Ten Hag Brushes Off Ronaldo’s Criticism, Says Star is "Far from Manchester"
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest jabs, insisting that the Portuguese superstar is "far from Manchester" and out of touch with the team’s current situation.
Ronaldo, who left United in November 2022, sparked controversy with his comments on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, criticizing Ten Hag’s attitude and claiming that the Dutch manager’s negative mindset is not suitable for a club like United.
"He said that Manchester United can’t win the Premier League. No, he said this if you read the article very well," Ten Hag said in a press conference on Thursday. "So, he’s far away in Saudi, far from Manchester. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. It’s OK."
Ten Hag, who has been tasked with turning United’s fortunes around, has been praised for his commitment to integrating young players into the team. However, Ronaldo’s comments suggest that the manager’s approach is not getting the backing from some former players.
But Ten Hag remains focused on the task at hand, insisting that United are still in a transition period and need to gel as a team.
"We are still in a transition period. We have to integrate a lot of young players also in the team," he said. "We are still dealing with injuries, we have to bring the injuries back in the team. Before anyone thinks about excuses, no, we have to win every game."
Despite United’s slow start to the season, Ten Hag is confident that the team can turn things around.
"I know in the process where we are, what we have to do, where we are going. I have said before we are still in a transition period," he said. "We have to focus on every game and have in every game the mindset that we have to win."
United will look to get their season back on track when they travel to Southampton on Saturday.
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