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Players ask Sir Alex

16/02/2009 13:52, Report by Adam Bostock

Previously on ManUtd.com, Sir Alex Ferguson answered questions from celebrity fans. Now the agenda is set by United players, past and present...

What do you consider to be the turning point in the early part of your United career? Mickey Thomas

I think there were a few turning points. Obviously there was a big job to be done in terms of the restructuring of the club, from youth development right through. As I’d done in my early management at St Mirren and Aberdeen, I always felt having a youth programme was important. That was the foundation we built at this club. We held trials every week up at Albert Park in Salford on the floodlit Astroturf. We had meetings with the scouts to focus on exactly what their job was. I remember saying to them, “I don’t want the best boy in their street. I want the best boy in their town.”

So we worked really hard at the youth and you could start to see the fruits of that after a year and a half. I brought Les Kershaw in as chief scout, then I brought Brian Kidd in for youth development and local scouting, and we started to make ground. In those days, you could have trials all the time, in the way you can’t do now in the academy. We’d hold trials throughout the year - kids would come in for two or three weeks in August, two weeks in October, a week in December, two weeks in March.

Meanwhile, I felt the first team squad was too old to carry on challenging and we had to start changing that. In 1989, I brought in five players and we sold off about eight - Paul McGrath, Norman Whiteside, Gordon Strachan, Jesper Olsen, Peter Davenport,

Chris Turner and Graeme Hogg. We gave a free transfer to Kevin Moran, Frank Stapleton and Mick Duxbury. We started to build a new team. But the biggest thing was the youth development, it was starting to progress.

When you retire from United, probably in another 20 years, would you accept the Scotland job if it was vacant? Denis Law

No, I won’t turn to international management. When I’ve finished here, I think I deserve a complete rest! I’ll be off to my wee butt ‘n’ ben (small holiday home). After here, I’m finished!

How did it feel losing 4-0 to Celtic in the 1969 Scottish Cup final - and why weren't you marking Billy McNeill for the corner? Paddy Crerand

Och, that was my worst ever moment in football as a player. Rangers against Celtic in the final and we lost 4-0. It was agony. That was my last game for Rangers really, in the first team anyway. I was given the job to man-mark Billy McNeill but our centre-half Ronnie McKinnon was supposed to attack the ball. Neither of us did our job and McNeill scored. It was the second minute of the match, so it was a killer. That was only miniscule in terms of what happened after that. The goals we lost were absolutely ridiculous, it was an absolute shambles. I’ve watched the video again and I certainly wasn’t the worst player on that pitch, that’s for sure. Rangers were shocking that day, right through the team. David Smith was the only Rangers player who played that day. We were absolutely thrashed.

What would you rather have - two more European Cups and three more league titles OR Scotland to win the World Cup? David May

I think I’ll settle for two more European Cups and three more titles… Scotland have got their own problems!

What has been the key ingredient for maintaining your success? Mickey Thomas

The ingredient is that I’m at the right club. I’m at a club where everybody understands that success is important. You know what your challenges are every year, you know what your targets are. Once we won that first league title in 1993, it opened the door for us and it’s been nothing but progress since. The progress hasn’t necessarily always been on the football field – there’s been a big development in the medical department, sports science, a new training ground… these have all been boosters to us. As you win a title, then the demand gets greater. We’ve not lost the hunger. That’s important. We’ve not lost the hunger to win. That permeates right through the club.

Ronaldo aims for more

05/02/2009 10:36

Previously, we published another extract in which Ronaldo talks about transfer speculation and his future plans. You'll find this in Exclusive Interviews.

Twenty-four today, Cristiano Ronaldo has his work cut out if he's to equal or top everything he achieved at 23. But as he told MUTV's Stewart Gardner recently, for all his glories so far, his ambition still burns brightly...

You won everything in 2008… how do you follow that in 2009?
I’ve spoken to some experienced players who have a great history in the game and they’ve said, it’s not what you do in one season, it’s staying at the top level, that is the challenge. I have to carry on like that. If I don’t perform, I know people will start to criticise me and I don’t want that. I’m an ambitious player and I want to win many, many more things.

How did you go from scoring a few goals in your first few seasons, to 42?
When I arrived at 18 I was a good player, but not in decision-making, like whether I have to pass the ball or dribble. Winning trophies and being at this club, it gives you maturity, and I have learnt a lot. When you’re playing around great players you learn many things. So I’ve improved every season, and the last season was the best of them all. But I want more – this season I want to score the same amount of goals, or more if it’s possible. I know it will be hard, but I have it in my head that it’s possible.

What’s your favourite goal from last season?
It’s hard, but I have a few! The header in Rome, the free-kick against Portsmouth, and the flick against Aston Villa. I’ll choose those!

What's the secret of your free-kicks?
Many people have asked me, but there is no secret! That’s just my style of shooting, and everyone has their own style. I like to hit it strong, the ball starts to move in the air, and that’s it! To be honest, there’s no strategy, no secret. Practice helps as well, of course. If you want to be good at your job you have to work hard and practise a lot.

Then there was your first hat-trick for United, against Newcastle…
That was very special. I had scored two many times, but never got the third, and my mum had started to say, “Cristiano, why do you never score three goals?!” I had to explain, “Mum, sometimes it’s not possible,” but she just said, “Ah, but you have to score three one time!” So when I did I was immediately thinking about my mum. To get that first hat-trick was a special day, and to score it at Old Trafford was a great moment.

Were you nervous before taking a penalty in the final league game?
Well, there was a little bit of pressure because if we didn’t win, maybe Chelsea could take the title. I just said to myself, “Cristiano, you have to score this goal, because if you do, maybe we win the league.” And so I scored, we go 1-0 up, and then Giggsy comes on and scores the second goal, and the fans start to believe we can win the title.

How do you cope with the pressures of being a big star?
When people say that they like you because of how you play, or how you look – although I don’t believe too much of that – it’s always good. Like in the stadiums in Japan, when you touch the ball and people start screaming, I love all that and I appreciate it. I have an opportunity to say thank you to everyone who supports me, because it gives me motivation to win more now, and in the future.

Can you do normal things out and about in Manchester?
It can be difficult, but I feel at home in Manchester, I’ve been here since I was 18. I like living here and my family like to visit. The only bad thing is there are no direct planes from Madeira! But my mum and sister like to visit, it’s a nice place, nice people, they’re always good with me, no one gives me any problems. My life is brilliant!

Are you bothered by the booing at away grounds?
It’s normal for me now. If it doesn’t happen I’m thinking, “Why aren’t they booing me?!” Maybe they think if they boo, I’ll lose my concentration, but it doesn’t happen: I like it!

Some say you don’t get enough protection – has that changed?
The referees have a very hard job and I respect them, but sometimes I don’t agree with what happens. If you want to have a good league and quick football, you have to protect the skilful players, because they are the ones that put on a show and that’s what the fans want. But there are some very good referees in the Premier League.

How important is it to entertain?
I like it when people come to the games and see nice moments, nice tricks, but you have to do it for the team. You can’t do well in every game and people must understand that.

Who are your best friends at the club?
I speak more with the Portuguese-speaking players like Nani, Anderson, Rafael, Manucho, but I could say everyone. Carlos, Pat, Rio, Vida, Edwin... the team spirit at United is great and sometimes it's the most important thing. There is a togetherness, you can have a joke with everyone. I think that’s why the team works well, why we win things.

Transfer Rumours: Jan/Feb

15/01/2009 18:24, Report by Adam Bostock

The transfer window may be shut, but United's scouting network are still scouring the globe for potential new recruits - ensuring a steady flow of tabloid rumours.

Having snared Serbian duo Adem Ljajic and Zoran Tosic in January, the Reds are now allegedly monitoring up-and-coming Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell, according to the Daily Telegraph. The 17-year-old is set to be handed a new deal at Goodison Park, with United and Arsenal said to be mulling over a move for the former England youth captain.

Manchester United has a policy of not commenting on transfer speculation.

Top Stories on ManUtd.com, United 3 Fulham 0

Goals from Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and the returning Wayne Rooney brought United a tenth straight win in all competitions, and with it a handsome lead in the Barclays Premier League.

So now at last the table truly reflects the champions’ advantage – with the same number of games played, the Reds are superior to nearest rivals Liverpool by five points and nine goals.

United’s superiority in this contest was rarely in doubt, even with Sir Alex Ferguson making seven changes to the side that booked a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals and a possible rematch with Fulham on 7 March.

Edwin van der Sar returned in pursuit of his 14th consecutive league clean sheet and there were also recalls at the back for John O’Shea and Nemanja Vidic. Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes rejoined the midfield while Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez were reunited as the front two.

Cristiano Ronaldo therefore started wide where he produced two crowd-pleasing flicks in the opening moments for right-wing partner O’Shea, one leading to a shot across Mark Schwarzer’s bows from the Irishman.

The stunning first strike came from the opposite flank, however, when Michael Carrick’s left-wing corner was volleyed in vintage fashion by Paul Scholes. Schwarzer dived to his right and got his hands to the howitzer but could only watch in horror as the ball spun away to his left to give Scholes his richly deserved goal.

COACH'S BLOG: ERIC STEELE

United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele talks about the challenges facing Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster as they continue to shadow Edwin van der Sar...

The hardest job for a goalkeeper at United is understudying the number 1.

At the present time, Edwin van der Sar is in the top spot, he’s got the shirt, and it’s up to Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster to become Edwin's senior challenger.

Whenever Tomasz comes into the team and plays one game, some people might say he could have done this or that better. They never seem to talk about what he did well in the game, which is something I always look at. People need to take into account it might be Tomasz's first game for six weeks. The same goes for Ben.

While that’s very much part of the territory if a goalkeeper comes to United and challenges the number one, it still has to be put into the equation when you’re assessing them. The keepers are working at a fantastic tempo in the training sessions that Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen put on and the sessions do reflect what a goalkeeper has to do come Saturday afternoon or Wednesday night. But there's nothing like playing in a real game to develop your decision-making.

Thankfully we’ve had matches in the Carling Cup and FA Cup which have given Ben and Tomasz an opportunity, and they’ve also played the odd game in the Premier League and Champions League. At all times, they have to be prepared for when the manager says to them, "You're playing." If they're not ready, that's my fault...

O'SHEA ANSWERS THE FANS

MUTV recently gave supporters the chance to put their questions to John O'Shea. Here are the Irishman's answers...

Do you ever play in goal in training or was the Spurs game a one-off? Mike, Nottingham
It was a one-off. Rio was interested in going in goal but I just pulled rank! I played a bit of Gaelic Football back home in the past. The game was over really, we were winning 4-0 at the time. But it was still quite nerve-wracking and I was thinking 'Why did I say I'd do this?' Thankfully, everything went to plan.

Giggsy is still doing the business at 35 - do you think you'll still be playing well into your 30s?
Francis, Didsbury
I'd like to think so. Fingers crossed I'll stay away from major injuries - that's the key really. Our fitness programmes are geared towards helping the players go on for as long as possible. And if you look at the age of some of AC Milan's players, it shows that it you look after yourself, you can easily do that.

Who would win a sprint race between Ronaldo, Evra and Rafael? Paul, Rochdale
If it were with the ball, I think Ronaldo would win it. Yes, I think Ronaldo might just have the edge.

What kind of music are you into and who is your favourite band? Andrew, Wrexham
A little bit of everything really. U2, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, a bit of hip-hop, a bit of dance - no specific favourite genre. But U2 and Oasis are my two favourites.

What's the worst game you've ever played in? Ian, Chorlton
Thankfully it's not been for United. It was for Ireland when we played Cyprus away. We suffered an embarrassing defeat and I'd like to leave it at that!

Who is the greatest footballer of all time? Eoighan, Cork
I'd have to go for Maradona, although there's lots of players I could pick. We met Maradona at Carrington recently, which was nice.

ROONEY A DOUBT, BUT TRIO RETURN

Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Jonny Evans are all in contention for Sunday's FA Cup tie at Derby, but Wayne Rooney remains a doubt with a hamstring strain.

Ferdinand missed England's defeat against Spain in midweek through illness, but is expected to recover for the visit to Pride Park. Evra is now over the foot injury he sustained in the win over Chelsea in January, while Jonny Evans has shaken off an ankle knock picked up in the Carling Cup semi-final win over Derby last month.

“There are a couple of days to go before the game yet, but Jonny and Patrice are training and they’re both OK," said Reds assistant boss Mike Phelan. “Rio was feeling better when he came in on Thursday. He didn’t train, but he should be fine."

Phelan chaired Friday's press conference as Sir Alex Ferguson attended a family funeral. The boss' right-hand man also confirmed that the club's medical staff are continuing to monitor Wayne Rooney's return from a hamstring problem. The striker hasn't featured since hobbling out of the 1-0 win over Wigan on 14 January, and Phelan insists he would be eased back into action.

“We’re still assessing Wayne," he said. "He’s done a little bit of work but we’re not going to rush him. We have some big games coming up, so we’ll ease him back in. We’ll do that as quickly as we can, but we won’t jeopardise his fitness. If he's not ready for Sunday then we'll look at the next game against Fulham."

Video: Watch Mike's press conference from 16:00 Friday on MUTV Online.

Manchester Unaited Wallpaper

BLOG: THE DAY MY TEAM DIED

Lifelong United fan Fred Done recalls the Busby Babes…

I was born and grew up in Ordsall where you simply had no choice but to be a United fan. As the crow flies, it’s only about a mile from Old Trafford and the school I went to on Trafford Road was very much a United school. In fact, I can’t remember a single City fan.

I was on my way home from school in 1958 when I first heard about the Munich air crash. I was 14 and somebody on the bus mentioned United had been in a plane crash. At no stage did I think it would be serious. I thought it had just been exaggerated by the newspapers, as they tended to do even then. Then I got home and it started to unfold on the news. It was absolutely devastating.

You have big moments in your life – like Kennedy being shot or the Twin Towers being blown up – where you remember everything about where you were at the time. But this is my strongest memory and comes in front of all those things because it was so close to home. Geoff Bent and Eddie Colman were from Salford, just like me. Eddie Colman even went to the same youth club as me.

To me, a kid of 14, Eddie Colman was fantastic. He had this swagger and we all wanted to be like him. You know how kids want to be like rock and roll singers? Well, it was that sort of admiration. Back then we didn’t even have televisions – we were just coming out of the war and these guys meant everything to us.

I remember going to see United train on the tarmac near the forecourt at Old Trafford because there was frost at The Cliff and they couldn’t use the pitches. Duncan Edwards kicked a ball and it was coming right at me so I turned my back to protect myself. It hit me in the middle of the back and it really hurt. But Duncan came over and apologised to me personally. Then, when the training session finished, he got on a pushbike and rode home. That’s the way it was in those days.

The day after the crash, on Friday 7 February, we went to school and it was like the whole school was in mourning. Kids were in the playground and they were just crying. We had assembly in the morning and kids were breaking down everywhere.

If you think back to when players like Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville were young, and then look at what United went on to achieve, you can start to understand the kind of success we were cheated out of in the late 50s. Munich was one of life’s really bad deals.

I went to the first game at Old Trafford after Munich, when United beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, and I’ve still got the programme from that day. I remember the crowd being squashed like sardines at that match. Of course, back then the older men would pass the kids over their heads and down to the front so we could see.

Even so, it was particularly difficult to see this particular game but the excitement of seeing United in action again was unbelievable. To be honest, I felt sorry for Sheffield Wednesday. There were 70,000 players against them that night. They couldn’t win.

I’ve seen United win championships and cup finals since then but the Busby Babes were very, very special. The team that died in Munich was my favourite team.

ASK SIR ALEX - CELEBRITY SPECIAL

For Inside United's 200th issue, the boss answered questions from some very special guests for his Ask Sir Alex column. The full interview is published on ManUtd.com next week; here's a sneak preview of what to expect...

Who's the quickest player you’ve worked with? Usain Bolt, athlete
Gary Pallister would take some beating in a sprint over 100 metres. But speed is different running with the ball at your feet. So you’d have to consider Kanchelskis, Ronaldo, Giggs, Cole, Paul Parker - he was very quick - Anderson, Ferdinand, Lee Sharpe as a kid was quick, and Paul Ince, too. They’d all be in it. Over 100 metres, Pally would beat any of them. On the pitch, I’d say Kanchelskis or Giggs.

You seem to be the object of more public speculation and criticism than any other manager ever. Does it affect you? Simon Le Bon, singer (Duran Duran)
It’s part of the job as manager of Manchester United. It’s not just me. Look at Ronaldo - the best player in the world - he only has to have half a bad game and he gets slaughtered. Cantona got slaughtered for ages, and you see the criticism Gary Neville gets because he’s a dyed-in-the-wool United man. You accept it’s part of the package. It doesn’t bother me one bit.

Who is the best Premier League manager in terms of man-management and making the most of his resources? Eamonn Holmes, TV presenter
Oh, that’s a belter, that question. Brucey’s done a great job with his resources… Martin O’Neill also… Arsene Wenger… it’s difficult to assess Wenger because he spends a lot of money on youth players and their salaries instead of on a big player. David Moyes has done fantastically well. I’ll go for him, definitely.

PARK SEEKS MORE PRECISION

Sunday's match at West Ham takes Ji-sung Park back to the city where he scored his only United goal of the season so far.

The South Korean has enjoyed one of his best campaigns in a red shirt in terms of appearances and praise for his all-action, high-energy style. But his only strike to date was way back in September, albeit a crucial one in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

"There are so many things that make a good game," says Park. "But in order to get a positive result, to get a victory, goals are obviously the most important thing. I know I have to score more goals."

Goalscoring aside, Park is pleased with his current form, as well as the team's. But despite United's surge to the top of the table, and Liverpool being tipped as the sole challengers, the livewire winger won't take anything for granted.

"Nobody knows what’s going to happen," he says. "I don’t think it’s only a two-horse race, because Chelsea have already played home and away against two of the big four teams.

"West Ham will be tough for us, they have been good this season. But it's important to keep winning so we'll concentrate on the pitch and do our best."

Ji-sung Park was talking to the official Korean website, ManUtd.kr.