Cristiano Ronaldo was interviewed on MUTV last night, and has acknowledged that he is not at his best. “I accept, at this moment, I am not in a good moment. But I will come back strongly and do my best. I am a keen learner; I will be learning all my life.
“Obviously I get a bit frustrated but I feel I have been unlucky this season. I've had seven balls on the post and I get frustrated with that. I want to continue to work hard for the team and score as well. [I said I'd score] 10 [goals]. I think that's still possible if the bad luck goes away. If I had scored the seven that hit the post, I'd be near that. I'm still able to do that.”
He is happy simply to be playing for United, but admitted that he is happier in a more central role, “I've no preference; left, right or centre. I'm just happy to play, that's obvious. I like to play behind the centre forward but that style of play at United doesn't suit their style of play. I like to play quite freely but sometimes the manager has other players who can perform in that position and he makes the decisions.”
There was also praise for two of the older players; Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane. “Playing with Ryan at United is fantastic because, as a player and a person, he's great. He helped me a lot in my first months and the club and is one of the persons I've kept as an idol. He has had a very good career with United and we can call him a star.
“It's obvious it was very important to have worked with Roy as, in the first year, he helped me lot. He's our captain and, within the team, he's a very strong player. We all respect that due to the experience he has. He's a very spontaneous person and sometimes he is spontaneous when we have bad play but he's a good person and a very important colleague.”
Ronaldo says the most difficult opponent he has faced is Ashley Cole, unsurprising considering he kicks and obstructs him for 90 minutes without censure, "There are many good defenders in England but Ashley Cole [is the most difficult]. When I play against him, I think he's the most difficult.”
And he seems to be more settled now in Manchester, but he still isn’t used to the rain, “At the beginning, it was quite difficult for me but, nowadays, I'm used to the people in Manchester. I know it, more or less, and am adapted to the system. The only problem I still suffer is the weather!”