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Ferguson said about Heinze: “We’ve seen him playing in the Copa America as a centre-back, and that will obviously be a great option for me. But we see him in the position of left-back. He played there for Paris Saint Germain a lot last season, and that is the position we see him taking up in our team."
Where does John fit in now. Suppose you don't splash out £6.9 Million on someone to warm the bench(with the exception of Diego Forlan)
I think Ferguson see's O Shea as a utility player - covering whereever hes short. Cant see him nailing any position in the shortterm. Hopefully Ill be wrong
watch you language dont you mean luton? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by davros
Wouldn't worry about John O', if Man U don't want him anymore, there will be no shortage of top clubs who will want his services. He is not someone there is any need to worry about.
Silvestre is having a form crisis, Neville is past it, Rio might be off to Chelsea or Real Madrid and Wes Brown is usually injured.
It would have been stupid of Ferguson not to sign a defender, he was playing Keane at centreback for some matches last season.
I wouldn't worry about John O.
More from Ferguson below. It does worry me how little he seems to show trust John's ability. If Rio, Neville, Silvestre and seemingly Heinze are fit, they play. If Brown is fit he always gets the central defensive nod over O'shea. Even Keane gets the Central defensive nod over O'shea. It's not like they lacked people to play left back last season - Fortune, P.Neville, Silvestre can all play that position. O'shea has much more talent than Carragher but i hope his career doesn't suffer in the same way.
"I've had a few chats with the boy, he knows himself," Ferguson said.
"He's still only 23, very young for a defender. He has to maybe look at another position. He's a naturally right-footed player and could play centre midfield, centre back or right back maybe.
"He's very versatile, but he's suffered because of that. But he's a good type, and you always think with guys of decent character is that they find their way back. He's got years ahead of him."
If Silvestre is having a form crisis, it's coz he doesn't have a decent partner. Alongside Rio, they formed the best defence in Ingerland last year. And Rio isn't going anywhere, despite what the tabloids say.
Looks like the back 4 will be Gary Nev, Rio, Silvestre and the Argie.
JOS to contend with Brown and Co for subs bench. On the surface, doesn't look good.
But Rio is banned for the start of the season, Heinze is off to the Olympics and will time to settle when he gets back. Brown will break a bone in his foot while cutting his toenails.
Anyway, Ferguson likes to give players a rest from time to time, esp if they've played a lot of ball. Heinze just finished club football, went straight into the Copa thingy and then has the Olympics. He'll be shattered by the time he's moved to the UK.
O'Shea will play plenty of football this year, even though he's not automatic first choice.
The only time I worry about O'Shea is when he's playing in the centre of our defence. The guy looks good going forward but is a very shaky defender.Quote:
Originally Posted by carnstien
Quote:
Originally Posted by liamon
do you read The Sun!
Put it down to temporarily forgetting the guy's name and being too lazy to scroll down to find it.Quote:
Originally Posted by gustavo
Plus there is no guarantee that Heinze will settle well in Manchester. To be honest not many South Americans have really lived up to their billing when they arrive in England, there have been some successes but a lot of "So what was all the fuss about?" players.Quote:
Originally Posted by liamon
"The one thing very apparent in this situation is that here's a lad who may be denied an opportunity to get a career at Manchester United," fumed Ferguson.
"When I start the season I may have another left back because of this and he may never get a game. He may find it difficult to get in the team. At least Ronaldo has proved himself as a Manchester United player so we know where we stand with him. For Heinze the opportunity to start his career with us has now been taken away from him."
Nothing too thinly veiled about that threat!! I wonder is the other left back O'Shea, or if he is contemplating buying another left back. It also gives an insight into the pressure the Roy Keane was probably under, when trying to get his international career back on track
That's in reference to both Ronaldo and Heinze being called up for their countries at the olympics for the record. Looks like O'Shea will definitely play the first six to seven games, if he does well Heinze will find it hard to break into the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by macdermesser
And fair enough too IMO, they've both played international tournaments already this summer. Should exempt from the olympics players that have international caps, or at least limit the international tournaments a player can participate to one a summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiktok
If O'Shea is up to it he will be in the team, maybe not every week but he'll play.
People said he had a poor season last year but he actually made 44 appearances last season which if i'm corrcet was more than anyone else in the United Squad
Fortune spent most of last season injured, and was only ever an emergency option there when Ferguson was down to three senior defenders. Phil Neville spent most of last season in midfield, and Ferguson seemed to overlook him even when he was very short of defenders. Silvestre is a first-choice centre-half for them now. O'Shea is ahead of all three for the left-back place. Heinze has probably been brought in to oust him, but then, O'Shea was never seen as spending his career at left-back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bowsy
They've no cover at right-back, so he's now second choice for two positions, and Ferguson may give him a go in midfield if P. Neville, Butt and Keane struggle, beit with injuries or form.
Oooh, I dunno Macy. The Olympics would turn my head too if I was a young player. I guess the problem comes from superimposing the Olympic timetable over a well-established football calendar. FIFA have had enough problems with the Confederations Cup, never mind the world club championship. Whilst I understand and have sympathy for Alex Ferguson's plight, he has to - at least privately - understand his players' key drivers. After all, if he does, they'll come back even more motivated to perform for Manchester United.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macy
What a shame (for MUFC too) there's no united Ireland football team, eh? ;)
:D PP
Having watched Heinze play at the Copa America, he looks like a decent player but I think O'Shea is definitley a better left back than he is. Doesn't look that physical a player. I would rate him behind Silvestre and O'Shea as a left-back.
John O'Shea played the last fifteen minutes for United against Bayern Munich yesterday in Midfield, Roy Keane in a back three :eek:
Could be a sign of things to come if Ferguson's rumoured opinion of O'Shea's future as a defensive CM player is true.
That was a pretty young side, from what I read, with McShane (watch that name) and some other young centre-half partnering Keane in a three-man back line.Quote:
Originally Posted by tiktok