GIVE ALEX FERGUSON THIS MUCH CREDIT...:

Manchester United accept £80m Cristiano Ronaldo bid from Real Madrid (Daniel Taylor, 6/10/09, guardian.co.uk)

Manchester United's supporters received the news they had been dreading this morning when the club announced they had accepted an £80m bid from Real Madrid that will make Cristiano Ronaldo the most expensive player in history.

The world-record transfer is expected to be finalised before 30 June after United finally accepted that the world footballer of the year was still intent on securing his "dream" move to Madrid.

"At Cristiano's request – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player," the club said.

...fans of the club may not have figured out that Ronaldo was killing them, but the coach has. Of course, that makes playing him inexcusable as a coaching decision, but that's not how they decide these things in soccer. Reputation matters, not results.

And give the player credit too: he recognizes that he's stopped getting calls in his favor in the EPL and has even started getting booked for diving and cheap shots. Without pliant refs he's nothing.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 11, 2009 6:05 AM