Source: TheGuardian
Skill, desire and Sir Alex: how Ronaldo transformed Manchester United
Teenager dazzled on debut and told his teammates he was the best, say those who worked with him, but his inspirational performances took the club to another dimensionMike Phelan observed all of Cristiano Ronaldo’s six years at Manchester United from the intimate position of first coach and then number two to Sir Alex Ferguson. So when he says the Portuguese – who returns to Old Trafford on Tuesday with Juventus in the Champions League – took the storied club to a different level, it is a measure of the respect he earned at United.“The impact Cristiano Ronaldo had – he took the players, staff, the football club into a new dimension. He excelled in the development of the team and the club. He was a young impressionable footballer when he came to the club and left a mature adult. And took his game even further on from then. He was inspirational.” Related: Investments are protected and for now Cristiano Ronaldo is too big to fail | Barney Ronay ‘The first time I saw Ronaldo he was terrorising us from every angle. Players were saying: “What did we just witness?”’ Related: Cristiano Ronaldo scoring for Juventus is just a goal, nothing else | Paolo Bandini Continue reading......read full article
