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.

Underdogs fail to ignite FA Cup fire

In a week when more British teams are competing in European finals than ever before, Portsmouth and Cardiff City must be wondering what they have to do to bring attention to themselves and their FA Cup Final on Saturday.

As the top teams fell from grace in the FA Cup, the tournament was once again being talked up and that the old romance in the competition still existed. And yet, with Manchester United and Chelsea competing in the first All-England Champions League final only four days later, there is almost a case for all involved in the FA Cup Final to throw their hands up in desperation. The focus continues to be on the other final.

Ever since they reached the final both Cardiff and Portsmouth’s focus has been on Saturday’s final. While the welsh tried in vain to push on at the end of the season for a Championship play-off, their heart was never fully in it, as they awaited their day in the May sunshine in Wembley. Portsmouth took their foot off the pedal even earlier, satisfied with their lot and aware they could not realistically challenge those ahead of them for a UEFA Cup spot in the Premier League. A win on Saturday was seen as an easier road into Europe.

The romance of tomorrow’s final will not be lost on the two teams, their managers and their players. But to others it might not be the same. The winner will be the first outside the ‘Big 4’ to win the FA Cup since Everton in 1995. The winner will go into next year’s UEFA Cup. But because there is no great love amongst the neutral fans for either club, the romance and the big build-up has simply not materialised.

And when Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Carvalho and Didier Drogba all hint at moves away from their clubs, it is not hard to see why the FA Cup has been pushed down the headlines.

BBC and Sky Sports will build it up tomorrow with pieces about the ball being used, Wembley, the suits, the hotels the teams are staying in and the dressing room superstitions. But it won’t matter because the neutrals won’t be watching.

Manchester United and Chelsea have not finished their seasons yet. They’re still the headline grabbers and as long as they are still in contention for more silverware, they will continue to grab the headlines.

Advantage United

Manchester United hold the advantage over their London rivals, Chelsea, going into next week’s Champions League Final in Moscow. Seeing off the stern challenge of Wigan 2-0, the Red Devils clinched their 10th Premier League title in 17 years.

At the end of a long season, injuries to key players have been critical to both United and Chelsea for their league run in as well as their Champions League semi-finals.

Sir Alex Ferguson had the luxury of welcoming back both defender Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney into his starting 11. Both lasted 90 minutes.

In contrast, Chelsea started without defender Ricardo Carvalho and ended the game without captain John Terry, who left the pitch with a dislocated elbow after a clash with goalkeeper Petr Cech. Didier Drogba also suffered an injury at the end of the game, jarring his knee, and now both are rated doubtful for Moscow. However, Terry did believe he would be in a position to play in the final.

So with United at full strength and Chelsea potentially missing at least one of their talismen, not to mention the United players with Premier League medals around their neck, it is advantage United as they travel to Moscow for the first-ever all-England Champions League final.