Judge us at end of season, says defiant Queiroz

A DEFIANT Carlos Queiroz emerged from the ashes of Manchester United’s European disaster and pleaded with fans to judge the Red Devils at the end of the season.

With Alex Ferguson attending a funeral and questions on the manager’s future declared off limits, instead of looking ahead to tomorrow’s visit of Everton, Queiroz was left to rake over the coals of United’s miserable Champions League exit.

The defeat to Benfica means there will be no European combat at Old Trafford during the second half of the season, the first time such a situation has occurred since 1995.

While the widespread suggestions Ferguson’s 19-year association with United will be terminated by Malcolm Glazer in the summer is partly fuelled by the Scot’s fractious relationship with the media, many think his time at the club is up.

In addition, individual players have been singled out for Roy Keane-style criticism, with Mikael Silvestre, Alan Smith and John O’Shea among those deemed to be not good enough for the eight-times Premiership champions.

But Queiroz, who is also in the firing line following his return as Ferguson’s number two 18 months ago, insists now is not the time to assess United’s situation.

Having advanced to second in the Premiership and having moved into the Carling Cup quarter-finals thanks to five successive wins on the domestic front, Queiroz is adamant there is no need to hit the panic button.

“We are sad and disappointed because we believe we should have reached the knock-out rounds,” he admitted.

“We know that everyone who loves the club is not happy because we didn’t get there but it’s important to remember where we are.

“At the moment, we are second in the Premiership and still in the Carling Cup and FA Cups. Those are the situations we can control and it is only at the end of the season when you will be able to judge whether Manchester United have been successful or not.”

Queiroz might be clutching at straws in bringing the FA Cup into the equation as United are one of 44 clubs who have not played in the competition yet this season.

However, while it would be totally pointless just to disregard the Benfica defeat and the draw with Villarreal which preceded it, United’s form on the home front has been improving steadily.

This is the reason why the Portuguese coach justifies his bullish stance over the Red Devils future prospects, even though the criticism bouncing off the Old Trafford walls is as fierce as it has been throughout Ferguson’s time at the club.

“You cannot be a professional or a champion in football and only be ready to face the beautiful moments in life,” said Queiroz, who won the title in his first year with United before spending an ill-fated 12 months at Real Madrid.

“You have to be ready to rebound from these bad moments, accept the criticism and learn from it. But I am convinced some of the rubbish being said about us will only make us stronger.