Fergie: 90 minute rule holds us back

ALEX Ferguson believes English coaches must be allowed to spend more time with young players if they are to ever reach the passing ability displayed by Barcelona at Wembley on Saturday.

In the aftermath of Manchester United’s 3-1 Champions League defeat, Ferguson admitted he had encountered the best club side he had ever faced as a manager.

However, as he faced up to the task of trying to find a solution ahead of next season’s tournament, the United boss feels English teams are being handicapped by rules agreed between the FA and the Premier League that prevent clubs working with youngsters aged 16 and under for any longer than 90 minutes a day.

“People have to understand the mechanics of the industry we are working in,” Ferguson said. “We are only allowed to coach youngsters for an hour and a half, they (Barcelona) can coach every hour of the day if they want to.

“That’s the great advantage they have got. It is a fantastic philosophy. We hope that in years to come our coaches will be able to spend more time with young kids, to teach them the basics, the technical abilities and the confidence to keep the ball all the time.

“We are good at it, but not as good as Barcelona at this moment in time. It is a wonderful challenge and we should always accept a challenge.”

Meanwhile United chief executive David Gill will head for his holidays towards the end of June hoping to have charted the future for Ferguson’s team.

Despite typically wet Manchester weather and Saturday’s chastening Champions League final defeat to Barcelona, thousands of United fans lined the streets yesterday for a trophy parade.

As their players headed off for various international commitments, a holiday or, in Edwin van der Sar’s case and possibly Paul Scholes’ as well, retirement, Gill and the manager set to work on constructing a squad ready to face the emerging threat of Manchester City and capable of defeating Barca.

“It will be a busier than usual summer this year,” Gill said. “I will be going away at some point in June and be back for the start of our tour but I will be on with player stuff for the next few weeks I am sure.”

The first task will be to discover Scholes’ intentions. “Reaching 19 titles is not something you ever think about. All you want to do is win something,” Scholes said yesterday. “To go on like we have done is a great achievement. Now we want to stretch our lead even more. The challenge will always be to get the next one. This one is out of the way now. We will celebrate it (today), have a nice summer, then think about winning the next one.”

The ‘we’ in Scholes’ statement could refer to the United players or the club as a whole given the length of time he has been at Old Trafford.

If there is anyone less inclined to speak to the media than the midfielder, it is Dimitar Berbatov. He did not speak to United’s in-house station, the only outlet allowed on the bus yesterday, and is yet to offer any opinion at his failure even to win a place on the bench at Wembley on Saturday.

Michael Owen has reiterated a desire to remain at Old Trafford, although it does seem unlikely he will be offered a new deal considering new England international Danny Welbeck is expected to return from a largely successful loan spell at Sunderland and other new signings are being mentioned as well.

Ashley Young, Wesley Sneijder and Luka Modric are the men most linked with a move to Old Trafford, although it is hard to imagine more than two of those players will end up at United next season.

Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea seems certain to arrive as Van der Sar’s replacement, in addition to Lens’ teenage defender Raphael Varane, who has been touted as a potential United purchase for a number of months.