Heinze: Decision Day …
A Premiership panel will deliver its verdict tomorrow on the fate of United’s estranged defender Gabriel Heinze.
The Argentine’s future requires official arbitration because United contest his right to join Liverpool in a near £7 million deal.
Sir Alex’s ‘over my dead body’ position enjoys the support of most fans. According to the Times, United are even willing to sell the defender abroad at a knock-down rate rather than allow him to move to Anfield.
Now, with all the facts known, in AU’s view, the club has got has got it wrong.
We are appalled that Heinze wants to go to Liverpool and in so doing, offend 40 years of tradition but we respect his right to decide his own career.
If Ronaldo or Rooney wanted to take the same route up the motorway, we’d be asking for a papal intervention to stop such heresy. Top class, first team players demand the protection of interest by a club holding their registration. Fringe squad members like Heinze are worthy of no such consideration.
At 29 with the end of his career in sight, if Heinze wants to play for a team that finished 21 points behind United last year, let him do so.
Allowing Premiership officials to decide the issue smacks of fear. The club is too big, too powerful and has too proud a tradition to worry about the motivation of a single player. Walking out on United is unthinkable to many but not unprecedented. No matter the provocation, it gives no reason for the club and its officials to behave unreasonably.
United should take heart from the last occasion a player snubbed the chance of playing at Old Trafford for a better pay day elsewhere. He was John Obi Mikel and his sure route to the top wasn’t the smooth path he hoped for. Chelsea finished second to United after he joined.
In the context of Heinze, who would bet against history repeating itself again and again and again?
READ: The Heinze File
