Clouds were gathering at the start of this season with the departures of Ronaldo and Carlos “cough” mercenary “cough” Tevez. The Guardian predicted United would finish sixth and this very correspondent said that four in a row would be too much to ask. Michael Owen’s signing had gone down like a turd sandwich and many of us entered the campaign with fears it may be a season of damage limitation.
The club’s ownership is now in the hands of people more powerful than I and all I can do from here is hope that the right thing plays out. In the cold light of day we, the supporters, still need the club, that is the ultimate bargaining chip. At the moment it is a chip the Glazers still hold. Absurd as it is, we need to endanger the club in order to save it, that is some kind of crazy surgery, it makes me weep.
On the field, it is difficult to describe how much joy I derived from our fixtures against City this year. Gary Cook performed the impossible feat of making victory over the neighbours even more enjoyable and with two last-minute winners in the league games we could not ask for more. They were truly cracking matches as well, but being smug about it would be foolish. This is certainly the best City team for thirty odd years and they will probably achieve something soon.
Why oh why can I not like Michael Owen? There is no doubt he is a tremendous striker with liquid nitrogen for blood and better positioning than Stephen Hendry on a 147. He scored the winner against City, plopped in a hat-trick in the European Cup and scored in a victorious cup final. But nope, still not a major fan. I think he is valuable as a squad player for the coming season but I can’t imagine a situation where I’ll sing his name. Bizarre, probably more my problem than his I suppose.
There are differences between this year’s crop and the great teams of the past, a lack of regular right-back and solid back up striker being the most obvious. But it was the return to wing play this season that really puts a smile on my face. Valencia has been little short of tremendous and at 23 will only improve. Nani also upped his performance levels but too often seems to want to finish games deserving both the ballon d’or and a punch in the face. This was the last year when immaturity can be used as an excuse, I hope he knows that.
The stories I hear about Kiko Macheda are equally worrying. I have no idea how you explain to an 18 year old millionaire how to focus on their job and stop mucking around. No wonder Fergie adopts an air of fearsome anger, it is a miracle he can get them out of bed in the morning and eating their greens if you ask me.
At the back Rio and Vidic took turns on the treatment table while everybody else in the squad took turns and centre-back. Tremendous credit must go to Fletcher, Carrick and Johnny Evans for filling in. We still had the best defence in the league which is a sturdy achievement. Evra was superb all season long and despite what everybody says about Cashley Cole he is, for my money, the best left-back in the world. VDS swatted aside the young pretenders and showed true class between the sticks. Young Ben did not stand up to the challenge.
Rooney, quite simply, proved that he is a direct descendent of God. He has been awesome this season but we leant on him too heavily. When he went down in Munich so did the hearts of Reds around the world. Twas Berbatov we needed to step up and step up he did not. The Bulgar’s performances were often good but not good enough when it mattered. In this I see the lesson that splurging cash on a big name will not solve our problems.
You would have be some kind of embittered bog-lizard to look upon a league table at season’s end and find cheer in the troubles of your rivals. We are not champions, simple as that, the fact City and Liverpool are not either is merely a relief, not a cause for celebration.
Glory is not obtained by nice people, simply because they don’t really want it, yet in Carlo Ancellotti Chelsea have a manager who is not entirely repugnant. The same cannot be said for their team.
So now for the World Cup. I hope for two things, firstly that no United players pick up long-term injuries and secondly that we don’t end up foolishly buying someone on the strength of one good showing in an international tournament. The name Karel Poborsky still brings a tear to my eye. I wonder what Cristiano Ronaldo is thinking about the season gone by.
Player of the season: Wayne Rooney
Have a great summer and thanks for all your comments and support throughout the year. I shall be posting over the coming months about the tournament in South Africa and any other United stuff that tickles my fancy.
50 odd days between postings is too long!!!!!!!!!!!!