Manchester United fans should be demanding a preservation order
on Sir Alex Ferguson more so than believing their green and yellow
campaign against the Glazers will succeed.
Of course it is abhorrent to the fans that United have been
lumbered with so much debt, that Sir Alex hasn't got the kind of
transfer budget to compare with Chelsea and now Manchester City.
But the biggest dilemma for United is not who would replace the
Glazers as owners, but who can replace Sir Alex as manager?
Sir Alex has now collected his 32nd trophy and while possible
candidates are bandied about one of the most vital aspects of the
Glazers contentious Bond scheme prospectus was the warning over the
future of their manager. Although the United fans want the Glazers
out after nearly six years in charge, the trophies have not
stopped, and that is down to Sir Alex.
Irrespective of who owns United, and how much they spend, the
priority is the right manager. Invariably Sir Alex gets it right,
although everyone makes mistakes and he has made his fair amount in
the transfer market. But the most important signing United will
make this summer is Wayne Rooney on a long-term contract.
There are few more accomplished all-round forwards in world
football, and Glenn Hoddle told me that if he was picking a player
to do a job, then any manager would go for Rooney rather than the
flamboyance of someone like Kaka or Lionel Messi.
At Wembley, the United striker made the point again, with a
headed winner that used to be the hallmark of another great number
ten for United, Denis Law. Rooney has worked hard to improve his
heading ability and of the 12 goals he has amassed in his last nine
games, seven of the last eight have been with his head - and he
also hit the foot of the post with another header. Incredibly, he
had only scored four times with his head in his entire career
before the start of the season.
Inevitably so much that happens at the highest level from now
until the end of the season will be measured alongside England's
World Cup hopes.
Fabio Capello and Franco Baldini were pretty animated in the
Wembley stands when Michael Owen plundered the equaliser. For a
while, it seemed the body language from England's coaching team was
that Owen was playing himself back into their thinking.
Owen remains England's most experienced and prolific
international goalscorer, and he showed that class of finishing by
taking advantage of a lapse at the back by Villa, and his first
time strike had all the hallmarks of a player that England would
need in South Africa.
When he limped off having pulled up lame just before half-time
with yet another of his trademark hamstring injuries, it was a
tragic sight for both club and country as it has surely ruled him
out of Capello's plans for the summer.
Never quite sure that Owen was worth a risk, Capello has ignored
him throughout his tenure and would have needed something concrete
to change his mind; a run of goals, a sequence of first team starts
and staying clear of any serious injury worries.
Capello had no intention of taking a risk, and will feel
vindicated in this approach by the fact that Owen can never be sure
of avoiding another hamstring strain.
Only after Rooney took the field in place of Owen, Sir Alex
allowed it to be known that the real reason behind his decision was
the Rooney was suffering a touch of the after affects of flu.
Perhaps, someone should have told Rooney why he was benched, as he
seemed to think it was a slight niggle with his knee rather than
the sniffles, and he didn't seem to be reaching for a tissue after
the match.
Sir Alex is one of the more difficult managers to read as he
keeps certain information very close to his chest. Closer to the
truth is the need to rest Rooney. Capello won't be doing that back
at Wembley on Wednesday, unless injury prevents it, and Sir Alex
knows how difficult it is becoming to do without Rooney's rich vein
of goalscoring form, as well as his relentless work rate.
No doubt Sir Alex would advocate that Rooney takes a rest with
England, while Capello would love Sir Alex to allow Rooney to put
his feet up for a few games before the summer. No chance.
Rooney joined the action with the final all square. Referee Phil
Dowd awarded a penalty when he should also have sent off Nemanja
Vidic for bringing down Gabriel Agbonlahor, with James Milner
converting the spot kick. Owen equalised with the sort of goal that
would have kept Rooney on the bench had he not limped off.
Villa might, and I say only might, have had a better chance with
United down to ten men for most of the game. Martin O'Neill was
sure that it was would have given Villa the edge they needed to see
the game through.
Antonio Valencia earned Man of the Match for his assists, and
his crosses were perfection, but there is still no one more potent
that Rooney for club and indeed country.
Poor old Owen pointed out that this was his first real injury
the season, and others are "getting their knickers in a twist" over
his England future.
Rooney is the Player of the Season, let alone this Cup final,
and Capello's hopes of actually winning the World Cup rest solely
with him.
