Friendly face: Aalborg boss Rioch greets fellow Scot
Ferguson
It is not every Champions League match that sees one
manager turning up at a press conference seeking autographs. But
for Aalborg's Bruce Rioch, some opportunities are clearly too
tempting to pass up.
'I grew up watching the Busby Babes,' said Rioch. 'Wood,
Foulkes, Byrne, Colman, Jones, Edwards, Berry, Whelan, Taylor,
Viollet, Pegg. I have Sir Bobby Charlton's autobiography with me
here, I hope I can get it signed.'
One imagines that Rioch - former boss of Middlesbrough, Bolton
and Arsenal - will not have too much trouble securing Sir Bobby's
signature. But the 61-year-old's approach to Tuesday's clash with
Manchester United sums up a
meeting that represents something of a throwback to the days when
smaller continental clubs enjoyed much easier access to the old
European Cup.
There will be only 10,000 people in Energie-Nord Arena on
Tuesday evening, but Rioch warned: 'If we were to take a point off
them then it will be like an earthquake in here. 'This is the
biggest game in our history. To get to this stage of the Champions
League is a fantastic achievement. But to play Manchester United is
something else. This is a huge day for Danish football as a
whole.
'Everybody here knows Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos
Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov. There is a party that leaves these
shores every Saturday to go and watch Manchester United. 'I was the
same as anybody else when this group was drawn and we got Celtic
and Manchester United. I was buzzing, just like the town.'
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his players are used to the
clamour that tends to wait for them at most of their journeys into
Europe. Even by their standards, however, they have been
afforded deity-like status here. A welcoming party awaited them at
Aalborg airport before they were applauded into their town centre
hotel by staff and fellow guests.
City centre signs informed them: 'You are more than welcome
here' and Aalborg captain Thomas Augustinussen declared: 'This is
the biggest press conference I have ever been at. It's
amazing.'
Given that he has fallen out with the English written media
again, it is doubtful whether Ferguson shared Augustinussen's sense
of wonder when he followed the Aalborg representatives in to see
the press on Monday night.
Reunion: Ferguson (left) meets his former goalkeeper Peter
Schmeichel
Nevertheless, the Scot is aware of the dangers that Tuesday's
game could hold, especially in the light of United's 0-0 opening
draw against Spanish side Villarreal at Old Trafford a fortnight
ago. Two years ago Ferguson brought his squad to Denmark and
fielded a relatively weak side at Copenhagen. He will not make that
mistake again.
Ferguson continues to express his satisfaction with new striker
Dimitar Berbatov, but a goal or two from the Bulgarian would not go
amiss on Tuesday. He needs them and so do United. Even here in
Aalborg, reputations will only get you so far.
AALBORG (probable
4-1-4-1): Zaza; Bogelund, Olfers, Beauchamp, Pedersen;
Augustinussen; Curth, Johansson, Risgaard, Enevoldsen;
Saganowski.
MANCHESTER UNITED
(4-3-2-1): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo,
Scholes, O’Shea; Tevez, Rooney; Berbatov.
Referee: Olegario
Benquerenca (Portugal).
