Sven-Goran Eriksson has defended Manchester
United's attempts to retain the services of Cristiano Ronaldo by
dismissing Sepp Blatter's comparisons between the player and the
slave trade as potentially disastrous for football.
Former England and Manchester City coach Eriksson, now
managing Mexico, believes United are firmly within their rights to
pursue their current course. He said: "When he came to Manchester,
Ronaldo was a huge talent and today he is one of the best players,
if not the best player, in the world. But it's thanks to United
that he is the player he is.
"And if Real Madrid really want him, they must be
prepared to pay what United really want." Eriksson warned Blatter
that he risked anarchy within football by suggesting that the
contracts of players are there merely to be broken.
"There is a lot of money involved for players and for
the clubs because football is business today," he added. "There are
obviously contracts, but that's not slavery.
"Any work you have, you can't just get up and walk out
without paying some sort of fine, or whatever it is. If football
really wants to change all the rules, we should all sit down and
discuss it.
"But you can't do that overnight. That would be a
disaster."
Meanwhile United will write to FIFA president Sepp Blatter this
week after he waded into the furore over Cristiano Ronaldo's
future.
United will cite the apparent double standards Blatter has
expressed. In February of this year, the FIFA president backed the
sanctity of players' contracts with clubs after the Court of
Arbitration for Sport reduced Andy Webster's fine from £625,000 to
£150,000 for ripping up his deal with Hearts to move to Wigan.
'The decision which CAS took is very damaging for football and
is a pyrrhic victory for those players and their agents who toy
with the idea of rescinding contracts before they have been
fulfilled,' Blatter said at the time.
But, discussing Ronaldo last week, he said: 'I'm always in
favour of protecting the player and if the player wants to leave,
let him leave.'
United could be forgiven for thinking Blatter's sympathy for
Ronaldo has something to do with his soft spot for Real, who made
him an honorary member in November 2006 and presented him with a
gold and diamond club insignia.
Real president Ramon Calderon revealed Blatter was a fan in his
teens and, in a gushing response, the FIFA president said: 'Allow
me to again relay my sincere gratitude for the warm welcome, the
incomparable hospitality, and the honourable distinction.'
Portugal physio Antonio Gaspar told Ronaldo he has no hope of
meeting his target of playing again within three months of ankle
surgery. 'He will not be in an optimum state for competition until
12 weeks are up,' he said.
