Brown eyes central role

Wes Brown hasn't given up on playing at centre-back for United.

Brown carved out a niche for himself at right-back during Gary Neville's injury-enforced absence between March 2007 and the start of the current campaign, making the position his own for club and country.

But Longsight-born Wes, who turned 29 today, hasn't given up on reverting to his more natural central defensive role, even if the position is now the stronghold of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

"I wouldn't have thought I was settled at right back for good," he said. "With Gary being out I was the main contender for that position. Now Gary's back, the gaffer can easily change it. If Vida or Rio are out, then he can put me at centre back."

Brown did occupy the position alongside Ferdinand on a handful of occasions last term when Vidic was out injured. "Against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final it was a really tight game and the gaffer put me there hoping I could use a bit of my experience. It turned out well and we got the result we needed."

Ultimately Brown just wants to be involved as often as possible, whether at right-back or centre-back. "Last season for me it was great," he added. "Obviously it was disappointing that Gary got injured, which meant I got the place at right back.

"But it was a great season, the team the whole way through the season was flowing and we always thought we were in contention to win trophies. In the last two months it went very well for us, we got the luck at times and we ended up with the Double so it was a great feeling to be involved in what was a great achievement."
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Ronaldo still wants Real deal

Just when Sir Alex Ferguson must have thought he had heard the last of Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible transfer to Real Madrid for this year, the Spanish side’s coach, Bernd Schuster, has claimed the Manchester United winger still wants to join the Primera Liga champions.
Real’s pursuit of Ronaldo this summer was one of the most protracted and high-profile transfer sagas of recent years, and it infuriated United so much that they threatened to complain to UEFA.
It ended in disappointment for Madrid, with the Portugal winger opting to remain at Old Trafford. However, the 23-year-old Ronaldo has made no secret of his desire to play for Madrid one day and Schuster believes a deal could be struck in 2009.
“I think there is a chance [of Ronaldo joining Real next season]. He really wants to,” said Schuster. “I think it will be a little more complicated for his club to retain him. There is hope that next year he could be with us. You need to do everything possible [to sign Ronaldo] because this player is worth it. Since the start I thought it was possible though difficult. Possible because the player really showed an interest.
“The information I had said him coming was a real possibility, the meetings were very positive. But after his face to face with Ferguson I knew he wasn’t coming.”
The Telegraph, Charles Carrick Read more...