MANCHESTER UNITED misfit Cristiano Ronaldo has been hailed as “sensible and down to earth” by a former coach.
That’s after his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan this week.
In a swipe at Erik ten Hag, ex-Real Madrid assistant Jose Morais said Ronaldo remains one of the world’s best players.
And he simply need a “special coach” to take care of his needs.
Ronaldo’s Man Utd future is in huge doubt after his damning assessment of the club.
The Portugal star, 37, said he has “no respect” for Dutch tactician Ten Hag.
And SunSport can exclusively reveal United are now ready to tear up Ronnie’s contract this winter.
However, the veteran has been backed in his fight by an old pal from his Real Madrid days.
Morais was assistant to Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, working directly with Ronaldo for three years.
He has now aimed a brutal dig at Ten Hag by claiming that Ronaldo can only respond to elite-level managers.
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Morais, who also had two spells as Mourinho’s assistant at Chelsea, feels Ten Hag is out of his depth.
And he rubbed salt in the wound by saying United’s new boss is nowhere near being the next Sir Alex Ferguson.
Morais told A Bola: “Working with Cristiano was one of the best moments I remember as a coach. He’s a fantastic person and a stratospheric player.
“I don’t say ‘UFO’ because he is a human being. He would be more of a ‘Human of Unidentified Characteristics’, such is the enormity of his ability and talent.
“To have a player like him is to be a blessed coach. Cristiano is, without a doubt, a sensible and down to earth person.
“I’m just saying that you have to be a special coach to train special players. Being a special coach implies knowing how to deal with situations like the one that is happening.
“Positive communication. The establishment of trust depends on factors that relate to the individual’s development. The best coach is better able to deal with these situations.
“Normally, the player is younger than the coach and is at a different level of personal development, and the coach’s competence is very important here in resolving possible conflicts.
“What is expected of a Man Utd coach? Take as an example what Alex Ferguson still represents today. It’s no coincidence that Cristiano has the admiration and respect that are known for Ferguson.”
