Premier League - Parker slams coward Ronaldo

Eurosport - Sat, 05 Jul 08:47:00 2008

EXCLUSIVE! Former Manchester United player Paul Parker thinks Cristiano Ronaldo should act like a man over his transfer to Real Madrid.

2008 Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo - 0

"It is plainly obvious that Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't want to come back to Manchester United, but he isn't man enough to say so.

It is like somebody who wants a divorce but isn't brave enough to start proceedings. He has made no attempt to justify his position to the fans, the manager or anybody.

He has made comments about wanting Carlos Queiroz to get the Portugal job, but he is strangely quiet when it comes to clarifying his own situation.

He is just sitting there hoping Real Madrid strike a deal, and is dreading having to go back and face the music.

I think a lot of United fans have been very upset by his behaviour. He took years to win them over with his performances, but will have to start from scratch again if he does return.

Even from a neutral point of view I don't think it is the right time for him to move. The majority of great players are associated with a particular club and have shown loyalty over their career.

Ronaldo has shown no loyalty whatsoever and I think it will stop him going down as one of the greats. Will he be able to score 40 goals a season in Madrid? I very much doubt it.

Sir Alex Ferguson took a major gamble on Ronaldo, bringing him through at a young age and sticking with him when he didn't appear to be progressing.

He made him physically and mentally stronger - Sir Alex made Ronaldo like he made Beckham, Scholes and Giggs. No other manager could have done the job Fergie has done, and Ronaldo has let him down badly.

I don't think there will be much sympathy for Ronaldo in the Old Trafford dressing room. Players usually understand if somebody is looking to move to a bigger club or get a better contract.

But Ronaldo is already one of the highest-paid players at the biggest team in England and the European champions. Why would he leave for a club that were nowhere near in the Champions League?

These kind of things happen and I think the United players will be professional enough to get on with it if he comes back, but they will be disappointed that he wants to walk away.

Although I hold the player ultimately responsible, his agent has not helped. Agents do not always work in the players' best interests because they get a big payday every time there is a transfer.

You have to hope Ronaldo will see sense, and in any case there should be no rush to sell him as he has four years left on his contract. But you worry that he could upset the harmony in the dressing room if he doesn't get what he wants.

In my playing days players looked to move clubs, but they kept their mouths shut and things were played out internally, not in the papers.

If you acted up, you went straight in the reserves. But clubs cannot afford to do that these days as it could damage the value of the player. You have to wonder whether there is any point having contracts any more.

I think United will cope without Ronaldo. Sir Alex will look to bring in another forward who can score 20 goals like Dimitar Berbatov, and of course more of the burden will fall on Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

You get the feeling that Rooney has coasted a little bit through the last two seasons and allowed Ronaldo to carry him.

He will really have to step up to the plate and prove his quality if Ronaldo goes, because the onus will be squarely on Rooney to inspire the United attack."

Paul Parker was talking to Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 177 - 196 of 196

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  1. jpatuk2000 im assuming you were in the office when they were discussing all this then.

    From foxation10, on Wed 16 Jul 3:43PM

  2. How utterly diapointing that agian Paul Parker has "reported" on old storirs and half-truths. Even you could get a real story if you tried!!

    From plewis696, on Wed 16 Jul 9:45AM

  3. Ronaldo had an understanding with Furgy and Mank utd to only play for them for 2 years. Furgy and Mank U knew that Ronaldo's preferred choice of destination was, is and will always be Real Madrid. So why all this huff and puff over a player who has played his heart out for a second rate club like Manky Utd, played 3 more years than he should have and delivered success to a mediocre team. Without Ronaldo in their side, Manky Utd look very, very ordinary and to be honest, bereft of creativity. That is the 'REAL' issue with Furgy and Manky fans, they know that once Ronalso goes, so does their chances of winning anything next season. If a player wishes to play for the club of their dreams and a red nosed sourgrape and a group of glory hunters deny that player that right, then what does that make you Furgy? what does that make all of you Manky fans? Let me spell it out "BULLIES" and "SLAVE TRADERS" nothing more, nothing less.

    From jpatuk2000, on Tue 15 Jul 9:17AM

  4. all is true about the gunners!!This is the only way that can pay their huge debt that they incurred when they built Emirates Stadium!!!!!

    From dante, on Sat 12 Jul 4:00AM

  5. Contracts between a player and a club is a total farse!Let the rich slaves move from one club to another club.Look at Arsenal they're breeders of human stock they buy cheap and sell at a profit ! The gunners are MERCHAN'DS and traders of footballers ....

    From dante, on Sat 12 Jul 3:54AM

  6. I heard that Lionel Messi wants to play in Italy. His Father told a Spanish newspaper "my son should play in Italy because that's where his roots come from" I did not know that both his grandparents came form Italy?

    From dante, on Sat 12 Jul 3:38AM

  7. I'm sick and tire to read about cristiano ronaldo. No other media talks about him!Oh, I beg your pardon! He was mentioned a few days ago by the spanish and italian press that he was vacationing in Italy and precisely in the emerald coast in Sardinia and if i'm not mistaking he was photographed on top of his spanish girlfriend with her Tits out!!!

    From dante, on Sat 12 Jul 3:27AM

  8. IF BLUTO GOES TO REAL MADRID HE WILL BE ANOTHER ORDINARY PLAYER! CRISTIANO "BLUTO" RONALDO WHEN HE PLAYS FOR PORTUGAL E BECOMES AN ORDINARY PLAYER!

    From dante, on Sat 12 Jul 3:14AM

  9. Don';t smoke; Parker is a fart!

    From slivatree, on Tue 8 Jul 10:36PM

  10. Paul Parker is a Wise-man, and I agree with all what he has said. Ronald is a COWARD

    From Master-Dodo, on Tue 8 Jul 8:18PM

  11. No matter what he stays or leaves, i hope MANCHESTER UNITED wil win the EPL. and what's more People say he is a member of a celeb club
    interracialloving**C 000OO M.

    From canneysmith, on Tue 8 Jul 2:55PM

  12. What are we saying, let give this boy chance to go were he want to go, he hav try enogh for he club, he hav made MAN U prude, let him go and try to another club, as for me am barca fans, barca dont let samuel Eto go, u must live for ever.

    From okechukwu o, on Mon 7 Jul 10:35PM

  13. LET HIM GO IF HE WANTS OFFER MESSI RONALDO WAGE PACKET (REPORTEDLY HALF THE AMOUNT) IF BARCA WANT TO RELEASE HIM AND BOBS YOUR UNCLE

    From jonah662, on Mon 7 Jul 4:29PM

  14. If Ronaldo's heart is in Madrid and not Manchester, let him go. He's not even fit to clean Messi's boots!!

    From Mogsy, on Mon 7 Jul 3:25PM

  15. I think he should finish his time first then live because why did he sign the contract?
    when he signed the contrct he knew what he was getting into.
    HE SHOULD FINISH HIS TIME!

    From tatendamasanga, on Mon 7 Jul 11:53AM

  16. ..This "Parker"..WHAT is he REALLY ABOUT?-Wants Sir Alex "JOB" or maybe Carlos Queiroz,
    now, that he is being TENTALIZED, with the "PORTUGAL Management" Bidding ??
    If Sir Alex, INSISTINGLY, puts his JOB ON THE LINE, for RONALDO, the "GOD"..Berndt Schuster of Real Mad, calls him a "GENIUS", needed at Santiago Bernabeu..This "PARKER CARICATURE"...WHO is he??,- to Take a "Revilling" Punch, at a STILL Man.U Player..??
    It makes Anyone "SICK"..TO SEE "NOBODY's"...crossing the LINE with "PERSONNAL" Public Injury and Disrespect, to "ONE" that WALKS TALL, in the Worlds Football Pitches!!-LONDON

    From Dean_ManU, on Mon 7 Jul 1:31AM

  17. Ronaldo: He is not worth talking about. There will be plenty of other good players in the pipeline, at Manchseter United, or any of the other big clubs in Europe. Next year we will be talking about someone else. Lets talk about the weather instead, much more interesting.

    From turncharles, on Sun 6 Jul 7:18AM

  18. RONALDO should not leave! If he leaves wont he just be following the steps of Beckham? Look at where Beckham is now in the MLS playing for LA Galaxy. WHo are they? NOBODY!!!!! And hes no good anymore! So RONALDO should most def. stay at Old Traford!

    From colombian_devil93, on Sun 6 Jul 4:44AM

  19. thf-starscream ... i meant European Champions Cups (1950s-1980s) AND Champions Leagues. Of course, that should now be 3 for Man Utd. Which is 3 times more than my team!

    From shanekelly04, on Sun 6 Jul 1:01AM

  20. Whats wrong with this Jessy guy?He is a supporter of arsenal,chelsea,liverpool n portsmouth.Isnt this insane or am i the one trippin.

    From modenyo85, on Sat 5 Jul 9:08PM
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