Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has told the club to give Erik ten Hag time to work when he resumes at Old Trafford in the summer.
Erik ten Hag was appointed after six months of strategising and searching for a new manager for the club, following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager.
New Austria national team manager Ralf Rangnick was given the role for six months on an interim basis after which he will become a consultant sporting director for two years, a job he will have together with his Austria national team job.
Ten Hag is now readying the final pieces of his puzzle which he wants to exhibit at the Premier League giants, following his triumph at the weekend over the rest of the Dutch top flight.
Many have called for the club to give him time, however, claiming that it will not be easy to get Man United back to winning ways almost immediately. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who returned to the club in the summer after 12 years away gathering trophies and individual accolades, is the latest to join these calls.
Ronaldo told United’s official website: “What I know about him is he did a fantastic job for Ajax, that he’s an experienced coach. But we need to give him time. Things need to change the way he wants.
“I hope we have success, of course, because, if you have success, all of Manchester is going to have success as well. I wish him the best.”
Ronaldo looking forward to trophies with ten Hag
Ronaldo, 37, has been listed as one of the players who will leave the club following the 52-year-old’s arrival from Ajax Amsterdam in the summer. However, there has been no comments from the superstar’s camp on the issue, making people believe that he will honour the two-year contract he signed when he returned to the club.
The former Real Madrid man expressed hope that ten Hag will bring United’s wait for a trophy to an end in the coming seasons. He added to his earlier comments: “We are happy and excited, not only as players, but the supporters as well.
“I wish him the best and let’s believe that, next year, we are going to win trophies.”
The former FC Utrecht manager was appointed without the consultation of the players, a first in the club’s recent history. Ronaldo was cited as one of the reasons for the club choosing to go this route, as his influence led to a few other targets being dismissed.
The Red Devils currently sit in sixth place and have lost all opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League next season. Ronaldo will be playing in the UEFA Europa League for the first time in his career if he remains at the club.
