Zlatan would have been a horrible signing. No way we could have played the fluid style we did from 06-09 with him in the team.
If you could sign 5 attainable players during Fergie era, who would you go for ?
- Thread starter kaku06
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Great list. Although getting Martinez might have been a waste given how injury prone he has been. Silva is a fecking shout, loved him at Valencia. Where do you think he would be playing for us ? CAM ? Partnering kdb ? Wings ?
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Do you think Ramos and Gattuso would be gettable ? From Sevilla and rangers ? And if so would you be partnering Gattuso with keane ? And Ramos as a RB ?
You my friend get it.
This is it I reckon. Focus at the end of his time with us as however nice it would have been to have had a couple more CLs in 90s/00s, signing the above players would have stopped us falling off a cliff once he left.
Other names would be Vidal, Varane, Bale, Ribery and Robben.
Bergkamp
Batistuta
Ronaldinho
Gazza
Maldini
Batistuta
Ronaldinho
Gazza
Maldini
How good would Utd have been with Ronaldinho? his peak coincided with Utds worst years under Fergie, and won't have been much use from 09 onwards. Does he get you competing with Chelsea/Arsenal during those 03-07 years, or a level above that and being one of the best teams in the world?
The ones that got away:
Ronaldinho. Would have made us dominate in Europe.
Robben. Fantastic winger. Would have made the left wing his own.
Shearer. Would have been the perfect striker for us in the late 90s.
Gaza. Who know what heights he would have reached under Ferguson and what heights United would've reached with him in the team.
Ronaldinho. Would have made us dominate in Europe.
Robben. Fantastic winger. Would have made the left wing his own.
Shearer. Would have been the perfect striker for us in the late 90s.
Gaza. Who know what heights he would have reached under Ferguson and what heights United would've reached with him in the team.
Robben when Valencia joined.
Zlatan when he moved to PSG.
Ronaldinho when he joined Barca.
Hazard when he joined Chelsea.
Zlatan when he moved to PSG.
Ronaldinho when he joined Barca.
Hazard when he joined Chelsea.
Ronaldinho would have been another Veron. Two underwhelming years at United and then off to a team in Spain or Italy.
Generally agree with the most popular choices. As with others, for me it has to be players that would have improved the 2010s where we fell away from the elite. The early-mid 2000s period where we were less successful I still have fond memories of - a fantastic striker, two of the most exciting attacking talents in the world and generally less stale football than towards the end of Fergie's time and beyond.
I think there are five stand-out players overall - Modric, de Bruyne, Robben, Hazard and Thiago Silva - as well as multiple outstanding candidates for centre forward - Lewandowski, Benzema, Aguero and Suarez.
Modric and Robben seem obvious. De Bruyne over David Silva given that Modric is the clear choice deeper in midfield. Hazard was the best player in the Premier League over his time at Chelsea for me, but generally (wrongly) seems to be dismissed as not being consistent or productive enough here. Thiago Silva hasn't been mentioned, but what a fantastic replacement for Ferdinand he would have been in 2012. Given the quality of the strikers, we really could have done with one of those four once Rooney declined.
That's six. Not sure which one I would omit to avoid exceeding the quota of five.
I think there are five stand-out players overall - Modric, de Bruyne, Robben, Hazard and Thiago Silva - as well as multiple outstanding candidates for centre forward - Lewandowski, Benzema, Aguero and Suarez.
Modric and Robben seem obvious. De Bruyne over David Silva given that Modric is the clear choice deeper in midfield. Hazard was the best player in the Premier League over his time at Chelsea for me, but generally (wrongly) seems to be dismissed as not being consistent or productive enough here. Thiago Silva hasn't been mentioned, but what a fantastic replacement for Ferdinand he would have been in 2012. Given the quality of the strikers, we really could have done with one of those four once Rooney declined.
That's six. Not sure which one I would omit to avoid exceeding the quota of five.
Gascoigne, Batistuta, Robben, Modric, De Bruyne
Ronaldinho was miles better than Hazard who is a PL all time great. Not sure what makes you think Ronaldinho would’ve struggled playing against the mighty PL full backs or what relevance it has to Veron.
i wonder if earlier shevchenko would have performed well in the PL late 90s early 2000s.
Simeone
Enrico Chiesa
Crespo
Andreas Möller
Rafael van der Vaart
Enrico Chiesa
Crespo
Andreas Möller
Rafael van der Vaart
You what now ? Yes Ronaldinho was all talent no hard work but he is literally one of best
Why would you want a facist prick like him
This is almost my list exactly. Had Torres from Atletico instead of Aguero, who I think would have suited Fergie better.
Eden Hazard alone would have kept us at the top for the first few years after sir Alex retired.
I’d look at which years we underachieved.
2001-02 marked the beginning of the end for the 1999 team. Even though we won the league the next year, we lost our mojo after that until 2006. Biggest issues during this time was 1) no Schmeichel replacement; 2) unstable defence after Stam left and Irwin got too old; 3) Keane’s powers diminishing as he aged.
Too bad my memory is too shit to recall the gettable players from back then. I remember being annoyed when Sol Campbell went to Arsenal on a free instead of us; and we could have gotten Van Der Sar direct from Ajax of course. That would have made us so much stronger for a start. I remember at the time lots of people here liked Ruben Baraja at Valencia for midfield. Those three would have seen us alright through the Arsenal Invincibles and early era Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Then with the remaining two players, plug the gaps in our recruitment post Ronaldo and stymie our rivals in the process: Hazard and Aguero.
2001-02 marked the beginning of the end for the 1999 team. Even though we won the league the next year, we lost our mojo after that until 2006. Biggest issues during this time was 1) no Schmeichel replacement; 2) unstable defence after Stam left and Irwin got too old; 3) Keane’s powers diminishing as he aged.
Too bad my memory is too shit to recall the gettable players from back then. I remember being annoyed when Sol Campbell went to Arsenal on a free instead of us; and we could have gotten Van Der Sar direct from Ajax of course. That would have made us so much stronger for a start. I remember at the time lots of people here liked Ruben Baraja at Valencia for midfield. Those three would have seen us alright through the Arsenal Invincibles and early era Mourinho’s Chelsea.
Then with the remaining two players, plug the gaps in our recruitment post Ronaldo and stymie our rivals in the process: Hazard and Aguero.
Fair enough about Martinez but I just think his versatility and style of play as a DM would have suited us very well. Do the dirty work and feed the more creative players up top to do what they are capable of. Him next to Modric would have been a lovely balance.
I would have had Silva in his favourable CAM position, the position we signed Kagawa for 2 years later. Him behind Rooney and then Aguero the year after would have been delightful. Or we could have put him on the wing and have Rooney at 10 behind Aguero. So many options up top.
I think KDB would have initially been brought in as a squad player from Genk with the potential to obviously become a first name on the teamsheet starter the season or two after. The odd occasional sub appearance here and there. I think Fergie would have got him up and ready to become a proper 1st team starter for the new manager in 2013, pretty much the player he is today.
Precisely and exactly why I have gone with my list on players for the late 00s/early 2010s. Prepare us properly for when Fergie retired in 2013 rather than see us fall off a cliff as what transpired.
In order:
Paul Gascoigne (1987)
Alan Shearer (1992)
Edwin van der Sar (1999)
Luka Modric (2008)
Arjen Robben (2009)
Gascoigne and Shearer would have helped immensely in Europe during the early CL campaigns.
Edwin is self explanatory.
Modric and Robben would have been dynamite
Paul Gascoigne (1987)
Alan Shearer (1992)
Edwin van der Sar (1999)
Luka Modric (2008)
Arjen Robben (2009)
Gascoigne and Shearer would have helped immensely in Europe during the early CL campaigns.
Edwin is self explanatory.
Modric and Robben would have been dynamite
I had drinks with Joel Cantona once and he told me how close we were to signing Zidane. Apparently Eric urged Ferguson and Edwards to sign him, and Fergie was all on board, to the point where Eric spoke to Zidane multiple times and he agreed to come and was excited to play under SAF, but at the last minute Edwards said the money wasn’t available and we didn’t sign him. He later went on to Juve and became a legend. Allegedly this was one of the reasons Eric became so disillusioned and retired.
There was more detail and nuance to the story that I have sadly forgotten in the intervening years. The crux of it was that Eric thought Martin Edwards was a twat because of (a) commercial deals that he was forced to perform that he didn’t want to, and (b) the failure to sign Zidane when he wanted to come.
Anyway…..
Zidane
Modric
Aguero
Ronaldinho
Shearer
are the ones that spring to mind, but I haven’t put a ton of thought into it. Zidane was at a time we had Scholes, so there might have been the Veron effect there. Then there’s always the whole “If we got Ronaldinho we wouldn’t have gotten Cristiano” debate. Modric and Aguero are the ones whose timing was the best in terms of them being world class talents at a time when we didn’t have other world class talents in their position.
A better winger than Valencia after Ronaldo would’ve helped too. Maybe Robben. But I have genuine affection for Valencia. Think he was good. Robben and Valencia would’ve worked.
Exactly that.
You don't buy Shearer, but you end up going a different route and bringing Solskjaer in as a cheaper risk, and Cole then goes onto become a top all round player and link up with Yorke to incredible effect a few years later.
Would we have won the treble with Shearer? Well, we wouldn't have bettered it!
Valencia fitted us perfectly straight after though, and early pre injury Valencia was actually a beast.
He was the absolute anti Nani in always picking the right option.
Latter Valencia post injury seemed to lose a bit of confidence attacking wise, and would just stop dead with the ball, or ram crosses into shins.
And also wasn't helped by moving back to full back for ages where he was passable but not the same threat as before, and for a while you couldn't believe Young and Valencia were both still here so long later, and operating as starting full backs!
Modric is mentioned multiple times. We did try to sign Modric, he just didn't want to join us.
Lewandoski during 2013 summer would be a great buy. Dortmund would love to offload him to ANY club but BM, had we submit any offer, door will be open and only negotiation is between Club and player. Unfortunately we recruited Van Persie in 2012 summer.
Lewandoski during 2013 summer would be a great buy. Dortmund would love to offload him to ANY club but BM, had we submit any offer, door will be open and only negotiation is between Club and player. Unfortunately we recruited Van Persie in 2012 summer.
Ronaldinho
That would have been heaven
That would have been heaven
Tevez...
Gascoigne but we still bought Keane
Shearer (pre Blackburn) but we still bought Eric.
Van Der Sar in ‘99
Aguero
Hazard
Shearer (pre Blackburn) but we still bought Eric.
Van Der Sar in ‘99
Aguero
Hazard
Van de Sar sprang to my mind too. We had some dodgy keepers and some good keepers in that time but VDS would have been perfect to come in a few years earlier.
Ronaldinho
Robben
Benzema
Modric
Varane
Robben
Benzema
Modric
Varane
Shearer. I remember being certain he was done until he wasn’t.
Xavi, when he was in limbo with Barca. If only we pushed a bit harder.
Zidane alone would take us to unprecedented domination in Europe and domestic.
Then there are Nedved, Shevchenko, and Eto'o.
Zidane alone would take us to unprecedented domination in Europe and domestic.
Then there are Nedved, Shevchenko, and Eto'o.
Modric could be signed from Zagreb in 2008 easily by offering them an amazing deal.
Van der Sar is a very good shout. We would have won against Porto in 2004 with him alone and after that it was an easy CL to win.
Easier said than done. I suppose we can cross out the Agent factor as in the case of Haaland, but spotting talent before they catch the eyes of the world, lies with capable scouts, who fed us with the likes of Tosic, Diouf, Djemba, Powell, Fred.
Should’ve signed Messi when he was a fetus, mate.
It’s a hypothetical scenario in hindsight mate. You think we couldn’t pip Spurs for Modric from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 if we went all in for him when we just won the champions league ?
For me Fergie's reign was as close to perfect as you could get. Sure we could exhaust the five picks winning an extra couple of Champions League's, but for me ensuring a seemless transition almost irrespective of the manager would be more desirable. Ensuring a competitive team for several years after FergIe's departure would win far more trophies.
Robben in 2009
David Silva in 2010
Thiago Silva in 2012
Yaya Toure in 2010
Benzema in 2009
I can't believe even Moyes could cock up a team with those five players in.
Robben in 2009
David Silva in 2010
Thiago Silva in 2012
Yaya Toure in 2010
Benzema in 2009
I can't believe even Moyes could cock up a team with those five players in.
Yaya Toure
Modric
Benzema
Suarez
Aguero
Silva.
Not so sure about Robben and Essien because we did try if I remember right, and they joined Chelsea ?
Remember being really mad we weren't trying for Silva and Aguero. Yaya Toure went to City for a frickin bargain at 24 mil.
Modric
Benzema
Suarez
Aguero
Silva.
Not so sure about Robben and Essien because we did try if I remember right, and they joined Chelsea ?
Remember being really mad we weren't trying for Silva and Aguero. Yaya Toure went to City for a frickin bargain at 24 mil.