Fergie’s Make Or Break Year …
In paying more than £18 million for Michael Carrick, Sir Alex Ferguson delivered a two-fingered salute to those predicting the end of his managerial reign at United.
Ferguson has proven that he retains the backing of the Glazer family to pursue his transfer targets and announced once again his determination to lay the foundations of future success. Over the past three years, as United have stuttered in Europe, found themselves toppled in the league and learned to love domestic Cup trinkets again, Fergie has promised that he would soon fashion another great United side. As a new season dawns, just how much time will Sir Alex be given to finish the job?
Ferguson bristles with indignation at the mere idea that his governance of United should be criticised or that his future be shrouded in doubt. The Glazer family’s £30 million investment in team improvement since December 2005 is hardly a vote of no-confidence. United’s owners and board offered support too when the manager took the decision to off-load Dutch marksman Ruud van Nistelrooy, deemed by Fergie to be insufficiently committed to the cause.
Such decisions would have been unthinkable without a belief in the medium term stability of the club and a conviction that better times lie ahead. Important players such as Gabriel Heinze and the robust Alan Smith, are due to return to United’s title charge after many months of inactivity. The midfield, long recognised as the team’s weak spot has been energised by the recruitment of Michael Carrick and could be bolstered still further by the arrival of either Marcos Senna or Owen Hargreaves.
Young stars like David Jones and Giuseppe Rossi will get their chance to shine this season. Other talents, in particular the precocious 18 year old Johnny Evans, Lee Martin, Ben Foster and Gerard Pique are being readied for the future. A good pre-season has generated confidence and delivered the boost of a fit-again Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Sir Alex can argue with some credibility that he has at his disposal a young but experienced squad with the ability and the desire to challenge Chelsea for the title this year. United finished second last term and have the resources to do better this time around. Moreover, Sir Alex never tires of discussing his wish to create a platform upon which a new era of dominance can be built.
Yet, as stirring as Ferguson’s arguments may appear, he faces an uphill battle to convince a sceptical United audience. The memory of United’s failure to progress from the weakest of Champions League groups last season remains haunting. Muted celebrations greeted the expensive capture of Michael Carrick. The loss of RVN will lead to trembles at every Louis Saha tumble.
There are fears too that United, now better in midfield but lighter in attack, might revert to the reviled 4-5-1 system that bored fans into demanding a more expansive formation and tactics last year.
Looming on the horizon is the need to safeguard the fitness of Wayne Rooney, to protect him from his own demons and to secure his Old Trafford future. United intend to offer the 20-year-old striker an improved long-term contract that will double his weekly earnings. Rooney used the recent launch of his autobiography to reveal a wish to stay at United for life. Of more immediate significance however, were his thoughts on United’s title challenge this season.
‘We have to win it this year,’ he said. ‘Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world and to go three or four seasons without winning the league is not good enough. We have the talent and quality to win the title but we have to work harder as a team and sign the players that can win us the league.’
Sir Alex is faced with such a challenge annually but will need all his legendary managerial acumen to triumph over the ‘Galacticos’ of west London, a maturing Arsenal, the ominous potential of a Liverpool team cannily rebuilt by Rafael Benitez and an emerging Tottenham side oozing pace and ability.
Yet Sir Alex’s long record of success is given short shrift in the age of Abramovich. Before a ball has even been kicked in the new Premiership season, Chelsea have been anointed champions and United dismissed as also-rans.
Chelsea, reinforced by the signings of Ballack, Shevchenko, Kalou and Mikel, are widely assumed to be so far out in front of other teams that England’s premier football competition has been rendered meaningless with Premiership now a four tier league.
Chelsea should win at a canter unless they fail to replace the under-rated William Gallas. Meanwhile United, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal are set to play a season-long game of musical chairs to settle the right to Champions League places. Bolton, Everton, and perhaps Aston Villa, Blackburn and Newcastle will scuffle for Uefa cup entry. The remaining Premiership teams will be happy to survive in the division for another year.
Whilst much of this script follows an irresistible logic, it offers no real comfort to Sir Alex Ferguson. The ‘but for Chelsea’ argument will not keep him in a job if United under-perform at home or abroad or fail to overcome the loss of RVN’s goals. Every league stumble and every indifferent performance or whisper of dressing-room rancour will encourage still more reflection by fans and media alike on the identity of Sir Alex’s successor.
The new season begins with optimism and great promise. For the nearly 65 years old Sir Alex Ferguson, it is a make or break year. AU
