September 7, 2022

Written By: William Birch

Growing, The Pains and The Payoffs:

Why Cristiano Ronaldo's Return To Manchester United Might Be The Best Thing That Happened To The Club

I was introduced to club football back in 2008 when a German friend of mine organized a watch party for the Champions League Final between Manchester United and Chelsea. Ronaldo scored one of his now trademark towering headers and United went on to win on penalties. That is when I fell in love with the team and the player. Ronaldo would end up playing the final game of his first tenure at the club the following season. So you can imagine that Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford is one of those “I remember where I was” moments. The hijacked deal from Manchester City developed extremely quickly by football standards but it felt like an eternity for fans. When it was finally official, many thought he was the missing piece to launch United back into title contenders. This meant for the first time in Ole’s tenure, the pressure was really on.

Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired following United’s 2013 Premier League Title win, the club has struggled to find its way. They tried the “up and comer” with Moyes, the “legend” with Van Gaal, finally went the best available in Mourinho, then found themselves stuck in the past with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. If you look at all of those names, the squads over those years, and the lack of front office changes throughout those tenures, the biggest problem becomes apparent. Manchester United has had an identity crisis for almost a decade. The biggest indicator is that there are still two players on today’s squad that were on the title-winning team back in 2013. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does point to a club whose past is its safe zone. So much so that Sir Alex Ferguson and other legends such as Bryan Robson were recently hired to the most powerful roles they’ve had since management. Nothing against the two of them, however, football has changed quite a bit since they were last involved. They are bound to make the same, safe, nostalgic decisions that the club has made since Ferguson retired.

It didn’t get much more nostalgic than having Solskjaer managing Manchester United. There were many highs and lows under Ole, and while I was very critical of the super-sub-made gaffer, I was always hoping it would work out. It seemed that the main issue with Ole was that the identity crisis that the club was suffering from had found its way onto the pitch. It was impossible to tell what the tactical plan was. Long ball? Crossing? Possession? Many would say counter-attacking but then United would lose to Burnley having 70% of the ball. The club kept him safe for a long time. There were always excuses too; injuries, needs another window, the Pogba cloud of uncertainty, etc. Then the summer of 2021 came along and everything changed.

That summer United filled most of their needs with what they thought was their right winger for the present and future with Jadon Sancho and the center back who had won it all with Raphael Varane. The feeling about the club was cautiously optimistic at this point. Especially given the undefeated start in the Premier League. The team still seemed to be lacking a focal point up front though. Martial with his injuries, Rashford maybe not playing in his best position, and whatever was going on with Cavani. Ronaldo and Juventus had been wanting to part ways and the rumors were swirling about crosstown rivals Manchester City adding the United icon. It seemed like the perfect fit. Take a piece away from your biggest competitors and add the greatest goal scorer of all time to your still undefined front line. Ronaldo was back and so was Manchester United.

Signing Ronaldo is unlike signing any other player. There are major benefits as well as major drawbacks, and some clubs can’t handle the latter. You get the goals, the leadership, and the brand. But you also get a total shift in tactics, a power struggle, and crucially, enormous pressure. Ronaldo’s teams are expected to win, so for the first time in Ole’s reign, there were real expectations from the club (not just fans) and no more excuses.

As the poor results began to pile up, so did the pressure, and eventually Ole lost his job. The club decides to go with the complete antithesis of Solskjaer in Ralf Rangnick. A tactical mastermind who oversaw the rise of the Red Bull organization. Now, many thought that Ralf was way out of his depth and was worse than Ole. However, his tenure was necessary to diagnose what was wrong with Manchester United. The main criticism of Ole was the lack of tactical prowess. The club hires a manager nicknamed “The Professor” and the squad still underachieves. This ‘experiment’ provided vital information needed to overhaul this once majestic football club. The manager wasn’t ever the main issue, the club had tried every different archetype out there. It was the club’s overall structure starting at the very top.

With pressure mounting from the outside via the “Glazers Out” movement, the club finally has the self-awareness to strip it down as much as they can and start over. In comes Erik Ten Hag, the man tasked with bringing this football club back up to where they once were. Not just trying to carry the torch from the Fergie era like the previous managers were instructed to do. Ten Hag has been given much more liberty to do it his way, and that is important. The changes were evident almost immediately. On the pitch in pre-season and off the pitch with a very different transfer strategy than in years past.

It’s very early, but one can see that this club is starting to grow. The first 6 games are a perfect microcosm of the pains and payoffs of growing. The first two games saw a squad made up of much of the old guard get humiliated by Brighton, then Brentford. Two clubs that are everything Manchester United weren’t. Organized and on the same page from the top down, on and off the pitch. Then comes Liverpool, an arch-rival and one of the best teams in the world, visiting Old Trafford at what looks like the worst time possible. But Ten Hag did things his way and Manchester United pulled off a shocking, but dare I say, convincing victory. Erik went with his players, leaving England regular Luke Shaw, club captain Harry Maguire, and Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench. The team started showing signs of an identity. Not just in their tactics, but in their personality as well. Fast forward two more wins and here came the mighty, perfect, league leaders Arsenal. A real test to see if the recent success was a fluke or something more. And again, United come out on top with a 3-1 triumph. Now there will be many, many more growing pains like the first two games and payoffs like the last four. But there is no doubt that the club is beginning to find itself.

There is an alternate universe where Ronaldo never comes. An alternate universe where United barely scrape into the top 4 and we all hear the usual excuses. That next season will be different and the club just keeps coasting along in the sea of mediocrity. However, Ronaldo did come and set the wheels in motion for the “open heart surgery” that a ‘Professor’ once claimed the club needed. I don’t know if Erik Ten Hag will be the next Sir Alex Ferguson or not, but I do know that Manchester is starting to look United once again.

I was introduced to club football back in 2008 when a German friend of mine organized a watch party for the Champions League Final between Manchester United and Chelsea. Ronaldo scored one of his now trademark towering headers and United went on to win on penalties. That is when I fell in love with the team and the player. Ronaldo would end up playing the final game of his first tenure at the club the following season. So you can imagine that Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford is one of those “I remember where I was” moments. The hijacked deal from Manchester City developed extremely quickly by football standards but it felt like an eternity for fans. When it was finally official, many thought he was the missing piece to launch United back into title contenders. This meant for the first time in Ole’s tenure, the pressure was really on.

It didn’t get much more nostalgic than having Solskjaer managing Manchester United. There were many highs and lows under Ole, and while I was very critical of the super-sub-made gaffer, I was always hoping it would work out. It seemed that the main issue with Ole was that the identity crisis that the club was suffering from had found its way onto the pitch. It was impossible to tell what the tactical plan was. Long ball? Crossing? Possession? Many would say counter-attacking but then United would lose to Burnley having 70% of the ball. The club kept him safe for a long time. There were always excuses too; injuries, needs another window, the Pogba cloud of uncertainty, etc. Then the summer of 2021 came along and everything changed.

That summer United filled most of their needs with what they thought was their right winger for the present and future with Jadon Sancho and the center back who had won it all with Raphael Varane. The feeling about the club was cautiously optimistic at this point. Especially given the undefeated start in the Premier League. The team still seemed to be lacking a focal point up front though. Martial with his injuries, Rashford maybe not playing in his best position, and whatever was going on with Cavani. Ronaldo and Juventus had been wanting to part ways and the rumors were swirling about crosstown rivals Manchester City adding the United icon. It seemed like the perfect fit. Take a piece away from your biggest competitors and add the greatest goal scorer of all time to your still undefined front line. Ronaldo was back and so was Manchester United.

Signing Ronaldo is unlike signing any other player. There are major benefits as well as major drawbacks, and some clubs can’t handle the latter. You get the goals, the leadership, and the brand. But you also get a total shift in tactics, a power struggle, and crucially, enormous pressure. Ronaldo’s teams are expected to win, so for the first time in Ole’s reign, there were real expectations from the club (not just fans) and no more excuses.

With pressure mounting from the outside via the “Glazers Out” movement, the club finally has the self-awareness to strip it down as much as they can and start over. In comes Erik Ten Hag, the man tasked with bringing this football club back up to where they once were. Not just trying to carry the torch from the Fergie era like the previous managers were instructed to do. Ten Hag has been given much more liberty to do it his way, and that is important. The changes were evident almost immediately. On the pitch in pre-season and off the pitch with a very different transfer strategy than in years past.

It’s very early, but one can see that this club is starting to grow. The first 6 games are a perfect microcosm of the pains and payoffs of growing. The first two games saw a squad made up of much of the old guard get humiliated by Brighton, then Brentford. Two clubs that are everything Manchester United weren’t. Organized and on the same page from the top down, on and off the pitch. Then comes Liverpool, an arch-rival and one of the best teams in the world, visiting Old Trafford at what looks like the worst time possible. But Ten Hag did things his way and Manchester United pulled off a shocking, but dare I say, convincing victory. Erik went with his players, leaving England regular Luke Shaw, club captain Harry Maguire, and Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench. The team started showing signs of an identity. Not just in their tactics, but in their personality as well. Fast forward two more wins and here came the mighty, perfect, league leaders Arsenal. A real test to see if the recent success was a fluke or something more. And again, United come out on top with a 3-1 triumph. Now there will be many, many more growing pains like the first two games and payoffs like the last four. But there is no doubt that the club is beginning to find itself.

There is an alternate universe where Ronaldo never comes. An alternate universe where United barely scrape into the top 4 and we all hear the usual excuses. That next season will be different and the club just keeps coasting along in the sea of mediocrity. However, Ronaldo did come and set the wheels in motion for the “open heart surgery” that a ‘Professor’ once claimed the club needed. I don’t know if Erik Ten Hag will be the next Sir Alex Ferguson or not, but I do know that Manchester is starting to look United once again.

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