Ferguson admits he rested Keane too much

ALEX FERGUSON has conceded he rested skipper Roy Keane too frequently this season — to the detriment of Manchester United’s Premiership challenge.

Keane started just 25 games but Ferguson insists the title race would have been far closer had Keane played a bigger role.

He said: "I'm not sure I did the right thing with Roy this season. I overprotected him. You can underestimate Roy Keane.

"We had a chat last summer and obviously we discussed his situation. There were some problems, but it was his first year back after major hip surgery. What I said to Roy at the start of the season was, 'We'll monitor the situation, we'll talk before games; certain games, we won't play you.'

"What happens? The ones I left him out of, we lost the points. Fulham, Middlesbrough, Leeds three games, we got one point. If we'd won those games we'd have eight points more."

Ferguson is adamant Keane has a major role to play at Old Trafford, and remains a unique influence on the pitch and the dressing room.

Asked if the Corkman would be leaving the club to help United rebuild, the United boss said: "I don't see the need for that. Not at all.

"The big players who have left here, apart from Bryan Robson, who went into management, they never had that Keane factor. Nobody had that Keane factor."

He added: "What we're going to do with Roy next season, after he's had a good rest this summer, followed by a good pre-season, we're going to work on the basis of how he feels.

"Roy's 33, but there's some players that are playing at 36 and 37 and doing well. There is nobody more respected than Roy Keane in this place, and I mean by the players. Because he will do a lot for them. If they have a case to fight he will fight it for them.

"He is an unusual person, he is a different breed of person to your normal footballer of today."

Meanwhile, Ryan Giggs has slapped a 'handle with care' notice on teenage sensation Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese winger might have ended Saturday's game at Villa Park five minutes early, following fellow youngster Darren Fletcher to the dressing room for two bookable offences as United finished their Premiership season with only nine men.

But his performance over the preceding 85 minutes was as dazzling and bewitching as any seen in the top flight this season.

With two quick feet, blistering pace, exceptional balance and a lethal shot, Ronaldo has all the attributes to take him right to the top of the game. And he is still only 19.

Now in his 30s, Giggs' longevity is a testament to Ferguson's man-management skills. Which is why the Welshman is urging caution.

"I can see similarities in how the manager handled me to the way he is handling Cristiano," said the Welshman.

"Every time he has a good game he wants to play again the fans want him to play and deep down the manager probably wants him to as well. But you have to look at the bigger picture. To get the best out of Cristiano, he needs rest at the right points.

"It's not just physical, it's mental as well. There were times the manager did it with me."