"He had to go" - Sir Alex Ferguson's comments about player power resurface amid Cristiano Ronaldo controversy at Manchester United

A quote from Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography has resurfaced amid controversy surrounding Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s walk-off. In his 2013 autobiography, Ferguson made his stance clear about player power, declaring that a player had to leave when he thought of himself as bigger than the manager.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag named Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in Wednesday’s (October 19) 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. In the second half, the Portuguese was seen warming up on a couple of occasions but was not called into action by Ten Hag. Presumably understanding that he would not be brought on, Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel before the full-time whistle, sparking controversy.

Ferguson, in his 2013 autobiography, wrote about the power struggle between a player and manager, declaring that the verdict must always go the manager’s way. The legendary Manchester United manager wrote (via Daily Star):

“The minute a Manchester United player thought he was bigger than the manager, he had to go.”

In the aftermath of Cristiano Ronaldo’s walk-off, United have confirmed that he will not be part of the squad that will travel to Chelsea on Saturday (October 22).

Cristiano Ronaldo admits getting carried away in the heat of the moment after Manchester United snub

Hours after being banished from the traveling party to Chelsea, Ronaldo released a lengthy statement on social media. He talked about the importance of respect in his every decision, admitting that he failed to withhold his values in the heat of the moment.

The statement read (via Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram account):

“As I’ve always done throughout my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my adversaries and my coaches. That hasn’t changed. I haven’t changed. I’m the same person and the same professional that I’ve been for the last 20 years playing elite football, and respect has always played a very important role in my decision making process.

“I started very young, the older and most experienced players examples were always very important to me. Therefore, later on, I’ve always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I’ve represented. Unfortunately that’s not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment gets the best of us.”

Ronaldo concluded by saying:

“Right now, I just feel that I have to keep working hard in Carrington, support my teammates and be ready for everything in any given game. Giving in to the pressure is not an option. It never was. This is Manchester United, and united we must stand. Soon we’ll be together again. 💪🏽🙏🏽”