14/5: Latest News …
Times: It will have come as little comfort to Neil Warnock, but Sir Alex Ferguson defended his team selection yesterday after West Ham United overcame a below-strength Manchester United at Old Trafford to preserve their Barclays Premiership status.
Having vowed before the match to pick “my strongest possible team”, Ferguson fielded only five players who could reasonably expect to start against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday and subsequently watched his side lose 1-0 on the day they paraded their first Premiership trophy for four years.
The decision drew an angry response from Warnock after West Ham’s victory consigned Sheffield United, who lost 2-1 to Wigan Athletic at Bramall Lane, to relegation, but Ferguson was unapologetic.
“It [the result] was a bit of a damp squib, but you have got to remember that the release of winning [the title] does affect you at times and there’s the Cup Final next week, but I think I played the right type of team,” the United manager said.
“In the first half it was a one horse race. They got the goal right at half-time, but we had four shots knocked off the line. I feel for Neil Warnock at this moment in time, but I think when he sees the stats from our game he will understand that we were very unlucky.”
Perhaps as much out of guilt as a desire to win the game, Ferguson threw on Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo in the 58th minute, but he believed that West Ham, who were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Luis Boa Morte appeared to upend John O’Shea, benefited from the fact that United had already won the title.
“It was the strongest team at the end and I thought it was a stonewall penalty and that can affect Sheffield United as much as it affects our performance,” Ferguson said. “We’ve won the league, the edge was off our game a little bit, but I think we had 25 strikes at goal so we did our best and I don’t think anyone could criticise us.”
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Daily Mail: Wayne Rooney has finally become a Premiership title winner - but the Manchester United striker wants the real party to begin with an FA Cup final victory at Wembley on Saturday.
After collecting just a single Carling Cup medal during his first two seasons at Old Trafford, the former Everton man was able to cast off the disappointment of a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham this afternoon to toast United’s championship success.
With 23 goals, Rooney has done more than most to secure the silverware Sir Alex Ferguson coveted more than any other this term.
But the 21-year-old accepts the job is only half done, with Chelsea lying in wait next weekend eager to shoot down the Red Devils’ double dreams.
“We will not go too far in our celebrations at winning the league because we want to win the double,” said Rooney.
However, the England star accepted that, after four years without the championship trophy, the Premiership was the number one priority.
“It was the target,” he said.
“We have had 38 really tough games and to finish on top after that is great.
“There is no better feeling. It is what the hard work is all about.
“It is a massive thing to win and hopefully we won’t have to wait another four years to do it again.”
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M.E.N: CRISTIANO Ronaldo set his sights on next season after a trophy-laden campaign with Manchester United.
The 22-year-old Portuguese was voted both the PFA player and young player of the Year last month, becoming the first player to land the double award since Andy Gray in 1977.
Last week he was voted footballer of the year by the Football Writers’ Association, and today he capped a memorable season by lifting the Barclays Premiership trophy at Old Trafford.
Although United lost today’s match against West Ham 1-0 - a result which ensures the east London club’s survival in English football’s top flight, Ronaldo said: “I am happy.
“This season’s been a great season, we’ve won the title and I’ve won a few trophies as an individual and I want to do that next year.”
He continued on Sky Sports News: “When you win the title everyone is happy - it’s an unbelievable atmosphere for the supporters and an amazing day for me.
“I’m not staying at this club because the people sing my name, it’s because I think they are best supporters in the world.
“It’s a great day for me, Manchester United and my family.
“My family have helped me through the difficult times. This is for my family as well.”
Meanwhile, bitter Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock took a swipe at Sir Alex Ferguson after his team were relegated on the final day of the season following a 2-1 home defeat by Wigan.
An angry Warnock told Sky Sports: “I thought Sir Alex would play a stronger team today and to see him celebrating on the pitch (after being presented with the Premiership trophy) leaves a bitter taste.
“You can blame everyone really can‘t you? What goes around comes around. I‘m looking forward to the (FA) Cup final and the Champions League final.”
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Sun: A NURSES’ hardship fund has raised £750,000 — after some of the Premiership’s best-paid stars pitched in with a day’s pay.
Arsenal captain Thierry Henry, Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and Man United winger Ryan Giggs are among players who contributed.
Top footballers can earn over £100,000 a week — compared to an average nurse’s salary of £21,000.
But six months ago fundraiser Dr Noreena Hertz knew no one in the world of football.
Now she has recruited 239 players to the May Day For Nurses campaign. She came up with the idea after helping organise Live8.
Noreena, 38, said: “Every single Premiership club is now on board and almost half of the players are giving up their pay today.”
The cash raised will go into a Royal College of Nursing fund for nurses who need money for things such as childcare or transport to work.
Managers including Terry Venables, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce and Martin O’Neill and former players such as Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Le Saux also took part.
And over 29,000 fans agreed to give up a day’s wages.
The entire squad at Watford gave up a day’s money — and nurses led out the team yesterday.
All the players for Fulham and West Ham’s first teams also paid up.
Reading had 27 contributors, Sheffield United 23, Blackburn 23, Bolton 22 and Spurs 20.
Worst were Chelsea — with no players donating, although the club did.
Middlesbrough also failed to cough up but boss Gareth Southgate did get out his chequebook.
Noreena’s next target is PM-in-waiting Gordon Brown
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Western Mail: SIR ALEX FERGUSON has spoken of the special new rapport between Manchester United and Wales over the handling of Ryan Giggs.
Ferguson thanked John Toshack (pictured below) for the way he has helped preserve Giggs’ legs in certain international games to ensure his career at the top level can be extended.
And he suggested Toshack’s way of doing things was behind Giggs suddenly turning up for so many Wales friendly matches these days.
Giggs’ previous failure to play in so many Wales games provoked fury here and led to many Welsh fans questioning his commitment and Ferguson’s role in the frequent absences.
But in two brief years under Toshack, Giggs has played in almost as many friendlies as he did under his previous Wales managers combined.
For the first time, he has turned up for an away friendly.
And he even travelled to Northern Ireland earlier this year as a non-player, something that has also never happened in the past.
Ferguson believes that Toshack’s method of doing things, where he has kept Giggs fresh by only playing him in certain matches, has been a huge factor in ensuring the player’s career can be extended for at least two more years.
The United boss argues that Giggs has looked after himself so well, he could go on actually playing for club and country until he is 40.
But for the time being, he guaranteed Giggs would be in his United team for the next two seasons at least.
Ferguson argues Wales’ handling of Giggs has been a pivotal factor in the player’s new zest at club level this season.
“John Toshack has been very accommodating and helpful in understanding Ryan’s situation and age,” said Ferguson.
“There’s good harmony between John and Ryan.
“When Ryan has needed a rest he has got one.
“I have not discussed it at all with Ryan.
“Provided he is happy with the situation, I am happy to go with it, too.”
From day one, Toshack stated it was in Wales’ best interests, as well as Giggs’, to only play his skipper for certain periods of non-competitive matches.
He has stuck by that policy.
For example, Toshack substituted Giggs at half-time in the glamour friendly against Brazil, even though he was the best player on the pitch.
He has given him half a game in other friendlies, while Toshack also took Giggs off in the competitive game against San Marino when Wales already had a 3-0 victory in the bag.
Toshack has always had an eye on the bigger picture surrounding Giggs’ career, rather than a short-term result.
And, according to Ferguson, it has paid off.
Giggs made the PFA Team of the Year and yesterday lifted the Premiership title at Old Trafford following Manchester United’s game against West Ham.
Giggs is also likely to skipper United for the first time at Wembley on Saturday in the big FA Cup showdown with Chelsea.
But his role at club level has changed, Ferguson explaining, “It will suit Ryan to be in a far more protected position from here on in.
“For 15 years, he’s been tramping up and down that touchline.
“There is no other player in the Premiership who has done that.
“They have either been shoved aside or folded. But Ryan has been amazing in terms of having the capacity to keep wanting to do it.
“There are times when we’ve helped him by giving him a rest, and Wales have done likewise. We’re grateful to John Toshack for that.”
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Reuters: Manchester United faces were wreathed in smiles as they finished the Premier League season at Old Trafford just as they had hoped — as champions.
Crowned the previous weekend and treated to a guard of honour by deposed champions Chelsea in midweek, United could afford to lose 1-0 to West Ham United on Sunday and still have manager Alex Ferguson describe it “a fantastic occasion.”
The result, which secured West Ham’s survival, was only United’s fifth defeat in a season which they ended with 89 points, six more than second-placed Chelsea. As an added bonus, United were widely credited with having played the best football — an accolade never given in the same measure to Chelsea last term.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who started as a hate figure for many after his World Cup spat with United team mate Wayne Rooney, was the architect of both the results and the swashbuckling style.
From the trademark step-overs that terrorised defenders to the finishing which has brought him 23 goals in all competitions, Ronaldo’s improvement since 2006 has been a revelation.
Many doubted he would even stay at United after his protests in England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat by Portugal were seen as contributing to Rooney’s red card for stamping.
Instead, he has had his best season yet, earning three Footballer of the Year awards, a championship medal and the chance of FA Cup glory in Saturday’s final with Chelsea at Wembley.
His rapport with Rooney, the subject of pre-season prophecies of daggers drawn at United’s Carrington training ground, was an unqualified success.
Rooney’s matching 23 goals were another very big part of United’s season, along with the less glamorous but no less important contribution from the defenders.
DEFENSIVE KEY
The defence marshalled by Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic helped win the title — and it was the same depleted department that lost it for Chelsea.
That the Blues even had a chance was down to Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, who finished as the Premier League’s top scorer with 20 goals and has scored 32 in total.
His efforts did much to offset the loss of long-term injury victim Joe Cole, the often-sidelined Arjen Robben and the minimal impact of 30-million-pound newcomer Andriy Shevchenko.
The problems surfaced mid-season as a long-term injury to goalkeeper Petr Cech, who suffered a fractured skull, and back surgery for skipper John Terry. “Everybody knows at the moment Chelsea cannot defend. I am the first person to know that,” coach Jose Mourinho said after a 2-2 home derby draw with Fulham on Dec 30.
“I need the best goalkeeper in the world back. I need the best central defender in the world back.”
The absences exposed a pre-season gamble of letting William Gallas go to Arsenal in a cash-swap for Ashley Cole and selling fellow centre half Robert Huth to Middlesbrough.
DIFFERING OPINIONS
They also led to a difference of opinion between Mourinho and Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who was not ready to recruit in the January transfer window.
That has led to prolonged speculation over Mourinho’s future at the club, despite a League Cup final win over Arsenal and Saturday’s date with United.
Outside the two-horse title race, Liverpool and Arsenal both paid the price for slow starts.
Liverpool, with a Champions League final against AC Milan on May 23 in Athens, won only four of their opening 10 games and their attack was never on a par with United or Chelsea.
Just one of their players, Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, was in the leading 21 league scorers for the season — with 12 goals.
Arsenal’s ambitions suffered a double whammy.
The move to the Emirates Stadium proved a handicap on the pitch while the loss of talismanic striker Thierry Henry and Dutch forward Robin van Persie to long-term injuries were even worse.
Further back, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Bolton Wanderers booked UEFA Cup places for next season, when Watford, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United will be in the second division.
