Erik ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo must cooperate throughout the season, as the Portuguese could not leave Old Trafford. The Dutch coach no longer considers the Lusitanian a starter, however, he seeks to find mechanisms to keep the 37-year-old happy and make him it feels important in a different way. Ten Hag emphasizes that one time he will be Ronaldo’s close friend and another time his teacher, depending on the situation.
“I will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s friend, and sometimes even his teacher. It will depend on the situation in which we will find ourselves. As we know, he was not in pre-season and no one should miss pre-season training. And, Ronaldo’s physical condition remains to be understood, then there are also the mechanisms of the team depending on the match and the result”, said Ten Hag. In five games this season, Ronaldo has started in only one starting position, while in the challenges others, Ten Hag has always reserved a limited minutes by activating him from the bench.
