RUUD/RONALDO SPAT - THE FINAL STRAW?

Last updated : 09 May 2006 By Ed

The experts line up to give their account on the latest gossip with Ruud, news that was first broken on RI's forum on Sunday night. (See http://64.34.164.206/ri_forum/showpost.php?p=1453355&postcount=20 )

Setanta Sports:

European Soccer Correspondent Graeme 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.

"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.

"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."

The Sun:

Ronaldo was furious, reminding Van Nistelrooy his real father, Dinis Aveiro, had died only last September.

But the Dutchman continued and the pair came to blows before being dragged apart by team-mates.

Some United stars feel Ronaldo gets special treatment from Queiroz.

But this time the other players and Ferguson sided with the youngster.

Ferguson's relationship with Van Nistelrooy has been worsening all season. They have hardly spoken since the striker's axeing from the Carling Cup final.