Erik ten Hag’s mindset, in Cristiano Ronaldo’s opinion, is excessively pessimistic, and the Manchester United manager should aim for the Premier League title even though his team must “rebuild from the bottom”.
Ten Hag and the Portuguese player had a falling out before the latter’s second stint at Old Trafford concluded in late 2022. Ten Hag currently plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo thinks that although Ten Hag should not count out winning significant titles in the interim, his former team needs radical adjustments.
The Dutchman has said he is “quite confident” of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons.
But he said in July his team are a “long way away” from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge in 2013.
“Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion,” Ronaldo said in an episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, due to be released on Thursday.
“The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.
“You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don’t have that potential, but I cannot say that. We’re going to try. You have to try.”
United upset Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May but they endured their worst Premier League campaign last term, finishing eighth, and the 20-time English champions have lost two of their opening three matches this season.
“This club needs time to rebuild because it’s still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change,” Ronaldo said.
“They understand that. This is the only way. This is why they show, they start to change again, the structure of the club, the president, the infrastructures and everything. The owners of the club.”
