Mike Phelan claims Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United frustrated due to the players’ failure to meet his ‘high standards’

Ronaldo ended his return to Manchester United with an in-famous interview with Piers Morgan.


Mike Phelan claims Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United frustrated due to the players’ failure to meet his ‘high standards’

(L-R) Mike Phelan, Cristiano Ronaldo (Source: via Reuters and AP)

Former Manchester United coach, Mike Phelan reveals that Cristiano Ronaldo lost the dressing room due to his high standards. The player re-joined United after a short spell at Juventus, however, he left the club once again before the end of his contract.

Ronaldo’s second tenure will not be remembered as fondly as his first. The Portuguese came back to the club after solidifying himself as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He left Real Madrid as their top goalscorer and won 4 UEFA Champions League titles with the club. Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus after breaking the record of the fastest player to ever score 100 goals. He was also the record top goal-scorer for Juventus in a single season with 37. So, the player had re-united with Manchester United as a winner.

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“The second time around, he came in a lot older and a lot more opinionated, strong-willed,” spoke Mike Phelan. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was frustrated with the lack of effort at times. “I remember certain times when he pushed and pushed hard, and he didn’t get much reaction or much response. And there was frustration,” Phelan revealed.

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Cristiano publicly came out against the ‘younger players’ stating the lack of hunger they showed compared to when he was at the club in the beginning. “He wanted other people’s standards to come up. And sometimes you lose a few people along the way when that happens,” Phelan concluded.

Cristiano Ronaldo now plays at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia where the Portuguese is once again scoring goals for fun.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s second tenure at Manchester United

Ronaldo capped off a dream return with 2 goals. (Source: via Shutterstock)
Ronaldo capped off a dream return with 2 goals. (Source: via Shutterstock)

Old Trafford was in jubilation as if they won the league. In Peter Drury’s words, “A walking work of art. Vintage, beyond valuation, beyond forgery or imitation, eighteen years since that trembling teenager of touch and tease, first tiptoed on to the historic stage, now in his immaculate maturity, CR7 reunited.” 2 goals on his return, it was like Cristiano Ronaldo had never left.

Ronaldo went on to score 19 goals in 40 appearances in the Premier League that season. For any other striker, that is a good record. However, by his high standards that was not the case. A 6th place finish the Red Devils in the league, eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, and embarrassing losses to their rivals, Cristiano could not believe what had happened to the club which made him who he was.

His second tenure at the club came to an abrupt end after an interview with Piers Morgan was released. Now in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is once again playing to his best as he continues to perform for Al-Nassr. He seems happy, and at ‘home’ in the remaining few years of his career.

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