Is Ronaldo getting too big for his own boots?

The world of football is waiting with bated breath for Cristiano Ronaldo’s announcement in the next 48 hours about his future. At least that is what he would like us to think. But frankly, this Man United fan has already switched off.

The Portuguese international deserves the awards and plaudits he has been receiving in the last number of months. His contribution to United this year was instrumental on their way to regaining the Premiership. As well as his goals, his contribution around the pitch was second to none.

But any comparisons with any of the greats of the game are wide of the mark. Ronaldo has consistently shown that if he is not involved in a game he will quietly disappear into the background, almost in a huff, and hope that things will start going his way. He stops tracking back and instead makes ridiculous gestures to officials, team-mates, the crowd. To anyone but himself. He is the last one at fault.

His skill cannot be doubted and he has come a long way since a young naïve 17 year old first played in the Premiership with his never-ending step-overs. He can genuinely beat players with both skill and speed. But he has yet displayed the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck and turn it around for his team. Yes he has scored timely goals and put in timely crosses to colleagues but his general awareness and selfishness leaves a lot to be desired.

Ronaldo does not yet have the mental ability to call himself one of the best players in the world. Just take the last two games in the Champions League. Two penalties. One skied over the bar. One saved. Could you have seen Gary Lineker or Alan Shearer, let alone any of the world’s greats make such mistakes.

But such is his own sense of elevated self-importance, he has to be the centre of attention. When Edwin Van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka’s penalty to win the Champion’s League for United, all of his team-mates charged to celebrate with him. Ronaldo charged with them. Then he checked. He realised he would not be the centre of attention among the melee of players. So instead he stops and throws himself to the floor and ‘cries’. Cue every camera in the ground to zoom in on Ronaldo prostrate on the pitch. Once again centre of attention.

Ever since, those cameras have been on him and the microphones have followed his every word. But the young Portuguese winger is playing a dangerous game. Portraying yourself as bigger than a club like Manchester United is walking a very tight rope. And Sir Alex Ferguson is holding the other end of that rope.

Ferguson has long held the belief that no one player is bigger than the club. As far as the Scot is concerned, he is the club. And if there is any attempt by a player to take on that club, a watery grave awaits. He need only ask Jaap Stam, David Beckham or even Roy Keane.

The sooner Ronaldo makes his ‘announcement’ the better. Then he can shut his mouth and get back to what he is best at – playing football. That is where he can gain most respect because at the moment he certainly isn’t playing the media well.