TheCity

Tag: Alex Ferguson

  • Stars of the Premier League

    Stars of the Premier League

    4-4-2

    Edwin Van Der Sar

    The big Dutch man was brilliant for Fulham and was even better for United.  Van Der Sar holds the record for clean sheets at United, a monumental achievement considering Peter Schmeichel was there for nine seasons.  VDS won five Premier Leagues, two League Cups, a Champion’s League and the Club World Cup whilst at Old Trafford, he also lost two Champions League finals to Barcelona in that period.

    Gary Neville

    The best right-back in the history of the European game.  A real tiger at the back, you didn’t go by Neville too easy. Eight Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, two Champions Leagues and two Club World Cups says enough really.   Neville played 85 times for England and also captained his boyhood club.

    gary neville. credit gary curran
    Gary Neville. Credit: Gary Curran

    Nemanja Vidic

    The rock that Manchester United’s recent success was built on, the Serb was a colossus for Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides in the mid naughty’s.  Vidic won five Premier Leagues, three League Cups and the Champion’s League with the red devils. Nearly 200 appearances for United, Vida is a machine.

    John Terry

    Passion, ability, courage and class all sum up JT.  The Chelsea skipper was one of three players that formed the nucleus of Jose Mourinho’s champions.  Terry has played 396 times for the Londoners and has won every single honour in England and Europe with the exception of a Super cup.

    Dennis Irwin

    ‘’Irwin was my best ever singing’’, and when Sir Alex says that you have to appreciate the magnitude of the statement, especially considering the calibre of player who played for Fergie.  With 368 appearances, Irwin was a pivotal in United’s catapult to the summit of English football.

    Gerrard in 2005. credit wiki.org
    Gerrard in 2005. credit wiki.org

    Steven Gerrard

    Wow. What a player. As a United fan it pains me to say it but wow. Gerrard is the greatest player of all time never to win the title, and not just in England, in the world.  The 2005 Champions league final and the 2006 FA cup final were his two finest hours. A real legend of the game.

    Paul ‘the best midfielder of his generation’ Scholes

    Words cannot describe Paul Scholes.  Pele, Zidane, Figo and Charlton have all talked of his genius.  The best player to have ever played with United, he has won every single honour in the club game on at least two occasions.  ‘’Paul Scholes is the best player that I have ever seen’’, says Ronaldo.

    Scholes. credit hennah
    Scholes. Credit Hennah.org

    Frank Lampard

    The second of Mourinho’s nucleus, a fantastic player with great box to box ability.  Chelsea’s all time goal scorer and the only midfielder in the top 10 all-time Premier league scorer’s.  Capped over 100 times for England, has won the league on three occasions and led Chelsea to their finest hour in Munich, in 2012.

    Frank Lampard. credid wiki.org
    Frank Lampard. credid wiki.org

    Ryan Giggs

    Giggs holds United’s record number of appearances and was a devastating winger. Today, although, the legs have gone he picks the passes from the middle of the park.  Every single honour both individually and collectively are to his name. Over 650 appearances for United Giggs is a wonderful ambassador for any kid.

    Alan Shearer

    260 goals in the premier league is a stat on its own.  Shearer was a one of the game’s real gems.  A title winner with Blackburn in 1995, Shearer played 612 times for club and country.  The Geordie icon doesn’t have the accolades that he deserved but he was still a legend.

    Didier Drogba

    The third of Mourinho’s nucleus, Drogba was a revolution to the premier league.  226 apperances and 100 goals for Chelsea make him one of the league’s best ever players.  Scored the equaliser and the winner as Chelsea won the champions league in 2012.  Three premier leagues, four FA cups, two league cups and 97 caps with the Ivory Coast. Enough said.

    Subs;

    Schmeichel (GK)

    Ashley Cole

    Steve Bruce

    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Thierry Henry

    Eric Cantona

    Robbie Fowler

  • The Moyes Effect

    The Moyes Effect

    Finished, end of their dominance, another Liverpool and an over achieving squad.  These were some of the comments we were led to believe were the future for Manchester United.

    The Red Devils are into the last eight of the League Cup, three points away from the last 16 of the Champions league and should they beat Arsenal tomorrow are only five points off the top with two-thirds of the league remaining.

    So why was the doomsday opinions offered? Why did people write of England’s most successful club?

    Sir Alex handpicked David Moyes, the man who has guided Everton to three fifth place finishes, one fourth place finish and saved the club from relegation in 2003/04.

    Moyes, the chosen one. credit wiki.org
    Moyes – the chosen one. credit wiki.org

    Considering the money available to Everton and its limited fan base, that’s pretty impressive by anyone’s standards.

    United were 8/1 to retain the title that they romped to in May. 11 points was the difference between first and second last term, how can so much change over 10 weeks?

    Should United beat the high flying Gunners on Sunday, nothing will have changed.  Traditionally United don’t assert themselves till early March.  A win at home this weekend and the Champions are back in touch and have played all the big sides.

    Moyes is getting to terms with his new staff and squad; he is adjusting from the 15th biggest job in English football to the Biggest.  The man needs time and will flourish once give it.

    Campion's, moyes has a great squad. credit wiki.org
    Champions – Moyes has a great squad. credit wiki.org

    Adan Januzaj, Wilfried Zaha and Alex Buttner are only some of the youth players at his disposal.  Rooney, van Persie, Carrick, De Gea and Vidic all brilliant players who are well established.

    It takes a brave man to write off a Scot, especially a Bhoy from Glasgow.

  • O’Shea’s swansong?

    O’Shea’s swansong?

    “What’s rare is wonderful!”- RTÉ commentator George Hamilton celebrating John O’Shea’s 27th minute goal which saw Ireland take a 2-1 lead against Kazakhstan in the final qualifying round match for World Cup 2014.

    Could O'Shea have made his last appearance for Ireland? [credit: eurocuppictures.com]
    Could O’Shea have made his last appearance for Ireland? [credit: eurocuppictures.com]
    That goal turned out to be the turning point of the match, a late own goal sealing the 3-1 victory in the final minutes. What Hamilton failed to mention was that O’Shea’s goal, his only competitive goal in a green shirt (he did score once before, against Australia in a 2003 friendly), was scored in what could very well be his last international match.

    By far and away the most successful Irish international in years, O’Shea is now 32, and with a new club manager and Sunderland in a less-than-enviable league position, this year looks like it will be anything but easy for the Waterford man.

    After breaking onto the scene at Manchester United (we all remember THAT nutmeg on Luis Figo), O’Shea established himself as the utility player in Alex Ferguson’s squad. Equally adept at playing anywhere across the back four, as a holding central midfielder (or even in goals), Johnno was partly a victim of his own adaptability.

    After finally nailing down a spot in the heart of defence at his new club, the last thing O’Shea will want is to see the Black Cats relegated. He may feel that, with an in-coming Ireland manager and youngsters like Ciaran Clarke and Shane Duffy waiting to make the step up, now may be the time to call a halt on his Ireland career.

    Many who play under Alex Ferguson tend to retire from the international game early, in an attempt to prolong their playing careers. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are just two of many who prioritised their club over their country, and looking at the ever-green United pair now it is hard to fault their choice.

    With Shay Given, Damien Duff and Kevin Kilbane already gone, Richard Dunne crippled with injuries and eager to cement his place at new club QPR, and with Robbie Keane nearing 34, O’Shea may feel that now is the right time to leave gracefully and let a new manager build his team with the long-term in mind.

    Dunne’s retirement, if O’Shea does decide to call it a day, would give the new boss a serious hole to fill in the middle of his defence. With Clarke still learning the ropes, and Shane Duffy far from the finished article, it would fall to the supporting cast to fill the void.

    Sean St Ledger would seem the obvious choice, but finding a partner for him wont be simple [credit: irishmirror.ie]
    Sean St Ledger would seem the obvious choice, but finding a partner for him wont be simple [credit: irishmirror.ie]
    While enough has been written on Paul McShane’s short-comings to fill several articles, he remains an integral part of the Ireland squad. With Darren O’Dea deemed unfit to serve in a poor Celtic team and now plying his trade in Toronto, Stephen Kelly a square peg in a round hole, and Damien Delaney nearly 33, it may indeed fall to the Hull City man to lead a new-look Ireland team into the Euro 2016 qualifiers.