MANCHESTER UNITED stars gave Cristiano Ronaldo a blunt warning when he arrived at Old Trafford.
And he was brutally told: "We are not here to see you play."
Ronaldo joined the Red Devils for the first time in 2003.
He arrived as a skinny teenager with bags of raw talent and potential – and loved showboating his tricks.
But former United midfielder Gordon Strachan revealed the experienced first-team stars were not afraid to make their feelings known to Ronaldo.
And he thinks Antony may well have got similar treatment.
READ MORE ON RONALDO
Georgina Rodriguez shares moment she and Ronaldo bought superyacht
Win a Lamborghini plus £5k or £150k cash from just 89p with our discount code
Strachan said: "Antony reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo, although it's never good to compare.
"It seems to me that he thinks he's him, but I don't think he's as good as Ronaldo. He plays with the ball too much.
"When Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United for the first time, there were people in the team who told him the truth.
"'Sorry, we don't want you dancing around with the ball when you can cross earlier. Use your skills in areas where you can produce something useful. We're not here to see you play.'"
Most read in Football
Ryan Reynolds spends fortune on gift for Wrexham fans after historic win
FA Cup final kick-off time revealed as it is moved for first time in 12 YEARS
Liverpool make Kalvin Phillips No1 transfer target as they line up £35m bid
I was the 'next Becks' but retired at 28, now I own a bespoke flooring firm
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
Ronaldo buckled down under Sir Alex Ferguson to become one of the best players in the world, winning three Premier Leagues, the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or before his world-record transfer to Real Madrid in 2009.
Antony, meanwhile, arrived from Ajax for a whopping £85.5m.
He was quick to bring his creative flair – including his 'fidget spinner' move – but has struggled for goals and assists in his debut season.
Ex-Scotland boss Strachan added: "If you're genuinely doing it for the team, that's fine.
"If you're doing it for yourself, you might as well stop it.
"It's the kind of thing Neymar does. He does it for him. You'll never see top players doing it, trying to ridicule the opponents they are playing.
"They do it for the team with humility.
"Ronaldo realised this early in his career and still understands it.
"In recent weeks we have been able to witness some magical things from Antony, but you have to be a good team-mate."
Source: Read Full Article
