Time to forgive Ronaldo

GOING FORWARD ... Cristiano Ronaldo in training


ALEX FERGUSON has told Manchester United fans it is time to forgive Cristiano
Ronaldo for trying to quit the club.




Ronaldo will make his first appearance before the Red Devils faithful since
May’s Champions League triumph as they begin the defence of that crown.


And the winger can expect a luke-warm reception from an Old Trafford crowd
still smarting after the Portuguese star’s attempts to join Real Madrid this
summer.


But gaffer Fergie says Ronaldo deserves another chance as he has been a model
professional since returning to United and battling back from his ankle
injury.


Ferguson said: “I think the fans understand the situation — he was a young man
tempted by the lure of money.


“Since we gave him our decision he has accepted it and his training has been
fantastic.


“He’s come back from his ankle operation ahead of schedule and been the
perfect patient.


“Cristiano has been training every day until 5pm and shown real determination
to get back playing.”


Ferguson says Ronaldo’s attitude off the training field has been spot on, too,
despite being denied his apparent ‘dream’ move to the Bernabeu.


The Old Trafford boss added: “There has been no toys thrown out the pram. He
has accepted the situation and got on with it.


“I’m delighted he is back. You are talking about a truly magnificent player.”


But Stuart Parish of the Manchester United Supporters Trust, believes Ronaldo
will need to make a big effort to win back the fans — despite his 42 goals
last season.


No Ronaldo songs have been sung this season as they often are in a player’s
absence.


The song ‘Viva Ronaldo’, sung throughout last season’s triumphant Champions
League campaign, has been changed to ‘Viva John Terry’ after the Chelsea
captain’s penalty miss in the thrilling Moscow final.

Parish said: “He will get a mixed reaction, there is no doubt
about that.


“I watched the Liverpool game in a pub at the weekend and some fans booed
Ronaldo when he was pictured on the TV.


“But they were shouted down pretty quickly because United fans just don’t boo
their own players.


“The only one I can think of was Rio Ferdinand, when he wouldn’t sign his
contract, but even then it was a minority.


“The fans won’t turn on Ronaldo in a big way. It’s just not our style.


“At every game last year, the fans sang his name all the time, but I haven’t
heard one Ronaldo song since the start of pre-season.


“The fans just want to blank him and, if he is going to get that adulation
back, he will have to earn it.


“I’m sure he will turn it on again, though, and I don’t think his relationship
with the fans has gone forever.”


Ronaldo is likely to be on the bench tonight as United host Spaniards
Villarreal.


Fergie is expecting a big improvement after the 2-1 defeat at Liverpool on
Saturday.


He said: “That was a disappointment. We did not cope with Liverpool’s
tackling.




“They forged a victory out of winning the ball and we got careless in our
defending.


“If you want to compete at the top level you have to compete as hard as
Liverpool did.”


United will be hot favourites to make it out of Group E, which also contains
Celtic and Danish side Aalborg.


But United’s opening group stage of the 2005-06 tournament will serve as a
warning against any complacency.


That was the last time they met Villarreal — and came bottom of the group
behind them Benfica and Lille.


Ferguson added: “That was a real low point. It was a difficult period for us,
we had a lot of young players.”


If Ferguson successfully defends the European Cup he will join Anfield legend
Bob Paisley as the only managers to have won the competition three times.


Fergie said: “As a club, we should have won it more times and to win it again
and take our tally to four will be much more acceptable.”


England midfielder Michael Carrick is out for six weeks after breaking his
foot, while Paul Scholes is suspended tonight after being sent-off in the
Super Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg.


Dimitar Berbatov also looks set to miss out on his Champions League debut
after picking up a knee injury against Liverpool.