Giggs calls on team-mates to fill goalscoring void
While a sizeable section of the Red Devils support have accepted Alex Ferguson’s decision to sell Van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid, they also recognise it will not be easy to match the Dutchman’s amazing contribution of 150 goals in five seasons.
Giggs acknowledges it would be unfair for first-choice striking duo Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha to shoulder the burden alone, which is why the veteran Welshman is looking to all his team-mates to do their bit.
“When we were successful and winning leagues everyone contributed to the goalscoring part,” said Giggs. “We didn’t just rely on one person. Obviously Ruud scored a lot of goals for us but this season I will have to chip in, Paul Scholes will have to chip in and so will everyone else.
“We also need to score more from set pieces because they can win you games. Who gets the goals does not really matter providing we are getting the results.”
Giggs signalled his intent to meet the demand by curling home the free-kick winner which proved enough to defeat Ajax and win the annual four-team Amsterdam Tournament.
Not that Alex Ferguson can afford to spend too much time basking in the success given that, on the whole, the 48 hours spent in the Dutch capital were a complete disaster.
Injuries to Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea and £18.6million (27.6m) new-boy Michael Carrick, who is set to miss the next three weeks — a period which includes Premiership fixtures against Fulham, Charlton and Watford plus England’s friendly encounter with Greece — with ankle ligament damage were compounded by the dismissals of Rooney and Scholes during the win over Porto.
Although Rooney, and possibly Scholes, are expected to avoid punishment once the Football Association have gone through their disciplinary process, it will be the end of the week at the earliest when Ferguson finds out for certain if either man will be available for Fulham’s Old Trafford visit on August 20.
In fact, apart from the impressive performances of youngsters such as Lee Martin, Jonny Evans, Phil Bardsley and Danny Simpson, possibly the best thing to happen to Ferguson over the weekend was to discover Rooney’s desire to remain at United for the remainder of his playing career.
Whether Rooney’s public stance, which at least puts to bed the theory his relationship with Ferguson had broken down over his World Cup participation, succeeds in triggering talks over a new contract seems doubtful given he still has three years remaining on his current deal.
However, as Old Trafford officials are acutely aware, as long as Rooney remains at United, they will continue to be an attractive proposition and, in theory at least, capable of competing for the biggest prizes.
Fergie also declared: “Ronaldo is staying. There is absolutely no doubt about that.”
Given Ronaldo has appeared relaxed and confident during various sightings around the Manchester area since his return from a combustible World Cup, the 21-year-old appears to be the least of Ferguson’s worries just now.
