Tottenham are readying a summer move for Braga front-man Eder, after seeing their recent attempts to sign Leandro Damiao rebuffed, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
Spurs are believed to be in the market for forward options, with manager Andre Villas-Boas only possessing Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe for the latter stages of the club’s Premier League and Europa League campaigns.
They made a late offer on deadline day for long-term target Damiao, but a £17m proposal was knocked back by Internacional.
It was expected that the Londoners would return with another offer over the summer, but reports are circulating that they may scrap their pursuit of the 23-year-old.
One option AVB is thought to be considering is Eder of Braga, who has been in fine form for the Portuguese side this term.
The 22-year-old, who has netted nine times this season, is believed to be available for around £8m, a considerably lower sum than Damiao.
His buyout clause is thought to be £26m, but Braga would accept a much lower figure due to financial difficulties.
Eder has also attracted the attention of both Norwich and Swansea, but it’s likely that Spurs would be his favoured destination.
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Although he was born in Guinea-Bissau, the striker has represented Portugal at international level, winning four caps.
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has again pledged his future to the club, amid speculation of a move to Barcelona.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked with a transfer away from Merseyside in recent months, with the likes of Barca and Arsenal believed to be keen.
Despite claiming on multiple occasions that he has no desire to leave Anfield, rumours regarding his future have failed to disappear.
La Liga leaders Barcelona are said to see him as the ideal replacement for Victor Valdes, who is set to leave the club sooner rather than later, but Reina distanced himself from the speculation:
“I believe that is conjecture. It’s not in my hands and the rumour mill is part of this,” he is quoted by talkSPORT via AS.
“It’s a great club (Barcelona) but I’m happy at Liverpool.”
Reina has been some way off of his best this term for Liverpool, turning in a number of shaky performances earlier in the campaign, as the Reds struggled to adapt to new manager Brendan Rodgers’ playing style.
But, in recent times the stopper has upped his game, becoming one of the club’s most consistent performers.
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He has also talked of his positive relationship with Rodgers, hinting that his stay at the club will extend beyond this summer.
With little left to play for this season you can almost forgive Fulham for already having their feet firmly planted on the beach. The Cottagers haven’t won in the six games since beating QPR on April 1st to safeguard their Premier League status and are playing like a team that already has its mind on sipping sangria and dipping their toes in the Mediterranean. Although a top-half finish is still within reach they must end a goal drought that has yielded one goal in their last four games.
Reading can also approach the run-in free of pressure after their fate was sealed last week as relegation was finally confirmed following a goalless draw at home to QPR. That leaves the Royals playing purely for pride in their final three top-flight fixtures before they drop back into the Championship less than a year after achieving promotion. What their remaining games will give manager Nigel Adkins is an opportunity to assess his squad ahead of next season with the target a immediate return to the Premier League.
Team News
Fulham are without Mladen Petric (hamstring) and the suspended Steve Sidwell, but can call upon top scorer Dimitar Berbatov after he shook off a calf problem. Sascha Riether (ankle) is also available.
Hope Apkan (ankle) is hoping to feature for Reading while goalkeeper Adam Federici has also recovered from an ankle knock. A groin injury prevents Jimmy Kebe from playing.
What the managers said…
We will always find players like Mladen Petric or Hugo Rodallega. But, of course, it’s not easy. I think we had five new players in, so it’s not easy to settle. I’m satisfied we’ve got the points to be safe, although I’m a bit disappointed we couldn’t get more points in the last few weeks and gone even higher.” Martin Jol is already looking towards potential summer transfer targets for Fulham (Express)
“Anyone who knows me will tell you I want to win every game of football that we play in. The players have worked hard on the training ground, we’ve got over last week and there’s a hunger and desire to keep improving. We’ve got three games left in this campaign and we’ve got to do everything we can to give ourselves an opportunity to get that winning feeling again.” Nigel Adkins believes Reading need to regain that ‘winning feeling’ (readingfc.co.uk)
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Pre-match Statistic: Reading have tasted defeat in 11 of their previous 12 away matches, including the last five in a row.
Prediction: Fulham 2-0 Reading
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Although the Champions League has become by far the most efficient structure in the world of football for producing high-quality, high-stakes, highly entertaining fixtures that even the heights of the World Cup often fail to match, there is a sense of monopolisation about the European tournament.
For many years, the Premier League had the traditional top four of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, that was once dubbed by Alan Hansen as being unbreakable, and despite the fact the Merseyside club have been substituted for Manchester City, barring Everton and Tottenham sneaking over the qualifying line on a rare occurance, it seems that once again there is a power bloc at the summit of the English top flight that appears almost impossible to break.
[cat_link cat=”Liverpool” type=”tower”]
Although the Premier League will always be the most consistently competitive top tier division in European football, there is still a gulf in monetary terms and reputation between those finishing fourth place or higher, limiting the calibre of players clubs in the mini-league of teams just below are able to attract, weakening their chances to competitively improve.
But with news announced today that UEFA have confirmed their decision to allocate a spot in the continent’s most prestigious cup tournament for the winners of the Europa League from the year previous, we now have a small form of resistance to the cartels at the head of Europe’s top flights. The new rules will have a duel effect; firstly, as previously mentioned, giving smaller clubs a chance at breaking the barrier of Champions League qualification and reaping the financial, commercial and prestigious advantages that come with it, and secondly, it will make Europe’s second tier tournament a far more worthwhile competition.
It begs the question as to whether or not clubs like Liverpool should now be looking to make the best out of the Europa League, with the carrot of the promised land of club football at the end of it. It could well be the route that projects them back towards past glories, but at the same time, is it just another complication to an already hectic fixture list?
Although the reward for the Europa League may now be greater, it still does not change the fact it is an incredibly difficult competition to win, and there is a reason that there is an overall dislike for the tournament in England. Fulham’s fairytale run in the continent’s second tier during the 2008/2009 season may have left them with some fantastic nights that will live long in the memory of the fans, but getting to the final added a further 19 games to their campaign, with the after-effect being them sliding down the Premier League table and finishing up in 12th, having claimed 7th spot the year previous.
Alas, they had no silverware to show for their efforts abroad, and as Tottenham have found out this season, the tournament quickly becomes viewed as a pointless escapade upon one’s elimination. The added fixtures could well have been a factor in the North Londoners’ dip in form towards the business end of the season, that in effect allowed local rivals Arsenal to surpass them into Champions League qualification.
The fact is that the Premier League has become a far too intense competition in its own right for teams of a limited calibre in comparison to the top four to take the risk of committing fully to the Europa League. Final standings are often decided by a single point, as they have this season, or on goal difference, as they have in the past, but whereas the differences may be slight on a League table, the gulf in rewards between finishing up in fifth or fourth, or sixth or seventh, can often be enormous in terms of funding, commercial revenues and transfer policy.
This season, Brendan Rodgers dipped his toe in the proverbial water in regards to the Europa League, but quite rightly resisted the urge to fully commit, considering the limited strength of key departments of Liverpool’s roster. A lack of depth was undoubtedly the reason Newcastle have come unstuck this year, with the Magpies unable to successfully perform on two fronts, at one point compromising the maintenance of their Premier League status.
But will the added prize of Champions League football change perspectives of the Europa League in regards to next season? You can imagine that clubs might begin taking a serious interest as we approach March and February, but I still cannot foresee a dramatic change to the current practice of using bit-part players and youngsters in the earlier stages of the tournament
Overall, the cast of Europa League minnows, the likes of Young Boys, Hearts, and Gomel, whom Liverpool faced this season, are far too weak opposition to draw the big-name players and talismanic personnel, such as Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, to the starting Xi for second tier continental fixtures.
Then again, it will all depend on relative league position. For example, should the Reds find themselves in and around 7th place again next season, it would suggest that with Premier League safety assured – which may seem trivial for a club of Liverpool’s stature, but is in fact the first aim of every top flight club no matter their size or reputation – the Anfield club may as well take a hit in terms of domestic standing as the Europa League offers the best opportunity to qualify for the Champions League.
But should Brendan Rodgers find himself in fifth place, he will suddenly be presented with a selection headache. Should he decide to push for fourth, considering the size of Liverpool’s squad and its overall quality, it will have to come at the expense of the Europa League. And thus we have a new dynamic to European qualification that managers will have to evaluate correctly, else implode their own chances of Champions League football.
Being realistic however, I cannot see the Merseyside outfit caught up in the battle for fourth spot next season. They finish the current campaign 12 points being Arsenal, and although I expect they will be able to close the gap next year, there are still intrinsic problems in the squad that cannot be fully addressed in the summer, with Brendan Rodgers’ transfer budget limited to around the £30million mark.
Yet, they could easily find the Europa League equally as challenging. Overall, I would argue that Tottenham’s roster is blessed with more first team strength and depth than Liverpool’s, but despite specific impetus put on the competition by Andre Villas-Boas, Spurs still came up short, and in some ways it is a tad embarrassing to the second string tournament that Chelsea, last season’s Champions League winners, made it through the knock-out stages with incredible ease, only coming up against a team of similar calibre in the final, but still easily casting them aside to lift the Europa League trophy.
I am not suggesting winning the Europa League is out of Liverpool’s reach, but it will take all of their might and resources to claim the European title, and should there be a Champions League regular such as Chelsea or Benfica in the mix, it may well be too tall an order for them. Furthermore, it will undoubtedly compromise their league position, and it will become a delicate balancing act for Brendan Rodgers.
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Of course, if the risk pays off, the fans will not care where they end up in the Premier League on the final day of the season, but as previously stated, elimination from the tournament suddenly morphs it from the perspective of the fans as a complete waste of time, and losing in the latter stages or the final itself will hardly seem worth it if it comes at a cost of the Reds finishing up in the bottom half domestically – it could even lead to Rodgers’ position at the club coming under review.
Although I am a fan of the new rule, as it certainly adds some much needed incentive to the widely disliked Europa League, it does not in fact serve clubs of Liverpool’s stature particularly well. It becomes an either-or situation, and will cause hesitancy about whether to stick or twist, or what avenue to focus the Reds’ resources and talents on, with it almost certainly coming at the expense of the other.
Should Brendan Rodgers find his club in the latter stages of the Europa League, he will of course begin to pursue the title due to the rewards of Champions League qualification, but I would not expect to see any change in tactic of added importance from the perspective of the club any time soon, especially whilst the earlier rounds are rife with sub-quality teams from fringe European nations.
It does however present the opportunity for fairytale scenarios; clubs gaining a place in the Europa League through the FA Cup for example, and then going on to claim Champions League qualification in defiance of football’s natural hierarchy, or an even more extreme possibility – a club winning the Europa League only to be relegated, and thus find themselves playing Championship football and Champions League football in the same season.
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Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has told friends he wants to move to Barcelona, according to The Express.
The Argentine forward has been linked with a move away from last season’s Premier League runners-up, with Real Madrid and Barcelona the two teams reportedly interested in the striker.
While Aguero rejected talk of a move to Real, it seems he may have set his heart on a move to the Camp Nou, after reportedly telling his friends that he would like to move to Barcelona during this summer transfer window.
City are planning a major clear-out this summer, while making big changes with the signings of Fernandinho and Jesus Navas. The Citizens have also heavily been linked with moves for forward Pablo Osvaldo, Oscar Cardozo and La Liga star Alvaro Negredo.
This could open the door for Aguero to leave, if Barcelona made an offer of around £26million for the Argentine. The 25-year-old, who scored the goal that won the Premier League for City two seasons ago, could be leaving after just two seasons in England.
The former Atletico Madrid forward, who scored 12 league goals last season, could replace David Villa, who left the Camp Nou to join Aguero’s previous side.
Will Aguero be sold this summer? Would he do well at Barcelona?
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I think after this last week in football, you could certainly describe a large amount of Millwall fans as bipolar.
On the eve of the new season the optimism was high, some fans even tipping us for a outside chance of a top six finish, due to the new signings. Also, most fans were behind Lomas and willing to give him a chance as manager, but after losing the opening two league games of the season, the knives are out already…
Some fans are already calling for his head, and this is because basically “He’s West Ham”.
Some just want him gone so they can be proven right, that maybe he isn’t good enough, but surely he deserves the chance to prove himself?
It’s not great so far, but the team needs time to gel. Seven summer signings have been made by Lomas so for. So a large group of players who have to get used to playing with each other, but also a new manager means a new set of ideas and a new way of playing.
Compare this team to last year, we have a improvement in the squad that means that we really shouldn’t be going down, it’s only a matter of time before this team start to play well together.
They just have to learn from early season mistakes…
Like Richard Chaplow – I don’t see why he is put out on the left wing, unbalancing the whole midfield. It seems, certainly at Ipswich, that the game was mostly long ball to Morison upfront.
But to be honest, I’m not that worried. The team is full of Championship experience now and much higher quality players compared to last year.
I think the other teams around us yet to get off the mark should be more worried such as Charlton and Barnsley.
The players have had a couple of games together, but it’s still clear that Lomas does not know his best XI, or the best formation for the team.
Does he play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3?
What centre midfielders does he play?
Who will partner Beevers in central defence?
Saturdays game at home to Huddersfield is now the game that will hopefully kick start the season.
My team for Saturday would be:
Forde
Dunne Robinson Beevers Lowry
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Some might say that Manchester United’s victory over Arsenal on Sunday was very fortunate.
The Premier League leaders went to Old Trafford knowing that a victory could put the Gunners 11 points clear of their rivals. However, a sickness bug in the Arsenal hotel made players such as Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky unavailable for the match as the Gunners lost 1-0. Robin van Persie’s tenth goal of the season was enough to separate the two sides, as his powerful header went over the head of English left back Kieran Gibbs, who was standing on the line.
If Mertesacker was fit to play, some would argue that his height and presence would have prevented that goal from going in. So, this leads to the question: despite Arsenal being on top of the league, are they still vulnerable at the back?
Arsenal’s method for defending set pieces isn’t exactly the what most fans would like; the zonal marking system has shown marking a part of the box isn’t as effective as man marking. However, this time last season after 11 games, Arsenal were sitting in seventh place with only 16 points to their name, conceding 11 goals. Twelve months on, Arsenal sit top, nine points better off and having conceded one less goal, which is a massive improvement. But have the Arsenal backline learnt from their mistakes last season?
[cat_link cat=”arsenal” type=”list”]
In the games against Bayern Munich (first leg) and Blackburn in the European and FA Cup last season, the Arsenal players were so determined to win that they ended up losing both matches as they committed too many men forward. The goals which Bayern scored at the Emirates last season were diabolical, as Arsenal had so much space at the back exploited. A few days before the Bayern match, the Gunners were knocked out of the cup by Blackburn after the Gunners pushed everyone up for a corner, which lead to Colin Kazim-Richard’s winner. So, after these mistakes which cost Arsenal trophies, you would think that they would have learnt their lesson going into this season.
When you look at the opening day defeat to Aston Villa when Arsenal were 2-1 down, the Arsenal defenders were pushing so far forward for their equaliser that Villa went up the other end an scored.
With Laurent Koscielny off; Per Mertesacker, Bacary Sagna and Carl Jenkinson all went forward leaving Jack Wilshere as the last man, and he was still in Villa’s half. So when Villa went on the counter, everyone in the ground knew what the outcome was going to be.
Arsene Wenger’s philosophy at Arsenal is to attack, as that is the best form of defence, but despite winning eight of their first 11 league games this season, the Arsenal defence is still prone to mistakes which could be avoidable.
A few weeks ago when Arsenal took on Crystal Palace, Arsenal were winning 0-1 thanks to a Mikel Arteta penalty, and the Gunners were in control of the game. Arsenal looked comfortable and were shutting out the Palace attack with ease.
However, with twenty five minutes to go Arsenal get a corner and within 10 seconds, Palace are on the counter attack which leads to Mikel Arteta being sent off for hauling down his former teammate Marouane Chamakh. This gave Palace the edge and Arsenal had to rely on Wojciech Szczęsny on a number of occasions to keep Palace out.
The Arsenal defence is making mistakes which need to be avoided if they want to win the league. And it’s not like they have got bad defenders playing for them, it’s the fact that the Arsenal backline feel they need to make a bursting run or go up for every set piece when they should be playing it safe – after all, playing safe wins you titles. The Manchester United team of 2008/09 is the prime example of winning the league when playing safe, due to their low scoring victories and their mean defence.
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However, despite Arsenal’s occasional vulnerability at the back which has cost them games in the past, the Gunners backline have defended extremely well this season. Games against Tottenham, Liverpool, Sunderland and Swansea were all hard fought victories thanks to the Arsenal defence, as the likes of Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs fought like warriors to keep their opponents out.
If the Arsenal backline defend like they did in those four matches, the title could be going to the Emirates.
It’s a nervy time for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart right now. For any player, being dropped for league matches is unpleasant. But just six months before the World Cup, the former Shrewsbury shotstopper will be desperate to get himself back in the first team, and prove to Roy Hodgson that he is the best keeper in the country. Whilst Celtic shot stopper Fraser Forster can only prove himself in the SPL, after the club were knocked out of the Champions League, Hart will still be aware of the threat the Glasgow-based man brings.
It’s not new for England to go into an international tournament without a clear number 1. In 2010, Fabio Capello refused to name who out of David James, Joe Hart and Robert Green would start the opening game of their campaign against South Africa. Just a few hours before kick off, the Italian told Green that he would start against the Americans. It was a match that the then West Ham shot stopper would never forget.
5 minutes before half time, Clint Dempsey scuffed a long range shot that comfortably trickled to Green, who watched as the ball bounced through his limp hand and into the England net. It was a howler just 40 minutes into England’s World Cup campaign, and one that would go on to sum up their group stage efforts. England drew the game 1-1, and only just qualified for the last 16, finishing 2nd in the group. This would prove to be costly as they were then beaten 4-1 by Germany in the next round.
Green, who was supported by Capello in his post-match press conference, was dropped for England’s next game against Algeria, and that would be the end of his tournament. The Hammer wouldn’t feature again in South Africa, or indeed under Capello. Green has since played for England once, in a friendly in 2012, as his international career looks to have finished.
But can Hodgson allow Hart to fall into a similar trap? The City keeper has been full of mistakes over the last 18 months, leading to Manuel Pellegrini playing Costel Pantilimon in the Premier League ahead of the Englishman. But does Hodgson need to publically show his support for Hart, to try and rebuild the 26-year-old’s confidence? The public backing from the England manager, stating that Hart is the country’s best and will be his number 1 for the World Cup, could be everything the City keeper needs to hear, to help him get back to his best.
And is it only Hodgson that needs to start rebuilding Hart’s confidence? The press have repeatedly criticised Hart for his mistakes, more severely the more it happens. And whilst players often say they don’t read the papers, he will obviously be aware of how much media coverage his recent form has received, and the comments being said about him. Whilst it’s the job for journalists to write about this, is there a point where we must support our national players ahead of the tournament in Brazil?
Confidence in football is key. Players will play to their best when their spirits are high, and have belief in their ability. Where as players questioning themselves and thinking about their recent mistakes are always set to struggle to break their poor run of form. Whilst Green’s mistake was a one off error, like every keeper will experience, he had a lack of preparation ahead of the match, with Capello only naming him hours before kick off. With time to mentally prepare, and early support, Hart could be back to his best in Manaus. The City shot stopper needs to regain his confidence, and Hodgson, along with the press, can help restore the 26-year-old’s real ability.
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After last night’s dramatic events, it is the turn of Manchester United tonight in the Champions League to upset the odds against one of the great powerhouses of European football.
Many had written the Premier League Champions off after a season of disappointment which has seen them slump to 7th in the table on the back of a series of underwhelming performances. Contrast this to a Bayern Munich side that have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title at a canter and are playing some of the best football on the continent and you can see why there was such apprehension ahead of the tie.
United’s courageous 1-1 draw at Old Trafford has at least kept them in the tie, and regardless of the outcome they have at least fared better than most would have believed possible. But like so much of the season United’s hopes rest on the shoulders of a worrying few. The Champions are hardly blessed with a squad of all round quality, with the likes of Rooney and Van Persie carrying the burden for so many others.
This is the reason why the decision to play Wayne Rooney tonight is so controversial, United do not have a readymade replacement for him, certainly not of the same quality. The Englishman is set to play through the pain of a chipped toe thanks in part to a series of injections that United have sanctioned over the last few days. David Moyes ran the rule over the striker’s situation during his pre-match press conference:
“We think it’s OK because we wouldn’t do anything wrong. We take advice from our doctors.
“Everybody knows the character Wayne is. He is determined to play and if he is determined we’d be mad not to (play him).
“We’ve not had clarification on the injury yet.”
The cavalier approach that United have taken here is just symptomatic of how desperate they have become; without Wayne Rooney their hopes would fade fast. The Englishman has the tireless work rate to help nullify Bayern, but also the attacking menace to make United’s brief spells of possession really count.
This is all well and good for Manchester United, but is it not a little selfish heading into a World Cup?
Wayne Rooney may not feel a thing when he plays on that toe, but injections cannot help prevent 90 minutes of football further aggravating an injury of that nature. England fans will surely remember the injury that Rooney picked up on the same ground four years ago that blighted his campaign in South Africa so badly.
Is it really worth risking weeks of rehabilitation for one last 90-minute hurrah in Europe for United? United would probably argue that it is, they are effectively out of both the title and top four races, out of the domestic cups and so Europe remains their last opportunity for success. Rooney’s inclusion transforms what is a borderline impossibility into something that is achievable for United.
Of course it is selfish, but why should United care about England’s World Cup. The player is keen to play and even with the injection the likelihood is that he will recover and be fit well ahead of the summer. United are being perfectly reasonable, they pay the players wages and their interest’s come ahead of any international side as far as they are concerned.
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Roy Hodgson may be at pains to allow his star man to play through injury, but he is powerless and rightfully so when it comes to a game of this magnitude for Manchester United. There is supposedly nothing like representing your country at the World Cup, but I would imagine a Champions League Quarter Final against Bayern Munich comes in pretty close.
Manchester United aren’t under any obligation to rest Rooney and allow him to recover, from an England perspective you would want him wrapped up in cotton wool but that just isn’t going to happen. Rooney gives United an outside shot at causing an upset tonight, and I doubt many would be selfish enough to take that opportunity away from the club.
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Interim Manchester United manager Ryan Giggs will face a number of career-defining conundrums this summer.
After an incredible 24 campaigns in the Red Devils midfield, does the Welshman finally hang up his boots? Subsequently, should he continue down the coaching path laid out for him by higher powers at Old Trafford, with Giggs widely tipped to be announced assistant to the incoming Louis van Gaal and one day become the Dutchman’s successor? Or would he be better off forging his own career in the Premier League management racket?
Some of these decisions won’t be in Giggs’ hands. For starters, whether he continues to feature in every Premier League campaign to date will depend on the wishes of the next permanent United boss. Likewise, at this moment in time it remains unclear whether van Gaal will accept the Welsh icon as his assistant next season – it’s not as if the former Eredivise, Bundesliga, La Liga and Champions League winner will struggle for candidates to work as his No.2.
But Giggs will have some say over where he ends up next season, which in many ways is the most crucial question; does he request to stay within the Old Trafford framework, or does he cut his own apron strings, before one day coming home to roost?
Ending a 25 year spell so abruptly is never easy but the notion of doing so is already on the Welshman’s mind, as reported by the Daily Mail and Mirror Football. You can certainly understand that point of view; Giggs has worked under the greatest manager English football has ever seen and continually plied his trade with top players at the highest level – there isn’t too much to learn from van Gaal that he doesn’t already know, especially about the Premier League.
Likewise, the veteran winger’s niggling grievance under Moyes was his lack of influence on first team affairs. Being a manager that once pulled down his trousers in a half-time team-talk and said to his players ‘Do I look excited?’, van Gaal’s reputation as an incredibly particular and maverick figure is well-known, and the assumption is that he’s not the easiest man to work with. You can’t imagine him actively heeding the advice of a coach whose management career thus far consists of a 4-0 victory over Norwich City and a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.
He’s hardly the first manager with such a cavalier repute and in many ways that no-nonsense, self-assured demeanour is what’s made the Netherlands boss such a strong candidate for the United gig. One can certainly draw parallels in character to Sir Alex Ferguson.
But van Gaal’s frostiness could be amplified if he’s forced to take on Giggs as his assistant. Now forming the majority of the coaching staff at Old Trafford and even releasing their own hit documentary, the famous Class of ’92 are growing in power at Carrington and the Welshman is their leading unofficial figurehead. The last thing the 40 year-old wants to enter is a backroom battle for political power at Old Trafford, especially against a manager who has previously duelled with the dark forces behind the scenes at Bareclona and Bayern Munich.
Another problem clouds the horizon. It’s no secret that United’s ageing side needs to be dismantled ahead of next season, with the Premier League champions planning to spend around £200million on new players and the vast majority of the old guard expected to be sold or released. In many ways, van Gaal’s ultimate aim as Red Devils boss is to make drastic changes to the squad this summer and oversee it’s speedy transition throughout the course of the next campaign.
Giggs on the other hand, has significantly different ideas. He’s already urged United to offer 35 year-old Rio Ferdinand and 32 year-old Patrice Evra new deals rather than release them this summer, understandably so considering he’s played alongside the former defender for over a decade. I’m not questioning the 40 year-old’s professionalism, but it would be a tough start for both if Giggs and van Gaal immediately pose polar ideas on the future direction of the squad.
Should all these issues amalgamate, then Giggs will find himself more a puppet of the Old Trafford hierarchy than a genuine second-in-command. United’s plans to have the Welshman wait in the wings until van Gaal’s tenure is over is obvious. Bearing in mind the former Ajax boss is 62 and has already discussed the issue of retirement publicly, that may not be as far off as expected.
But what will Giggs be able to bring to the dugout without prior experience? David Moyes spent ten years at Everton learning his trade but lasted just eleven months at Carrington. Right now, we don’t know if Giggs has the quality to manage Barcelona or Bury.
The other option is and braving the world of Premier League management. That would certainly improve Giggs’ credentials for the United hot seat, should the midfield veteran go on to prove himself at a lesser club with completely different standards and aims. The toughest test for any player as talented as Giggs is being able to accept the failings of others and communicating his ideas to lesser-equipped players.
But English management is in a huge mess. We’ve reached the point where every Premier League chairman, upon making a new appointment, has to overlook the nature in which any given candidate lost his last job. There are exceptionally few top flight managers without a number of discerning black spots on their CV.
Steve McLaren, Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Steve Coppell, Paul Ince, Gordan Strachan and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are just a few examples of managers who worked under Ferguson and were once tipped to eventually succeed the Scot, but have since found themselves lost in the hire and fire culture of English football.
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In a nutshell, the opportunity to be fast-tracked as van Gaal’s No.2 and eventually be appointed United boss isn’t one Giggs will be offered again. Should he decide to forge his own path and not that already set out for him at Carrington, it could well be the last time the Welshman’s name is brought up in regards to the Red Devils post.
In many ways, it’s a catch-22 situation for Giggs. Working as van Gaal’s No.2 could leave him frustrated and eventually under-equipped when the time arrives to succeed him. Assistant manager or not, the Welshman would face the same weaknesses he does now in regards to the United post, namely a troubling lack of experience. Things may be running a lot smoother at Old Trafford by then, but there will still be little to suggest the 40 year-old is a manager capable of winning Premier League titles.
On the other hand, Premier League management is enduring as hostile an environment as it’s ever seen, and Giggs could quickly find himself engulfed in a world where the average tenure lasts just 1.4 years. Then again, if you can’t master the nuts and bolts of the trade, then you don’t deserve to manage a club of Manchester United’s magnitude.