JOHN O’SHEA has recalled his role in launching Cristiano Ronaldo’s career as he tipped his former teammate to follow him into management.
Manchester United signed Ronaldo after he impressed against them for Sporting Lisbon in August 2003.
’Shea was given a torrid time by the player who was relatively unknown at the time.
Roy Keane said he had to see the club doctor at half-time because he was having dizzy spells, Alex Ferguson told Peter Kenyon that the Waterford man had been given a migraine by Ronaldo whilst Rio Ferdinand quipped that he must have had an oxygen tank next to him in the dressing room at the break.
When asked if he knew from the first time he had seen Ronaldo that he was special, the Ireland interim boss answered with a smile: “What are you referring to?
“We were fully aware of his talent obviously that night in Lisbon.
“But the player that arrived into Old Trafford, into Carrington, I’ve mentioned before many times, his dedication in terms of improving his technique every week, every day.
“Look, there was some tough challenges not only in terms of the opposition he was facing but also in the training matches, we were making him fully prepared for what the Premier League was going to be, the tests he was going to have to face.
“But he also had good mentors in his Portuguese team also when he broke through in that team, the mentors to learn from too. It wasn’t a surprise to me to see what he’s gone on to do because we saw how special a player he was very early.”
United had just flown back from the USA before that game and O’Shea said: “I was slightly jet-lagged, but I do remember. I won’t be playing, thankfully, tomorrow.”
But – despite speculation that this could be Ronaldo’s last game in Portugal – O’Shea is not convinced that he will retire from international football after Euro 2024 and believes that, even if he does, he could continue to have a role with Portugal.
He said: “Knowing the type of person and dedication, professionalism Ronaldo has, I’m sure he has plans in his head to carry on for Portugal and where he’s going to go, hopefully, in the future.
“Further down the line, he might have ambitions to manage his country also in tournaments to come – if he wants to bring those pressures on him to take.
“But he’s had no problem taking the pressures of his country already throughout his career, so whatever his next steps will be, I’m sure they will be positive for Portugal.”