Ferguson finds new kids to continue legacy
Reuters - Thursday 29 July 2010, 07:42
HOUSTON - Manchester United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson has achieved astonishing success with young players in
the past and his current squad show signs of being another
golden generation.
"We're good at developing young players with spirit, it's
always been a strong part of our club," Ferguson told reporters
after a youthful United team had beaten Major League Soccer's
'All Stars' 5-2 on Wednesday.
Whereas Ferguson's original set of kids, including David
Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, were
British, the current crop features a sprinkling of imports.
Alongside defender Jonny Evans, midfielders Tom Cleverley
and Darron Gibson and forward Danny Welbeck, Ferguson can turn
to 22-year-old Mexican Javier Hernandez and 18-year-old Italian
Federico Macheda.
The forward pair showed their quality with well-taken goals
- two for Macheda - in Wednesday's 5-2 friendly win over the
MLS XI.
Premier League rules restrict squads to 25 players this
season meaning some, such as Wellbeck and Mame Biram Diouf
could be loaned out to get further experience.
However, Macheda and Hernandez will be part of Ferguson's
first team attacking options.
The United manager has no doubt that the pair have what it
takes to be successful at Old Trafford.
"I need to keep Macheda and Hernandez, who just joined the
club, that's imperative. There's a purpose there in the way
they play their football," said Ferguson.
"It's not just talent. You don't play at our club with just
talent, you play with something, and they've got something
else. I'm pleased with that."
Hernandez's pace is an asset that the United manager is
keen to exploit but he says it remains to be seen what kind of
partnership he could strike up with Wayne Rooney.
"The one thing defenders always worry about is players with
speed. They always worry about the space behind them. Of
course, when you see his goal, it's an indication of that
speed.
"How the combination with Wayne will work, I think we need
to adjust a little bit to it because I think both could be
similar types of players.
"There are still little things to do but not a great deal
in terms of his technique and things like that. I think once he
gets used to our training, he'll be OK."
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