United’s year of living dangerously
Alex Ferguson was glowing radioactive red, stiffening in his seat, the look on his face suggesting that he couldn’t quite believe what he was being asked. The journalist, one of the elder of the species, had couched his question in almost reverential terms, calling him ‘Sir Alex’ more than once, but Fergie wasn’t about to be disarmed by some old-world politeness. No, there was no getting away from it. Barely an hour after his latest European conquest had been shattered, Alex Ferguson was being asked if he could possibly summon up the enthusiasm to lift his troops and do it all again next time.
“How long have you known me?” Ferguson barked. “I can’t believe you’d ask me that question.”
And then, words failing him, he just shook his head silently at the rank stupidity and crassness of the Fourth Estate. Typical hacks.
And nothing new there, you might think. Which is literally the case because this uncomfortable little exchange didn’t happen in Old Trafford on Wednesday night; it took place eleven months ago in the press conference room of the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, after Manchester United had lost their grip on the European crown, out-thought, out-classed and out-played by the untouchables of Barcelona.
Of course, the poor old hack was well within his rights to ask the question, even if the well-known rules of engagement with Fergie meant he must have known he was only ever going to get a verbal Glasgow kiss for his troubles. But, yes, the man was right to ask, because there was indeed a real sense of the changing of the guard in Rome that night, and not just in the way that Barca had so imperiously overthrown the reigning European champions, the apprentice Pep Guardiola teaching the master Alex Ferguson a lesson in football-craft of the highest order.
There was also the widely-held belief, soon enough to become reality, that Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez were on their way out of Old Trafford, that the new order unveiled in Rome that night would have seismic implications for life over the next 12 months in Manchester.
And so it has proved, as United’s year of living dangerously now reaches its uncertain conclusion. Later today, Ronaldo will learn if things are really all that different for him when Real Madrid face Barcelona in El Clasico at the Bernabeu. A win for Barca here and the balance in the La Liga title-race will tilt firmly away from the team already dumped out of Europe. Sound familiar, Ronnie?
And then, in a week’s time, Carlos Tevez, revelling in the blue of the noisy neighbours, could return to haunt United, a reminder to Ferguson that Tevez not Berbatov was the man he needed to be able to call on in the nightmare scenario of injury to Wayne Rooney.
Yet, you can understand why Ferguson felt his team was unlucky to lose out to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. There was more than a touch of the benefit of hindsight in the way that the RTÉ panel were able to dismiss United’s first-half superiority at the end of 90 minutes. And far too little regard given to the game’s pivotal moment, the sending off of Rafael. Had it stayed at 11 versus 11 — or even 10 and half if Rooney is to be properly accounted for — there’s every chance that, rather than writing the annual United obituary, we’d now pondering their prospects in the semi-final against Lyon.
And they could yet finish the domestic season on a high. Right now it might be advantage Chelsea in the Premier League but we have seen more than enough evidence over the course of this season to suggest that none of the big guns is invincible. But even if Chelsea do drop points, allowing United to prove all the doubters wrong and retain their domestic title for a staggering fourth time, the truth is that it will still feel like the end of an era at Old Trafford.
The fading glory of the likes of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville is already apparent and, Rooney aside, there are no other stand-out candidates in the current squad who can, with any reliable degree of consistency, make the difference between winning and losing, especially in the tighter games.
So United will need to buy in order to rebuild. Mexican striker Javier Hernandez and Fulham defender Chris Smalling are waiting in the wings but they are hardly names designed to stir the blood. And with the club’s toxic debt level in danger of turning them from Man United into Nama United, it’s hard to see the Glazers – or anyone else who might take over — being in a position to pump up the manager’s war chest.
So, almost a year on from Rome, United are down again but still not out. But you suspect it will take a lot less than another twelve months before that put upon scribe is vindicated and Alex Ferguson is finally questioning his own commitment to the cause he has served so well.
Contact: liammackey@hotmail.com
