Schalke v Manchester United: Sir Alex Ferguson desperate to join Europe's ultra-elite
Sir Alex Ferguson’s glorious obsession with the European Cup is motivated by an “envious” feeling towards historic heavyweights like Real Madrid and Liverpool, clubs who have enjoyed far greater prominence than Manchester United in this illustrious competition. Ferguson wants his club to join the legends.
Ferguson is about to knock Liverpool off one perch, breaking their record for 18 English titles. How he would love one day to match the stitching into Liverpool’s shirts of five stars, each denoting a European Cup triumph.
United, echoing the feats of Barcelona and Inter Milan, currently boast three European Cups – behind the four of Bayern Munich and Ajax, the famous five of Liverpool, AC Milan’s magnificent seven and Madrid’s nine.
Those numbers, those stellar moments in European history, dominate Ferguson’s waking hours and probably his dreams too.
It is why he keeps on managing at 69, why he rested players against Everton in the Premier League last Saturday to keep them fresh for Tuesday night's tie with Schalke. In word and mood on Monday, Ferguson looked a man far, far, away from contemplating retirement.
He had a mission to fulfil, a challenge to meet. “My expectation has always been high in regards to the European scene,’’ he reflected on the eve of another Champions League semi-final.
“But we do get envious of the records of other clubs in Europe. We look at other teams’ records and we are trying to get parity with that.
"We look at clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool and we really need to progress quickly to get to that level.”
On Tuesday, in one of the most clamourous arenas on the European circuit, Ferguson steps out for a fourth semi-final in five seasons with his hunger as strong as ever.
A fourth European Cup for United would be a formidable achievement, as Barcelona or Real Madrid would lurk in the Wembley final, while Schalke deserve huge respect following their quarter-final destruction of Inter.
He has faith in his squad, relishing the strong mix of veteran campaigners like Edwin van der Sar and Ryan Giggs with the youthful promise of Rafael and Javier Hernández.
“The present group have enough experience now in Europe,’’ added Ferguson of United’s run over the past five years. “It’s where we should be.’’
United, though, often find German sides forming an insurmountable obstacle on the road through Europe, barring their epic “name on the trophy” comeback against Bayern in the 1999 final.
They have lost to Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 semi-finals, to Bayern in the 2001 quarter-finals, to Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 semi-final and Bayern in the quarters last season.
Ferguson attended the second leg of Schalke’s vanquishing of Inter, a 2-1 success adding to that astonishing 5-2 scoreline in San Siro.
“Even in the good spells that Inter had Schalke never looked like losing it,’’ Ferguson said.
“They have a self-determination, the German people, and it’s reflected in how they approach all sports.
"There’s a similarity with English people, though maybe more Scottish. The Germans have a determination like the Scots, although I’m very mellow now.”
A slight smile drifted across Ferguson’s face but it is hard to imagine him mellowing fully until some of the history books have been rewritten.
He believes this United team can become European champions. They have endured criticism this season yet shown a remarkable resilience.
“There is a great talent,’’ enthused Ferguson. “It’s a wee bit misguided with some of the criticism. We are disappointed with a lot of our games away from home but no one can point a finger at our home form, which has been absolutely sensational.
"In terms of the quality of the team, what you are seeing, as you did on Saturday again [with Hernández’s 84th-minute winner] it is that this team will not give in; absolutely no chance this team will ever give in. That’s a great quality.
“The most important thing has been the freshness that’s come into our team with players [returning] like Antonio Valencia and Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Ji-sung Park.
"Rio’s quality showed itself in the first game against Chelsea. He was absolutely immense.’’
Ferdinand, along with Nemanja Vidic, will need to be at their best to track the runs of Raúl, who has been majestic for Schalke in Europe.
Yet an intriguing sub-plot is woven into this first leg's drama; if Raúl, Jurado or Kyriakos Papadopoulos pick up a yellow card, they will be ruled out of next week’s return at Old Trafford. Even if Schalke steal a narrow win before their impassioned fans, a booking for Raúl would greatly weaken them.
United have nobody walking the disciplinary tightrope and are rightly deemed favourites to reach the May 28 showdown at Wembley, scene of their first European Cup victory in 1968.
Ferguson was focused solely on events in the Ruhr and then Old Trafford.
“You always get apprehensive at this stage of the competition. We have had that over the years when we played in the semi-finals against Juventus [in 1999].
"There was apprehension at home and we released that for the second leg.
"It was the same against Barcelona in the second leg [in 2008] — the last 20 minutes were agony. So you go through this gamut of emotions when you get to these semi-finals because they are never easy.”
That is why the prize is so precious. That is why United are so ravenous for a good result. That is why Ferguson did not bother watching the BBC’s film of Munich.
“I was out,’’ he replied. “I don’t think we need any TV programme to portray the history of our club. It’s been portrayed for a long, long time.”
The great dates of United’s history revolve around three European Cup triumphs. Ferguson wants more.
"We look at clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool and we really need to progress quickly to get to that level.”
On Tuesday, in one of the most clamourous arenas on the European circuit, Ferguson steps out for a fourth semi-final in five seasons with his hunger as strong as ever.
A fourth European Cup for United would be a formidable achievement, as Barcelona or Real Madrid would lurk in the Wembley final, while Schalke deserve huge respect following their quarter-final destruction of Inter.
He has faith in his squad, relishing the strong mix of veteran campaigners like Edwin van der Sar and Ryan Giggs with the youthful promise of Rafael and Javier Hernández.
“The present group have enough experience now in Europe,’’ added Ferguson of United’s run over the past five years. “It’s where we should be.’’
United, though, often find German sides forming an insurmountable obstacle on the road through Europe, barring their epic “name on the trophy” comeback against Bayern in the 1999 final.
They have lost to Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 semi-finals, to Bayern in the 2001 quarter-finals, to Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 semi-final and Bayern in the quarters last season.
Ferguson attended the second leg of Schalke’s vanquishing of Inter, a 2-1 success adding to that astonishing 5-2 scoreline in San Siro.
“Even in the good spells that Inter had Schalke never looked like losing it,’’ Ferguson said.
“They have a self-determination, the German people, and it’s reflected in how they approach all sports.
"There’s a similarity with English people, though maybe more Scottish. The Germans have a determination like the Scots, although I’m very mellow now.”
A slight smile drifted across Ferguson’s face but it is hard to imagine him mellowing fully until some of the history books have been rewritten.
He believes this United team can become European champions. They have endured criticism this season yet shown a remarkable resilience.
“There is a great talent,’’ enthused Ferguson. “It’s a wee bit misguided with some of the criticism. We are disappointed with a lot of our games away from home but no one can point a finger at our home form, which has been absolutely sensational.
"In terms of the quality of the team, what you are seeing, as you did on Saturday again [with Hernández’s 84th-minute winner] it is that this team will not give in; absolutely no chance this team will ever give in. That’s a great quality.
“The most important thing has been the freshness that’s come into our team with players [returning] like Antonio Valencia and Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Ji-sung Park.
"Rio’s quality showed itself in the first game against Chelsea. He was absolutely immense.’’
Ferdinand, along with Nemanja Vidic, will need to be at their best to track the runs of Raúl, who has been majestic for Schalke in Europe.
Yet an intriguing sub-plot is woven into this first leg's drama; if Raúl, Jurado or Kyriakos Papadopoulos pick up a yellow card, they will be ruled out of next week’s return at Old Trafford. Even if Schalke steal a narrow win before their impassioned fans, a booking for Raúl would greatly weaken them.
United have nobody walking the disciplinary tightrope and are rightly deemed favourites to reach the May 28 showdown at Wembley, scene of their first European Cup victory in 1968.
Ferguson was focused solely on events in the Ruhr and then Old Trafford.
“You always get apprehensive at this stage of the competition. We have had that over the years when we played in the semi-finals against Juventus [in 1999].
"There was apprehension at home and we released that for the second leg.
"It was the same against Barcelona in the second leg [in 2008] — the last 20 minutes were agony. So you go through this gamut of emotions when you get to these semi-finals because they are never easy.”
That is why the prize is so precious. That is why United are so ravenous for a good result. That is why Ferguson did not bother watching the BBC’s film of Munich.
“I was out,’’ he replied. “I don’t think we need any TV programme to portray the history of our club. It’s been portrayed for a long, long time.”
The great dates of United’s history revolve around three European Cup triumphs. Ferguson wants more.
No comments:
Post a Comment