Some Thoughts on Ronaldo

The inevitable daily quotes and headlines have already begun to emanate from Madrid. In fact, this season it is even worse, since there isn't the distraction of Euro 08 to cover some of them over.

So, as we look forward to another summer of Real mouthing off, Ronaldo being enigmatic and United denying all knowledge - what's our preferred outcome?

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the best outcome for United in that Ronaldo stays. I've been fairly unstinting in my support for him being at the club, even if not for some of his individual actions.

Granted, he did not have an absolutely stellar last season, but he was still comfortably among our best players. He scored a good number of crucial goals - Villa and Porto spring to mind, but they are not the only ones. He was not fully fit until about November, and was carrying a hernia problem for the last month of the season as well. I would happily say that we would not have won the league without him.

And yet, his manner continues to infuriate United fans to the point that they want him to leave anyway. The piss-off factor is very understandable for other football fans in this country - the chances of a United quadruple being prevented is significantly higher if Ronaldo goes to Spain - but is more bizarre amongst United fans.

It seems to me that anyone expecting a teenager from outside the British Isles to have eyes only for Manchester United forevermore has an inflated sense of our importance. Further, if you expect a rise within 18 months from showpony squad player to best player in the world to have no effect on a player and person of Ronaldo's type, then you're a bit too much of an idealist for my taste.

The fact remains that Ronaldo is a spectacularly good player who now performs both on the small stage and on the big occasions. He can play on either wing or down the middle. He can score tap-ins, one-on-ones, long range strikes and free kicks. He can beat people, he knows when to pass (a big development on his early days) and he has blistering pace. I'm not aware of any other player in the world with all these attributes.

Yes, he can be irritating. Yes, he doesn't often track back. Yes, he can be petulant. And yes, he usually looks like a conceited twat whenever he talks to any type of media.

But he can be dazzling to watch, a pure attacking talent in the classic Best and Giggs mould. He is also the most effective attacking player in our squad. Without him, United are a shadow of the team they can be. So as far as I'm concerned, I unreservedly want him to run out in United red at the start of next season. And I think he will.