United’s lack of experience a worry for Ferguson
While Keane has temporarily been reduced to walking his dog Triggs round the Cheshire countryside, without him, Ferguson’s youngsters must negotiate their way along a hazardous path to take their customary place in the knockout phase of Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
A single point from their two outings against Lille means United will crash out should an Old Trafford defeat to Villarreal tonight be accompanied by a triumph for the French side over Benfica at the Stade de France.
The loss of up to £15million in prize money would have a catastrophic effect on United’s finances but, while Ferguson refuses to contemplate failure, the Scot admits a repeat of the Red Devils’ famous 1999 triumph in the competition is a long shot given the inexperience in his squad.
“At this moment in time, we do not have enough experience and that is a handicap,” he said. “If you look at the graph of teams who win the European Cup, they are mainly very experienced teams with an average age between 28 and 30. You can’t say that about us at the moment.
“What you can say is that we have incredible ability. In the next two or three years we hope for experience and consistency to go with that ability.”
Although the debate over Keane’s exit continues, to Ferguson it is clearly yesterday’s news.
Twelve years of sterling service - including seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a European Cup - has been reduced to just two paragraphs in Ferguson’s pre-match programme notes.
An attempt to lure from Ferguson’s lips the precise reason behind Keane’s departure was met with a cursory ‘nice try’ by the Glaswegian, although he did inadvertently hint the man who used to be his talisman had outlived his usefulness.
“When you have managed this club for a long time, the horrible part of the job is that you see great players getting older,” he said.
“You have to make changes quicker than other clubs because the demands of our club are great. The expectation is great and hopes are high. When we make moves it is not for any reason other than to make this club better and keep us at the top.”
When, on Friday, he freed Keane to depart for a destination of his choice, with Celtic still the likely arrival point, Ferguson was trusting Darren Fletcher and Alan Smith in particular would blossom without having to operate under the Irishman’s imposing shadow.
Although he bore no obvious signs of unease, Ferguson insists he does not relish situations as intense as the one he is facing just now.
“I am not a masochist,” he smiled, then “maybe it is my upbringing”, when it was pointed out he usually finishes on the plus side in periods of perceived crisis.
Ferguson certainly does not fear a fan backlash at Old Trafford, having heard his own name chanted along with that of his departed skipper at Charlton on Saturday.
And he recalled the spirit of a club struck by tragedy in the aftermath of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster to emphasise his belief a capacity crowd can carry United through the latest trauma.
“I am not worried about a negative reaction from the fans,” he said. “One of the great qualities United supporters have is that they do not just refer to today, it is about the whole history of our club. Go back four or five decades, it is not by accident that after we lost the team in 1958, the shirt for the FA Cup Final had a phoenix on the badge. This club rises all the time.
“When everyone was writing my demise against Nottingham Forest in 1990, the fans made sure we won the game. Sometimes you have to grasp the nettle. This is an occasion where we have to show what we are.”
And, rather than dwell on the Keane issue, Ferguson’s last message to his team before they attempt to salvage their European hopes will be to keep their discipline.
Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes have already been sent off during this disappointing campaign alone, a reason, rather than an excuse for United’s present position, according to their manager.
But, as they approach the point of no return, Ferguson knows United must avoid at all costs the type of mental explosive Keane was all too capable of.
“The players are aware okay, don’t worry about that.”
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