OLE: CITY HAD NO CHANCE
Ronaldo return means Ole must deliver
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has taunted Manchester City saying they never came close to landing Cristiano Ronaldo. The striker makes his emotional return for Manchester United against Newcastle today, 12 years after leaving Old Trafford.
But despite City thinking they were close to signing Ronaldo before United swooped late, Solskjaer maintained the player was always coming home.
Asked how frightening was the prospect of Ronaldo wearing a sky blue shirt, Solskjaer said: “I don’t think there was
any prospect of that.” Interventions
WHEN Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said yesterday there will be “no hiding place” now that Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the dressing room, he was talking about the other players.
Manchester United youngsters who can learn from his professionalism and attention to detail, but also those who might let their concentration drift or their effort dip in games or training.
In addition, Solskjaer will be aware the arrival of Ronaldo brings a spotlight that will take away the last hiding places for him, too.
Because with the Norwegian again calling Ronaldo “one of the best of all time” – the time for United and their manager to deliver has arrived.
“I do feel I have a squad now that can complete at all levels,” said Solskjaer.
“There are international players left, right and centre. Youth there as well.
“With Cristiano coming, that gives us another edge. He comes with his winning mentality, him and Raphael [Varane] have won the Champions League, they’ve won European Championships, World Cups.”
The excitement over Ronaldo’s second coming will reach stratospheric levels against Newcastle today, a game the Portuguese suggested this week, only half jokingly, he has asked to start. “He’ll be on the pitch at some point,” said Solskjaer. Managing him might seem a tricky prospect yet Solskjaer insists a relationship underpinned by shared on-field experience and mutual respect will make it work.
“He doesn’t want any special treatment, he wants to be part of the team, and he’s conducted himself really well,” said the manager. “We’ve got mutual respect for each other. But he knows I’ve got to make the decisions when to play, when not to play. It’s my job to manage him and get the best out of him.”
It is clearly disingenuous to suggest Ronaldo has not been given special treatment having taken Edinson Cavani’s No.7 shirt – a number synonymous with United’s top dogs.
“To pass up his shirt shows the respect he’s got for Cristiano and respect the other way,” said Solskjaer.
“Two top pros, players and human beings.”
He was vague on whether Bruno Fernandes would be bumped from free-kick and penalty duties.
“I’ve got Cristiano, Bruno, Marcus [Rashford], I’ve got players I trust to score every time they step up to take a penalty,” said Solskjaer. “They know I decide who is going to take a penalty if we get one.
“That’s not going to cause an issue. We’re here to win together.”
It would be unwise to underestimate Solskjaer’s strength of character, even against the towering ego who is back at the Theatre of Dreams.
Yet in lockstep together, the pair need to be an unstoppable force or there could be ructions.