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🚨 Jose Mourinho questions Erik ten Hag’s assessment of Cristiano Ronaldo: “To me, finished means you can no longer help a team win. Cristiano went to Juventus and scored over a hundred goals, returned to United and scored eighteen in one Premier League season, then continued scoring after leaving. Of course the Cristiano of 41 is not the Cristiano of 27. If he were, I’d ask scientists to examine him. I remember telling him at Madrid, ‘Cristiano, I want to play you to your strengths. Today I don’t need you chasing the full-back for 90 minutes. I need you in the box when the chance arrives.’ He asked, ‘Mister, what if the chance doesn’t arrive?’ I said, ‘Then we create it.’ He smiled. ‘Good. Because I’ll be there.’ That is football. A manager must know what his best players can still give him. One of my assistants once complained, ‘Mister, Cristiano didn’t track his man.’ I asked, ‘How many did he score?’ ‘Two.’ ‘And did we win?’ ‘Yes, but the structure…—’ I told him, ‘The structure is supposed to help us win, not give us something to complain about after winning.’ Of course every player must work. I’ve argued with Cristiano myself. But you cannot judge a goalscorer only by how often he chases the opposition goalkeeper. If Erik said, ‘Cristiano couldn’t accept the role I offered him,’ I’d understand. Managers make choices. Players disagree. It happens. But saying he stopped delivering after Madrid? Come on. Imagine my sporting director calling me. ‘Jose, I’ve found a striker. More than three hundred goals since leaving Real Madrid.’ I’d ask, ‘What’s the problem?’ ‘He’s 41.’ ‘Okay. And?’ ‘His former manager says he’s been finished for years.’ I’d say, ‘Then please send me the statistics of the players who are not finished. I’d love to see them.’ And let’s discuss United. Cristiano scored a hat-trick against Tottenham to win 3-2. Imagine me walking into that dressing room and saying, ‘Gentlemen, unfortunately our striker didn’t press enough today.’ A player would ask, ‘Mister, didn’t he score all three?’ I’d answer, ‘Yes, but apparently we should have preferred three beautiful pressing actions and a defeat.’ It’s ridiculous. I remember discussing an ageing striker with an assistant. He told me, ‘Mister, his legs aren’t what they used to be.’ I said, ‘I have eyes. Tell me something useful.’ ‘He cannot run like the younger players.’ ‘Can he still score?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Then our job is to find a way to get him chances. If he cannot score anymore, we have a different conversation.’ You can build a team without Cristiano. Absolutely. But then build it. Don’t spend years explaining why a player who left was the problem. Show everybody what you created after he left. People say, ‘Jose, Saudi Arabia is different.’ Yes. But Italy wasn’t Saudi Arabia. England wasn’t Saudi Arabia. The Champions League wasn’t Saudi Arabia. You cannot dismiss every chapter because you didn’t like the ending at Manchester United. I respect Erik’s right to make decisions. He was the manager. But if you say a player is finished and he keeps scoring, eventually people will ask you a question. ‘Cristiano’s goals are still being counted. What exactly are we counting on the other side?’”