'He was right': Former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan gives insight into Cristiano Ronaldo's consequences at Old Trafford

Cristiano Ronaldo was justified in some of his opinions about Manchester United that led to his bitter exit from Old Trafford.

That's the view of former Red Devils assistant Mike Phelan, who coached the 39-year-old during his two spells at the Theater of Dreams.

The Portuguese striker had left the team in 2009 after six glorious years at the club, but in 2021 he delighted United fans upon re-signing for the club after leaving Juventus.

However, it was not the fairy tale many expected after a bitter internal conflict soon overshadowed his return.

ronaldo He failed to make an overwhelmingly positive impact on the club, with the Red Devils finishing a disappointing sixth in the 2021/22 season.

It was the first time in the 2010 season that Ronaldo did not win at least one trophy in a season.

As resentment continued to grow, he would miss the club's pre-season tour for the 2022/23 season and conflict between him and the new manager. Erik ten Hag It intensified as the campaign progressed.

The last straw was his innovative interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV in November 2022, where Ronaldo made a series of accusations against the club, saying he felt “betrayed”.

One of his criticisms was that the club had not progressed during his absence between 2009 and 2021.

Speaking on the White & Jordan show, Phelan, who worked with Sir Alex Ferguson and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, admitted that Ronaldo was not wrong in some of his opinions, particularly when it came to his claims about a lack of progress at the club. .

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“I think he was right,” Phelan told talkSPORT. “There were elements on the training pitch that were tired, definitely.

“He's a high-maintenance player… huge standards, huge standards. And obviously he gained a lot of experiences at Manchester United, went away and won even more.

“Coming back, anyone would expect more. You want to move with the times. I don't think he saw that at the beginning of his United career.

“But when we brought him back, you should have seen the feelings around the place and the players. The best players in that locker room just wanted him around, they wanted him.

“It was an incredible decision to bring a world-class player into that locker room. And the fans reacted enormously. The momentum was extraordinary. I just think (his time with the club) ran its course.”

He added: “I'm sure you would have looked at it and thought it's very different to what you expected.

“Did you do your homework before? Probably not. Emotionally attached? Yes. And you just expected more and it probably wasn't there.”

Ronaldo scored 27 goals in 54 appearances during his second spell at United, but the club did not achieve much during that time.

His discontent continued to grow and when he was suspended by the club For refusing to come on as a substitute in their October 2022 victory over Spurs, tensions were already high.

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In his interview with Morgan, the current Al Nassr forward targeted both coach Ten Hag and the club's hierarchy.

When United announced their contract had been mutually terminated shortly after the explosive interview, it came as no surprise.

Phelan admitted that there were parts of United's culture that had surprised Ronaldo upon his return, one of which was the attitude of some of the younger players in the dressing room.

“Those kids now have a completely different point of view in the locker room than when I was a kid, you know, looking to the next level and respecting the next level,” he said.

“I'm not saying they didn't respect (Ronaldo), but they had an advantage.”

He continued: “I think from time to time it didn't matter who was in the locker room. As long as they were there, that's all that mattered.

“And I think (there were) certain standards that Cristiano probably thought should be there… he was one of the older players and he probably expected a little more from the younger ones. A little more determination.

“When Cristiano Ronaldo was at Manchester United, his standards were enormous. I mean, his work ethic, his standards, and he maintained them, and he still does, that's why he's playing now.”