The anger vented in Cristiano Ronaldo’s direction over the summer has slowly begun to disappear, with more and more fans jumping to the defence of the wantaway Portuguese winger.
Two goals from Ronaldo last night against West Ham only reinforce what an important player he is for our team, and whilst not at the centre of our performance, as he was last season, he was still in the right place at the right time to wrap up the points for United.
There is still a marked difference between this season and last though, but I’m starting to wonder how long it can last.
“Congratulations Ronaldo, the best player in the World!” said announcer, Alan Keegan, ahead of kick off. There was a round of applause from Old Trafford. Yet as Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand posed for pictures with their awards, Ronaldo’s for FIFPro’s Best Player and Ferdinand’s for a place in the FIFPro World XI, the crowd only had time for the defender. “Rio! Rio! Rio!” we chanted.
As the team list was read out, there was no special cheer for Ronaldo as there had been for the past two seasons, which used to signal our support for Cristiano in light of the boos that would be heard from the away end. He was cheered just like everyone else against West Ham, as he has been for our other home games so far this season.
Currently, we have a sensible approach towards Ronaldo. There’s no booing or jeering, rather indifference. He is treated just like any one else at the club, which is in contrast to last season, where he was singled out for special adulation.
In all our prior matches, his songs were sung only when he scored a goal. Last night, he scored two goals, so two renditions of “Viva Ronaldo” were heard. However, as the minutes started to trickle away, sections of the Stretford End could seen twizzling their scarves and singing his song. It was by no means of the magnitude he enjoyed last season, but maybe he is now making the breakthrough with the fans.
Time is a great healer and it stands to reason that the more goals Ronaldo scores, the better his performances become, then the less we will resent him for the fuss in the summer. For me, it still frustrates me massively that a summer which should have been spent with everyone cooing over our English and European success instead focussed on which club Ronaldo would be playing for in September. Yet that doesn’t make me any less happy to see United pick up three points, even if Ronaldo’s name is on the scoresheet.
I am proud for the stance our fans have made, whilst accepting that it can’t last forever. Just look at those mugs down the road in Merseyside, who hail a man who handed in two transfer requests to his supposedly beloved club as a hero. It’s important to note that throughout the summer, at no point did Ronaldo say he didn’t want to play for United anymore, something Steven Gerrard has done twice to Liverpool. Yet after the ashes from the burnt replica shirts were swept away, they were more than happy to welcome him back once the decision had been made to stay.
Here reads a report from The Mirror taken from the first game after Gerrard went back on his request to leave.
It wasn’t quite Istanbul in May, but the sight of Steven Gerrard once more parading the European Cup in a Liverpool shirt was enough to take the Kop Army to Wrexham.
Less than a week after Anfield fans reacted to the revelation that talks aimed at securing the future of the Liverpool skipper had broken down by burning replica Gerrard shirts outside the Shankly Gates, thousands of them turned out to reassure him that he is forgiven.
With a new £100,000-a-week contract now signed, sealed and delivered to keep him at Liverpool for the peak years of his career, Gerrard’s concern was whether he would be made to pay for the 24- hour aberration which saw him turn his back on his home-town club.
He need not have worried. From the moment he walked out on to the Racecourse Ground for a friendly hastily arranged to give the Merseysiders some match practice ahead of the midweek Champions League qualifier against Welsh minnows TNS, he was greeted like the local hero he is.
I’m so proud our fans haven’t been mugs. However we choose to proceed from this point, whether it’s singing Ronaldo’s song every match, or whether we restrict it just to when he scores, I am full of admiration for the stance we have taken. We have let it be known we don’t find it unacceptable for him to want out, following all the support we have shown him over the years, and certainly not in the manner he went about it.
In contrast, Liverpool fans have basically said “do whatever the fuck you like, we will adore you regardless.” The fact that Gerrard is a scouser makes the situation all the worse. Can you imagine the likes of Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes handing in transfer requests at their peak? Ronaldo owes us nothing and we’ve known all along one day he would return to Spain. But Gerrard is one of their own, yet he still fought harder than even Ronaldo did to get away from the club, on two occasions. Yet what did the Liverpool fans have to say about it? Nothing.
“Steven has told us he will not accept our offer of an improved and extended contract because he wants to leave,” a Liverpool club statement read at the time.
United turned down a bid from Real Madrid and Ronaldo decided to stay. When Liverpool turned down a bid from Chelsea, Gerrard handed in a transfer request. Yet United fans have voiced their unhappiness at this situation, Liverpool fans just let Gerrard get on with it. No one man should be bigger the club, football pundits like to remind us of, but how can Liverpool claim this to be the case of Gerrard? We’ve shunned a player who scored 42 goals in 47 games last season, yet they didn’t have the balls to have a go at a supposedly “dyed in the wool” supporter, who handed in two requests to leave, with the intention of signing for bloody Chelsea, of all clubs!
So, now that we’ve made our point, made Ronaldo very aware of our feelings towards him, do you think we will soften to him? It may just start with small crowds in the Stretford End singing his song, but finish with Old Trafford on their feet in worship of him again. Do you think this is a possibility, or has Ronaldo blown any chance of having the support of last season again?
Man Utd News 24/7
although whats said in your article is true, Viva Ronaldo was belted out around the stands louder than it has been in recent games, infact it might be the first time ive heard it sung properly all season, but i do agree that we’re not giving him any special treatment anymore, and rightly so when we have players like Rooney,Rio,Vidic,Tevez, Berba etc etc
Viva Ronaldo
Viva Ronaldo
F*** what all you said
Cos he’s still a red
Viva Ronaldo
I personally think the fans have dealt with the situation well, we havn’t gone down the needless Arsenal V Adebayor route of booing, or the Steeeeevee Geee, cannot do anything wrong stance of embarasing themselves like the rat eaters.
We have been fair, and now with performances and goals he is producing, we will all move on. I just think we lost a bit of trust but time heals that, he wears red and anyone who wears the shirt should be supported.
I think it should stay the way it is.
We should stil hear his song, but sing all the songs rather than just “Viva Ronaldo”
I love Parks song, it’s genius lol.
Does Berba have a song yet?
The difference is… Gerrard was being allowed to leave and chose not to of his own accord… That priveledge was never given to Ronaldo! If Ronaldo had been allowed to leave, d’you still think he’d be with you?
Thats the different my rather funny lookin mankunian freinds, and thats why Gerrard is still loved! Plus it is a bit different because its not like Ronaldo is from Salford is it (y’know? the City were your club is from)
I agree Stephen
Personally, I am bored of hearing about the Ronaldo saga and a long analysis of how the fans reacted after each game. While not getting the same king of reception as last season, he is still getting a decent reception from the fans. We don’t need an analysis of it after every game, people have moved on. End of. Get on with your lives.
Viva Ronaldo
Viva Ronaldo
F*** what all you said
Cos he’s still a red
Viva Ronaldo
If he wants to stay beyond this season, then great.
If he wants to leave in the summer, then great.
United aren’t a one man team, we have 20 great players.
If he wants to be worshipped by the fans again, he will have to show he wants to be here, not just in his atiitude when he scores, but in his work rate. He has to show he is happy here, if not the fans will not worship him.
I think he thrives when his name is being chanted, and he will want that feeling again. He should know he has to work for it.
I’m back….interesting article. I can assure you there is still some harbored hardcore element within Anfield that will not let what he did go away. The club and him were at fault for the mess. The difference is Liverpool in 2004 to the second time is huge, we were going no where until Houllier was let go and with Benitez coming. Gerrard in his prime, as it has played out we were proven right a transitional period but was persuaded to stay. He wanted to win the big trophies which one was delivered a few months later.
The second time it is both him and the clubs fault. His contract would have been sorted after Istanbul…even his statement at the end of that night “how can I leave after I night like this” – how the club didn’t do their job after that statement is beyond me espeically considering he was out prized asset.
Ronaldo now was a European and Double Premiership winner….he was aching to go to Madrid and his dream was and is to play there. The current crop of footballers are spoilt and have huge ego’s so has Gerrard like Ronaldo, they want to feel loved and appreciated by their colleagues, fans and people in the club who pay them. Its all a merry go round in this day and age. Look we had a similar situation with Owen as well, he was loyal to the Liverpool cause over the years but fans felt he was disloyal by leaving. If Ronaldo had left could the same be said in your opinion.
Liverpool Andy – I refer you to the interview Ronaldo gave after deciding to stay, click.
“I never wanted to leave against Manchester United’s will. When they turned down the offer, the people at United made it very clear how much they wanted me. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but now I can really appreciate it.”
Now isn’t that what happened with Gerrard? Chelsea put in a bid, which the club turned down. Yet when Liverpool turned down Chelsea’s bid, Gerrard handed in a transfer request. When United turned down Real Madrid’s bid, he decided he wanted to stay.
The fact that Ronaldo isn’t from Salford makes our stance even more impressive. The fact that a player who claims to love your club, a local lad, would hand in two transfer requests… yet still have NO problems from the fans once he changes his mind, shows you’re not as massive as you’d like to think you are. Small club mentality to allow a player to treat you like shit.
Gerrard transfer requested twice you sure about that? when was it then?
It was Gerrard’s decision to stay after we give up on him. and you have to be moron to think he stayed because few idiots burned his shirt on the street.
5forkeeps is right, the Gerrard situation was more down to Rick Parry being a screw-up than anything else. It’s also interesting to see an article on disloyalty coming from a team with Berbatov and Rooney in it.
Lets face facts, Gerrard could slag of the club in public and the scousers would still love him. most of them are idiots. I suggested the other day that Torres wants trophies and will be of in a few years if they don’t win anything and they laughed in my face saying he would be their until he retires. They are DELUDED.
Par- and this is what scott is talking about. Can you not accept Gerrard wanted to leave? the whole world knew he wanted to leave, he even said so himself. He only stayed because being the money grabbing cunt he is, they upped his wages and he was getting threats
‘Rio! Rio! Rio!’ chanted the crowd
So what if he strung you along for months over a new contract after you stood by him when he, ahem, forgot to take a drug test?
Sort of weakens your argument doesn’t it?
Interesting slant that – the subtext seems to be that you are glad that your fans are not SUPPORTERS (but then we’ve known that for years haven’t we)
RE Ctp. LOL@you not even knowing Gerrard handed in a transfer request.
and two more points on the two. I read somewhere that Gerrard has one of the thinest skins in football, in other words bad press gets to him. so burning shirts and death threats was probably good enough reason to have to stay.
secondly, one player, ronaldo, wanted to leave because he had won everything he could, individually and team with us. One player wanted to leave because the club he loved, he thought they weren’t good enough to bring him a premier league title.
Go figure
If ronaldo done to us what he did to united (calling himself slave and all that) he would have never played for us again. we would have sold him already.
but may be we have too much honor as a club i guess, unlike some hold onto him using every method possible.
Stephen – I’m glad you mentioned that actually. Rio was also shunned by our supporters for fucking about with a contract. Over the years, he’s redeemed himself.
Yet another example of United having balls where it comes to disloyal players… in contrast to Liverpool who let their big players walk all over them.
anyway Scott and co leave the scousers to it. You can’t blame them for being in deluded land at the minute, this will be the only period of the season where they are top.
Liverpool_Andy to add to Scott’s comments the situation with Gerrard was not his own decision but a fear of the men threatening to cripple him if he left.
Whilst I don’t want to bring it up Gerrard was scared into his decision – Ronnie was not
Also Stevie Me isn’t even a Liverpool fan as with all their so called homegrown players (Owen, Macca, Fowler, Carragher) he was a Toffee as a kid – http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v421/nsno/toffee_gerrard.jpg
if wanna talk about loyalty lets talk about rooney… if united r so loyal y did wayne rooney go bak to the club wer it al started for him (everton) and kiss the united badge? most players who go bak to ther home town club are applauded by both stes of fans an given a warm reception, he shud treat everton with some respect, after all they wer the team that gave him his chance in the premier league. but instead he decides to kiss the united badge and be disrespectful.. i dont think thats very loyal . so if ur gona talk about players bein loyal have a look at ur own team
Elnino – you’re right, most ex players do go back and get applauded. However with Rooney, from the moment he left, they sang “Die, die, Rooney, Rooney, die!” Is it Rooney’s fault that Everton fans are headcases?
elninoT9 – what so the Everton fans shouting ‘fat bastard’ and the rest are showing respect to him – he has never recieved a warm welcome so why should he behave respectfully to them. His first return to Goodison result in several arrests as he was pelted with stuff.
elninoT9, ” so if ur gona talk about players bein loyal have a look at ur own team” Giggs, Scholes, G Neville, Brown.
Stephen you add Ole, Choccy, Mike Phelan and more to that list
So what you are saying is that you will be forgiven for any perceived transgression providing enough time has passed and the player in question performs to an accepted level?
On that basis therefore, if Rio was still with you but was playing poorly, would he still be open to criticism?
Also, the circumstances concerning Gerrard last came up in 2005. Do you think he has since redeemed himself with his performances? Do you think enough time has lapsed since?
Furthermore, what other big players have walked over Liverpool?
Incidently, I wouldn’t want Gerrard to be seen as the innocent party in what went on (twice) and the crowd did make their feelings clear on his behaviour, but time has passed and you move on don’t you?
Stephen – when did I say it was based upon his performance on the pitch? The reason why Gerrard got away with it was, partly, because you knew you were entirely fucked without him, him being easily your best player. That is not the case for Rio though. As a person, Rio has changed a great deal between 2005 and now. The idea of him being England captain would have been laughed at back then, yet now, the more mature Ferdinand, is deemed a respectable leader. His redemption hasn’t merely come because of the way he plays.
The very WEEK after Gerrard handed in a transfer request, he was given a hero’s welcome… so why are you mentioning his treatment now? STRAIGHT AWAY he was forgiven, that is the point.
Whilst Rio has been forgiven by (most) fans and Ronaldo is getting there, neither of those players can be compared to Gerrard, as neither of them owe us anything, essentially. Rio is a cockney wideboy and Ronaldo is foreign. Had Giggs or Scholes or Neville etc. behaved in such a way, telling the World they wanted out of Manchester United, I can’t even imagine our reaction. It certainly would be time for them to leave. The fact that Rio and Ronaldo have both received worse treatment than Gerrard speaks volumes about the expectations of our respective fans.
Steeeve gerrard gerrard
he kisses the badge on his chest
then hands in a transfer request
steeve gerrard gerrard.
the only reason stevie mee stayed at liverpool is because the vermin of the self pity city were burning his shirts in the streets,sending death threats etc etc but soon as they heard he was staying they just brushed it under the carpet and pretended it never happend, funny lot them scousers.
OP What does him wearing everton kit as 8 year old prove exactly? his uncle forced him to wear that. he never supported them. Carra use to support them now he hates everton.
i love the timing of this article btw. smell bitterness all over it shouldn’t you worry about finishing ahead hull instead at this point of time?
Ctp – you’re pushing it a bit if you think any United fan is going to be ‘worried’ about finishing ahead of Hull.
Still, better to talk about United’s league position than actually address what is being said in this article. Nice diversion. Couldn’t say a bad word against St Stevie Me now could we?
Ctp you should be worried as to when your luck will run out. What will happen then?
Oh yeah, Scholesy is an Oldham Athletic fan but he loves United. He would never treat us like shit just for some money.
Everyone new he only didn’t leave because he or his family was threatened by some scouse gangster types, he wanted to leave for Chelsea it was quite simple, but I heard he was crying and decided agiainst it for his/families safty.
Liverpool fans have been tough in disloyal and disrepsectful players who disgraced the Reds over the years. Collymore and Diouf spring to mind instantly. Fans gave them at ear ful. Par, Rick Parry has been at fault for a lot of things at our club, him and Moores in fact look at the shambles the club is at board level.
I know some Utd fans hate the glazers but the one thing they did was left SAF and his staff(including a decent CEO in Gill) to get on with the job. They provided big money to get players in for SAF. Look a G&H they actually dragged “the Liverpool way” of what Shankly built in the space of a year and shit on it. Babel, Torres and Mascherano were signed yes during the stewardship but with the banks money not there own.
Gerrard still had a lot to answer for in my eyes, he redeemed himself of course somewhat, at the same time I could see as a footballer he wanted to win more trophies but the Liverpool side at the time was not good enough for well on 3 years and was looking to be another few years before it was decent again. Ronaldo on the other was in a successful side and Utd fans had a right to be tough on him but I can guarantee you that will change once he finds his feet again in the same way that happened with Gerrard im terms of the hardcore support.
Sure, the son of one of the notorious gangster in Liverpool chased Gerrard all over Liverpool and threatend to cut his foot off for seeing a this guys ex-girlfriend. Gerrard had a lot to deal in more ways than one his life was in serious danger had he left and the guys made sure the ex-gangsters son wouldn’t touch him. Houllier even commented about it after the Basel fiasco back in 2003 about influences in his “background” his agent had a lot to answer for too.
Carra should have been the captaincy after he said he would stay back in 2004 or 2005.
Keep on speculating why gerrard stayed. fact that you know feck all just like to think he stayed beacuse few scally kids.
we love gerrard because top fella on and off the field. while you love prostitute shagging ladyboy says it all really.
Yeah Gerrard man of morals, how is Pancake these days?
“shouldn’t you worry about finishing ahead hull instead at this point of time?”
No because unlike you, we realise the title is not won in October
“we love gerrard because top fella on and off the field.”
Oh thats a good enough reason then. Never mind the fact he is only at your club because he knows the fans wouldn’t tolerate him leaving
aye stephen pancake…whats that coming over your wife…is it a pancake..is it a pancake…
classic chant
poor stevie me
Wonder if pancake has access to the kids. Maybe that is the reason he stayed..pancake told him he wanted to see his kids grow up in binland..and told stevie me….if you step a foot outside of dippingland…then i will cut both those feet off. hmmmmmmmm makes sense now
why are scousers even on this forum?
stevie me is a chelski rentboy, he sold himself to the russian pimp but was to much of a shitouse to leave, he fits in perfectly at liverpool tbh and you all know he only stayed because of all the threats from you dippers.
all you scousers make me sick, i hope you know how disgusting you all are.
Ctp – news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7341485.stm
And
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/3588112.stm
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4159276.stm
Also, how is Rooney a ladyboy?
“why are scousers even on this forum? ”
Why its due to naythung mentioned about Liverpool being out into the News Now search engine. Like all other clubs stories mentioning ie. Ud for example from another clubs fansite are sourced into Utd’s News Now section much like this article went into Liverpool’s section. Databases eh!!
A masterpiece in twisted logic.
Methinks thou dost protest too much.
Tell you what. Stop obsessing about us and we’ll stay away from your forum. Simple really.
C’mon its decent enough banter going on here for an usual Man Utd/Liverpool debate better than the crap you get over on the BBC’s 606
Funny that so many Liverpool fans reads this blog. Anyways;
“we were going no where until Houllier was let go and with Benitez coming.”
Benitez won Champions League with the squad Houllier built. He hasn’t won anything since that. Actually, he hasn’t even been close.
Scott – he wasn’t given a hero’s welcome! That simply didn’t happen. The basis of your entire argument is based on a ‘Daily Mirror’ article describing the events at a pre-season friendly (and let’s face, partisan feelings towards your club and against mine).
To compare the Ronaldo affair to Gerrard’s doesn’t work because they are simply not the same set of circumstances. Interstingly, you say that Gerrard cannot be compared to Rio or Ronaldo – so why say it initially?
Point taken re performances on the pitch. That was an inference on my behalf which clearly was wrong. I’ll have to take your word for the fact that Rio was ‘shunned’ by your fans initially, just like you’ll have to take mine that Gerrard wasn’t given a hero’s welcome by ours….
He won the FA Cup in 2006 didn’t he? Is that not winning a trophy. Plus the fact we were runners-up in another CL final as well as a Carling Cup final in his first season against Chelsea. Another CL semi-final is a decent return. Under him we have garnered more Premiership points in any season with 82 one point behind in 2006.
We were at a dead end and going backwards rather than forwards under Houllier. The one thing is Houllier lost his head after coming back from the heart operation and was never the same, the turning point was Leverkusen in 2002 CL Q-final. Houllier instilled more disicipline and brought Liverpool into the 21st Century for dietery techniques etc…
The one thing is Rafa instilled confidence in the players he inherited and to do it with the squad with added additions of Cisse, Alonso and Garcia he did wonders.
“i love the timing of this article btw. smell bitterness all over it shouldn’t you worry about finishing ahead hull instead at this point of time?”
I think its funny that clubs like Hull and Liverpool are having a go at the top teams in the beginning of the season
If Liverpool fans didn’t come on here, it would just be all you Mancs slapping each other on the back and talking about how great you are. There’s nothing wrong with light hearted debate!
However, if you all really think that Stevie G only stayed at Liverpool because he got death threats, then you’re deluded.
And keep on talking about luck… wasn’t all luck when we beat you a few weeks ago, now was it? Even Fergie admitted the better team won.
ctp…”but may be we have too much honor as a club “……….
Honor?
Liverpool?
Do me a favour….
Ronaldo is the key to uniteds recent success, without him you have no balance, while you like to point out that liverpool are a two man team, i would say united rely more on ronaldo than liveerpool do gerrard and torres,
i give it 2 games b4 allnot getting any special treatment stuff is proven wrong, just like his return from the world cup,
why try to fool yourselves, he is a great player with a lot of importance to you. you ALL will be singing his praises forgeting his lack of loyality, UNTIL THE SUMMER COMES THEN WE SHALL SEE!
Stats will suggest that we’ve lost more games with Rooney out than Ronaldo. Its been 2months, 5 goals and 3assists later and we haven’t fully forgiven him, neither have we booed him, sent death threats to him or robbed his house…gulf in class between the 2 sets of fans.
liverpool arent a two man team, they are just simply shite.
if you win the league in MAY! then fair enough you have the right to debate until then crawl back into your holes, you know you only come on this forum because you wish you were Mancunians, instead your rat eating inbred self pity scousers.
Manchester United – Champions of England,Champions of Europe
Rooney should not have kissed his badge and should not have acted so disrespectfully against Everton, even if Toffee fans treated him with such hostility, and that’s simply because he is PAID to be a PROFESSIONAL ON AND OFF the field, WITH OR WITHOUT the Utd jersey on his back, at all times he is bound to Utd by his contract.
“He won the FA Cup in 2006 didn’t he? Is that not winning a trophy. Plus the fact we were runners-up in another CL final as well as a Carling Cup final in his first season against Chelsea. Another CL semi-final is a decent return. Under him we have garnered more Premiership points in any season with 82 one point behind in 2006. ”
Brilliant retort: you mention coming 3rd in the league as an achievement of Benitez? Congratulations. And I suppose coming 2nd in the Carling Cup is an achievement too? FA Cup was won by Gerrard, not Benitez – West Ham were dicking you till two wondergoals.
18 years and counting…
(also, Houllier got you 2nd in 2002, something Benitez hasn’t managed)
Scousers beware, for you will suffer arsenals fate during last years campaign.
PANCAKE!!!!
Red-Manc you would struggle to finish in top 5 without Rooney and Ronaldo.