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Veron pales before Keane's example
Two expensive United men show a contrast in their worth
Richard Williams
Wednesday May 1, 2002
The Guardian
So history will probably be repeated at Hampden Park later this month, albeit not as Sir Alex Ferguson had planned. Depending on tonight's result in the Bernabeu, it seems likely that Real Madrid will meet an underrated German team in the European Cup final, just as their predecessors did on that night in 1960 when Ferguson stood to watch the Spanish aristocrats beating Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in one of the most resplendent club matches ever played.
Ferguson had hoped to be taking his own team home to Glasgow to meet the heirs of Puskas and Di Stefano but that dream was crushed last night by the extraordinary spirit of Bayer Leverkusen.
Klaus Toppmöller's side may be throwing away their chance to win their own domestic championship with a series of terrible results against bottom-of-the-table teams but they performed last night with all the effervescence that has seen them beat Juventus, Barcelona, Liverpool and Deportivo La Coruna here this season.
United had their chances but not as many as their opponents, who looked livelier and more anxious to prove their mettle throughout.
When Carlos Alberto Parreira was coaching Brazil on the way to their fourth World Cup in 1994 he used to say that, if he messed things up, there were 155 million other coaches back home who would let him know exactly where he had gone wrong. There is hardly a football fan alive who does not know better than the manager, and there will be plenty of United fans this morning asking questions about Ferguson's decision to pick Juan Sebastian Veron in the role of shadow striker last night, instead of Ryan Giggs or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Ferguson explained his decision by saying he wanted to provide a better balance for the team by strengthening the flanks. Another interpretation would be that he was furious enough with Veron's feckless performance as David Beckham's replacement in the first leg at Old Trafford to push him forward into a more exposed position, hoping to goad him into justifying his reputation and his £28.1m fee.
But United needed goals last night and in the six seasons since Veron arrived in Europe he has scored only 19 in league and European Cup football.
Last night the Argentinian wandered for an hour in the area behind Ruud van Nistelrooy without ever creating a significant chance. There was a reminder of his patchy record as a striker after 18 minutes when Giggs and Paul Scholes combined to send him in unmarked on the left side of the penalty area, only for his right-foot shot to fly wildly over the bar. Five minutes before the interval he was on target with a shot from Giggs's half-cleared corner but this time his drive was deflected over off a diving defender.
As the second half went on and United's efforts grew more frantic, Veron drifted further and further back. His influence, never great, waned as he receded. By the end he was playing at centre-back. It seemed a strange use of £28.1m of creative talent.
Like Veron, Roy Keane arrived at United for an English record fee. As he rounded Hans-Jörg Butt and slotted the ball home to put United in the lead last night, he was yet again repaying Ferguson's faith and United's investment of £3.75m back in 1993. And as he ran to the United supporters, he heard the sound that had echoed around the Stadio delle Alpi on a similar night three years ago. "Keano! Keano!"
They sang it long into the night in Turin after Keane had inspired United to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Juventus, Zinedine Zidane and all, to win 3-2 and give Ferguson the chance to match the achievement of his most illustrious predecessor, Sir Matt Busby. Keane sacrificed himself even though he knew an early yellow card had cost him his own chance to take part.
Last night was intended to offer Keane the chance he missed then to go forward to the final and it is a testament to his stature that he was universally seen as the one man who could see United through a difficult tie. His goal in the 28th minute confirmed the solid foundation of that faith, coming at a time when United were being overwhelmed by the swarming interplay of Leverkusen's talented and eager forwards.
"I wish I could have 10 of him," Ferguson said. "He was marvellous and I'm very disappointed for him." Disappointed for one, no doubt disappointed in the other. Roy Keane's standing is unimpaired but it is hard to imagine a future for Juan Sebastian Veron at Old Trafford after this defeat.
Veron pales before Keane's example
Two expensive United men show a contrast in their worth
Richard Williams
Wednesday May 1, 2002
The Guardian
So history will probably be repeated at Hampden Park later this month, albeit not as Sir Alex Ferguson had planned. Depending on tonight's result in the Bernabeu, it seems likely that Real Madrid will meet an underrated German team in the European Cup final, just as their predecessors did on that night in 1960 when Ferguson stood to watch the Spanish aristocrats beating Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in one of the most resplendent club matches ever played.
Ferguson had hoped to be taking his own team home to Glasgow to meet the heirs of Puskas and Di Stefano but that dream was crushed last night by the extraordinary spirit of Bayer Leverkusen.
Klaus Toppmöller's side may be throwing away their chance to win their own domestic championship with a series of terrible results against bottom-of-the-table teams but they performed last night with all the effervescence that has seen them beat Juventus, Barcelona, Liverpool and Deportivo La Coruna here this season.
United had their chances but not as many as their opponents, who looked livelier and more anxious to prove their mettle throughout.
When Carlos Alberto Parreira was coaching Brazil on the way to their fourth World Cup in 1994 he used to say that, if he messed things up, there were 155 million other coaches back home who would let him know exactly where he had gone wrong. There is hardly a football fan alive who does not know better than the manager, and there will be plenty of United fans this morning asking questions about Ferguson's decision to pick Juan Sebastian Veron in the role of shadow striker last night, instead of Ryan Giggs or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Ferguson explained his decision by saying he wanted to provide a better balance for the team by strengthening the flanks. Another interpretation would be that he was furious enough with Veron's feckless performance as David Beckham's replacement in the first leg at Old Trafford to push him forward into a more exposed position, hoping to goad him into justifying his reputation and his £28.1m fee.
But United needed goals last night and in the six seasons since Veron arrived in Europe he has scored only 19 in league and European Cup football.
Last night the Argentinian wandered for an hour in the area behind Ruud van Nistelrooy without ever creating a significant chance. There was a reminder of his patchy record as a striker after 18 minutes when Giggs and Paul Scholes combined to send him in unmarked on the left side of the penalty area, only for his right-foot shot to fly wildly over the bar. Five minutes before the interval he was on target with a shot from Giggs's half-cleared corner but this time his drive was deflected over off a diving defender.
As the second half went on and United's efforts grew more frantic, Veron drifted further and further back. His influence, never great, waned as he receded. By the end he was playing at centre-back. It seemed a strange use of £28.1m of creative talent.
Like Veron, Roy Keane arrived at United for an English record fee. As he rounded Hans-Jörg Butt and slotted the ball home to put United in the lead last night, he was yet again repaying Ferguson's faith and United's investment of £3.75m back in 1993. And as he ran to the United supporters, he heard the sound that had echoed around the Stadio delle Alpi on a similar night three years ago. "Keano! Keano!"
They sang it long into the night in Turin after Keane had inspired United to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Juventus, Zinedine Zidane and all, to win 3-2 and give Ferguson the chance to match the achievement of his most illustrious predecessor, Sir Matt Busby. Keane sacrificed himself even though he knew an early yellow card had cost him his own chance to take part.
Last night was intended to offer Keane the chance he missed then to go forward to the final and it is a testament to his stature that he was universally seen as the one man who could see United through a difficult tie. His goal in the 28th minute confirmed the solid foundation of that faith, coming at a time when United were being overwhelmed by the swarming interplay of Leverkusen's talented and eager forwards.
"I wish I could have 10 of him," Ferguson said. "He was marvellous and I'm very disappointed for him." Disappointed for one, no doubt disappointed in the other. Roy Keane's standing is unimpaired but it is hard to imagine a future for Juan Sebastian Veron at Old Trafford after this defeat.
