Cristiano Ronaldo should be a forward that Real Madrid build around, says Terry Gibson
Wednesday 27 May 2015 07:54, UK
The new Real Madrid manager must build his side around Cristiano Ronaldo as a centre forward, according to Terry Gibson and Guillem Balague.
Real are set to announce a new boss next week after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked on Monday, and how that manager uses the Portuguese is pivotal to his success.
Ronaldo picked up the La Liga top goalscorer crown with 48 goals, but Real fell short by two points in the title race behind Barcelona.
Gibson said on Revista de La Liga: "Any manager of any team in the world would love a striker that guarantees you 50 goals a season.
"He gets more than that. It’s 60 this year so you’ve won half the battle there.
"A manager should be able to come up with a tactical plan where you’ve got this outstanding player that’s going to get you a goal a game and win more than (Ancelotti) has done at Real Madrid, particularly league titles.
"For the next manager, Ronaldo should be a centre forward and a team should be built around him.
"He’d be free of any defensive responsibility. He plays as a centre forward now but is addressed as a left sided attacker. That’s an issue for the new a manger."
Balague agreed with Gibson, adding that Ronaldo has adapted his game to his physical restraints, marking a crucial moment in his development.
However, Balague insists moulding the team around Ronaldo is a two-way street, and the new boss must ensure those around Ronaldo are comfortable with their position.
He said: "It’s a crucial moment in the story of Cristiano Ronaldo. He realised his body has limits and he’s dealing with it by getting 20 metres closer to the box.
"He’s a number nine and he’s a very good number nine. Get somebody else on the left and get a manager that tells him this is your role now and allow (Gareth) Bale perhaps to have the freedom to play around him and to grow as well.
"We’ve pointed it out for weeks, it’s not about what Ronaldo does, it is what he allows others to do as well.
"To see Bale flourish we need Ronaldo to step back a little bit."
