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More selection worries for Sir Alex
Sir Alex Ferguson revealed more selection problems ahead of the crunch Premiership calsh with Newcastle at Old Trafford on Saturday. This is what the boss had to say...
Ricky Sbragia
"Well he’s got experience. I think that when you deal with the reserves at our level it’s a job where you need experience. You need experience dealing with first team players who are in the reserves, players that are a bit disappointed not to be in the first team, and young players who are also a bit disappointed not to be in the first team. There is a man-management job that needs to be done, and also the reserve team changes all the time so you need experience to handle that."
Mike Phelan's role at the club
"Mike Phelan has been with the first team all season – it’s something we have wanted to make permanent for two or three months now. We’ve just been looking for the right person."
Defining point of the season?
"We have a fantastic record against Newcastle. They have a good young team, they had a good result themselves against Feyenoord. Our record is good here. It will be a terrific game tomorrow. I have just got concerns over Veron and Giggs coming back from internationals. Ryan arrived late yesterday after a six-hour flight from Azerbaijan. Veron had a seventeen-hour flight back from Japan and doesn’t arrive in London until this afternoon, so we’re waiting on him coming back up the road. It’s a heck of schedule to pick an international in Japan when you have got important league games, a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, followed by a European tie in midweek. I just have great doubts whether I can use Veron or not."
Past encounters with Newcastle
"It’s usually an entertaining game against Newcastle, there’s no question about that. As I say, they have got some good young players, and they have added some good players in the last few years. It’s shows the route of how the team is going to be in the future. I think what you will see of the Newcastle of today will improve as the years go on."
Praise for Sir Bobby Robson
"It’s fantastic, you just hope his club appreciates him. I am sure the fans and the players do, nevertheless he’s done a marvellous job."
Wes Brown’s comeback
"He was marvellous. His timing and his pace in the game was great. He maybe tired a little towards the end but nothing serious at all. We were very pleased with him. I don’t think he put a foot wrong, he was excellent."
Praise for Quinton
"He’s probably been one of our best players in the last two games. He was first class against West Ham – he played that holding role very well. He had a hand in the first goal and brought a lot of energy to the team. He’s still only a young man."
Looking back at West Ham
"It’s a negative thing when people keep talking about injuries. We played in a game on Sunday that we felt we should have won. We were four minutes away from doing that. We missed some good chances ourselves in the game, and I can only think of the one chance they had when Defoe hit the bar – but when you look at the replay he was three yards offside. So I think we did really well defensively last week. What I think we need to do is have more conviction in the attacking part. I thought we dropped off the pace in the last twenty minutes at West Ham."
Injuries
"We’ve had a lot of operations at the club. Even the young players have had operations this year. It’s unusual but when you get these spells you just have to see it through. We have had strong squads over the years and we have always been able to cope with it. But the squad is not as strong as it has been so therefore it is something we will have to look at."
December deadline?
"When you get to the end of December you have a fair idea of how the formation of the league is taking place. You have a good idea of who is going to be challenging up there, and you know who is going to be in and around the relegation zone. But by the end of December I should Roy, Rio, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, they should all be back. I think we will see Manchester United show their colours. By the end of December we wanted to be in the frame."
More selection worries for Sir Alex
Sir Alex Ferguson revealed more selection problems ahead of the crunch Premiership calsh with Newcastle at Old Trafford on Saturday. This is what the boss had to say...
Ricky Sbragia
"Well he’s got experience. I think that when you deal with the reserves at our level it’s a job where you need experience. You need experience dealing with first team players who are in the reserves, players that are a bit disappointed not to be in the first team, and young players who are also a bit disappointed not to be in the first team. There is a man-management job that needs to be done, and also the reserve team changes all the time so you need experience to handle that."
Mike Phelan's role at the club
"Mike Phelan has been with the first team all season – it’s something we have wanted to make permanent for two or three months now. We’ve just been looking for the right person."
Defining point of the season?
"We have a fantastic record against Newcastle. They have a good young team, they had a good result themselves against Feyenoord. Our record is good here. It will be a terrific game tomorrow. I have just got concerns over Veron and Giggs coming back from internationals. Ryan arrived late yesterday after a six-hour flight from Azerbaijan. Veron had a seventeen-hour flight back from Japan and doesn’t arrive in London until this afternoon, so we’re waiting on him coming back up the road. It’s a heck of schedule to pick an international in Japan when you have got important league games, a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, followed by a European tie in midweek. I just have great doubts whether I can use Veron or not."
Past encounters with Newcastle
"It’s usually an entertaining game against Newcastle, there’s no question about that. As I say, they have got some good young players, and they have added some good players in the last few years. It’s shows the route of how the team is going to be in the future. I think what you will see of the Newcastle of today will improve as the years go on."
Praise for Sir Bobby Robson
"It’s fantastic, you just hope his club appreciates him. I am sure the fans and the players do, nevertheless he’s done a marvellous job."
Wes Brown’s comeback
"He was marvellous. His timing and his pace in the game was great. He maybe tired a little towards the end but nothing serious at all. We were very pleased with him. I don’t think he put a foot wrong, he was excellent."
Praise for Quinton
"He’s probably been one of our best players in the last two games. He was first class against West Ham – he played that holding role very well. He had a hand in the first goal and brought a lot of energy to the team. He’s still only a young man."
Looking back at West Ham
"It’s a negative thing when people keep talking about injuries. We played in a game on Sunday that we felt we should have won. We were four minutes away from doing that. We missed some good chances ourselves in the game, and I can only think of the one chance they had when Defoe hit the bar – but when you look at the replay he was three yards offside. So I think we did really well defensively last week. What I think we need to do is have more conviction in the attacking part. I thought we dropped off the pace in the last twenty minutes at West Ham."
Injuries
"We’ve had a lot of operations at the club. Even the young players have had operations this year. It’s unusual but when you get these spells you just have to see it through. We have had strong squads over the years and we have always been able to cope with it. But the squad is not as strong as it has been so therefore it is something we will have to look at."
December deadline?
"When you get to the end of December you have a fair idea of how the formation of the league is taking place. You have a good idea of who is going to be challenging up there, and you know who is going to be in and around the relegation zone. But by the end of December I should Roy, Rio, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, they should all be back. I think we will see Manchester United show their colours. By the end of December we wanted to be in the frame."