 EDITORIAL ENGLISH

One normally associates “sagas” with innovative and beautiful works of epic proportions. “Beowulf” springs to mind as does “The Lord of the Rings”. Literary achievements which bedazzle generation upon generation by their sheer capacity to grip readers into an augmented reality of heroic tales and altruistic deeds.

The “Cristiano Ronaldo” saga will certainly go down in history as an exception to the aforementioned. A saga for all the “wrong reasons.” Seemingly “never-ending”, punctuated by the odd appearance off the bench, in an attritional war with his own manager and ostensibly shunned by his fellow team-mates and fans, the Ronaldo fairy tale was destined to become a protracted, nervewracking and exhausting conundrum which would have certainly kept on dividing fans and distracting the manager.

In some ways, thank God it’s over. Finally, we can focus on the football and away from this off‑field issue which has blighted Erik Ten Hag’s initial months at the helm of the club. The controversial interview with Piers Morgan was undoubtedly machinated to ensure Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United would finally part company. It was unashamedly orchestrated to ensure that Ronaldo was not only away from the club but literally outside of the United Kingdom – ensuring no press scrutiny would befall either him or his family.

For all the pre-interview hype (words such as “explosive”, “earth-shattering” and “bombshell” were bandied prior to the first screening) – nothing genuinely stood out as being out of the ordinary or indeed surprising. That Ronaldo had suffered a personal family tragedy was public knowledge. That he had fallen out with the Manager was obvious – even to non-United fans. That the Glazers “couldn’t care less” was evident to all and sundry since 2005. As soon as the dust settles, the interview will be exposed for what it is. The manifestation of an ego-centric individual, basking in his own self-adulation and reminiscing about the good old-days when he could run past three to four defenders with relative ease.

Unfortunately, it seems not everyone is capable of accepting the fact that his/her time at the very top is over. There’s no riding off into the sunset. No final hurrah. Just the self‑realisation that your contribution is certainly not what it was 10-20 years’ ago. Whilst other professionals bow out gracefully, it seems Cristiano wanted to bow out on his own terms and in a manner he sought fit. At least, to his credit, he succeeded in fulfilling his request.

The above panegyric rant shouldn’t detract from the fact that despite a tumultuous couple of months, Erik Ten Hag has managed to steer the ship with great equanimity and professionalism. Results haven’t always been too kind for him. The demolition endured during the Manchester derby coupled by the lacklustre performance at Villa Park certainly saw the press sharpening their knives – and questioning whether the Dutchman was the right man for the job. Yet, if the past ten years have taught United fans one thing – it’s that whoever takes charge must be given time to overhaul the structure, regalvanise the squad and bring the fans back on-side. scrutiny and focus (particularly in Britain) can be unrelenting and taxing. However, the club is well-equipped to manage the precocious youngster as the Red Devils have done in the past with players such as Best, Beckham, Giggs and Rooney. United fans live in hope that the talismanic Argentinian will lead the club to future glory and accolades.

On a final note, the club ownership debate took another twist when it was announced that the Glazer family were (finally!) considering options to sell the club. Whilst there is no guarantee that any buyer would be prepared to meet the asking price (which is apparently set an astronomical figure of GBP 8 billion!) demanded by the family – the fact that the Glazers are “exploring” avenues to lay-off Manchester United is comforting to all fans who have had enough of owners who have never contributed any of their personal wealth or assets to improve the infrastructure which is decaying beyond belief.

There have been moments during the initial part of the season where the team has been truly impressive. A “Ronaldo-less” United triumphed against Liverpool at Old Trafford and completely outwitted and outfought Antonio Conte’s Tottenham at the Theatre of Dreams. Both games demonstrated a tactical nous and game-management awareness that had not been seen in a very long time! That Erik ten Hag needs the club’s backing is imperative. That the wellspoken and mercurial Dutchman needs “time” is undeniable. I have full faith that he will remedy all major problems (and flaws) found within the entire organisation within a couple of seasons. The controversial take-over back in 2005 (a leveraged buy-out wherein the family basically borrowed money and saddled the club with the debt) has been contentious from the moment the deal was approved all those years’ ago. United fans have never had any form of closure and recent protests and demonstrations have seemingly echoed the “Revolutions of 1848” with fans taking to the streets and breaking into Old Trafford “en masse”. The uprisings have certainly not gone unnoticed by the Glazers, and it is within this backdrop that the potential sale of the club is being mooted to third-parties and other major stakeholders.

The win against Fulham brought back memories of a by-gone era – when United genuinely left it very late in the day to grab the crucial (and elusive) three points. Seeing the players collectively kiss, hug and celebrate like one unit was pleasing to witness. What made it extra special was the manner in which the goal was scored. The match had a “draw” written all over it. But in Alejandro Garnacho, it seems the club has unearthed another “diamond” similar in the mould to George Best or Cristiano Ronaldo. His winning goal epitomised all the touches of class and quality that one would associate with a future “star in the making.”

Garnacho has the world at his feet. His intricate footwork and dribbling skills certainly have led many to believe that he can possibly be United’ next superstar. The media In any event, all United fans certainly hope (and pray) that such vicissitudes (which have beset the club for quite a while), will be shortly confined to the annals of history. Enjoy the read and make the most of the 2022 FIFA World Cup!