Ronaldo rage - sweeping the nation again?

Daily Mail article with Boateng

Cristiano Ronaldo was on Tuesday night warned that he risks being seriously hurt by an angry opponent unless the Manchester United winger stops "taking the mickey" out of rival players.

Ronaldo was the victim of a scything foul by the frustrated James Morrison, who was sent off near the end of United’s ill-tempered FA Cup quarter-final replay win over Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Monday night.

Boro captain George Boateng said: "A lot of players want to do what Morrison did. Why didn’t Ronaldo do his tricks when it was 0-0 and people were fighting to get a goal? It annoys people."

As the debate over Ronaldo’s alleged diving was rekindled by United’s disputed penalty winner, Boateng added: "People have pride. No one likes to have the mickey taken out of them and if you’re going to do that, one day someone will hurt him properly and he’ll be out for a long time.

"We know he can do his tricks, but don’t do it when you’re winning 1-0 and there’s only two minutes to go.

"When you’re playing Sunday football with your mates it’s great, but not at top level."

The Middlesbrough bench were incensed at referee Mike Dean’s decision to award the penalty, but it is not the first time in his young career that Ronaldo, 22, has been accused of conning officials.

When the clubs met at the Riverside in December, Boro boss Gareth Southgate suggested Ronaldo had tricked the referee into awarding a first-half penalty.
He said at the time of the 2-1 defeat: "How many times are we going to see it? The lad’s got a history of doing it."

Tottenham manager Martin Jol was similarly unimpressed with Ronaldo when the two clubs met at White Hart Lane in February. Mark Clattenburg awarded United a contentious penalty during their 4-0 win over Spurs.

Jol said: "There was no contact, so I think it’s fair to say Ronaldo made the most of the situation."

Jonathan Woodgate, the England centre half deemed to have clipped Ronaldo’s trailing leg with an ill-timed challenge in the 75th minute on Monday, on Tuesday cleared his opponent.

Woodgate, who watched Ronaldo convert the spot-kick, said: "I don’t think he dived, so you can’t put the blame on him.

"I don’t know if it was a penalty or not, but Ronaldo is a very clever player. There is a touch of genius in him and he lights up the Premiership."

Boateng agrees that Ronaldo is gifted but rejected a claim by the Portuguese winger after the match that he is booed because of his skill.

Boateng said: "Fans in England are respectful. If you are very good, or too good, nobody would boo you."

Sir Alex Ferguson has leapt to Ronaldo’s defence over the accusations which he claims have attached an unjust "stigma" to his winger.

The Manchester United boss knows that fuelling the controversy around Ronaldo will not work in the club’s favour when the likes of Real Madrid come courting and offer to take him away.

The Sun and others also keep running similar stories, we keep hearing about how everyone wants to give him a whack and just take the red - are we gonna start seeing more guys have a crack at ronaldo or what?

are players really pissed off at him? you could see it happening at a club fighting against relegation, maybe losing 3-0 to us and we've just knocked them down and ronaldo starts dancing on the ball.

from the way it sounds from boro camp including the manager - they are practically begging someone to break his legs, all these media quotes about wanting to hurt him and its understandable to get frustrated.

I hope none of these no-mark players try to £#%&! his career up. I guess we miss keano at times like these!

I can't stand the way water-carriers like Boateng vent their frustrations at Ronaldo. So now a player showing his skill "isn't part of the game", and should be left to Sunday footballers?

I didn't hear too many people say that about George Best. There was the famous incident when he was booted by Terry Yorath whlist playing for Norn Iron. He has the free kick tapped to him and stood with the ball at his feet and beckoned Yorath to come and try it again. There was also the time he took his boot off to play a pass. These are the type of moments that were included in compilations made to show what a great player he was, and the type of things that fans pay to see.

Fans don't pay the see snidey @#%&!s like Boateng kick lumps out of people and try to get players booked like he did with Rooney last night.

When we're 1-0 up and there are 2 minutes left I'd rather watch Ronaldo doing tricks and still keeping the ball than watch those boring @#%&!s Chelsea hold it in the corner and win a throw.

If you can't tackle him, then you can't complain.

We're biased because he plays for us.

Turn the issue around and how would you think if Ronaldo played for the dippers? You'd loathe him and would happily cheer him getting launched into the stands.

Originally Posted by tatty

We're biased because he plays for us.

Turn the issue around and how would you think if Ronaldo played for the dippers? You'd loathe him and would happily cheer him getting launched into the stands.

Absolutely. He doesn't come across as the nicest of people to be honest. He's pretty arrogant and egotistic but he's £#%&!ing class and he plays for us so £#%&! it. He's got that spark as well that makes him a great player. Everyone hating him just adds to his game. In five years time he'll be loved by everyone and considered one of the football greats...probably.

yeah what did boateng do to rooney anyway? I was worried wayne would see red at that point.

Originally Posted by Luffy

yeah what did boateng do to rooney anyway? I was worried wayne would see red at that point.

As far as I could see he was over at the ref and linesman protesting that Rooney should be booked. Obviously that sort of thing is acceptable, but taking men on and beating them out of line.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

Absolutely. He doesn't come across as the nicest of people to be honest. He's pretty arrogant and egotistic but he's £#%&!ing class and he plays for us so £#%&! it. He's got that spark as well that makes him a great player. Everyone hating him just adds to his game. In five years time he'll be loved by everyone and considered one of the football greats...probably.

not nice for showboating a bit? I'd do the same and I'm perfectly reasonable, its the likes of dennis wise and keano who aint nice on the field, hell even scholes isnt nice with his deliberate hacks and niggles.

Originally Posted by tatty

We're biased because he plays for us.

Turn the issue around and how would you think if Ronaldo played for the dippers? You'd loathe him and would happily cheer him getting launched into the stands.

Yes, and if Eric, Hughes, Keane, Robson had played for the Scousers I'd loathe them.

£#%&!s sake, if Irwin played for them I'd loathe him too.

The point is that players like Ronaldo are liable to make other players look stupid by virtue of the fact that he is better than them. Football is a game in which skill should be encouraged, not discouraged for fear that you might offend your opponents feelings and make them feel inadequate.

Originally Posted by Terry Silver

The point is that players like Ronaldo are liable to make other players look stupid by virtue of the fact that he is better than them. Football is a game in which skill should be encouraged, not discouraged for fear that you might offend your opponents feelings and make them feel inadequate.

No, that isn't the point (unless you work for UEFA in the 'no tackling' department).


If Ronaldo played for Liverpool and was being a clever @#%&! with one of our players i'd be screaming for him to be smashed in to next week.

I wouldn't give a £#%&! about encouraging the 'beautiful game' i'd just want to see the @#%&! that was making my team look like @#%&!s sitting in a heap with broken legs.

Originally Posted by tatty

No, that isn't the point (unless you work for UEFA in the 'no tackling' department).


If Ronaldo played for Liverpool and was being a clever @#%&! with one of our players i'd be screaming for him to be smashed in to next week.

I wouldn't give a £#%&! about encouraging the 'beautiful game' i'd just want to see the @#%&! that was making my team look like @#%&!s sitting in a heap with broken legs.

Yes, but therein lies the partisanship of being a football fan. You support your own. Just because we would hate him if he played for Liverpool does not mean that the supposed proffessionals such as Boateng should be excusing or encouraging snapping him in two just because opponents struggle to get near him.


Do you write in to Soccer AM petitioning that they replace ShowBoat with "Break His @#%&!ing Legs"?

And as for the "no tackling dept" line, there is a world of difference between a tackle and a reckless, blatant foul and the inability to perform the former is not an excuse for resorting to the latter.

Ronaldo and Ferguson know that for as long as he takes the piss he's going to a target for the hackers.

If an opposition player was running down the clock at OT doing a 1001 step-overs and generally taking the piss out of our players would you be complimenting his beautiful ball control and skillful play or would you be screaming for him to be deposited in row z?

Exactly.


And I think 'break his @#%&!ing legs' would be a very popular filler on soccer am.

Originally Posted by Luffy

not nice for showboating a bit? I'd do the same and I'm perfectly reasonable, its the likes of dennis wise and keano who aint nice on the field, hell even scholes isnt nice with his deliberate hacks and niggles.

Let's just say that Ronaldo doesn't come across as a particularly nice person. Luckily, his personality has £#%&! all to do with his performances on the pitch so I really couldn't give a £#%&!.

Originally Posted by tatty

If an opposition player was running down the clock at OT doing a 1001 step-overs and generally taking the piss out of our players would you be complimenting his beautiful ball control and skillful play or would you be screaming for him to be deposited in row z?

.

Given the choice I'd want him tackled and see United attempt to get back in the game. The difference was perfectly summed up by one report I read which stated that instead of hunting an equaliser Boro were more interested in hunting Ronaldo.

Obviously at times I've enjoyed seeing certain players unceremoniously dealt with, but that doesn't mean it should be a part of the game actively and openly encouraged by the likes of Boateng. If Ronaldo was English there wouldn't be half this nonsense about him, but after the World Cup players and fans alike see him as an easy target on which to take out frustrations at their own sides inadequacies.

That's football.

As if it wasn't clear Boateng was talking %@#$&!s

"People in England are probably the most respectful fans there are and if you are very good, or too good, nobody will boo you. We’ve had people like Cantona before and he wasn’t booed everywhere he went."

Oh no?

"“And when I watched Woodgate’s leg closely, I don’t think he made any contact at all."

Well, this is the man who thinks he is entitled to catch a ball if it's heading towards his face. Maybe he should familiarise himself with the laws of football before attempting to pass judgement on Ronaldo.

@#%&!.

Originally Posted by Terry Silver

Yes, and if Eric, Hughes, Keane, Robson had played for the Scousers I'd loathe them.

£#%&!s sake, if Irwin played for them I'd loathe him too.

The point is that players like Ronaldo are liable to make other players look stupid by virtue of the fact that he is better than them. Football is a game in which skill should be encouraged, not discouraged for fear that you might offend your opponents feelings and make them feel inadequate.

With the possible exception of Sounness and maybe Tommy Smith, players like that don't play for them & never have done.

Originally Posted by penguin1

With the possible exception of Sounness and maybe Tommy Smith, players like that don't play for them & never have done.

Players like what? If you mean players liable to be classed @#%&!s by opposition fans they have a long line.

Steve McMahon, Steve Nicol, Steve Gerrard... Steve Grobbelaar, Steve Ruddock... lots of Steves....

Originally Posted by Terry Silver

Players like what? If you mean players liable to be classed @#%&!s by opposition fans they have a long line.

Steve McMahon, Steve Nicol, Steve Gerrard... Steve Grobbelaar, Steve Ruddock... lots of Steves....

It was Kev Grobbelaar.

Originally Posted by Terry Silver

Players like what? If you mean players liable to be classed @#%&!s by opposition fans they have a long line.

Steve McMahon, Steve Nicol, Steve Gerrard... Steve Grobbelaar, Steve Ruddock... lots of Steves....

No. I mean players with character & a backbone. That rules out the above.