CLUB ACTION RETURNS! Issues Real Madrid need to address? + Managers on the hot seat 👀 | ESPN FC

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ESPN FC: Man United-Spurs pressure, Ronaldo fallout and Real Madrid issues

The panel debates the pressure around Manchester United vs Tottenham, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal statement and fallout, and Real Madrid’s dressing-room and Kylian Mbappe problems. In Extra Time, they also ask whether Manchester City’s charges can galvanize the squad, with the panel doubting that unity would survive a serious punishment.

Today on ESPN FC, the panel discuss… 0:00 Man United vs. Spurs 10:54 Ronaldo & Portugal 20:44 Real Madrid’s issues 36:44 Extra Time ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

Hello, hello everyone. Welcome into our ESPNFC studios for the latest edition of the show. I've got Alejandro Moreno, Stevie Nickel alongside me, Alexis Tunes, and celebrations guys because the international break oh >> is over. Club football is back as early as tomorrow indeed. And the big one in the Premier League this weekend or one of them at least if you're looking at the bottom half of the standings. Manchester United up against Tottenham Hotspur because they're calling it Elsako. Both managers under a lot of pressure indeed and they would be desperate for anything in this one. So let's welcome in our prince of darkness Mark Ogden and of course Frank Labuff who is once again a beacon of positivity like Ali. But Auggie let me start with you. This is a big one for both clubs isn't it? >> It's a big one but I think Elsako is taking it a little bit too far. I mean obviously both managers both both managers need to be doing need to be doing better but I I don't think that either an im imminent threat over their jobs. I think I think deserve got a lot of credit in the bank for keeping Spurs up last season. Obviously he's had a bad start but spent a lot of money and he's just waiting for that team to click and I think obviously they didn't buy a striker which is probably the issue but I think Derby is okay for now. And Carrick similar in a way that you know United backed him in the summer with a new contract. He's not made a great start. You have to say he's not been with his his kind of big summer signing Carlos Believer who should be fit to play at the weekend. But for me that the situation at United is that this is the last home game for quite a while after Tottenham at home at the weekend. Again, really have to win. They've got three away games. Atletico Madrid, leads and Ko and their three games that they could quite easily lose. So Michael Carrick really really needs a a win on Saturday. Any kind of win just to kind of make sure that we're not talking about Elsaco this time next week. >> He loves it. Stevie, already a must-win game, you feel for both managers this early on in the season? >> No, we all it's not it's not a must-win. Um, >> however, I I guess whoever loses is going to be under just a little bit more pressure. Um, at the same time, I can't put my hat on any of these two. I I I'm finding it hard to turn around and say, "Well, that team's going to win or that team's going to win." And and that tells you where both of these teams are. Spurs might be at the bottom on the table, but I'm not sure where where Man United's win is coming from >> because I don't trust them defensively. And Spurs eventually are going to score some goals. And Manchester United defensively, in my opinion, are not particularly strong. And they certainly won't be at Old Trafford because they'll be going forward and that's going to give Spime and more space. >> At the same time, >> I don't trust Paul defensively either. So, I think this has got a draw written all over it. I don't think Emy's getting the sack. I don't think anybody's winning. I think Spurs absolutely more than Man United will take a point, but Man United at the worst will accept a point. >> So, just a glowing advertisement of the beautiful game is what we're expecting in this one. Al >> Well, by the way, this this this could be open. I just don't think either of these teams are particularly great. >> I think it's going to be open and there's going to be balls given away left, right, and center. So, it's going to be one that you're going to watch and you have to keep your eyes on. >> But, yeah, I I just don't see a winner. >> Now, Steve, you you mentioned that is it's not a must-win and and that may be the case, but it's certainly a must not lose, cannot lose for both of these teams, both of these managers. And while according to Mark, these guys are safe, let me just say that chair will get a little hotter if you lose this weekend. And it'll get a little bit more uncomfortable and a little bit more prickly and difficult to sit on that chair because you've had three weeks to to sit on this >> to marinate in how inep both of these teams have been in the early part of the season. You're as a fan, you're marinating on this and it's not a good marinade. Let me just tell you, it's like in a lot of season, a lot of flavor, right? and you're sitting on this and sitting on this and sitting on this and here you are back and playing club football and you're excited about it. You want to be excited about it, but to Steviey's point, both of these fan bases show up to this match going, "Please, Lord, please, please have mercy on us today." And prayer is not enough to win a game. It may help, but it's not enough to win a game. And I do think that while it may not be a must-win for either one of these managers or either one of these teams, it's certainly one in which neither one of them can afford to lose this match unless you want this negative momentum to continue to pick up pace. And when it pick up space and pick up speed now, it's difficult to stop and you don't know when it stops. So, let me just say for both of these teams, it's an important game. Maybe not must win, but it's an important game. Really important game, >> Frank. Really important. Must win. How do you see it? >> I sit between Stevie and Alli where I really think it's a must win for Manchester United. I think Manchester United can can afford of course to not lose, cannot afford to lose it and and they play at home. And according to what I saw since the beginning of the season, I want to say that they they they are slightly better than than uh than than Spurs, they are they can they can be more confident about a game like that and and the fact that they can they can win. But you know what two days ago I was seated on the table with Mijaki and us Wenger and they were saying that nowadays because we are talking about the Sako game that we we give too much importance importance to to coaches and it's like they can change everything but we can see with Spurs you know with three coaches in a row not being able to change a team with crazy individuals and you can see how it works with Manchester United as well for years where Michael Kerry was capable of doing something good for like five six months is is beginning is becoming hard for him to work. So maybe and it's an advice for media maybe instead of trying to target the coaches maybe start targeting the players maybe there is something to do with them and maybe if they are and I'm talking about more with Spurs players where in that club the pressure is absolutely inexistent. So maybe the media they start targeting some players, maybe the players will wake up and maybe we'll have something for those two clubs, those two club who shouldn't be in that position. So yes, for me it's a must win for Manchester United and it must be a not lose for for Spurs. >> Interesting point that Frank brings up then Auggie because it's true over there. How is it being received? Is it time to maybe start focusing on the players and not necessarily targeting them or going after them as Frank is saying, but of course we know the buck stops with the manager, but I think a lot of people do sympathize with them in this situation. >> I think the players have had a bit of stick. I don't think they're being exonerated from this, but I think I take it a different step as well. I'd say let's focus on the sporting directors, you know, cuz you know Tottenham have a a sporting director or a structure and they brought in a load of players in the summer, but they didn't bring a a striker that can score some goals. So that isn't Deserie's fault. Deserby would obviously request a forward. He wanted a forward but the people above him decided not to get one. Now the same with Michael Carrick and Man United that he was desperate for a left back. They didn't get one and obviously needed reinforcements in different areas of the pitch that United spent around 150 million pound this summer which was nowhere near the levels of their so-called big six rivals. That was down to the sporting director or if you want to take it even higher than that to the owners. So for me the you know the manager always gets the focus because the manager is the person who sits at a press conference every week. He's the voice of the club. The players are people that that the manager picks and he has to pick the tactics. But the sporting directors and directors of football get away with absolute murder right now because they're bringing the players in. They're choosing the players. They're often, you know, foisting players on on a manager and then when the team doesn't play well, the manager gets sacked and the sporting director picks another coach and then we start this process again. So the scrutiny on the sporting directors is not nowhere near as big as it should be because they're the ones that now have the power that managers used to have, but they get none of the responsibility. And I I understand the point that Mark makes and and in the bigger picture, all of that makes a whole lot of sense. >> My point is that even with the players that they have currently in both of these rosters, they should have won more games than they have so far this season. And I I understand that perhaps they are not competitive against the top of the Premier League or the top of Champions League. Look, we can have that conversation and maybe there is a there is some sort of argument to be made, but as it pertains to say for example Manchester United that you're last win was against Sabah. That's it. That's it. That's it. That's all there is to it. And so you mean to tell me that even with this roster, Manchester United is not better than some of the other opposition that they have faced so far this season? And that's when I think it's an issue with both Michael Carrick and the players. Nei neither one neither group if you want to separate manager from the players neither one looks good on this. >> Nobody looks good. Nobody looks good at Manchester United. Nobody looks good at Spurs. And you cannot separate both of them. But you can't get rid of 30 people. You can only get rid of one. And so that's why the manager uh is the one that is going to attract a lot of the attention. And let me just say as a side note, it's uh very comfortable for two managers that were important in their time but are no longer managing like Jack A and Arson Wenger to say we give too much importance to managers WHEN THEY WERE MANAGERS THEY WERE IMPORTANT WERE THEY NOT? Are you kidding me? >> To me to me fairly point I'm kind of with them you know because it's called Manchester United and because they're called Spurs we expect them to be up there. We don't expect them to be where they are. >> But are we actually forgetting the point? The point is they are where they are because that's what they are. >> And the sporting directors have given both managers these players. How many of these players in both of these sides would we >> would we say should be playing for the so-called bigger teams in Europe? >> I mean there how many is it Bruno Fernandez at Man United? I mean I'm I'm struggling. You know, I'm talking about Manchester United and Spurs, and I'm struggling to call up more than one name that should be playing for one of the top teams in Europe. Maybe they're just what they are, >> right? Right. But okay, >> because of the players that have been given to them by the sporting directors. >> Fair enough. I'm not saying they should be at top of the league, but they can't. They have to be better than last. >> Well, one of >> What was that? What was that brilliant line from Steve? >> Well, they are what they are because they are what they are. They're also what they are. They are indeed what they are. That is Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. Here's a look at a couple of the headlines in the Portuguese papers after Cristiano told his version of events on social media. Record says Ronaldo tells all. Old Jo says Ronaldo's truth. Abola says Ronaldo wants to return but blames Jesus. Coredo de Magna says I apologize to the Portuguese people and the one that wins it all. Jernaldo Noticia says Ronaldo asks for forgiveness but crucifies Jesus. >> Clever. Someone's keeping their job indeed. All right. We know it's been a messy situation. Frank, what do you make of it all? >> Well, first that was a a long statement from Ronaldo. Uh uh but uh you know what u I'm getting bored in a way that um again I said at the in the first place that I was very sad about the uh the way out of Cristiano Ronaldo and I was hoping that somehow there will be uh something done for him to come back and play like Messi uh last week a last game for for his national team but he wants to carry on uh it will be another other and others episodes about that story and you know when I read it what what's uh struck me the most is the eight proposal that Jesus had to say publicly um to explain and again and kind of apologize to the world about what he did and I said nobody can do that nobody can say what Cristiano wanted him to to say or the agent of Cristiano or it's impossible Jesus as an ego, as a personality, as a character, he would have never say what Cristiano wanted him to say. So it's why you we have that. I really hope that the Portuguese people will be happy with the fact that the national team keeps on winning that maybe Cristiano is going to come back and that J is going to keep his job and Ronaldo is going to play some games and be happy with that. But really, it's too long. I'm I'm I'm a bit I'm a bit fed up with that story. M >> Augie, what did you think of it? >> I thought I thought it was quite sad really because listen, Ronaldo's given Portugal amazing service over the years and he has been one of the the greatest players we've ever seen and I think he's in danger of tarnishing his legacy now because I remember Ronaldo as a great player was in his 20s and his 30s at United and Real Madrid and with Portugal an amazing player but you know the tail end of his career is not ending well and I think this this kind of behavior is again not reflecting well on him. I think you know Gus has had the perfect opportunity now to say that's it. He's done. It should have happened two or three tournaments ago. Cristiano Ronaldo shouldn't have been at the last World Cup, maybe the Euros before that. He's no longer an asset to Portugal, but he needed a stronger coach than Roberto Martinez to deal with that. Now, this is it's been dealt with by George Jesus and not not in a great way. You know, I suppose Ronaldo does he deserve more respect in the way it's been dealt with perhaps, but that respect should have been shown in a different way in the summer to say, look, you've come to an end of your career. will give you a farewell game. It shouldn't have been indulged to car to carry on at the age of 41. He's 42 in February, you know. There comes an end for everybody, you know, and and Ronaldo should have thought, right, this is it. I've gone out on a height. I world cup. Why carry on? He's only carrying on because he wants to score more goals. He wants to score, you know, have more appearances. It's all it's all about him. It's all a personal thing. It's not about the best of Portugal, the best for Portugal. It's all about him breaking more records, adding more goals to his tally. So, you know, take a backseat, Ronaldo. That's the end of it. Hopefully, like Frank said, it's gone on for too long. And I just think that you can't accept the fact that at 41, he's no longer the main stay of that team and the years have moved on and he needs to accept that he's no longer the guy that he used to be. >> And I mean, I get that because Cristiano did say that he was considering, you know, stepping down. But it was the manager, Ali, that called him back and said, "Look, you're still going to be an essential part of this. I need you back." And then he went back on his word, not once, not twice. So Stevie and Shaka both said that they actually kind of side with Cristiano Ronaldo in this. They would be ticked off as well. You as a former player, Ali, wouldn't you be as well? >> Well, you're leading the witness is what you're doing there. >> I would have made a great lawyer. >> You're you're taking me down a certain path. >> You say you have to see both sides. If your boss calls you back, >> all all I would say is whatever grievances Cristiano Ronaldo may have had, and apparently there were many given the uh the length of the statement, um there's one thing that for me is a non-negotiable. He cannot leave. He cannot leave the national team. >> In leaving the national team, he creates a vacuum. a vacuum that then is filled by this by conversations from those of us that do not have a a direct access to the information and in that vacuum then you begin to speculate about Cristiano Ronaldo and if you are a believer that Cristiano Ronaldo just like Mark just mentioned that it's all about him this only exacerbates that because he comes across as well I'm not getting what I want I'm not getting what I was promised and so I'm leaving I'm taking my ball and I'm going home and you cannot leave Because you're not just leaving the Federation or the president of the Federation. You're not just leaving George Jesus. You're leaving your teammates. You're leaving your country. You're turning your back on your responsibility to represent your country. And you cannot do that. He may have valid arguments. He may have valid grievances. He may be upset about certain things that were promised to him and that were not delivered to him. But you cannot leave. You make that case by being with the team, not away from the team, not turning your back on the team. That's one part of the conversation. The other part of the conversation is this is as good an example as there is that you have to have separation between church and state. >> You cannot have a federation that goes to a player, however accomplished this player may be, an aging superstar, and consult with him and say, "Hey, are you okay with this manager? it. Is this a guy? Is this the right guy? Because in doing that, you then tell Cristiano Ronaldo that he has the power, that he is the kingmaker. And so therefore, everything has to go through him. All decisions must be made through him, that nothing happens without his authorization. And that goes as far as playing time, when he plays, when he doesn't play. He even said as much in his in the lengthy statement. He said, "Well, I was told I was going to play the first game and the fourth game, and that's what uh I was preparing for, and that's what my body was preparing for, and then I was told to warm up." And and all of these are very normal things that you go and warm up, and maybe you go in, maybe you don't go in. But it's not normal when you have made Cristiano Ronaldo the kingmaker, the decision maker within the federation to say, "Yeah, George is the guy." And then now when George Jesus has turned his back on Ronaldo, then it feels like Ronaldo is now in a position in which he can raise his hand and say, "Uh, I'm Cristiano Ronaldo. You don't do this to me." And now I'm taking my ball and going home. That is the responsibility that I put on the Federation. The Federation has to make their own decisions regardless of the agent superstar. They have to make their decision as to what the future of the federation is going to be on the national team and what the project is going forward regardless of Cristiano Ronaldo. They make that connection and they then gave the power to Cristiano Ronaldo. And then you try to take that power back too late and this guy said, "I'm going home." He should have never left though. That's the main point for me. He should have never left the national team. >> Everybody's got it wrong, ain't they? I mean, that's this whole thing. E