fergie wants to match Liverpool

[liverbird04]

Fergie wants United to match Liverpool

Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged Manchester United to start making a dent in Liverpool's dominance of England's European successes.

 

It is

a source of irritation at Old Trafford that despite over a decade of domestic success, at a time when the Anfield trophy cabinet has been starved of the championship trophies, the men from Merseyside still boast a healthy advantage in the Champions League stakes.

 

Liverpool's comeback win over AC Milan in Istanbul two seasons ago was their fifth triumph in the competition, compared with United's two.

 

And, while Ferguson accepts serial winners Real Madrid and AC Milan are out of reach, he sees no reason why the Red Devils should not start rising up the European glory table.

 

"But when you look at the winners of the competition, yes, we could have done better," said the Scot.

 

"I exclude the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid who have been exceptional winners of it but other clubs like Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have won it four or five times, whereas we have only won it twice.

 

"I really think we should do better and hopefully, over the next few years, we will do that."

 

It has been suggested in some quarters that Ferguson's major ambition over the final years of his illustrious managerial career is to clinch a second European Cup triumph, cementing his place as the most prolific boss Britain has ever produced.

 

Yet Ferguson, who celebrated 20 years in the Old Trafford hot-seat earlier in the season, insists he would not regard his career as a failure if a repeat of the 1999 triumph proved elusive.

 

"I wouldn't look upon it as a failure in my life if we didn't win it again," he said.

 

"I should be satisfied and lucky to have achieved what I have.

 

"Football is an industry where you have to win all the time, particularly at a club like Manchester United, so the desire will always remain.

 

"But when I lock the key on the door of my football life, I will not be dissatisfied with what I have achieved."

 

Having won the European Cup is such extraordinary circumstances on that famous night at the Nou Camp eight years ago, Ferguson does admit he would like the chance to savour the moment a little bit more.

 

But the Scot is refusing to get hung up on the need for success even though, with his side currently six points clear in the Premiership, they have established themselves as one of the favourites to win a competition which has seen nothing but relative failure over the past three seasons.

 

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are certainly viewed as players well capable of playing starring roles on the biggest stage the club game has to offer.

 

Yet Ferguson is anxious to point out his is a side being built for the next half decade in mind, not the next three months.

 

"We have not built a team to win the European Cup, we have just tried to reconstruct one we knew was getting older," he said.

 

"The main issue at the moment is to be successful in our own country.

 

"It is difficult to say how long players like (Ryan) Giggs, (Paul) Scholes and (Gary) Neville can play at the very top but the younger players are the future. They are the ones who can stay together and grow for the next six or seven years.

 

"We expect and hope that our calculations are right about them and we have a big chance of winning things. Hopefully, the European Cup is one of them."

 

The first test of Ferguson's optimism comes on Tuesday night against a Lille side who stunned United by drawing at Old Trafford before beating them at the Stade de France last year.

 

Those two results, in which the Red Devils failed to score a single goal, did much to ensure a humiliating group stage exit for a side who have grown accustomed to reaching the last eight.

 

While Ferguson's team are in much better form this time around and, crucially, fully fit, the Scot accepts Lille have improved as well.

 

"Lille's progress has been fantastic," he said.

 

"When you look at this area, you see an industry and hard-working people.

 

"They are organised, aggressive and quick and will be tough to beat."

 

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...1929433,00.html

[fyds]

He should live so long...

[liverbird04]

just checking ,AC milan have only won it once more than us haven't they ?

[Ostrich Man]

even if it were the same amount hed make the same statement, hes manager of UTD.

[£440,000]

just checking ,AC milan have only won it once more than us haven't they ?

 

They have. Six times is apparently exceptional and five not.

 

[Guest Scot]

even if it were the same amount hed make the same statement, hes manager of UTD.

 

Ie: delusional and bitter

[Ostrich Man]

Ie: delusional and bitter

 

shouldve called youse a small team for a laugh.

[Guest Scot]

 

shouldve called youse a small team for a laugh.

 

Aye, we would have laughed at him

 

[Cobs]

now that he's a pensioner we should take pity on him and give him a free tour round the Anfield trophy room to see that European trophy he won 8 years ago, he can sit there and savour the moment as long as he likes....

[NWR]

Even when he dishes out credit to you lot, you get all pedantic.

[R A Softlad]

John Bishop put it best when he compared Paisley to Slur Alex. He said that it took Rafa one year to win the EC and whilst Fergie's won 1 in 20 years, he'd have to be manager of Man U for 60 years to match Paisley.

[NWR]

John Bishop put it best when he compared Paisley to Slur Alex. He said that it took Rafa one year to win the EC and whilst Fergie's won 1 in 20 years, he'd have to be manager of Man U for 60 years to match Paisley.

 

Yet most pundits and writers say he is the most successfull English manager ever.

 

Of course you lot will only quote Sir Alex haters, and a Scouse so called comic at that. No bitternes there then!.

 

Edited February 20, 2007 by N.W.R.Devil

[£440,000]

Yet most pundits and writers say he is the most successfull English manager ever.

 

Of course you lot will only quote Sir Alex haters, and a Scouse so called comic at that. No bitternes there then!.

 

 

I thought he was Scottish?

 

And they don't. I think most still agree Paisley is.

[Boca]

Yet most pundits and writers say he is the most successfull English manager ever.Of course you lot will only quote Sir Alex haters, and a Scouse so called comic at that. No bitternes there then!.

 

 

Well done for finally giving Paisley the title he deserves. It must have been hard coming from a manc.

[smithdown]

Yet most pundits and writers say he is the most successfull English manager ever.

 

 

 

 

You'll have to ban yourself from your top 20 forum for that.

[Stevie H]

Yet most pundits and writers say he is the most successfull English manager ever.

 

 

i think that three european cups in five seasons wins that debate.

[Gilps]

You'll have to ban yourself from your top 20 forum for that.

 

[Cliff M]

I heard his interview driving to work this morning. I don't like Taggart, but I concede he's certainly one of the most succesful managers Britain has ever produced, along with Bob Paisley.

 

His comments were complimentary towards us, and for that I'm not going to knock the man. We do get on his back when he plays his mind-games and winds us up, so a bit of credit to him for that.

[Ostrich Man]

I heard his interview driving to work this morning. I don't like Taggart, but I concede he's certainly one of the most succesful managers Britain has ever produced, along with Bob Paisley.

 

His comments were complimentary towards us, and for that I'm not going to knock the man. We do get on his back when he plays his mind-games and winds us up, so a bit of credit to him for that.

thatd be another banning.

[smithdown]

Bit arrogant though - can't think of any other European team whose manager or supporters regularly give it the 'we should have won more European Cups, honest, cos we are dead big and that'. We'd all laugh ourselves sick if everton, man city or spurs said something similar about their trophy rooms.

 

They are equal to Barca, that should please them.

[Cliff M]

thatd be another banning.

 

 

I don't go for this hate MU and all its fans crap. Too many good friends who support them. It's also incredibly narrow-minded and selective. Some good, some bad, like all clubs.

[Cobs]

They are equal to Barca, that should please them.

and Nottingham Forest

Edited February 20, 2007 by Cobs

[Guest Scot]

United's victories look like historical aberrations

[dorgie]

It is a source of great satisfaction to me that Djimi Traore has more Champions League medals than the combined total that Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona & Roy Keane possess

[hideNseek]

Milan win one more than us and there out of reach?

 

Suppose that means when we equal their haul this year we're out of reach too?

 

It is a source of great satisfaction to me that Djimi Traore has more Champions League medals than the combined total that Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona & Roy Keane possess

Didn't Keane get one as a squad member or something?