Ronaldo Unhappy With Underachieving Man Utd
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted not being “happy” with what Manchester United are currently achieving while calling for “higher spirit and a stronger mentality” in the dressing room.
The Portuguese star performer, who completed arguably the biggest transfer of 2021 when he rejoined United from Juventus for £20 million ($27m) in August, has taken to social media, reflecting on a turbulent year that trailed his return to Old Trafford.
Though the 36-year-old has continued to prove his age-long sharpness in front of goal by scoring 14 times in 21 appearances, the Red Devils have failed to be consistent as a collective, and he admits the development remains a source of major frustration.
In his social media post, Ronaldo also reflected on another stellar year that saw him round off his time at Juve with two more domestic trophies before taking home the Golden Boot for Portugal at the European Championships.
The Portuguese international is demanding far more from his United team-mates in the second half of the season, though, as he wrote on Instagram: “2021 is coming to an end and it was far from being an easy year, despite my 47 goals scored across all competitions.
“At Juventus, I was proud to win the Italian Cup and the Italian Supercup, and become the Serie A Top Scorer. For Portugal, becoming the Euro Top Scorer was also a high point this year. And of course, my return to Old Trafford will always be one of the most iconic moments in my career.
“But I’m not happy with what we are achieving in Manchester United. None of us are happy, I’m sure of that. We know that we have to work harder, play better and deliver way more than we are delivering right now.
“Let’s make this New Year’s Eve a turning point of the season! Let’s embrace 2022 with a higher spirit and a stronger mentality. Let’s take us above and beyond, let’s reach for the stars and put this club right where it belongs!
“Join us, we’re counting on all of you! Happy New Year and see you soon!”
For now, the million-dollar poser on the lips of many pundits and die-hard fans is “Can United still salvage their 2021-22 campaign?” With the additions of Ronaldo, Raphael Varane, and Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window, the Red Devils initially looked well placed to challenge for the title at the start of the season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
They started brightly but quickly faded, suffering humiliating defeats at the hands of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Watford, with Solskjaer ultimately paying the price with his managerial job.
German-born gaffer, Ralf Rangnick has now taken the managerial reins on an interim basis, overseeing three wins and two draws from his first five games at the helm, with Wolves up next on Monday.
A 3-1 victory against Burnley on December 30, 2021, during which Ronaldo netted his eighth Premier League goal of the campaign, served to raise fresh optimism, but United now have a real fight on their hands to finish in the top four.
An early exit in the Carabao Cup saw another chance for silverware fall by the wayside, but supporters will hope that Ronaldo and Co. can go all the way in either the Champions League or FA Cup as Rangnick continues to try and mould the squad in his own image. – Goal.com report
