Clapham: Monty's spin on Ronaldo's return to Manchester United

Ex-England cricketer Monty Panesar has written an article on Cristiano Ronaldo's return to the Premier League for one of our sister sites, Twickenham Nub News. Have a read of Monty's piece below.

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of Manchester United's greatest players is back and it is clear that the role of Sir Alex Ferguson, a true father figure, was a crucial factor in his return.

As a sportsman, if you can develop something close to a father and son relationship with a coach or mentor it can reap real benefits not only for the individual, but throughout the whole team.

I can think of a few key people in my own career, each of whom taught me so much in terms of combining the right skills with mental toughness, while at the same time offering real care for me as an individual.

Sentiment aside, United have already more than made back their investment in Ronaldo. The club's Stock Market value soared by over £200 million after the news broke. It's also worth remembering the real winners here are Adidas, who have signed a ten-year merchandising deal with Premier League giants worth some £750million.

At one point, it was strongly rumoured the great Portuguese player would sign for arch-rivals Manchester City and Pep Guardiola.

The tide quickly turned after a call Ronaldo reportedly received from Rio Ferdinand, in which his former team mate and great friend appealed for loyalty to Sir Alex and the warning: "You can't' turn you back on the gaffer".

The iconic number 7 jersey has been worn by club icons like George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham. Now, it returns to the man who succeeded Beckham in it.

In cricket, we have seen MS Dhoni wear the same famous number and I should also mention it was my number in County cricket, along with 77 in One Day Internationals.

When I arrived in the England cricket team, a lot was made of the idea that I had only one delivery. I remember that Ronaldo was frequently disparaged for being a 'one-trick pony' – with unnecessary step-overs - and being a diver. At least he was athletic, maybe I should have got in touch with his personal trainer.

There have been several people in my own career who helped me to play my part in England's success on the cricket pitch.