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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ferguson preparing for UCL selection dilemma
Sir Alex Ferguson is facing up to the biggest selection headache of his managerial career as he attempts to pick a squad for Manchester United's Champions League final against Chelsea.
The United boss has no injury or suspension worries ahead of the Moscow clash a week on Wednesday and is delighted to have 26 players to choose from.
But with Ferguson able to name only seven substitutes for the match, he must tell eight of his stars they will play no part in the club's biggest game for nine years.
'I think picking the team will be easier than picking the substitutes,' he said on Sky Sports News.
'I'm going to have to leave some fantastic players out of the squad completely next week, which I won't enjoy doing.
'It's got to be done and I don't know when I'm going to pick that moment. I'm going to have to speak to them. It's not something I'm looking forward to.
'But, on the other hand, it's a fantastic position for us to be in, having 26 fit players.'
Ferguson would love to reward all those who travelled to Wigan on Sunday for the game that saw United retain the Barclays Premier League title.
'You need a really powerful squad to achieve on all fronts,' he said. 'I took 26 players to Wigan and every player was fit.
'They all came through the game, which means I'm travelling to Moscow with 26 fit players.
'That's unheard of in my time and that gives us an incredible chance.'
Ferguson's dilemma is in stark contrast to that which he faced at the climax of United's treble season of 1999.
Suspension robbed him of captain Roy Keane and central midfield partner Paul Scholes for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
As long as United avoid any training-ground mishaps or freak injuries, they will arrive in Moscow at full strength.
Ferguson is desperate to claim a trophy he has won only once in 13 attempts since arriving at Old Trafford.
He insists a club of United's standing should have been European champions on far more than two occasions, citing the records of Real Madrid (nine wins), AC Milan (seven) and Liverpool (five) as something to which his players should aspire.
'That's the kind of record we should really have. That's one thing that should drive us all on now,' he said.
'We have an opportunity next Wednesday to help us along that way.'
Ferguson believes United have a squad young enough to win multiple Champions League crowns - and he claimed they were helping keep him young as well.
'There's a freshness about the place with young players coming in. They refresh you and enthuse you,' he said.
'It's wonderful to have that youth around.'
And he began the pre-match mind games with United's Moscow opponents by saying: 'I think Chelsea know they'd rather be in our position than their own position.
'Having won the league, there was a lot of joy about the place, whereas Chelsea have to pick themselves up after drawing against Bolton.'
Read more...
The United boss has no injury or suspension worries ahead of the Moscow clash a week on Wednesday and is delighted to have 26 players to choose from.
But with Ferguson able to name only seven substitutes for the match, he must tell eight of his stars they will play no part in the club's biggest game for nine years.
'I think picking the team will be easier than picking the substitutes,' he said on Sky Sports News.
'I'm going to have to leave some fantastic players out of the squad completely next week, which I won't enjoy doing.
'It's got to be done and I don't know when I'm going to pick that moment. I'm going to have to speak to them. It's not something I'm looking forward to.
'But, on the other hand, it's a fantastic position for us to be in, having 26 fit players.'
Ferguson would love to reward all those who travelled to Wigan on Sunday for the game that saw United retain the Barclays Premier League title.
'You need a really powerful squad to achieve on all fronts,' he said. 'I took 26 players to Wigan and every player was fit.
'They all came through the game, which means I'm travelling to Moscow with 26 fit players.
'That's unheard of in my time and that gives us an incredible chance.'
Ferguson's dilemma is in stark contrast to that which he faced at the climax of United's treble season of 1999.
Suspension robbed him of captain Roy Keane and central midfield partner Paul Scholes for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
As long as United avoid any training-ground mishaps or freak injuries, they will arrive in Moscow at full strength.
Ferguson is desperate to claim a trophy he has won only once in 13 attempts since arriving at Old Trafford.
He insists a club of United's standing should have been European champions on far more than two occasions, citing the records of Real Madrid (nine wins), AC Milan (seven) and Liverpool (five) as something to which his players should aspire.
'That's the kind of record we should really have. That's one thing that should drive us all on now,' he said.
'We have an opportunity next Wednesday to help us along that way.'
Ferguson believes United have a squad young enough to win multiple Champions League crowns - and he claimed they were helping keep him young as well.
'There's a freshness about the place with young players coming in. They refresh you and enthuse you,' he said.
'It's wonderful to have that youth around.'
And he began the pre-match mind games with United's Moscow opponents by saying: 'I think Chelsea know they'd rather be in our position than their own position.
'Having won the league, there was a lot of joy about the place, whereas Chelsea have to pick themselves up after drawing against Bolton.'
Read more...
Carrick: Europe's our aim
One down trophy down, one to go. The Reds players returned to training on Tuesday as the new Premier League Champions with steely-eyed ambition to defeat Chelsea in next Wednesday’s Champions League final in Moscow.
There is little time to bask in the glory of Sunday’s triumphant final day victory as United are set to resume rivalries with Chelsea in European football’s showpiece final, and midfielder Michael Carrick won’t be happy until the double is complete.
“I want to be sat on a beach in the summer knowing that we have won the double,” he told ManUtd.com. “It would be an incredible achievement for the club to win the Champions League again, and hopefully we can do it. We believe we can.”
There may have been a few sore heads on Monday morning after the celebrations at Sunday’s Player of the Year Awards at Old Trafford on Sunday night. But there is only clarity in Carrick’s aim to add another winners’ medal to his collection.
“We’re really focused on what we want to do next week,” he added on MUTV. “We had a good night celebrating winning the league, but a win in Moscow would really cap the season off.
“As a professional, you set out in your career to fulfil your potential and achieve all you can. At this club you challenge for all the best honours available. Getting to the Champions League final is phenomenal. Hopefully we can bring the trophy home, it would be an incredible feeling.”
Chelsea will be keen to exact revenge after losing the title by two points on the final day, but United have plenty of motivation to go out and deliver.
“Losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea at Wembley last season was hard to take for us, even after winning the league,” said Carrick. “Hopefully we’ll learn from that and put things right this year.”
So, what sort of game to expect? “I don’t know,” says Carrick. “Two English teams are going to go at it and sometimes it can be cagey, on other occasions it can be really open with attacking football and plenty of entertainment.
"If I’m being honest, I don’t care. I’m not bothered how we play, as long as we win that’s all that matters.”
Read more...
There is little time to bask in the glory of Sunday’s triumphant final day victory as United are set to resume rivalries with Chelsea in European football’s showpiece final, and midfielder Michael Carrick won’t be happy until the double is complete.
“I want to be sat on a beach in the summer knowing that we have won the double,” he told ManUtd.com. “It would be an incredible achievement for the club to win the Champions League again, and hopefully we can do it. We believe we can.”
There may have been a few sore heads on Monday morning after the celebrations at Sunday’s Player of the Year Awards at Old Trafford on Sunday night. But there is only clarity in Carrick’s aim to add another winners’ medal to his collection.
“We’re really focused on what we want to do next week,” he added on MUTV. “We had a good night celebrating winning the league, but a win in Moscow would really cap the season off.
“As a professional, you set out in your career to fulfil your potential and achieve all you can. At this club you challenge for all the best honours available. Getting to the Champions League final is phenomenal. Hopefully we can bring the trophy home, it would be an incredible feeling.”
Chelsea will be keen to exact revenge after losing the title by two points on the final day, but United have plenty of motivation to go out and deliver.
“Losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea at Wembley last season was hard to take for us, even after winning the league,” said Carrick. “Hopefully we’ll learn from that and put things right this year.”
So, what sort of game to expect? “I don’t know,” says Carrick. “Two English teams are going to go at it and sometimes it can be cagey, on other occasions it can be really open with attacking football and plenty of entertainment.
"If I’m being honest, I don’t care. I’m not bothered how we play, as long as we win that’s all that matters.”
Read more...
Vidic: We're not done yet
Nemanja Vidic was delighted to clinch a second successive Premier League title at Wigan's JJB Stadium, but he won't be fully satisfied unless United overcome Chelsea in the Champions League final.
The champions travel to Moscow for a date with their nearest domestic challengers on May 21, and Vidic is expecting a stern test from Avram Grant's side.
"It is a great feeling to have won the Premier League title," he said. "It's definitely the best league in the world but our job is only half done at this stage. We can now go on to Moscow but we know that Chelsea will be tough. They are a very good team."
The Serbian defender returned from concussion in time to face Steve Bruce's Latics in Sunday's title clincher, and turned in a sterling display as the Reds posted a 21st clean sheet of the Premier League season.
Vidic was delighted to help set a club record for the least goals conceded in a league season and, after a gruelling season, he is prepared for one final effort in Moscow.
"It was good to have beaten Wigan and won the title but this too was extremely tough, we knew it would be," he said. "They compete well but as a defender it is good to have kept a clean sheet and to see us score twice and win the game and win the title.
"We can now prepare for the European final in Moscow, this is a very important game but we want to win again, that is certainly the plan."
Read more...
The champions travel to Moscow for a date with their nearest domestic challengers on May 21, and Vidic is expecting a stern test from Avram Grant's side.
"It is a great feeling to have won the Premier League title," he said. "It's definitely the best league in the world but our job is only half done at this stage. We can now go on to Moscow but we know that Chelsea will be tough. They are a very good team."
The Serbian defender returned from concussion in time to face Steve Bruce's Latics in Sunday's title clincher, and turned in a sterling display as the Reds posted a 21st clean sheet of the Premier League season.
Vidic was delighted to help set a club record for the least goals conceded in a league season and, after a gruelling season, he is prepared for one final effort in Moscow.
"It was good to have beaten Wigan and won the title but this too was extremely tough, we knew it would be," he said. "They compete well but as a defender it is good to have kept a clean sheet and to see us score twice and win the game and win the title.
"We can now prepare for the European final in Moscow, this is a very important game but we want to win again, that is certainly the plan."
Read more...
We'll sign Cristiano Ronaldo for £100m, boast Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United future was cast into doubt again last night as Real Madrid insisted the Portuguese superstar could be ready to leave Old Trafford this summer. In a move guaranteed to infuriate Sir Alex Ferguson, sources at the Bernabeu were claiming Ronaldo's representatives are holding the door open for a move. "We are hearing there is still a possibility that Ronaldo will leave United," a spokesman at Real said. A Bernabeu source added: "The suggestion coming from Ronaldo's people is that he is not sure United will make good on the promises he has been made, and is starting to wonder of there is anything more he can do in England. "We are talking about the best player in the world, who has won consecutive Premier League titles and could have won the Champions League as well by next week. "If he is looking for the next challenge, then it can only come by leaving England and there could be no club better to go to after leaving Old Trafford than Real Madrid."
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror Read more...
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror Read more...
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