Manager's Column: Inter
Thursday, 12 March 09, 08:40 AM · Comments(0)
I’m sure this is going to be one of those nights that will live long in the mind, one of those special occasions that reflects the high drama and intensity of the UEFA Champions League.
I always feel highly privileged and fortunate to be involved in this kind of European night as we welcome Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan team to Old Trafford. We feel good about the game,
not only for the atmosphere I know it will generate, but also for our chances of getting through to the next round. Yes, I was disappointed we failed to score over there but we put up a good
performance, especially in the first half, and we will play with every confidence of winning the second leg.
We have come a long way since we played in the San Siro against AC Milan a couple of years ago and were swamped. There is a maturity in the side now that I thought made us look the better team
a fortnight ago. People said when we faced Barcelona in the semi-final last season that we might struggle after a goalless draw in the away leg, but on another of those fabulous European nights
Paul Scholes scored a marvellous goal to take us through.
We will need to pull out something special again tonight if we are to go through because we are up against a very experienced Italian outfit and a clever manager who will try harder than ever to thwart us. We have a good record in Europe at home, though, and our form is excellent. Things are going well with a very useful win at Newcastle last week to keep the League championship very much a realistic possibility. Their early goal galvanised Newcastle, and despite our great record at St James’ Park, any points you get there you have to earn. I thought we did just that. We didn’t panic and the maturity I have just spoken about enabled us to pull the game out of the fire.
The Newcastle crowd always make life difficult for visitors. They are quite inspirational, but happily, our lads matched them. Although they were tucked away up in the gods we heard them all night, reminding me of our support when we played in the FA Cup at Derby last month and setting the scene for another bout of fantastic encouragement at Fulham. That’s the kind of backing I am looking for this evening. There is no doubt that a surge of encouragement from the stands can make all the difference.
Incidentally, talking of support, full marks to the West Ham fans who bucked the trend of booing the return of former players. When we were there last month they applauded Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Carlos Tevez when their names were read out. I thought it was very refreshing and appreciative. So we came home from Newcastle with a seven-point lead in the title race and a game in hand. Everything is fine on that front and obviously the Carling Cup went well for us with victory at Wembley against Spurs.
I was delighted for the boys who underlined my faith in them. It’s not easy playing at Wembley in a Cup final. Experienced players can sometimes freeze because it’s an occasion that tests the nerves. For instance young Danny Welbeck got an early chance to score but you could almost hear him thinking, this is Wembley, I must make sure of this opportunity, and the slight hesitation saw him slip and miss the chance. But you can bet that the next time he will crack it first time, whatever the occasion, because he has knowledge of a big occasion under his belt. It’s a learning curve that young players like Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans and Nani have to go through, which is why I have been giving them their head in the Carling and FA Cups. I was just sorry that Rafael missed the final through injury.
The success of the youngsters gives us good backing as we enter a key phase of the season. A manager’s nightmare is finding that injuries suddenly force him to bring in an untested player for a vital match. That can’t happen at United because, happily, I can call on a squad that has experience in depth. I can make changes with every confidence from a pool of players who have all tasted the big-time and have grown up together.
With this reassuring knowledge in mind I was able to freshen up the team yet again for our FA Cup tie at Fulham at the weekend and there was a zip and zest about our perfomance on the way to a comfortable 4-0 win. As you would expect Fulham came at us strongly in the opening phases but once we had got over that we moved smoothly into top gear to earn an exciting semi-final tie against Everton. I thought Wayne Rooney was tremendous and I was even more pleased for Carlos Tevez who deservedly got man of the match. It was another excellent team display to add to my problem of picking the right team to play Inter tonight.
The main thing, though, is that we were able to maintain our momentum that, with your encouragement from the stands, I trust will see us sweep through to the last eight of the Champions League.
Like this blog? Help spread the word: 
-
leenshu
calicut, IN
Recent activities and news at Man Utd
