Crunch: It's time to talk about Ronaldo and what he brings to the side

WHEN it was confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo had signed for Manchester United, there was much consternation among the United-supporting UK public.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

His first game back would be against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. That meant the homecoming wouldn’t be broadcast anywhere across the UK (a football blackout rule prevents broadcasters from showing any live football between 2.45 and 5.15 PM in the UK).

The homecoming, though, was a blast. The Portuguese thrilled the Old Trafford faithful by bagging a brace. Fourteen months later, the 37-year-old is one of the most famous unemployed persons on the planet. The homecoming had gone sour, like a long ignored fruit stored on the bottom of the vegetable basket. Having had enough, United moved on. A hero was asked to leave through the front door with the world watching on. The irony here is that it suited both parties.

While he remains a great goalscorer, he had become a disruptive presence. The last straw was seemingly turning his back on the players and the coach when he opted to leave the dugout and head to the dressing room and ultimately to the car park during a narrative-turning 2-0 win over Tottenham in October. It also suited the 37-year-old because he didn’t want to be a bit-part player, an impact substitute warming the bench.