Erik ten Hag consigned Cristiano Ronaldo to history as he spoke for the first time about the Portugal star’s acrimonious exit from Manchester United on Wednesday.
United ripped up Ronaldo’s contract last month in the wake of his interview with Piers Morgan in which he said he had no respect for Ten Hag and accused the club of betraying him.
The United manager gave only the briefest of responses when asked about Ronaldo by MUTV on the club’s training trip to Cadiz.
Erik ten Hag has broken his silence on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man United exit in an interview
It’s the first time ten Hag has addressed Ronaldo’s departure since the infamous interview with Piers Morgan
‘He’s gone and it’s the past,’ said Ten Hag. ‘We are now looking forward and we’re looking to the future.’
Ronaldo has joined a number of his former team-mates at the World Cup, and Ten Hag warned that the United players must deal with the physical and mental impact of the tournament when they return from Qatar to be ready for the second half of the domestic season.
‘We have a plan and we have prepared the players so there can’t be any confusion about what that plan is,’ he added.
‘We’ve made the players aware of the fact that, after you are out of the World Cup, you have to return to the club and the league immediately goes on. You have to be ready for that but I think our players are used to it.
‘Our players are winners and they are battling now for the World Cup. In the moment they are out – and hopefully one is the winner – they have to deal with that. With the success they have, or the defeats, they have to deal with it and of course they have to be ready for another challenge.’
At the time, Ronaldo accused ten Hag and United executives of trying to force him out
It was a short, yet telling response which helps put to bed a chaotic period at United following Ronaldo’s bombshell interview with Piers Morgan where he declared he had no respect for ten Hag.
At the time, Ronaldo accused Ten Hag and United executives of trying to force him out of the club, saying he has no respect for the Dutchman and feels ‘betrayed’.
‘I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me,’ said Ronaldo.
‘Some people, they don’t want me here – not only the coach but the other two or three guys. Not only this year, but last year too.
‘Honestly, I shouldn’t say that. But listen, I don’t care. People should listen to the truth. Yes, I feel betrayed.’
The Portuguese star went on to…