SAF about Cristiano Ronaldo (France Football)

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Sir Alex Ferguson: “Jorge Mendes knew that I would not go against my promise.”

The former Manchester United manager is the one who guided the “kid” to the top during their six years spent together. Here, he recounts the rise in a very detailed and touching manner.

Speaking exclusively to France Football, Sir Alex Ferguson lifted the lid on the 5-time Ballon D’Or winner.

http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.co...-knew-that-i-would-not-go-against-my-promise/
 

Mciahel Goodman

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I think Ferguson loves Ronaldo more than any other player he's had (except perhaps Cantona for his influence which kick-started the dominance). Ronaldo is a top five player of all time and cases could be made for top three. Ferguson was instrumental in his development and you can tell he isn't even better about Ronaldo giving his best years to Madrid as he honoured his word with Fergie, gave him an extra season and a world record transfer fee.
 

Rhyme Animal

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Nonchalantly scoring the winner...
As time has gone on, I rate Ronaldo's Utd career below that of Scholes, VDS, Giggs and Rooney.

All of them won all he did with us, contributed massively but didn't feck off to a European rival for their best years. It should also be remembered that when he pissed off to Real, they were worse than us!

I like him as a character, I think he's got a good nature. But he's a Madrid legend, not a United one.

I'd rather see Rooney reminisced over than Ronaldo (if we must reminisce over players who've left the club).
 

el3mel

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I just miss watching Ronaldo playing with our shirt on. These days look like a dream now. He was a joy to watch, and a great feeling to know we had the best player in the world at this time.
 

Jaybomb

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I wish he didn’t give those years to Madrid. He would have gone down as the best United player of all time, hands down. Probably club captain by now.
 

The holy trinity 68

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I think Ferguson loves Ronaldo more than any other player he's had (except perhaps Cantona for his influence which kick-started the dominance). Ronaldo is a top five player of all time and cases could be made for top three. Ferguson was instrumental in his development and you can tell he isn't even better about Ronaldo giving his best years to Madrid as he honoured his word with Fergie, gave him an extra season and a world record transfer fee.
Not very good cases though, top 10 of all time easily but top 3 no chance. Everyone has opinions though I suppose.
 

Bubz27

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As time has gone on, I rate Ronaldo's Utd career below that of Scholes, VDS, Giggs and Rooney.

All of them won all he did with us, contributed massively but didn't feck off to a European rival for their best years. It should also be remembered that when he pissed off to Real, they were worse than us!

I like him as a character, I think he's got a good nature. But he's a Madrid legend, not a United one.

I'd rather see Rooney reminisced over than Ronaldo (if we must reminisce over players who've left the club).
You can rate whoever you want over anyone else. That's your prerogative.

But it's nonsense to say Ronaldo isn't a United legend. Ronaldo was the man in our best ever team.
 

fezzerUTD

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I felt like I had lost the love of my life when Ronaldo left for real, it was sickening. Still love him now but hate real.
 

Snow

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As time has gone on, I rate Ronaldo's Utd career below that of Scholes, VDS, Giggs and Rooney.

All of them won all he did with us, contributed massively but didn't feck off to a European rival for their best years. It should also be remembered that when he pissed off to Real, they were worse than us!

I like him as a character, I think he's got a good nature. But he's a Madrid legend, not a United one.

I'd rather see Rooney reminisced over than Ronaldo (if we must reminisce over players who've left the club).
Van der Sar joined us when he was 35. Where was he going to "feck off" to?
 

Giggs86

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Was a huge mistake letting him go. Feck his boyhood club dream bullshit. We were the best team in Europe and we could've played hardball like we did with DDG and keep him. Mind that Real weren't the CL serial winners that they are today and we were a much better team than them. They haven't made it to the CL quarter finals for like 8 seasons or so while we were final / semi-final regulars.
 

The holy trinity 68

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Van der Sar joined us when he was 35. Where was he going to "feck off" to?
That isn’t really his point though. Ronaldo seen United as a stepping stone to Madrid. He gave us 2 exceptional seasons and 1 good one perhaps 2, but he always made it clear through his career that Madrid is where he always wanted to be.
 

Adisa

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I nearly died when I got back from school and my mum told me he left.
Felt like someone had died.
Couldn't care less about him now.
 

Snow

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That isn’t really his point though. Ronaldo seen United as a stepping stone to Madrid. He gave us 2 exceptional seasons and 1 good one perhaps 2, but he always made it clear through his career that Madrid is where he always wanted to be.
VDS still doesn't fit his point.

You're saying 2, maybe 3 seasons of Ronaldo's 6 with us weren't good?
 

MrPooni

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At half time, I sent my team manager to the stands to notify our executive director Peter Kenyon to come. Peter came and asked me, “Something wrong?”

I told him, “We can not leave without signing that kid!” to which he responded, “Which kid?”
I could not believe that he did not notice him.
:lol:
 

Bwuk

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Best player I've ever seen play for us.

Wish he'd stayed his career here. Think it's sad how every conversation always turns to him vs Messi, can't we just enjoy the fact that two of the greatest of all time played in the same era?

Who would of thought after his debut he'd go onto win 5 balon d'or
 

edcunited1878

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He wanted to leave, not sure what people don't understand about this. Fergie accepted this and Ronnie repaid him by being a top professional. We all remember that scene with him and Giggs where Giggsy was telling one more year, we want to win and feel this emotion one more year together.

Again, some people on here are bitter he left and have a "how dare you" attitude towards him. He brought so much success and joy to all United fans along with a core group of players.

If Fergie ranks Ronaldo as a United legend, then who are we to truly oppose his belief.
 

Skills

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Best player I've ever seen play for us.

Wish he'd stayed his career here. Think it's sad how every conversation always turns to him vs Messi, can't we just enjoy the fact that two of the greatest of all time played in the same era?

Who would of thought after his debut he'd go onto win 5 balon d'or
Did people even give a shit about the ballon d'or back then? Seems like its a much bigger deal now compared to even just 10 years ago
 

Bwuk

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Did people even give a shit about the ballon d'or back then? Seems like its a much bigger deal now compared to even just 10 years ago
Not as much, I do think a large part of the fanboying around Messi/Ronaldo is what caused it to be such a big deal.
 

Kazi

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I think Fergie takes every opportunity to remind people that he is mainly responsible for Ronaldo’s success.
 

GifLord

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Not as much, I do think a large part of the fanboying around Messi/Ronaldo is what caused it to be such a big deal.
There used to be 2 awards Ballon D'or and the Fifa WPOTY till the late 00s when they merged and started calling it the FIFA Ballon D'or.
They've split now and we're back to 2 awards again


Shame their fax worked back then
He'd feel like a slave here :lol:
Anyone remember?
[url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jul/11/manchesterunited.premierleague1]
I am a slave, says Ronaldo as he pushes for Madrid move
[/URL]
 

Harry190

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You can rate whoever you want over anyone else. That's your prerogative.

But it's nonsense to say Ronaldo isn't a United legend. Ronaldo was the man in our best ever team.
He was not in the 99 squad.
 

NotQuiteManc

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He was a monster winger for my team on the CM (or was it FM already by then?) 2001/2002/2003 I don't really remember but it was before United signed him. Always thought he would a really good winger but never thought he would be Top 2 player and go toe-to-toe with Messi, one of the naturally talented and effective player out there as well. I guess SAF gave him the platform and pushed him hard enough to go to the next level. Wish he didn't leave though.
 

Sing you a song

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Not very good cases though, top 10 of all time easily but top 3 no chance. Everyone has opinions though I suppose.
I see you use the name holy trinity a great tribute to the 3 legends .
I was lucky enough as a kid to watch them play together , Best was my hero a sublime player and the "best " I ever saw play live ......until Ronny came along , what he has achieved in his career is beyond belief a dedicated hardworking professional who set out to become the best player in the world and achieved it ,even at his age now he is still in the worlds top 5 players , what I would give to see him play one more season at United .
When Ronny got the ball at OT the whole crowd stood up and held there breath , best ever to play in England by a mile and in my view should go down as best player in history
 
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Footyislife

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We don't develop them like that anymore. Wish SAF had a chance with Martial. We'd have our next megastar.
 

MuranoLover

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So many years after I really start thinking what would have been if he was still here and would have SAF retired with Ronaldo in the team - probably not .

He has been an immense goalscorer and he would have torn apart the Shearer record
 

padzilla

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I respect what he achieved at the club, and what he did for the club, he will go down as one of the greats but, for me and many others, the fact he pushed to go somewhere else will always stop me from adoring him like a Giggs, Scholes, Cantona or even Keane.
 

predator

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I know Madrid are a very attractive club to play for but at the time United were in a much better position. I remember them being completely in Barca's shadow at that time and also getting dicked by Liverpool in the champions league (5-0 over both legs iirc).

There was nothing anyone on our side could do to make him stay. Was it a good move on his behalf career wise? I would say so definitely. Then again we'll never know what he could've achieved had be stayed at United.
 

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I really miss the good old days with Fergie. The way Fergie describes those matches brought back all the emotions and excitement I had while watching said matches.

It's just not what it used to be. Success or not.