Letter To Sir Alex (3): How To Win The Title Next Year …
Dear Sir Alex
Respect ! The evolution was televised but rather than the gory bloodfest in slow motion that many had feared, it became a Red Devil production of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ just as you said it would.
Like a lot of people in this corner of the red kingdom, I had begun to wonder if such heady days were a thing of the past. Ruud went. Silvestre and Lord Richardson remained and my heart sank. But you said it would be alright and it was.
Now that the title is back at Old Trafford, you’ve earned yourself at least three more years. That’ll probably take you to retirement. I’d give anything to know Carlos’ private thoughts on your public pronouncement to go on and on. Football isn’t like politics, so there’ll be no cosy deals done over pizza like the Blair-Brown pact. Nevertheless, every day you remain at the helm, your right hand man, desperate to be the king rather than the prince, is vulnerable to ‘events.’ The longer you wait to tend your rose garden, the longer Roy Keane has to prepare a CV worthy of your successor. The next two years promise to be fascinating on and off the field.
But first things first. How are you going to retain the title next year? Having worked your socks off to bring the trophy home, it would be a shame if it went back up the M1 or over to Merseyside after a season. I have to say I’m impressed with the start you’ve made. Splashing £18 million on Hargreaves just one day into the close season, is a major declaration of intent.
Sadly, I’ve become accustomed to United promising much, being linked with football’s elite, bidding low and making excuses, especially now that Glazer has to hand over £62 million to bankers every summer. But with all the cash the team earned this year at home and abroad, plus the new telly deal and the money the owner has hoarded over the past two years, I suppose you were due a reward for your sterling efforts.
The newspapers predict that you won’t stop with Hargreaves. A new left fullback is mentioned but I hope you’ll be looking to add a right back too. Gary Neville is a fine captain but now is the time to stiffen the competition for places. Stand-in Wes Brown offers defensive solidity but very little going forward.
Apparently, you’re interested in a new striker, so as to be rid of Louis Saha. It’s a crying shame what happened to that lad. Does he answer to the name of Collymore or Van Hooydonk these days?
I do hope you’ll bring in one of the stars mentioned in the press but not the pie-lover Mark Viduka. Some enterprising hack is surely suffering a fit of giggles over that one. I’m not even sure Michael Owen is the man either, although if fit, he’d probably be worth the money.
You’ve said that you’ll only go for someone who can score goals and who has the pace of an Olympian. I suspect you’d also like the new goal hero to be able to lead the line alone as Rooney did in the cup final. That’s why I wonder if this is a false trail.
The line-up next season looks like a ’roundhead’ midfield of Carrick, Scholes and Hargreaves, with Ronaldo, Rooney and A.N Other upfront. Giggs has been a marvel at times this season but he can’t go past the last defender anymore. Other teams know this too. You’ll have heard Mourinho crowing about how he outmanoeuvred you tactically on Saturday and you’ll have read the hatchet jobs done on Ronaldo after his failure to show in yet another big game. Without a double threat from the wings, United are an easy read. Make it tough for opponents and liberate the Portuguese flyer by bringing in someone on the left who can bring more to the party than the competent but miscast Ji Sung Park.
If however, you do intend to buy an attacker, the names mentioned – Huntelaar and Eto’o - make the mouth water just by their scoring records alone. The Spur Berbatov would be a sensation too but you’ll have to use your tongue more sweetly than a £500-a-night call girl to talk Martin Jol into letting you steal his prime asset again.
At least you and ‘Mr Safe Hands’ agree that squad numbers need to be boosted. Europe and the Premiership are wars of attrition these days. After all the hype, I’m looking forward to seeing what Foster, Pique and Evans can do. The Wembley farce showed that a reliance on 13 or 14 players throughout a season of 70 games leaves United vulnerable when the key matches against the big teams come around in April and May. A first team squad of 19 or 20 players with effective cover for every position should give you every chance next term. Are you looking at someone who can eventually take-over from Scholesy? It’s not going to be Michael Carrick on the form he’s shown so far.
As the younger lads return, some of the older pro’s will be moved on. Silvestre has spoken already about moving to Lyon. The move was on last year. If only it could be again. Keeper Kuszczak has done little to convince in his year on loan at Old Trafford and should be returned to the Midlands. Heinze is tipped for a transfer to Spain. There will be calls for you to release Fletcher and maybe even Brown but I suspect you’ll resist those. However, please, send Richardson on his way.
Once you’ve added to the squad and cut out the deadwood, you should decide once and for all on the matter of tactics. You’ve earned the right to have your judgement questioned only in whispered tones, until, of course, United flop miserably as they did last Saturday. The critics are now in full cry, suggesting that you’ve dined out on the Roma rout for far too long. Crikey, it’s been two months!
Let’s face it, the cup final defeat was a disaster. The reasons behind 4-5-1 were sensible - Ronaldo cannot defend and doesn’t track back and Giggs doesn’t have the legs of yore etc etc. But as in the European campaign, it sends a message to the opposition that you lack confidence in your midfield and are concerned about the possible damage the opponent will cause rather than the damage your own side could inflict. This is not the United way.
But it’s too late now. Barring injury, you’ll give Carrick another season and as Scholes makes United play, we’re stuck with 4-3-3, like it or not. We’ll crush the Premiership’s middleweights no doubt but will we make Arsenal or the slick tricks of the continent tremble? Pragmatism works at Stamford Bridge but United fans are reared on the rush of blood to the head that is 4-4-2!
New quality players, a tactical advance and the succesful handling of the Scholes transition, are the keys to next season because you’ve seen off the threat from Real Madrid. Ronaldo is staying. Rooney has signed for another five years. Rio Ferdinand and Vidic are iron at the back and there are youngsters coming through who look to have the right stuff. Goodness, what a difference a year makes.
All the best
READ: Letters To Sir Alex - One / Two
READ: Letter to Malcolm Glazer
