‘I sleep well’ – Erik ten Hag comes out clear on Cristiano Ronaldo decision for Manchester United vs Liverpool
Erik ten Hag, the coach of Manchester United , claimed that he had no trouble sleeping after he decided to bench Cristiano Ronaldo during the team’s match against Liverpool in August.
This choice reportedly contributed to Ronaldo’s eventual departure from the club in November.
Despite Ronaldo’s desire to leave Old Trafford during the summer, he ended up remaining on the team. However, he was benched for the Liverpool match after starting the 4-0 defeat at Brentford. Ronaldo only played for the final four minutes of United’s 2-1 victory against Liverpool.
The victory in the game against Liverpool was a significant moment for Erik ten Hag’s tenure as manager of Manchester United, as it marked the beginning of his successful period.
However, it also foreshadowed the struggles that Cristiano Ronaldo would face during his time with the team.
Ronaldo found it challenging to secure a regular spot in the lineup, and he was disciplined for refusing to enter a game against Tottenham. Eventually, his contract was mutually terminated after he gave an unauthorized interview to Piers Morgan.
Despite these difficulties, Ten Hag has maintained that his decision to bench Ronaldo in the Liverpool game was an obvious one, and he did not lose any sleep over it.
This choice was the first of many bold decisions made by the new manager, and they have paid off, with the team still in the running for four trophies as they prepare for the upcoming game against Liverpool.
Looking back on his initial major decision as manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag stated that he was prepared to accept the repercussions of benching Cristiano Ronaldo. He believed that it was a decision he had to make, and he was willing to stand by it.
“I have to see and face the consequences of it, the impact of the decisions not only in the short-term but also for the longer-term. Of course, you don’t always have a lot of time, in that period I remember we had 10 days so I could consider which choice would be the best,” he said.
“You always have to think strategic, what is the consequence longer-term. I am aware of it but that is my job and that is the responsibility I have to take.
“I had reasons (for the decision). They were obvious. And I knew also the consequence and also if it was a negative outcome from that game. That is always possible in football.
“But I am not worrying. I sleep well also in those nights. I have to take the decisions in respect in advance of the club and the team. That is my job and that is the responsibility I have to take and I have to stand for those decisions.”
Erik ten Hag is not worried about his upcoming visit to Anfield as the manager of Manchester United. Although he led his former team, Ajax, to Anfield in the 2020/21 Champions League group stages, he acknowledges that this will be a different experience, given the magnitude of United’s rivalry with Liverpool.
Having recently dined with Sir Alex Ferguson, he is familiar with the legendary manager’s quote about toppling Liverpool from their perch. Ten Hag is excited about the atmosphere at Anfield and the hostility that his team will encounter. He is confident that his team is composed of “warriors” who are ready to compete in the cauldron of Anfield.
“I know what to expect. I have seen the games between Liverpool and Manchester United, so I know what is going on there,” he said.
“But I have been in many hostile stadiums. This might be the worst, but I know what’s going on there. I am really looking forward to it – and I know my players are the same.”
‘I sleep well’ – Erik ten Hag comes out clear on Cristiano Ronaldo decision for Manchester United vs Liverpool
