“As if it was not enough to beat all present-day opponents, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney must also compete against the ghosts of United past”
Comment & analysis round-up
Quote of the day: “If we win the European Cup I think you would have to put this group of players right at the very top of those I have worked with. It is an emerging team. Normally, the average age of teams who win the European Cup is about 29. We have a lot of young players. (Wayne) Rooney, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Carlos) Tevez, Anderson, Nani, (Darren) Fletcher. Anderson could play in front of a million people and not be bothered one bit. It is that Brazil mentality. They are all young players and are getting better. But you also need experienced players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Edwin van der Sar. That kind of experience allows young players to develop. The future is bright and we are all looking forward to Moscow.” – Sir Alex Ferguson.
Runner-up: “I know Zenit St Petersburg fans have been accused of racially abusing black players at the Marseille game and obviously there are fears in some quarters that the same could happen on Wednesday. I’ve raised this issue with Vernon Coaker, the Home Office minister, and my message to Zenit fans is simple: come here to enjoy the game and you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Come here and racially abuse black players and you will feel the full force of the law. Our success in tackling racism is based on a zero-tolerance approach and Zenit fans will have to abide by our tough rules.” - UK Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.
Today’s overview: Alex Ferguson and Manchester United continue to dominate the back page although thoughts are turning to whether anyone can challenge next season and there are also a number of round-ups of the season. Chelsea are also coming back into focus with The Sun claiming today as D-Day for Avram Grant and Petr Cech.
Following United’s title triumph questions are being asked about where this United team compares up against previous Ferguson vintages. Matt Dickinson in The Times writes “As if it was not enough to beat all present-day opponents, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney must also compete against the ghosts of United past. It is a battle that they can never expect to win. Ferguson’s first Double-winners are his favourite team and probably always will be, even if one Champions League victory in Moscow next week subsequently becomes two or three.”
Tim Rich (Daily Telegraph) adds to those lauding Fergie. “Even his most memorable speech; during the interval in the 1999 European Cup final - ‘if you lose, you’ll pass within six inches of that cup and you won’t be able to touch it’ - was adapted from a conversation with Steve Archibald, who had played and lost for Barcelona in the 1986 final and told Ferguson of that exact feeling. Memory, attention to detail, an ability to think quickly all came to the fore in the Nou Camp just as they did in the JJB Stadium nine years later.”
Alan Hansen (BBC) waxes lyrical over Alex Ferguson. “Sir Alex Ferguson’s 10th Premier League title with Manchester United - bracketed with all his other honours - has merely cemented his greatness as a manager.”
Des Kelly (Daily Mail) urges Alex Ferguson to make the Champions League final one to remember. “United might have proved they are the best team in the country, but now they must trust to their instincts and be brave on the biggest stage of all. If Ferguson tries try to lock horns with Chelsea in the usual muscular battle, then the second best team in the league could easily be crowned the best in Europe.”
According to Oliver Kay in The Times United will target Luis Fabiano to replace Louis Saha. “United are not yet thought to have spoken to Seville about Fabiano, 27, but they have been informed of his availability by a third party and have scouted him extensively in recent weeks, with Ferguson having sought reports from his brother, Martin, who is the club’s chief European scout, Jim Lawlor, the chief scout, and Mike Phelan, the first-team coach. Their interest will hinge on a dispute with Seville, with Fabiano and his representatives convinced that he can be bought for £8.6 million. The Spanish club are standing by a prohibitive £46.8 million valuation that they claim is in his contract.”
The main story in The Sun today claims that the futures of Petr Cech and Avram Grant will be decided today. “The feeling within the club is Red Rom will give the Israeli the chance of returning to his role as director of football and go for Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard.”
After praising Alex Ferguson yesterday, James Lawton in the Independent turns his attention to Avram Grant. “Whatever the result in the Luzhniki, we are told that Grant could fall to the whim of his erstwhile friend Roman Abramovich. So be it, he appears to be saying, but in the meantime he will not live on his knees. He will go to Moscow with at least an even chance of winning. It is no mean movie and who now can say he has only a bit part?”
Ian Wright in The Sun praises United for winning the title but argues that Chelsea can win in Moscow. “Chelsea will provide an awkward test and they could wreck Fergie’s hopes for a double. United look invincible but Chelsea, on a one-off occasion, could find a chink in their armour.”
Rob Hughes (IHT) ponders whether anyone can catch Manchester United. On Grant and Chelsea: “He has proved nothing if not obstinate and has demonstrated with only two league defeats in seven months that he does know what he is doing. The critics might be right to say that Grant got the job because the owner knew him and trusted him. If that is a crime, then it is one repeated in every trade.”
Kevin McCarra (Guardian) argues that the “Big Four” are not set in stone. “The processes at work may be unattractive, undesirable or unsustainable, but the Premier League is an arena of intensifying ambition and intrigue. It cannot be otherwise when so many rich men have put their pride and their cash on the line.”
According to Matt Lawton in the Daily Mail “Michael Owen will look for another club if Newcastle United try to slash his wages by £2million a year. Kevin Keegan is desperate for the board to secure the services of his skipper and star striker on a long-term contract. But more than six weeks after negotiations were supposed to start, Owen’s representatives are still waiting for a first proper meeting.”
Aimee Lewis (BBC) asks the age old question “Is winning silverware more important than entertaining the fans with thrilling football?” “Ferguson, as he closes in on a possible Premier League and Champions League double, seems to have struck upon an almost perfect balance - a game-plan based on an impregnable defence against the aesthetically pleasing Barcelonas of this world, while loosening the harness when faced with less threatening opponents.”
The excellent John Nicholson argues on Football365 that relegation isn’t so bad. “Football is about having a good time and about enjoying yourself, it’s about drama and hope. For too many top-flight clubs the good times have been replaced by grim survival, the joy has been replaced by bitter cynicism and the drama has been sucked out and replaced with predictability.”
Henry Winter (Daily Telegraph) looks back on season 2007/8.
The Indpendent ask “How was it for you?” As they provide a fans view of the performance of every Premier League team this season. The Guardian also provide “report cards” on each team, scorll down on this page.
Richard Williams (Guardian) is full of praise for the lower leagues. “The Championship is due to reveal its seasonal attendance figures this week, and it is expected that for the third year in a row it will prove to have attracted more spectators than Italy’s Serie A.”
The Times have produced a special pullout section on the UEFA Cup final, it can be seen in pdf here.
The Guardian provide their weekly round-up of European football, Rafael Honigstein writes of Nurbnberg’s fight against relegation, Sid Lowe celebrates Atletico Madrid’s return to the Champions League and Paolo Bandini gets all excited about the final week of the Serie A season.
Following the recent revelation from Johan Cruyff about why he didn’t play in the 1978 World Cup, a member of the Colombian mafia has claimed a helping hand in Argentina’s World Cup triumph. Daily Mail story here. (Can a Mafia member called “The Chess Player” really be taken seriously?)
