Erik ten Hag has been blasted for his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Piers Morgan has unleashed a scathing attack on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, calling him a "complete idiot" for his handling of Cristiano Ronaldo. The outspoken broadcaster launched into a fiery diatribe against the Dutchman, blaming him for Ronaldo's departure from Old Trafford after his second spell with the club.
Morgan accused Ten Hag of being incapable of managing top talent, citing his apparent misuse of players like Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford as evidence of his poor man-management skills. He even mocked Ten Hag for talking "gibberish" in the wake of United's recent loss to Liverpool.
During an explosive segment on talkSPORT with Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor, Morgan initially lauded Ronaldo for his match-winning performance for Portugal against Scotland in the Nations League. But the conversation quickly turned into a tirade, with Morgan suggesting that under Ten Hag's leadership, United have "no hope" of securing a top-four finish.
Ronaldo and Morgan sat down for an infamous interview in 2022 (Image: @piersmorgan/Twitter)
Morgan praised Ronaldo's knack for scoring, after his late goal secured Portugal a 2-1 victory over the Scots, and asserted that no one is better at finding the back of the net than the 39-year-old. However, when Agbonlahor questioned why Ten Hag let Ronaldo move to Saudi Arabia, Morgan didn't hold back in his criticism, reports the Mirror.
"Ten Hag is a complete idiot. I'm sorry, he is, he has been since he went there [United]," he said. Referring to Ten Hag's comments after the 3-0 defeat to arch-rivals Liverpool, in which the United boss claimed he can't make United's woes vanish like magic, Morgan sardonically added: "He talks complete gibberish, he's now banging on about Harry Potter or something."
The ex-Britain's Got Talent judge, who notably interviewed Ronaldo in a revealing sit-down in November 2022, then stated: "Ten Hag is everything Ronaldo told me he was in that interview that led to him leaving United." The former Good Morning Britain host left McCoist and Agbonlahor alternating between speechless astonishment and laughter with his relentless barrage.
Ten Hag is facing questions over his future just three games into the new season (Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
"You know the problem with Ten Hag? He's like that bossy little school teacher you get who doesn't know how to handle supreme academic talent," he said."You look at the players he's been unable to handle at United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford - it's all the top players. He can handle the lesser ones, he can handle the guys he brings in from Ajax who've never been on the big world stage, but he cannot handle top players.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, as it's a miracle, but United have got worse than they were last season and there are two hopes for United of getting the top four this season - no hope and Bob Hope, and Bob Hope's been dead about 20 years."
In his explosive exchange with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo burnt bridges with United, despite rejoining the side only the year before. He lambasted the clubs direction and expressed that Erik ten Hag did not give him the "respect" he deserved.
Morgan, often seen as a fierce advocate for Ronaldo following their interview, suggested that if the Portuguese superstar had remained at United, their fortunes might have been vastly superior to the current plight. He added: "Had he stayed at Manchester United, he would have been immeasurably better than any of the strikers they've got, as he's proving for Portugal. The guy's the greatest that's ever played the game, and the greatest that will ever play the game."
Amidst heavy speculation around his future, Ten Hag signed a new contract in the summer but is now navigating through a challenging start to the season, having secured just one victory from United's first third matches. The Red Devils set their sights on Southampton for their next Premier League clash, away at St.Marys on Saturday, September 14.
