Peter Schmeichel: “I like Cristiano Ronaldo, he has the right to say what he wants, but he didn’t help Man Utd

Peter Schmeichel was in Lisbon for the SBC Summit. On the Sports Stage of the event, A BOLA interviewed the former goalkeeper, who was a champion with Sporting in the 1999/2000 season and one of the great figures of Manchester United. In the conversation, which took place the day after Man Utd’s draw with Twente and before Sporting-Estroril, the Danish legend recalled his first official match at Antas, his time at Sporting, and the current state of the clubs that shaped his life: Manchester United and Sporting.

Manchester United faced Twente in the first round of the Europa League, the day before this interview, and ended up drawing. What’s your take on the club in general? What are your views on how things are going?

It’s no secret that the club is being described as a mess, and it has been that way for quite some time. A lot of money has been invested, but money alone doesn’t help. Good leadership, good ideas, execution—all the things done in a normal business must also apply to a football club. Jim Ratcliffe has come in, taken the helm of the club, and there is a lot to do. He started at one point and is not even close to the finish line. There’s this situation where the stadium is worn down; it is no longer a modern stadium. I believe they have decided to build a new one, but the challenge here is how to finance it without further burdening the club with debt. That’s the next phase we have to find finances for. Many people have left the club, with 250 individuals laid off to reduce costs but also to increase efficiency. It’s a big change for the club, which is tough because there are many people I worked with, many I know, and many I associate with Manchester United. It’s a difficult period. The club is not consistent or good enough. They were leading 1-0 at Old Trafford yesterday. When leading 1-0 at home against a team like Twente in Europe, it should be a 2, 3, or even 4 goal win. That’s what Manchester United should be. But they drew 1-1.