Consolidation of Ferguson’s fourth great Manchester United team may quickly pave the way for the fifth.
So that’s that – A draw at Blackburn was enough to ensure that United claimed Number 19, as has looked inevitable for most of the season. Yet on the eve of the famous overhaul of bragging rights to the most successful club in English football, and clarification that Ferguson has once again built not just an insatiable team, but a formidable squad, he may have to begin drawing up plans for the next one sooner rather than later.
It’s not that the same team couldn’t do it again next season. With the mercurial adaptation to English football of Javier Hernandez, scoring twenty goals in all competitions in his first year in England, and looking to be the signing of the season at a reported £6 million, there appears to be much potential for time to come. The rapid improvements too, in the abilities of Chris Smalling, Fabio and Rafael Da Silva have allowed Ferguson to play them, with confidence, in big games, when the likes of Ferdinand, Evra and O’Shea have had to sit out.
This too will please the United manager as at just 21 and 20 respectively, Smalling and the Da Silva twins seem to have very bright careers at Old Trafford. When combined with world class players such as Rooney and Vidic, the tireless Ji Sung Park, and the evergreen Giggs and Scholes, Ferguson could go on to win a thirteenth Premier League crown again next season.
The problem arises when future years are considered. The impending retirement of Edwin Van Der Sar, and filling the hole that the Dutchman leaves, is Ferguson’s biggest challenge in the summer. United experienced major problems replacing Peter Schmeichel and may encounter a similar worry if the right man isn’t signed during the early period of the window. If the squad is then consulted, uncertainty over some big name players of the past is highlighted. Paul Scholes, who isn’t the first team regular he used to be, still isn’t sure of whether to hang up his boots at the season close or not. The stalwart Ryan Giggs too, although displaying form and ability that continue to astonish, will not be around forever.
When you pair these two members of Ferguson’s “Golden Age” team with the uncertainty of the fitness of Rio Ferdinand and the obvious retirement of Van Der Sar, if Ferguson is to stay ahead of the game, as he has done on so many prior occasions, he must dip into the market this summer. He has been reluctant of late to spend big on overpriced players. However in losing so many old masters in the next few seasons it seems that his hand is now forced.
With speculation linking Wesley Sneijder, whose current team Inter Milan have had a disappointing campaign, Gareth Bale, who was crowned PFA Player of the Year in April, Alexis Sanchez and a whole host of big name Goalkeepers to Old Trafford in recent months, Ferguson could be well on the way to forging yet another successful team of Manchester United players in his already outstanding career.
It is not yet certain who the Manchester United manager will eventually bring in, or whether the team will reacquire the “Ronaldo factor” which Ferguson himself admitted was lacking during this campaign. Nevertheless with the blue side of Manchester looking to strengthen their squad for Champions League football and Chelsea too thinking of a reshuffle, if Ferguson is to sculpt a new team for a new era at Manchester United he will have to spend significantly to do so.
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Good Post, similar to mt thoughts from Saturday. he Ferdinand situation wouldnt concern me, i think Smalling is a ready made replacement and has been exceptional when used this year. he Keeper situation will be resolved early in the summer in my opinion and give the new guy a chance to ntegrate into the side. personally tghink it will be steklenberg, Van Der Sar knows him so well that if he thinks he is good enough Sir Alex should listen. Sneijder and possibly Lass Diarra as a squad player would also add some needed guile and strength to the team. If Ozil becomes available in the summer(post the sacking of Mourihno) i feel they must bid for him. He is the perfect fit for united. The Twins will continue to progress and added to Chicharito ,Rooney,Vidic, Nani and Valencia will form the nucleus of the next great team
Very interesting post. Agreed that Manchester united definitely need to bring in some new blood this summer, Sneijder, Bale and Sanchez all would be good shouts. But I agree in terms of helping the new blood develop. Smalling and the twins have come on leaps and bounds this year and it will be interesting to see if the promising talents such as Ravel Morrison or Joshua King can show their potential and break into the team in the coming years. I agree that Ferguson will need to spend though, interesting times for Manchester United