Hated star Ronaldo heir to King Cantona’s throne

A MARVELLOUSLY silly tabloid story here in Britain yesterdaydeclared that the number one Google search this past year was for the phrase “I hate Ronaldo”.

This, of course, gladdens the Red heart even more than the boy’s fabulous second place in the Euro player of the year award (won deservedly by Kaka, who proved last April he is still ahead of Ronnie. For now.) Ronaldo has succeeded Cantona as the ultimate symbol of United flash and arrogance, and thus becomes the prime target for the ABU brigades, who still number in millions despite Chelsea’s surging attempt to displace us in the hate stakes.

Ronnie was the indisputable star of the show on Monday night, a bad-tempered Rooney understandably not quite living up to the pre-match hype given his long lay-off. And given his possible preoccupation: his great mate Ricky Hatton fights in Vegas on Saturday and mad rumours at OT have it that Roon, Rio and co are to hire a superfast exec jet to whizz them there straight after full time against Derby. If true, one suspects that Fergie will have received neither an invite to join them, nor any forewarning...