stint at the club. Ronaldo’s public outbursts have also been a concern, and following a fight with manager Erik Ten Hag, they ultimately led to his departure.
The Portuguese superstar’s high standards may have caused him to lose the support of some of his teammates, according to former Manchester United coach Mike Phelan, who worked with Ronaldo during that time.
“The second time around, he came in a lot older and a lot more opinionated, strong-willed,” Phelan remarked.
He was a pleasure to work with but maintained extremely high standards. But I suppose I’d say a more resilient mindset. He has previously played for Manchester United, for Portugal, and for Real Madrid, according to Phelan, who was quoted by the Mirror.
“I liked it because he didn’t want to lower his standards but raise those of others. And when that occurs, perhaps you lose a few people along the road. I can recall instances where he pressed repeatedly but received little to no response. And there was annoyance,” he continued.
“When dealing with top-tier individuals, it’s all about them and where they may go in terms of finishing and destination. When they reflect, they want to say, “Wow, that was successful.” He probably realized that he couldn’t succeed at Manchester United, though I can’t say for sure because I never had that talk with him. His difficulties therefore lay elsewhere.
It is crucial to remember that Ronaldo is still a top-tier athlete and that he contributes significantly to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
“Yes, he is in Saudi Arabia, but he is still playing and scoring goals in international football. At Manchester United, he is carrying out all the tasks we thought he was capable of.
