Football FanCast columnist Rob Swan reacts to the endless stories about Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid and wonders if he departs Old Trafford, would it really be the end of the world?
Okay, I know that by now, every person with a passing interesting in football possessing a television, computer or radio is sick to the back teeth of hearing the words Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo conjoined in the same monotonous, repetitive headlines and sentences. Not to mention those who have the misfortune of purchasing a daily newspaper only to be fed the same tedious nonsense about the Spanish mercenaries and the man whom this whole debacle centres around.
It's got to the point where no news would be incredibly welcomed news, and as Euro 2008 approaches, we can only hope that it's Ronaldo's performances on the pitch for Portugal which take up the newspaper backpages in the forthcoming weeks. Never going to happen, but hey, we can at least dream of Utopia...
If Ronaldo does decide that his future lies away from Old Trafford, then it wouldn't be a total disaster. As proven in the past, players who leave Manchester United don't often tend to go on to bigger and better things, and despite the Portuguese winger being largely recognised as the best football in the world at the minute, his position could be filled by someone either equally as capable - Lionel Messi, or, and back to the real world now, a player who'll still be able to do a decent job for the club.
Ronaldo has had a remarkable season, to that there is no doubt. However, can he realistically match this season's achievements going into the next campaign? It does seem pretty unlikely that he'll exceed the 42 goal tally next year. After all, he is only human, and a quick glance at the list of the recent World Player's of the Year suggests that Ronaldo may already be approaching the zenith of his career. Baring Fernando Torres winning the Golden Boot at Euro 2008 and catapulting Liverpool to the top of the league by December, or Cesc Fabregas making a pact with the devil, Ronaldo will win the World Player of the Year award at the end of the year.
When Kaka picked up the accolade last year, the whole world seemed united that he was on a different level, unique and untouchable. 24 months earlier, exactly the same sentiments were said about Ronaldinho. Now in 2008, Ronaldo is the man receiving similar plaudits, whilst Kaka couldn't even inspire AC Milan to a Champions League spot in Serie A and the great Ronaldinho could well be destined for, well, the glamour's of the City of Manchester Stadium.
Obviously Ronaldo still has youth on his side. At 23, it's expected that he won't reach his peak for at least another few years, but after such a sensational season, have we already seen the best of Cristiano Ronaldo? After all, if it wasn't for the selflessness of his teammates, namely Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez, then the mercurial winger wouldn't have notched up half the goals he scored this year. There would be doubts that Ronaldo would see the same happen at a new club, particularly one like Real Madrid, where individualism is often favoured over teamwork.
The issue of commitment is also something which is increasingly frustrating the United support. If Ronaldo's heart and mind is already in the Bernabeu, then it would be best for all concerned if he left now. Having any player at the club who doesn't want to be there is detrimental to the player and the club itself, regardless of how good the player in question is. It's almost certain that Real Madrid would have to smash the £46m record transfer fee paid out for Zinedine Zidane in 2001 to prize the Portuguese winger away from the grasps of Sir Alex Ferguson, and this cash injection could be put to great use, with the likes of Karim Benzema, David Villa and Ricardo Quaresma all itching to move onto pastures new.
If Real Madrid do end up tabling a substantial offer, then expect to hear the same generic quotes from Ronaldo about how it's 'impossible to resist the call once Madrid come knocking' (see David Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate for specific examples).
As champions of England and Europe, United should not be playing second fiddle to Real Madrid. This transfer saga is far from over, but it appears increasingly obvious that the Spanish champions have made an impression on Ronaldo from a young age. The main issue being the sooner we know what the mindset of Cristiano Ronaldo is, the sooner Sir Alex Ferguson can plan for next season. With rival Premier League teams already well underway snapping up big name players, the last thing the club needs is for the Portuguese to spring an unwelcome surprise sometime in July announcing that his dream is to play for Los Blancos next season.
If the 23-year-old has played his final game for United, then we'll be grateful for his extraordinary contribution over the last few seasons, but he can and will eventually be replaced.
It's been said time and time again and still remains true. Manchester United is bigger than any one single player, even Cristiano Ronaldo. |
發表於 2008-6-6 08:08 PM
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