Cristiano Ronaldo Urges Complete Overhaul of Manchester United for Competition: Critiques Manager Ten Hag

Cristiano Ronaldo has openly criticized Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, stating that the club must undergo a comprehensive rebuild to compete for top-tier football honors again, BBC reported. He opined that Ten Hag's mentality is flawed, especially given United's eighth-place finish last season and their mediocre start to this one.

In an interview with Rio Ferdinand on the Presents Podcast, Ronaldo shared his dissatisfaction with Ten Hag and the club's management. He went as far as to say that the manager’s comments about lacking the potential to compete for the Premier League and Champions League are detrimental. He believes that regardless of the challenges, the mentality should always be to strive for the highest goals.

Reflecting on his tenure at United, which ended dramatically after a contentious interview with Piers Morgan in late 2022, Ronaldo expressed betrayal and disrespect. He accused the Glazer family of indifference towards the club's welfare and claimed there had been no improvement since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who recently acquired a 25% stake in the club, aims to revitalize the team and restore its former glory.

Ronaldo emphasized the necessity for structural and infrastructural changes and acknowledged the club’s recent investments in the training grounds as a positive sign. He highlighted the importance of listening to former players like Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has joined Ten Hag's coaching staff, and other ex-players such as Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, and Ferguson, arguing that their intimate knowledge of the club could aid its revival.

Despite winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024, Ten Hag is still under pressure at United, with his contract extended until 2026 after a review by the new co-owners. Addressing the challenges, Ronaldo remains hopeful, believing that with the right guidance and willingness to rebuild from the ground up, United can eventually reclaim their stature.

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