In 2001, Jaap Stam sold the rights to his autobiography to The Mirror, and the following year, the newspaper published a number of excerpts from the book. Even though there weren't a lot of people competing for the autobiography, the low price that it was bought for was well worth every penny.
The editor of the newspaper at the turn of the millennium, Piers Morgan, asserted that the book contained a "veritable treasure trove of claims" that were likely to "upset" Sir Alex Ferguson. Morgan was correct, and Ferguson did not seem pleased with his player's performance.
Stam had claimed that Ferguson had tapped him up and ordered United players to dive in European games. He also referred to the Neville brothers as a "pair of busy little ****s" and branded David Beckham as being so thick that he'd never go on Mastermind. Stam had also referred to David Beckham as being so thick that he'd never go on Mastermind. It was explosive material for tabloids, and the fact that the quotes were eventually published is what ultimately led to Stam's departure from Old Trafford in a manner that was less than desirable.
Although Ferguson told Stam not to worry about the release of the book at first, the center-back was quickly left out of the squad to play Blackburn, and the legendary former manager told him that it was because of the "hassle" that his autobiography had caused. Ferguson's autobiography was the subject of much controversy after it was published.
Later on that week, Ferguson called Stam to ask where he was, and the two of them, who lived relatively close to one another, pulled into a gas station to discuss his future. However, unbeknownst to the Dutchman, it had already been decided that he would be leaving the club, so the conversation was pointless.
In the year 2020, Stam was quoted as saying, "When he arrived, he got in my car and told me that the club had accepted an offer from Lazio." He stated that he wanted to continue with two other defenders, Wes Brown and Laurent Blanc, which meant that I would be on the bench for the remainder of the game.
"I had the impression that I would eventually be able to get back to where I was before, but during that brief period of time, our relationship was affected in such a way that I had the impression that I wanted to leave. I believe that he had anticipated it. Within the space of a day, I was in Rome, where I signed with Lazio.
During his three-year stay in Manchester, Stam made over 125 appearances for United and won three Premier League titles, one Champions League title, and one FA Cup title. The manner in which he left was unfortunate, given how highly regarded he was, because he won so many trophies during his time there.
Stam was sold to Lazio within a week of his claims being published in The Mirror, and years later, Ferguson admitted that he regretted that decision, writing: "It turned out to be Jaap Stam. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that I made a mistake."
Regardless of Ferguson's regret, Stam's allegations were ultimately the impetus for his departure, and history is repeating itself in 2022 with Cristiano Ronaldo choosing this week to speak in a bombshell interview to engineer a move away, which is exactly what he wants. History is repeating itself in 2022 with Cristiano Ronaldo choosing to speak in a bombshell interview to engineer a move away, which is exactly what he wants.
Morgan has, ironically, been involved again, just like he was with Stam, interviewing Ronaldo in what appears to be a public relations exercise. There was not the slightest bit of pushback from Morgan on any of the important claims that were made in the interview, and it appeared as though he was only there to stroke Ronaldo's ego.
At one point, Morgan asked Cristiano whether he had more Instagram followers or money in the bank. "Do you have more Instagram followers or money in the bank, Cristiano?" Throughout the entire interview, he tried to curry favor with Ronaldo, and it was extremely cringeworthy.
Stam, with the assistance of Morgan, made allegations that ultimately led to the end of his career at Old Trafford, and twenty years later, Ronaldo has done exactly the same thing. The only significant distinction is that Stam did not intend for his autobiography to have that effect, whereas it appears that Ronaldo did intend for it to have that effect.
In the shocking interview, Ronaldo stated that he "doesn't respect" Ten Hag, and he did not come out of the 90-minute broadcast in a favorable position when he essentially complained about not being treated equally. This season, Ten Hag has done a masterful job of handling Cristiano Ronaldo, and his interview was full of contradictory claims that suggest he is struggling with the reality that his career is coming to an end. Ten Hag is 37 years old.
This year, the center forward has been responsible for three goals, two of which were scored against FC Sheriff (a rebound and a penalty). It is abundantly clear that he believes he deserves to regularly start games despite the fact that he has contributed next to nothing to his team when they are out of possession.
After listening to Ronaldo's interview, United is now contemplating the possibility of terminating his contract, and the club is also currently looking into the possibility of taking legal action for a possible breach of contract. After the concluding portion of Ronaldo's interview was broadcast on Thursday night, the club released a statement on Friday confirming that they have "initiated appropriate steps" in response to the situation, which marked the beginning of the end for the player.
It's unfortunate that things had to come to a head in this manner, regardless of what happens with Ronaldo's career in the coming weeks. It's a sad ending to his time spent at Old Trafford, and it's sad to see one of the game's true legends bow out from United in this manner. However, it's a fitting sendoff for one of the greatest players of all time.
Although Ferguson expressed that he'regretted' Stam's departure from the club, it seems unlikely that Ten Hag will ever express the same sentiment regarding Ronaldo.
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