Young and old to propel United
Ferguson is convinced Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo will be pivotal figures for United this term.
Ronaldo’s status as Ballon D’Or winner means that his choice by Ferguson is hardly a surprise, but Ferguson also claimed 34-year-old Scholes could have two more seasons as a top-flight force. Scholes will start his first game since September at the Nissan Stadium and Ferguson feels there is plenty of life left in him yet.
“Paul brings an order to our game,” said Ferguson.
“His experience and his ability to control a match is a fundamental part of the way we play. His intelligence on a football field is terrific.
“I don’t see any negatives or inferiority in his game and hopefully he can keep it going for a long time.”
Much like Ryan Giggs, no longer expected to fly up the left wing, there is no demand on Scholes to hit the net in such a prolific manner as before. He is still capable of delivering a killer blow, including one against Barcelona in last season’s Champions League semi-final, but it is the overall contribution Ferguson is looking for now.
“You can’t measure everything about him,” Ferguson added. “Paul brings us other things because he is such a fantastic player.”
Ferguson cannot imagine a trio of star names like Scholes, Giggs and Gary Neville emerging together and staying put for their entire careers, not just at United, but anywhere else for that matter.
“We hope to get players through like that on a regular basis but in modern terms, with freedom of contract, you would have to think it is unlikely,” he said.
Indeed, the United boss inadvertently raised doubts over the futures of Neville and another one-club man, Wes Brown, by effectively confirming 18-year-old Brazilian Rafael Da Silva is now his first-choice right-back.
The only doubts over Ronaldo’s future have been raised by the player himself and the keen interest with which possible Champions League opponents Real Madrid pursued him last summer. In a move that will delight United’s legion of Japanese fans, who have kept up a constant presence outside the team hotel, Ferguson confirmed Ronaldo will play today.
J League outfit Gamba Osaka might not be so amused to see the world’s top player at such close quarters given the massive influence Ronaldo could have on the Red Devils’ quest to reach Sunday’s final.
“Cristiano always had certain attributes that pointed him towards the very top,” said Ferguson. “One was his skill factor, then there was his speed and his courage. His decision making has developed as well. Our people in Portugal kept telling us that this boy was a great goalscorer. We couldn’t see it when he first came to us but then, all of a sudden, he just blossomed.”
Ronaldo might be required to hit the net this morning too as Dimitar Berbatov has already been ruled out by a virus, while doubts have been raised over Wayne Rooney’s participation after he failed to take part in training either.
Even without two key forwards, United should have too much class and take their first step towards winning what they view as a major tournament, no matter what the cynics back home may think.
lIn the other semi-final yesterday Liga Deportivo Universitaria booked their place in the final by beating Mexican side Pachuca 2-0 at a rainy Tokyo National. Claudio Bieler put the Copa Libertadores champions ahead after only four minutes and Luis Bolanos fired home a superb free-kick midway through the half.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
