McClaren reveals Erik ten Hag's stark ultimatum to Cristiano Ronaldo: press or be benched. The legendary striker's exit hinged on this non-negotiable demand.
Cristiano Ronaldo's second spell at Manchester United turned into a standoff with Erik ten Hag, with no return. Now, Steve McClaren, a member of the Dutchman's coaching staff, has revealed on the podcast The Good, the Bad & the Football how the ultimatum that ultimately precipitated the Portuguese player's exit was crafted.
The conflict's origin was strictly football-related. Ten Hag intended for his No. 9 to be the first defender: high pressing, continuous efforts without the ball, and aggressiveness to trigger recovery in the opponent's half. McClaren explained it bluntly while recalling the message conveyed to Cristiano: "All he wanted you to do was press first, make one run, another, and maybe a third, and then come back into the middle in case we won the ball back so we could play with you."
But the decisive nuance was in the second part of the speech. It was not a suggestion, but a non-negotiable condition. "That's what he wants. If you can't do it, you're not going to play. He's not going to pick you," confessed the former England manager about the direct warning to the striker.
The demand clashed with Cristiano Ronaldo's professional stage, which was already more focused on instinct inside the box than on constant exertion outside it. While other managers might have adjusted the system to enhance his finishing ability, Ten Hag chose to fortify his collective idea: in his model, pressing was non-negotiable, regardless of the name on the shirt.
The fracture became visible when Ronaldo left the bench before a match ended after refusing to come on as a substitute, a gesture that symbolized the definitive rupture. For McClaren, there was "pride on both sides," but the manager never stepped back.
That ultimatum marked the point of no return. In Ten Hag's new United, the plan was above any individual hierarchy, even that of a club legend.
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