Ronaldo Needs A Slap In The Face While He's Happy

Ronaldo reiterated his desire to stay at Manchester United, resisting the overtures of Real Madrid which are bound to start again in the summer. Jolly good, eh?

'There's always speculation, not just about me but about the future of players all around the world,' Ronaldo said.

'People were speaking about me this summer but that was normal because of what I did during the season. What people are saying now [the rubbish about United and Ronaldo both agreeing with Real Madrid about a summer transfer] is not true.

'Who says that is a liar because I am happy at the club, I want to stay here. I feel at home here. I feel very happy here.'

Well, that's just amazingly amazing but there's one little hitch. Two, now I come to think of it. First, this public vow of allegiance will not stop him flirting with Madrid in the summer, you can be sure. And the second, the more important is that he doesn't just simply feel home here: he feels he owns the place.

His performances are inferior to last season's which in itself is no tragedy, a dip was expected, the last two seasons witnessed Ronaldo being in superhuman form which simply couldn't be kept up. But his ego and frustration is getting the better of him now. Kicking out at people nastily with alarming frequence and the funny but at the same time embarassing brawl with Emmanuel Pogatetz on December 29... these are not fitting for a player of his stature.

Wake up lad, you're not above the rules as demonstrated at City. You need a slap in the face now I'm afraid, because it's no good at the moment. Reacting to Pogatetz's provocation... silly thing, that's his area, that's what he wanted and I bet he was pleased with himself.

Ronaldo should concentrate on playing and playing only. Yep, I know, opponents target him and try to neutralise him by any means they can think of, often resorting to very crude measures. But that's the lot of the greatest players and the very greatest ones cannot afford to be drawn into pathetic little scraps with mediocre butchers.

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