MAKING history requires strong men with strong characters — even when we are talking relatively trivial matters of football.
To stay in the Champions League, Manchester United need some very strong men.
Becoming the first British team to beat Porto at their home will clearly be no easy task.
Yet I loved how Alex Ferguson seized the moment on Tuesday night when looking ahead to his side’s mission, simply shrugging and saying: “We’ll just have to do it then, this club is good at firsts.”
United’s 2-2 draw with the Portuguese side will provide for a stern test of nerve and strength in the second leg, or else it is goodbye to Fergie’s dream of a third European Cup.
Fergie has the attitude and spirit to refuse to be beaten, as does his squad seemingly every week.
Cristiano Ronaldo has talent by the bucketload, he has breathtaking skill, amazing balance and is made for the big stage.
He has the look to suit glamorous big European nights under the floodlights and the reputation and aura of a man made to lap up the spotlight.
However, I don’t think I am alone in suggesting he did not live up to that billing against Porto.
It is impossible to ask a human being to be flawless every working day but I think the United fans are right to have expected a bit more from him in this game.
It was made-to-measure for him. Opponents from his home country, the world watching and United closing in on a semi-final place in the Champions League.
Ronaldo had the chance to take this game by the scruff of the neck and turn it on to show why he is currently the best footballer in the world — which I think he is.
But he was strangely quiet and, more importantly, his body language said a lot more than any words could.
Next week, it is a case of ... Ronaldo: Your club needs you.
If he can be excused a bad night, which is only fair, then next Wednesday Ronaldo has the opportunity to stamp his authority on Europe, to get United into the semi-finals and to reassert himself — and all in his own back yard.
Football is unforgiving. Fans are impatient and perhaps rightly so.
There is no way Fergie is doubting Ronaldo, it would be foolish for anyone to do that.
He is a class act. But what modern football demands with its relentless pressure and the quest for five trophies, is an unflinching drive and the ability to tough it out even on a bad night at the office.
I am not criticising the World Footballer of the Year and which manager wouldn’t jump at the chance to have Ronaldo in their team?
The problem is that he sets the bar so high. His standards are unique so when he does have a poor game it sticks out like a Man City fan in the Stretford End.
I am still confident we will have three English teams in the Champions League semi-finals.
Arsenal did ever so well getting a precious away goal at Villarreal.
And I believe United are perfectly capable of winning in Porto and getting through.
Ronaldo is every manager’s fantasy footballer. Next week in Portugal he needs to show why he is the stuff of dreams.
热刺主帅雷德克纳普认为,曼联想要成为第一支在波尔图主场赢球的英格兰球队难度颇大,在他看来,球队中的绝对核心C罗必须在巨龙球场有着更为出色的发挥,曼联才有望晋级欧冠下一轮。作为英超名帅,老雷德克纳普坚信,欧冠4强中英超会占据3席。
与波尔图的首回合比赛,曼联的防线并不稳固,21岁的伊文斯被媒体质疑,好在弗格森及时站出来为弟子说话,对于年轻的球员而言,鼓励往往比喝斥更管用。展望第二回合的比赛,老雷德克纳普点出了曼联的取胜之匙。“克里斯蒂亚诺-罗纳尔多的抗压性很强,他有令人吃惊的技术,梦幻般的平衡能力,他是为大赛而生。在媒体的聚光灯下他更具魅力。”
不可否认,C罗在首回合的比赛中发挥的确一般,在雷德克纳普看来,偶尔的低迷是可以原谅的,但前提是C罗必须在第二回合作出反应:“一个人不可能每周都是完美无暇的,我相信曼联的球迷有理由相信C罗在第二回合有更加出色的发挥。罗纳尔多有机会证明他为何是世界上最棒的球员,我认为他配得上这一荣誉,用行动作出证明,而不是言行。”
与曼联的其他球员相比,如今的C罗无疑承受着更大的压力,在雷德克纳普看来,C罗必须承受这样的压力:“他是个出类拔萃的人才,但是五冠王的目标面前,从事现代足球的运动员必须要抗压,坚持到底。现在的问题是,他设定的标准过高。在曼联球迷看来,一个对自己严格要求且给自己制定严格标准的球员,如果踢了一场很糟糕的比赛,跟一个混在西看台的曼城球迷没什么两样。”
作为英超老帅,雷德克纳普对于英超球队还是满怀信心。目前形势稍好的是阿森纳,曼联则由于本身的实力超群而被寄予厚望。雷德克纳普表示:“我仍旧坚信将有3支英超球队会师欧冠4强。阿森纳获得了宝贵的客场进球,我相信曼联也会在波尔图取得胜利。罗纳尔多是每个教练都梦寐以求的球员,他需要在下周作出证明。”
在波尔图的主场,曼联迄今的战绩仅为1平2负,打进1球却丢掉6球。2-2的比分意味着曼联最好在客场取得一场胜利。倘若曼联不幸被淘汰,这就再一次证明欧冠改制后,卫冕冠军难为面的魔咒依然存在。