Monday, May 16, 2011
Sir Alex: Beat Barcelona And World Will Know What Quality You Got
Sir Alex Ferguson believes a Champions League final win over Barcelona at Wembley would end any debate about the merits of his current Manchester United side.
The Red Devils will be crowned champions for a record 19th time next Sunday, after what promises to be, for the opposition at least, a tense last-day encounter with relegation-threatened Blackpool at Old Trafford.
Yet still the doubters remain, unconvinced by the 1-1 draw at Blackburn on Saturday that ensured United would win the Premier League for the fourth time in five years.
Pure delight: Manchester United secured their 19th Premier League title
No-one questions how good Barcelona are though, which is why Ferguson believes any criticism can be ended by beating Pep Guardiola's men in the Champions League final on May 28.
'Beating Barcelona would end all arguments about this team,' said Ferguson. 'I know we are playing a terrific team but would you back against us in a big way? I don't think you would. We are capable of doing very well.'
Ferguson knows the challenges will be coming at his team from all angles next season.
Chelsea are expected to be a far more consistent force and while such bitter disappointment this term may restrict Arsenal's ability to respond, Liverpool and, particularly, FA Cup winners Manchester City both look certain to do better than this season.
Good luck with that: Wayne Rooney and Co will need to be at their very best to beat Barcelona at Wembley
'I will not be taking it easy because we have won the title,' Ferguson pledged on MUTV. 'The ambition of the club doesn't alter. It doesn't go away. That is the responsibility as manager of Manchester United.
We are not worthy: Ferguson has urged his team to go one better and beat Barcelona
'You always expect Liverpool to challenge us. You always expect Manchester City to challenge us. The great thing about us is that we accept challenges. It doesn't matter where it comes from. Our job is to get better and we will try to be better next year.'
There are a few issues for Ferguson to resolve. Atletico Madrid's David de Gea is thought to have been lined up as a successor to retiring goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, while a couple of additional new faces are anticipated, including Wesley Sneijder.
But a decision about Paul Scholes' future is still awaited with chief executive David Gill not entirely convinced the veteran midfielder will extend his stay at Old Trafford.
'It wouldn't surprise us if Paul Scholes retired,' said Gill on BBC radio. 'On the hand, we are enjoying the success we are having, so at the end of the season, he will have a conversation with Sir Alex about that. I am sure he will let us know his decision and we will respect it.'
Everybody Praise Sir Alex Ferguson
Fergie is above Paisley and Shankly
Sir Alex Ferguson is the best British manager there has ever been. And coming from my mouth, that is saying something because of the rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool. Bob Paisley was the best I played under at Liverpool and when he took over people said he wouldn't last long, couldn't repeat Bill Shankly's success and yet Paisley went onto become even more successful. Great managers like Paisley and Shankly seemed to have made Liverpool's history untouchable. Overtaking Liverpool's incredible haul of titles seemed a long, long way off when Fergie took over at Old Trafford nearly 25 years ago. But it has been a remarkable achievement to reach 19 titles, establish United as the most successful club in English football history and they can still finish the season as Double winners by lifting the Champions League trophy. Ferguson has not shied away from difficulties, he's built four if not five great United teams, handled big names like Cantona, Beckham, Ronaldo, Rooney and this season has only proved once again just what a great manager he is.
Mark Lawrenson, The Mirror
In transfer speculation, David Gill has revealed the search for Edwin van der Sar's successor at Old Trafford is over. United's chief executive is quoted in The Telegraph: "We know the keeper we want. We are in a good situation with that and it will progress at the end of the season. It is not as though it is a surprise that Edwin is retiring. We have made the decision and I am sure we can get the deal done."
One player who looks unlikely to be joining United, however, is Manuel Neuer who appears to be on the brink of signing for Bayern Munich after their boss Uli Hoeness claimed a deal has been done for the Schalke goalkeeper.
Edwin Van Der Sar: I can't wait for Sunday
Edwin van der Sar admits he can't wait to get his hands on the Premier League trophy again.
The United keeper enjoyed watching the title-clinching draw at Blackburn but feels it will be a special moment when the silverware is handed over at the end of Sunday's clash with Blackpool - his penultimate match in football.
"It feels different if you don't play," he told MUTV. "Still, I have played 33, 34 matches or something, so it is great. The feeling comes more when you get the trophy in your hands. To get it in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford, it will be an amazing feeling I think."
The Dutchman concedes the Reds were not always in top form throughout the season but a six-point lead in the table with a game to go tells its own story.
"In certain games we didn't play that well or didn't get the results we wanted away from home," he confessed. "But when you have won the league, it doesn't matter how many points you are ahead of the other teams. I think we have proved we are capable of doing a lot of good things on the pitch also."
Van der Sar sat the Ewood Park match out but enjoyed witnessing the celebrations in the away end.
"I quite enjoyed it," he declared. "In the first 20 minutes, when it was still 0-0, I was able to look around and look at the fans, at the full stand behind the goal, and listen to the songs they were singing.
"Normally during the game you don't have time to do that, except maybe have a quick glance over your shoulder. It was good to see all the fans enjoying themselves."
Gallery: Celebrations At Ewood Park After Officially Declared Champions
Sir Alex: "Do Not Bet On Barcelona, Bankruptcy waiting" .. Lol
Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged Manchester United to silence their detractors with victory over Barcelona in the Champions League final and believes he has a squad with the youth and desire to increase its haul of 19 league titles.
United moved ahead of Liverpool with a record 19th championship on Saturday, courtesy of a controversial, equalising penalty from Wayne Rooney. The triumph granted United a fortnight to prepare for their third Champions League final appearance in four seasons and, while Ferguson promised to field a recognisable team against Blackpool on Sunday, admitting the club "had a duty to be fair to all the teams in the country", his thoughts at Ewood Park soon turned to the priority of Barcelona at Wembley on 28 May. It will be the opportunity not only to avenge defeat in the 2009 final but, Ferguson said, the lack of recognition afforded his champions this season.
"Beating Barcelona would end all arguments about this team and that is their challenge at Wembley," he said after his 12th title triumph as United manager. "There is nothing wrong with accepting challenges and we are good at that. It doesn't matter where they come from, you have to stand up to the mark. We have shown resilience and our home form has been great. I think we are OK.
"They don't give in, that is their great quality. There are good ages in the team, a lot of good legs and a lot of speed. I know we are playing a terrific team in Barcelona but would you back against us in a big way? I don't think you would. We are capable of doing very well in the final."
Ferguson identified United's stirring recovery at West Ham United on 2 April as the defining point in this season's title race, when a Rooney hat-trick overturned a two‑goal first‑half deficit. "The West Ham game was probably the turning point," he said. "We were 2-0 down at half‑time and that put the shits up the lot of them. Me included."
Doubts have been cast over United's ability to replenish their squad when Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs eventually retire, with the Dutch goalkeeper set to leave this summer – and his stand-in, Tomasz Kuszczak, enduring a torrid time at Blackburn – and the chief executive, David Gill, admitted "it wouldn't surprise us" if Scholes followed suit. Ferguson, however, said that process was under way and that a first title success for such as Javier Hernández and Chris Smalling would stimulate the appetite to move further ahead of Liverpool in terms of titles won.
"I think that hunger will always be there because that is my job. We try to select properly and we try to produce players properly. All the players we have produced through the years have had that quality, that hunger. That includes [Tom] Cleverley, [Danny] Welbeck and others. They have what we expect of Manchester United players.
"It is difficult to say where this team stands. We have had some great teams at this club. The 1994 team and the one in 1999 stand out but all the teams we have had here have risen to the challenge, which at this club is to win things. Some of the young players now have their first trophy – [Antonio] Valencia, [Darron] Gibson, Hernández, Smalling – and that gives them the impetus to move on and realise what being a Manchester United player involves."
The United manager admitted Hernandez and Rooney were below-par at Blackburn, who settled for the draw in the closing stages despite being only one point clear of the relegation zone heading into Sunday's finale at Wolverhampton Wanderers. But he is confident both will thrive on the impending encounter with the Spanish champions.
Ferguson said: "I don't think Rooney and Hernandez did that well. I don't think we did that well anywhere on the pitch. It was a hard game and you could see the tension in the second half. I thought it was going to be one of those days. We have had it a few times at Blackburn. There was a 0-0 last season that cost us the title. There was a 0-0 in 1999.
"But Rooney and Hernandez have terrific qualities when it comes to playing against anyone. You saw that last week against Chelsea in a game that really mattered, against the champions and the team that have been our strongest challengers for the last six years. That was the quality you saw last week."
Videos: 5 Important Goals Which Won Man Utd Title This Year
With United drawing 1-1 and struggling to find a goal at home against Stoke, my player of the season decided to show the others how it was done. Getting the ball on his left foot on the edge of the area and curling it into the corner, giving the keeper no chance, it was a goal Christiano Ronaldo would have been proud of.