Story behind Ruud walking out on Utd.

**NeilMcD** · 09/05/2006, 10:58 AM

Setanta Sports can EXCLUSIVELY reveal the story behind the bust-up that saw Ruud van Nistelrooy dropped from the Manchester United team to face Charlton, a bust-up that could well presage the end of the Dutchman's Old Trafford career.

Speaking to Daire O'Brien on Setanta Sports' The Hub, European Soccer Correspondent Graham Hunter explained the incident that caused Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to drop his star striker.

"In January, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo, who literally cannot stand the sight of each other, traded punches in training, and van Nistelrooy left Ronaldo with a broken face," Hunter explained.

"On Sunday, van Nistelrooy was not named in the Manchester United team, and as we all now know, he walks out.

"The roots are from a serious bust-up on the training pitch the day before, over a perennial row between the two. Ronaldo held onto the ball too long in training, and van Nistelrooy asked again: "Why do you keep onto the ball, why don't you pass to me? I am in position, I am the striker. Get the ball to me."

Hunter went on: "Ronaldo gives van Nistelrooy some lip, it ends up in a fight, and van Nistelrooy as he always does, needles into Ronaldo, and says "Yeah, yeah, go running to your Dad."

"He means Carlos Quieroz, Ferguson's assistant. Ronaldo's own father had died during the season, and finally, in the face of this abuse, Ronaldo burst into tears on the pitch and shouts "I don't have a Dad, he's dead."

This is the incident Sir Alex Ferguson spoke of after the game on Sunday when talked about a need to keep "team unity" at the club.

However, Hunter is not so keen to write off van Nistelrooy's Old Trafford career just yet.

"It is not necessarily the end for van Nistelrooy, because he is the goalscorer, and Ferguson still wants four strikers at the club.

"What Sir Alex may not know is that Cristiano Ronaldo is dead set on leaving Manchester United this summer, if Madrid will buy him. He personally has had enough of Manchester United, and English football. So, it may be that we are left with Ronaldo saying that he wants to go, and that van Nistelrooy and Ferguson may make their peace."

**Rory H** · 09/05/2006, 11:09 AM

a broken face...ha ha

**John83** · 09/05/2006, 11:23 AM

That's fairly nasty.

Originally Posted by wild rover

a broken face...ha ha

You should try it.

**Aldini98** · 09/05/2006, 11:27 AM

ha ha ha its hilarious really. RVN should have a go at Ronaldo for been the worst free kick taker in the country !!!!

**Dublin12** · 09/05/2006, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by wild rover

a broken face...

LOL,I'd rather have a broken face than a face like a horse!

**NeilMcD** · 09/05/2006, 12:40 PM

rather be a top player in the Premiership and in world football and earning what he does than someone living in Dublin 12

**TheJamaicanP.M.** · 09/05/2006, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

rather be a top player in the Premiership and in world football and earing what he does that someone living in Dublin 12

Brilliant.

Post of the month nomination.

**ken foree** · 09/05/2006, 2:58 PM

below the belt from ruud and ronaldo's a pile of sh1t. wish they'd sell him and rooney

**Dublin12** · 09/05/2006, 3:36 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

rather be a top player in the Premiership and in world football and earning what he does than someone living in Dublin 12

You'd wanna do yourself a favour fella and lighten up,btw plenty of sports heroes from Dublin 12

,nowt wrong with it.

**NeilMcD** · 09/05/2006, 3:56 PM

Just joking myself to be honest.

**OwlsFan** · 09/05/2006, 4:05 PM

And how many matches did Ronaldo miss with this "broken face" (whatever that is

) ? I vaguely remember seeing him with a bruised face but can't be sure.

**micls** · 09/05/2006, 6:21 PM

I don't think the broken face was the problem really.

The jibe about his dad was nastier. Wouldn't be too keen on having someone spread that kind of atmosphere even if Ronaldo does prance around a bit

**thejollyrodger** · 09/05/2006, 9:09 PM

pure funny :P

**NeilMcD** · 10/05/2006, 9:28 AM

From my understanding the jibe was about Carlos Quieroz being his dad it was not meant as having a go at his Ronaldo and bringing his dead dad into it. I think the problem seems to be with Quieroz there first Keane had issues with him and then Van Nistelrooy.

**John83** · 10/05/2006, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

From my understanding the jibe was about Carlos Quieroz being his dad it was not meant as having a go at his Ronaldo and bringing his dead dad into it.

That was made fairly clear in the articles I've read, yes. It doesn't mean it was any less hurtful for being stupid rather than callous.

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

I think the problem seems to be with Quieroz there first Keane had issues with him and then Van Nistelrooy.

I can't help but think that a guy who's arguing with and even hitting other players, dislikes the coaching staff, and has a hissy fit when he's left out of a squad that was heavily loaded with younger players (being given a run in a game that meant little enough) can't be anything be a liability, regardless of how good he is.

There may also be a problem with Quieroz, but it would seem to be the lesser one.

**razor** · 10/05/2006, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by John83

There may also be a problem with Quieroz, but it would seem to be the lesser one.

From what I have heard it seems Querioz was a big factor in Roys eventual departure and is now involved in Ruuds. While Utd have some excellent young players the older more experienced pros are being exited stage left. Something does not smell right.

**John83** · 10/05/2006, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by razor

From what I have heard it seems Querioz was a big factor in Roys eventual departure and is now involved in Ruuds. While Utd have some excellent young players the older more experienced pros are being exited stage left. Something does not smell right.

Van Nistelrooy seems to have looked up to Keane. Several comments he made recently referred to him, and there's the testimonial as well. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that maybe Keane's opinions on Querioz are holding some weight with him.

Somehow, I think losing van Nistelrooy won't be that big a blow to Man Utd.

**NeilMcD** · 10/05/2006, 1:40 PM

Alan Hansen said before that a club is only as good as its senior pros and Utd are slowly but surely alienating the guys that won them trophies and putting faith in prima donnas in my view. Rooney of the kids is the only one I would put my trust it. Fletcher, Ronaldo,Ferdinand are not the sort of guys I would want on my side in a battle.

**John83** · 10/05/2006, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Alan Hansen said before that a club is only as good as its senior pros and Utd are slowly but surely alienating the guys that won them trophies and putting faith in prima donnas in my view. Rooney of the kids is the only one I would put my trust it. Fletcher, Ronaldo,Ferdinand are not the sort of guys I would want on my side in a battle.

They have the cool heads in Rooney, Saha, Park, Neville, Scholes and Heinze. Silvestre, Ferdinand and Ronaldo will always be a bit more unreliable, but every team has those kinds of players. If you add a very good DM to that team, they'll be fine next year. They won't catch Chelsea unless standards dip in London, but they'll be a very good team.

The fact is, even with people writing off their defense, central midfield and Ronaldo and with Saha, Smith, Scholes and Solskjaer spending a lot of the season injured (players whose names begin with S might be tough to sign this summer

), they have scored enough points to win the league just about any year since the league dropped to 20 teams. That Chelsea are suddenly getting ten points more than that again doesn't take from the fact that there's a core of a very good team there.