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Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag torn apart by Kevin Pietersen in extraordinary Ronaldo rant
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has been slammed by Kevin Pieterson over Cristiano Ronaldo.
Erik ten Hag to 'deal with' Cristiano Ronaldo after early exit down tunnel
Cricket icon Kevin Pieterson has slammed Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag as a ‘clown’ over his treatment of forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain has been dropped by the Red Devils ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday having stormed down the Old Trafford tunnel against Tottenham.
Sulking ace Ronaldo stropped after allegedly refusing to go on as a substitute against Spurs. He marched down the tunnel and is now training with the club’s U21 squad.
Ten Hag has slapped down the veteran striker, who has now twice left Old Trafford before the end of a game. However, that has not gone down well with former England cricketer Pieterson.
After United celebrated the start of the T20 World Cup on Instagram, Pieterson sensationally asked the club to take down a picture of him. The United fan then took aim at Ten Hag, calling the 52-year-old a ‘clown’, and insisting Ronaldo is the ‘boss’.
He commented: “Please take my picture down? I don't want an association with a club that's managed by a clown who is completely disrespecting the greatest footballer of our time! @cristiano is the BOSS. That clown who no one will ever remember, needs a wake up!"
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Ronaldo also departed Old Trafford before full-time in a pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano. The latest episode is evidence of a clearly fractured relationship between the Ten Hag and one of his best players.
The five-times Ballon d'Or winner has largely played a sub role under Ten Hag and infamously remained unused during the 6-3 derby thrashing by Manchester City earlier this month.
Ten Hag insisted on Friday that he had to punish Ronaldo over his latest misdemeanour. He told journalists: "The talk is between Cristiano and me. The statement is clear. It is also in the statement that he remains an important part of the squad.
"I am the manager, I am responsible for the culture here. I have to set standards and values and have to control them. We are in a team.
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"After Rayo Vallecano, I said it was unacceptable, but it wasn't just him. The second time there has to be consequences. That is what has happened.
"We miss him tomorrow, that is a miss for us and the squad, but I think it is important for the attitude and mentality of the group and now we have to focus on Chelsea - that is the most important."
It remains to be seen if Ronaldo can win his place back at United. The 37-year-old desperately tried to exit the club in the summer and was kept against his own wishes.
United are understood to have since softened their stance and could allow the former Real Madrid star to leave in January. Ronaldo’s £500,000 per-week contract expires in the summer of 2023.