Ferguson: Kids can rule again

ALEX FERGUSON plans to repeat his trick of winning the league with youngsters as he looks to repeat the famed “Class of ‘92”.

The ‘Class of ‘92’, of whom now only Ryan Giggs is still at the club in a playing capacity, became the stars of 1990s, with Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary Neville and Nicky Butt, with Robbie Savage and Keith Gillespie also involved and Phil Neville coming up right behind.

And, as he looked back on quarter of a century in one of the most high-pressure jobs imaginable, it was that squad which Ferguson allowed himself to focus on.

“No, it was not a one-off,” said the 69-year-old.

“It is going to happen again. “You can’t think that a club like Manchester United could have just one cycle of players as good as that.

“We always keep chasing the dream that you get a bunch like that again. You have to.

“If the academy system changes to what it should be then we are capable of doing it. It is ridiculous that in 2011 you can only coach a boy within an hour of Old Trafford. Barcelona have signed a boy from China and one from Japan. That sums it all up doesn’t it?”

Perhaps it is appropriate Steve Bruce is Ferguson’s opposite number this weekend. Sunderland boss since 2009, it is over 15 years since Bruce’s nine-year stint at Old Trafford came to an end.

During that time he made 414 appearances, won seven major honours, including skippering United to the first three Premier League titles of the Ferguson era.

“There are two things about Steve Bruce I always found remarkable,” Ferguson said.

“One, he never got an England cap although, in fairness, Bobby Robson apologised to him for that.

“The second is that when he had his medical the doctor wasn’t sure he should pass it.

“He used to rub his knees and carry on playing. He was absolutely unbelievable. Nobody else I have ever dealt with could play with the injuries he had.”

Meanwhile Bruce has been delighted with the response he has had from his own team after an indifferent start to the season, which brought just one victory from the first eight league games.

Bruce said: “We have been happy with the performances, we just haven’t been able to string the results together.”

Former United defender John O’Shea misses a return to Old Trafford with a hamstring injury which is also likely to keep him out of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 play-off against Estonia.

Midfielder David Vaughan is also a doubt with a groin problem, and that could hand an opportunity to skipper Lee Cattermole to return. Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is out for eight weeks, opening the door for summer signing — Ireland’s Keiren Westwood.

The FA will appeal against the three-match ban that threatens to rule Wayne Rooney out of the entire Euro 2012 group phase.

They now have six days to put together a case to go before European football’s governing body.