Every time Manchester United flops this season (which has been 90% of the time, to be very honest) I feel so sad.
No. Not for the club. For Cristiano Ronaldo. I feel so sad knowing that he probably questions why he ever returned to Manchester United.
You see, at the beginning of this season, Ronaldo made this rather unexpected career move. After weeks of being in talks with Manchester City, he woke up one Monday morning and decided to return to Manchester United.
If you are not a football fan, you'll probably wonder why I used the word 'return'.
Well, it was termed ‘homecoming’ because Ronaldo was formerly a Manchester United player up until after the 2008 football season when he left for Real Madrid.
Let me spare you the details of his moves and achievements after he left MUFC in 2008, but you can read them up here and here.
However, it was a shock to everyone when at the beginning of this season Ronaldo made a U-turn on his almost-concluded agreement with Manchester City and signed for Manchester United AGAIN.
Intel holds that the legendary and former (now retired) coach of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson largely influenced this choice of his. Another not-so-surprising angle considering that Ronaldo was his protégé both as a MUFC player and outside. Ronaldo refers to him (Ferguson) as his football mentor, and as such has tremendous respect for him, his opinion, and his counsel. It so makes a lot of sense that he heeded Ferguson and returned ‘home’.
Now, away from heeding the advice of his mentor, it has become rather obvious that Ronaldo might not have made the right choice after all. The decision to return to Manchester United after 14 years.
Why?
For about 5 seasons now, Manchester United has not exactly been in good form. To worsen situations, MUFC's bad form gets even worse with each new season.
Not to mince words: 👇🏾
"Manchester United has become a topic of jest."
What with her consistency in bad formation, team play, line-up, choice of players, and poor management.
From David Moyes, to Van Gaal, to Jose Mourinho, to Ole Gunner and Ralf Rangnick. Manchester United has successfully become a joke. Constantly putting her fans to ridicule with their series of horrible performances.
But, this piece is not about Manchester United (which I am unfortunately a die-hard fan of 🤦🏾♀️). This piece is about Cristiano Ronaldo and his choice of moving to Manchester United as against Manchester City with whom he had almost closed an agreement.
It is about the absolute disgrace MUFC has been to his name and legacy ever since his return this season.
It is about the amazing form and leadership Manchester City has displayed this season and in the past 4 seasons.
It is how every single day, Manchester United gets worse while Manchester City becomes even better than the previous season.
It is about how Ronaldo probably questions his decision to return home.
It is how Ronaldo probably questions his decision to go with the advice of his mentor (Alex Ferguson) and come to the Red part of Manchester as against moving to the Blue and triumphant side of it.
How he probably wakes up every day to the realization (unfortunately way too late) that he is not enough to restore the glory of Manchester United.
How instead of perhaps enjoying his last days in the field of play in a club with better players, form, and management, he returned home to meet shambles.
I dare say Ronaldo should have known better. However, it is easier to cast aspersions when you are not the recipient of a situation, isn't it?
And like other persons who I have spoken to concerning this, they agree that it is easier to blame Ronaldo for joining Manchester United instead of holding the club responsible for her shitty form and gross under-performance.
It is easier to critique his choice of returning home instead of moving to Manchester City who is in better form, and boasts of an almost-excellent leadership.
It is easier to say Ronaldo has had no positive effect on the MUFC team since his return, while (intentionally/unintentionally) forgetting that a football team consists of 11 teammates on whom the success of every match depends, not one player; Ronaldo.
It is easier to forget that there is only so much Ronaldo can do as a single player if he has to consistently battle with fairly average teammates, poor formations, and management who cannot seem to hold it together.
However, I have an even bigger question.
Should Cristiano Ronaldo have heeded Alex Ferguson?
I mean, Alex is his mentor, and Ronaldo his protégé. However, in this situation, has heeding the advice of his mentor proven to be the best decision?
If Ronaldo had refused to heed Alex, this might have caused a ruse between them (or not). However, it's a few months to the end of the season and it is very obvious that moving to Manchester City might have been the best decision and career move for Ronaldo.
Last weekend alone, Manchester United lost 4-0 to Brighton while Manchester City won 5-0 against Newcastle, and their female team won 4-0 against Reading Football Club.
Imagine waking up every week to witness your team lose matches and points woefully, while the very same team you almost joined until you heeded your mentor and made a detour, win over and over again.
It is then understandable when Cristiano acts frustrated and fed up with the entire situation.
There is only so much that he can endure. I mean, this is particularly saddening, considering that he had recently lost a child.
The whole point of this article is to bring to the fore that sometimes, we ourselves know what is best for us. Not our mentors, not others.
Our mentors play an advisory role, no doubt. They serve as a guide. A compass. However, we must come to terms with the fact that only we really understand our individual trajectory, and as such, it is pertinent to know when to listen to our hearts and make our own choices.
Mentors are humans. And whilst they might have walked similar paths which give them leverage to be an advisor, only you have walked your path, and in extension, only you have a full grasp of its course.
Mentors are not omnipotent.
Mentors are not gods.
Speaking of gods. Thor defied Odin. However, Thor triumphed. Didn't he? 😉
I'd really like to hear your views concerning this article. Please share with me in the comment section, and spare some time to share this newsletter with your audience. 🤭