Glory glory man united!!!!!!

Manchester united champion of england!!

Belle recompense pour une année tres dificile tout de meme!!

LE PRESIDENT ARRETE SA CARRIERE LA SEMAINE PROCHAINE . ...

clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap ! !!

Petit rappel :

" L. Blanc arrête sa carrière" ( "L´equipe.fr")

Le champion du monde et champion d´Europe, Laurent Blanc a confirmé ce dimanche sur le plateau de Stade 2 son départ à la retraite en fin de saison. Le défenseur avait déjà évoqué la fin de sa carrière il y a un mois sur la chaîne de télé du club.

=>Bravo M. Le President ; -)

oui y sera aller ds les plus grand clubs : Mu, Inter , Asse . .. y a kan allant a marseille ki c tromper il etait trop bon pour ce club

La suite des news cette apres-midi ; -)

Coveted winger Damien Duff will depart from Blackburn this summer and go to either Liverpool or Manchester United. ( Mail)

Ferguson : " Je n´ai jamais douté "

Alex Ferguson, l´entraîneur de Manchester United, sacré dimanche champion d´Angleterre grâce à la défaite d´Arsenal face à Leeds ( 2-3), a assuré n´avoir « jamais douté » de la possibilité de conquérir le titre.

« Je n´ai jamais douté de notre capacité à y arriver, a déclaré Ferguson, qui devient ainsi le manager le plus titré du football anglais. Quand vous êtes depuis longtemps avec un groupe de joueurs, vous apprenez à les connaître mais c´est vrai qu´après la défaite face à Manchester City ( NDLR : en novembre 3-1), je me suis demandé s´ils avaient encore suffisamment faim de victoires ». « C´est notre plus beau succès, nous avons montré de la persévérance et de la détermination, en même temps qu´une habileté naturelle, et nous n´avons jamais renoncé », a ajouté Sir Alex.

« Nous avions beaucoup de blessés en début de saison mais nous avons décidé de prendre notre mal en patience jusqu´à leur retour », a expliqué l´Ecossais, qui comme il l´avait annoncé, n´a pas regardé le match d´Arsenal à la télévision, préférant assister à l´anniversaire de son petit-fils.

« J´ai mis mon téléphone en marche à six heures, et un ami m´a appelé pour me dire que Leeds avait marqué et j´ai attendu nerveusement pendant les cinq dernières minutes », a encore raconté Ferguson.

L´entraîneur des Red devils se fixe maintenant pour objectif l´Europe. « Deux titres de C1 pour un club de notre taille, ce n´est pas assez, et la chose la plus importante pour moi, c´est désormais de remporter une nouvelle Ligue des champions », après le succès de 1999 et la victoire de 1968 dans l´ancienne Coupe des clubs champions.

( "L´equipe.fr")

=>QQ news.....^^

May 05, 2003

Surrender hurts Wenger
By Matt Dickinson
Arsenal 2 Leeds United 3

Thierry Henry is dejected after Arsenal´s extraordinary 3-2 defeat to Leeds

ARSENE WENGER WAS STILL arguing that his team is the best in the country last night and the sincerity in that conviction was why Arsenal’s surrender of the Barclaycard Premiership title to Manchester United was causing him so much pain. Letting the crown slip after the Double in 1998 was bad but this was far, far worse for the Highbury manager. “We were much closer this time,” he said. “We had it in our hands. If you look at the FA Cup and the championship, we are certainly the best team in England.”
He did not reflect for a second on yesterday’s chaotic defeat to Leeds United, which he regarded as incidental, but took his listeners back eight days to the trip to the Reebok Stadium. Leading 2-0 away to Bolton Wanderers, they were still in control of the championship but then came the injuries, the substitutions and the goals that left them knowing that the trophy had slipped out of their grasp.

“If we won at Bolton, we would certainly win the championship,” Wenger said. “It was very, very close. As close as that. Bolton was the turning point because we were 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go but lost three players in five minutes. Add the problems with Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell and, if you miss half your army, it is difficult.”

Wenger was prickly last night in anticipation of criticism that his team has underachieved and he was entitled to point out that “as long as it is a disaster to come second, then it is not too bad”. He will know, though, that weaknesses in his squad have been exposed by United’s charge over the past couple of months and by injuries and suspensions. Sol Campbell’s four-match ban for a clumsy elbow on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still rankles. “We will have to get Sol out of jail,” Wenger said.

Yesterday’s extraordinary defeat to Leeds encapsulated their defensive problems as Kolo Touré spent the game trying to work out what he was meant to do as Lauren’s deputy at right back while Oleg Luzhny was making some laughably bad judgments. If Igors Stepanovs cannot be trusted ahead of Luzhny, he must be a danger to Arsenal just sitting on the bench.

It was Luzhny’s introduction that started the panic against Bolton and it is an area that Wenger must address properly this summer. His claim that he bought Pascal Cygan for £2 million at a time that United spent £30 million on Rio Ferdinand may highlight the superior financial clout of his rivals but it is still not a convincing defence for buying average players.

Peter Reid deployed an 8-2 formation yesterday in which Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka were told to forage on their own while the rest of the team scrapped behind them, but the two Australians were still able to torment Arsenal’s wobbling back line. Kewell was in the sort of form that should persuade one of the leading clubs to take him off Leeds’s hands this summer. In the sixth minute, he chested down a long clearance from Jason Wilcox and struck a thunderous left-foot drive from 25 yards that fizzed across David Seaman and into the far corner. He could have had a second in a one-on-one against Seaman soon after and was a mesmerising presence throughout.

His early goal made for a wonderful afternoon of drama in which Arsenal, led by the indefatigable Ray Parlour, came back at Leeds in numbers if not with their usual poise. They were level after 31 minutes when Parlour’s drive from outside the area was tipped on to the post by Paul Robinson and Thierry Henry pounced for a poacher’s goal with his head.

It looked at half-time as if Arsenal would go on to victory but, four minutes after the restart, they were trailing again when Ian Harte’s free kick was deflected past Seaman off Ashley Cole’s brow. Highbury roared their team forward and, in the 64th minute, Dennis Bergkamp arrived at the near post to turn in a cross from Pires.

Cue pandemonium as Arsenal searched desperately for the winner, Henry striking defenders, a post and even his own team-mates as he peppered Robinson’s goals with shots form the edge of the penalty area. It was all becoming a little frantic and the storm blew itself out when Viduka struck on the counter-attack with two minutes of normal time and five minutes of stoppages left. He turned Luzhny, not for the first time, and tucked in the left foot shot that secured Leeds’s place in the Premiership and saved them from administration.

For Wenger, the championship had already been lost at Bolton a week earlier and he was not, in any case, going to either praise United or condemn his own players. “We won a championship once when we were 13 points behind them at one stage,” he said, in response to an accusation that his players had thrown away their advantage. “We have been unlucky because United have had easy games while we have played teams fighting to stay up.”

Asked if he regretted the confident predictions of early season, he was also pointed. “Why do people criticise when all I say is our ambitions?” he asked. That ambition is now reduced to the FA Cup Final on May 17, when Southampton might just fancy an upset.

Arsenal ( 4-4-2): D Seaman 7 — K Touré 5 ( sub: Kanu, 70min 4), O Luzhny 4, M Keown 5, A Cole 7 — S Wiltord 5 ( sub: J Pennant, 76), R Parlour 8, Gilberto 4, R Pires 5 ( sub: G van Bronckhorst, 80) — D Bergkamp 5, T Henry 7. Substitutes not used: S Taylor, I Stepanovs. Booked: Bergkamp, Keown. NEXT: Southampton ( h). FORM: LDWDDW

Leeds United ( 4-4-2): P Robinson 7 — D Mills 6, L Radebe 7, M Duberry 7, I Harte 6 — G Kelly 6, E Bakke 6, D Matteo 6, J Wilcox 6 — H Kewell 8 ( sub: S Johnson, 80), M Viduka 7. Substitutes not used: N Martyn, R Bravo, N Barmby, J Milner. Booked: Viduka. NEXT: Aston Villa ( h). FORM: WLWLDW

Shots on target: ( h) 19 ( a) 9. Fouls: ( h) 16 ( a) 16. Offsides: ( h) 2 ( a) 6

The decline

Although Arsenal played their finest football before Christmas, results nosedived after their visit to Ewood Park seven weeks ago.

0-2 v Blackburn ( a), March 15

2-1 v Everton ( h), March 23

1-1 v Aston Villa ( a), April 5

2-2 v Man Utd ( h), April 16

2-0 v Middlesbrough ( a), April 19

2-2 v Bolton ( a), April 26

2-3 v Leeds ( h), May 4

( "Times Online")

May 05, 2003

The story

Ferguson´s finest hour
By Matt Dickinson

SPEAK TO THE NEW CHAMPIONS of England and they do not say that the title was won at Old Trafford, Highbury, or sitting on their sofas at home yesterday while Arsenal surrendered. They will tell you that it was secured at Manchester United’s Carrington training complex on a Monday morning in February, when Sir Alex Ferguson gave the speech that was to propel them unstoppably to an eighth championship in 11 years.
It seems an age away now, but, to a man, the United players had turned up for work that day with an air of wearied resignation. The belief that they might catch Arsenal had been sucked from them 48 hours earlier, when they had clambered on to the team bus after a scrappy 1-1 lunchtime draw away to Bolton Wanderers and turned on the radio.

Only 20 minutes had gone of Arsenal’s game against Manchester City at Maine Road and Arsène Wenger’s cavaliers were 4-0 up on the ground where United had suffered one of their greatest humiliations in November. Across the airwaves came a eulogy to the champions of England, who had rediscovered all their swagger. When United’s players trooped off the bus an hour of silent contemplation later, they sensed that they would spend the rest of the campaign being tossed around in Arsenal’s wake.

Of Ferguson’s attributes, the ability to inspire his squad of millionaires and serial trophy-winners remains by far his greatest and the man who had intended to retire last summer must have sensed that the ability to light the fires within his players was being put to the test. Gathering them together at Carrington that Monday morning, he summoned a phrase that has become his mantra, his war cry over the closing months of an epic struggle between two of Europe’s most accomplished managers.

“This will be your finest championship, your greatest achievement,” he told his squad. First, though, they needed to “go out and get at Arsenal”. “I don’t just mean on the pitch, but in everything you say and do,” Ferguson said. “Put pressure on them and they will crack.”

For a man who hates his players so much as giving the time of day to the media, it was an unprecedented order to go out and spread the word that United were on a charge that cocky, triumphalist Arsenal would not be able to halt. And so it proved from that moment on as United lived up to their own boasts by winning eight of the next nine games in the Barclaycard Premiership. Arsenal felt the heat and, as injuries and suspensions took their toll, the confident façade began to melt.

Instead of dropping points in tough games against Liverpool and Newcastle United, United not only emerged victorious but also scored ten goals. At the same time, Wenger’s men began the collapse that amounted to a calamitous run of nine points from a possible 21 after yesterday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Leeds United. “You can’t deny a team when they put a run together like we did,” Ferguson said yesterday as he began the celebrations to mark the “greatest achievement by this team”.

The championship was a triumph of will as much as great football, which is why Ferguson regards it as his best yet. He likes the game to be played with adventure and, in Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy, he has had players near their peak for ten months.

The rest, though, have been fitful, with Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Fabien Barthez and the entire defence all enduring periods of crisis. It is the recovery from those slumps that has made this so special for Ferguson — as well, of course, as the thrill of putting Wenger in his place. “We never gave up, that’s what got us the title,” Ferguson said. “I knew they could take a challenge, although, after the defeat at Manchester City, we had to ask: ‘Are you still hungry enough?’ When you have a lot of young men who are very rich and have had a lot of success, you have to ask them that. I never doubted them.”

If Ferguson has been the inspiration for his players, Wenger has been the man who has reignited the drive in Ferguson. It is a mighty feat for the Frenchman to have constructed a side capable of pushing United so hard, given his comparatively limited resources, but he will have to concede that finishing second represents underachievement.

Arsenal were unplayable at times this season, destroying teams in the first quarter of matches with a panache that many thought might make them champions of Europe. But a squad that had looked so much better-balanced than United’s in the autumn has been revealed as uneven when injuries and suspensions have taken their toll. The flaws in the defence were exposed once again yesterday and the absence of Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell in recent games was more than they could bear.

Perhaps the championship can be summed up by the day the teams met at Old Trafford on December 7, when Arsenal held a six-point lead at kick-off and played like it was a cushion on which they could recline for the rest of the season. They should have gone for the kill against a United side that had Phil Neville and Juan Sebastián Verón in central midfield, but, with the exceptions of Ashley Cole and Vieira, left shrugging at a 2-0 defeat as if they could afford to throw three points away.

“You can never be sure in this league,” Ferguson said, but Arsenal were too certain of themselves. United, meanwhile, turned all those early doubts and recriminations into their greatest strength.

The Sequence

THE DEBATE ABOUT WHICH is the best English team in history — the Liverpool of the 1970s and 1980s or the Manchester United from the 1990s to the present day — is a common one, and their sequence of championship triumphs have an uncanny similarity. For 11 seasons United have matched what Liverpool achieved from 1976 onwards.

In both cases the clubs won two titles then missed out for a year, then collected two more championships before missing out one more time. They then gained three titles in a row, had one blip, but returned to secure an eighth crown in 11 years.

Should the records continue to remain the same, the good news for United’s bedraggled rivals is that only two more titles will go to Old Trafford over the next four seasons before more than a decade of drought begins.

Liverpool’s finishing positions in the league, starting with the 1975-76 season:

1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 5, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1

United’s finishing positions in the league, starting with the 1992-93 season:

1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1

BILL EDGAR

( "Times Online")

=> Premiership

May 05, 2003

United scale their Everest
By Simon Barnes

MANCHESTER UNITED WON THE Premiership yesterday and did so from an absolutely hopeless position of eight points adrift. It would be nice to think that this was all down to the legendary “mind games” of Sir Alex Ferguson — an extension of the myth that teams are a physical embodiment of the personality of the manager. But alas, the emperor has no clothes.
The one possible example of psychological warfare came when Arsenal were winning everything and Ferguson accused them of “triumphalism”. This was an odd choice of word, but perhaps it was a telling one. If triumphalism can be defined as thinking you are better than you really are, then this was not so much a mind game as hitting the nail squarely on the head.

All good teams have periods when it all seems just so easy. It is as if the team you play against are not so much opposition as willing accomplices in their own humiliation, a foil for your irresistible genius. And all teams go through periods when this period ends. The most dangerous period of all occurs when the magic period has ended and you haven’t actually noticed. After that, there is only one way to retrieve your position. You must go slumming into the sordid and disgusting parts of yourself.

Ferguson’s achievement this season has been to take his team into those hateful parts of themselves and to bring them out as champions. Like the men who climbed Everest by the least accessible route, they have done it the hard way. And in the end, this is much more satisfying — much more meaningful — than doing it by sheer brilliance.

Perhaps it helped that Juan Sebastián Verón was injured. Verón has been a problem for Ferguson since he was purchased at vast expense. As much if not more than mere winning, Ferguson likes to stuff it up opponents and critics. He loves to feel victimised, got at, unfairly treated. It is the shortest route he knows to those secret depths of yourself, the cornered rat department.

Ferguson has been mule-stubborn in his defence and his continued selection of the flawed Verón and that was a key problem in his failed campaign of the previous season. But at the telling part of this season, Verón has been out and Ferguson has had to fall back on his tried and trusted.

And, of course, Ruud van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy is unquestionably Ferguson’s greatest big-money buy. His courage to go back to the Holland striker after his cruciate injury was a piece of high-stakes gambling and it was Ferguson at his high-rolling best.

The stuffing it up will be a deep satisfaction to Ferguson and I write as one up whom it has been comprehensively stuffed. I recall Sebastian Coe’s celebration of his second Olympic gold medal: not a smiling lap of honour, but a mad-dog snarl of fury at the press. “Who says I’m ****ing finished?” he alliterated. We in the press never get enough credit for our powers of motivation.

And so Ferguson, who retired and then unretired, and heard it was all a great mistake, and then compounded it by winning nothing in his first season as an unretired person, has earned the right to rant and patronise and preen as much as he likes, at least for a week or so.

All right, it was a title that Arsenal lost. But they lost it mostly because they cracked under pressure. And who put the pressure on? Manchester United, that’s who. Not Ferguson with his mind games, but United with their increasingly vexatious habit of winning matches by wide margins.

Manchester United are still short of Ferguson’s most vaulting ambition — that is to say, to be among the natural elite of Europe, serial winners of the European Cup in the manner of Real Madrid or Ajax or ( best not mention this name in his presence) Liverpool. But domestically they are almost untouchable.

This was not a season when they ran away with it, like Michael Schumacher and the Ferraris. It was a season in which Arsenal proved themselves not quite good enough: and who else should knock them out of their pretensions? Ferguson kept his players from triumphalism, just as he kept them from a spiralling depression after their defeat in the European Cup. This was a victory of the hyena rather than the lion: a victory not so much of the top predator but of the most brutal scavenger. It was victory by klepto-parasitism: but the point is victory.

Last season, in another outbreak of so-called mind games, Ferguson said that Arsenal may have won the title, but that Manchester United played the prettier football. This season, there is no need for this or any other kind of psychology. Manchester United won. They won not by being the prettiest, but by being the best.

( "Times Online")

=>"No Goodison trophy ceremony - Everton"

Everton have claimed the Premier League trophy will not be presented to Manchester United at Goodison Park on Sunday. The Merseyside club believe Sir Alex Ferguson and his triumphant team will receive the trophy at a ceremony at Old Trafford this week. Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: " Our understanding always was that if the championship was decided before Sunday´s game, Manchester United would receive the trophy before they arrived at Goodison, and that is what will now happen. It will not be at our stadium."

=>"Viduka had me jumping about - Ruud "

Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted he celebrated Mark Viduka´s goal as if it was one of his own. Van Nistelrooy´s hat-trick against Charlton at Old Trafford on Saturday took his season´s tally to 43, but it was Viduka´s goal which sealed the Barclaycard Premiership title for Manchester United. It earned Leeds a 3-2 win at Highbury and eased the Elland Road club clear of the relegation dog-fight, but it also excited van Nistelrooy, who said: " I watched the ( Arsenal) game but it was really hard - so nerve-wracking and exciting. When Viduka scored I jumped up and down."

=>PETER KENYON VEUT GARDER BECKHAM.....^^

" Beckham stays at United - Kenyon "

Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon expects David Beckham to be at Old Trafford next season despite persistent reports linking him to Real Madrid. The Spanish side have denied any interest in signing the England captain unless he wants to leave the newly-crowned Premiership champions. And, asked if he believes Beckham will still be a United player for the title defence, Kenyon told BBC Radio 4´s Today programme: " Of course we do and I´m sure David feels the same."

" Best sends congratulations "

United legend George Best has paid tribute to Sir Alex Ferguson´s men - months after he wrote them off as also-rans.

Best was among the punits who said that Arsenal couldn´t be caught at the top of the table - but now he´s more than happy to eat his words.

" United were written off by so many including me," George said on Sky after Arsenal´s capitulation at home to Leeds.

" They were eight points adrift at one stage but they have showed amazing commitment.

" The football they played and the workrate of the so-called superstars has been amazing. These players become superstars because they work for each other.

" The goals they have scored...they have slaughtered teams and deserve what they have won."

Report by Simon Davies.

" Roy ecstatic at win "

Roy Keane has told ManUtd.com of his delight at winning the Premiership title once again.

Arsenal´s 3-2 defeat to Leeds United at Highbury on Sunday afternoon handed the Reds their eighth title in eleven years and fifteenth in all, and Keano is over the moon.

" I´m absolutely delighted," he told us after the final whistle went on the Gunners´ title charge in North London.

" I´m proud of all the team. I´d like to thank Sir Alex, Carlos, all the staff and all the supporters for their fantastic support this season.

" It´s been fantastic and I can´t believe it."

Report by Simon Davies.

=>"Fergie salutes title win"

Sir Alex Ferguson has told SkySports of his delight at his Manchester United side being crowned League Champions for the eighth time in his reign.

United´s 4-1 win over Charlton, coupled with Arsenal´s 3-2 defeat against Leeds, means that the Reds once again finish the season at the top of the tree. And Fergie couldn´t be happier.

Beaten a great side

" We were up against a terrific side but we showed perseverance, determination and a great ability never to give up. That´s what got us the title.

" We had to overcome injuries early in the season but we had to bit* the bullet and take the poison. I was surprised people had their doubts - I knew we would have all our main players back for the main part of the season."

Never doubted

" I never doubt Manchester United. I know their capabilities. When you are with a group for a long time you know them. I know they take a challenge.

" After losing to Manchester City I asked them if they were hungry enough. These are young men who are very rich. You must ask that question."

Great run of form

" We went on a fantastic run. You can´t deny teams in that spell.

" Four years ago we stuttered and Arsenal won the title. You can never be sure in this league."

Celebrating tonight

" I´ve got a few friends coming round to the house."

Champions League next

" Now we have to get the big one again. Winning it twice is not enough.

" We are not far away, believe me. Everyone was excited by the Real Madrid adventure. We want it again.

" It has become as important as anything you can think of in football."

=>L´interview de Sir Alex ds son ensemble...

" Fergie´s View: Champions!"

Sir Alex Ferguson spoke exclusively to ManUtd.com´s Adam Bostock on Sunday 4 May, less than an hour after United were crowned Premiership Champions 2002/03...

Congratulations Sir Alex. How does it feel to be champions again?

" It´s a fantastic feeling. It´s been a great triumph by the players, a great effort by them. They´ve shown determination, perseverance and ability. I think they´re the qualities that have won it for us."

How does this eighth Premiership title compare to the previous seven?

" Well the first one was always going to be the hardest for me personally because that opened the door for us. But this is the greatest achievement. To be so many points behind and come from so far off the pace to catch them on the line so to speak, it was marvellous."

What can you say about the style of play in recent weeks?

" Oh, it´s been unbelievable. Four goals against Liverpool, six against Newcastle, two down at Highbury, three against Blackburn Rovers, two down at Tottenham, four yesterday. Phew, what a run, it´s been absolutely magnificent."

What can you say about the players? The whole squad has played its part, but it´s hard to ignore the contribution of individuals such as Ruud van Nistelrooy.

" I´m very pleased for the players who´ve not won a trophy at United before. The players who´ve won their first league title, I´m really delighted for them. Ruud van Nistelrooy in particular. I think Ruud van Nistelrooy´s form has without question been the deciding factor. When a centre-forward like that scores the number of goals in the important games that he has, it has to be the difference between the two teams, I think."

The patience you showed when Ruud was out for a year has paid dividends now.

" Absolutely. I knew he was going to become a great player but I didn´t know quite how good he was going to become, I must say that, because he has surprised me almost every week."

Sir Alex answers Adam´s questions

This is Carlos Queiroz´s first season with the club. How would you assess his impact on this achievement?

" I think it was one of my best-ever decisions, bringing him to the club. He´s been absolutely outstanding. I´m really pleased for him. He´s been a real revelation and it´s been an eye-opener in terms of some of his preparation. He´s so professional, so determined, he has great initiative about him. I´m delighted for him and all the players as I´ve said. Players like Seba Veron and Diego Forlan who´ve not won a title with this club, I´m delighted for them."

What can you say about the supporters who´ve backed you all the way, even in the autumn when the pundits were writing you off?

" I think probably 99 per cent of the fans know me and trust me. They know I´m always going to do my best. I´ve always regarded them as part of Manchester United strongly and I´ve always looked upon them as that extra weapon when we´ve needed them. They´ve been fantastic. I´ve got to know so many of them over the years on personal terms and it makes it a little bit special when you know people personally because I know how much it means to them. I can think of them at this moment in time and say how pleased I am for them."

You´ve been in Arsene Wenger´s position before. How do you think he will be feeling today?

" I think when anyone loses a title which particularly was in their grasp for a long time, I think it will be a big disappointment to them. But the battle´s over. We expect them to be challengers next year and we look forward to that because I think from my own personal situation, I felt making that decision to not retire is the best decision I´ve probably made."

Does this success make the summer easier for you now? Can you afford to relax now and not look at the transfer market quite so intensely?

" Well I´m relaxing at this moment in time because it´s a great relief to be honest with you. But we´ve got to address the situation in terms of winning the European Cup. There´s no doubt about that. We´ve got some young players, some young defenders who´ve got to improve and will improve. When you assess our level of experience against, for instance, Juventus and Real Madrid, we don´t have that experience. We hope that develops to get to a level where we can win the European Cup again."

So there´s still plenty of hunger?

" Absolutely. No doubt about that."

Interview by Adam Bostock

" Kenyon says Becks stays"

United Chief Executive Peter Kenyon says that he´s sure David Beckham will be a United player next season.

The Reds chief told BBC Radio 4´s Today programme that he believes David will stay at Old Trafford, although there will be changes in the summer.

" Of course we do ( hope he stays) and I´m sure David feels the same," said Peter on Monday morning.

" It´s unfortunate for David and it´s not been good for the squad to have all this speculation.

" The squad will always need freshening up.

" What keeps us at the top is maintaining a squad that will keep us at the top."

And Kenyon was quick to give his congratulations to Sir Alex and the team, who won the title on Sunday afternoon without having to kick a ball.

" It´s a fabulous achievement and let´s offer congratulations to the manager and the team," Kenyon said.

" I followed it at home which was pretty nerve wracking."

Report by Simon Davies.

United reign, Becks off to Spain
Manchester United have won the Premiership title — but lost David Beckham. The Old Trafford club’s eighth championship in 11 seasons was confirmed yesterday. But Becks, 28, now seems certain to be heading for Spanish giants Real Madrid. He struggled to keep his emotions in check on Saturday as he made what is expected to be his last home appearance for United. And he seemed on the verge of TEARS as he left the pitch. United — eight points adrift in March — completed a remarkable comeback yesterday when rivals Arsenal lost to Leeds. The Red Devils paved the way with a 4-1 home win against Charlton just over 24 hours earlier. But despite the win Beckham’s walk from the field appeared tinged with sadness.
Neil Custis, The Sun

Brooklyn pitch ban tears
Little Brooklyn Beckham was left in tears after Sir Alex Ferguson banned him from the Old Trafford pitch for an end-of-season kickabout with dad David. But superstar Becks, 28, beat the last-minute ruling by leading him out AFTER Manchester United’s famous stadium had emptied. And the emotional father-and-son session was seen by some as a final farewell before the England skipper heads for Real Madrid in the summer. Speculation about Becks’s future was heightened yesterday as a newspaper reported he and wife Victoria, 29, have reserved a place for four-year-old Brooklyn at the poshest English school in the Spanish capital. Brooklyn and other United players’ children were stunned when boss Sir Alex barred them from taking the field after Saturday’s last home game of the season — a 4-1 Premiership win over Charlton. Traditionally the Red Devils stars parade with their kids on the pitch for an end-of-term farewell to the fans.
Chris Riches, The Sun

We proved you all wrong
Alex Ferguson celebrated Manchester United´s greatest title triumph last night and roared: We proved you all wrong! Ferguson and his team were written off three months ago as they stood eight points adrift of Arsenal. But the titans of Old Trafford fought back in style and have now collected their eighth Premiership crown in 11 seasons. Arsenal saw their last hopes of pipping Fergie´s kings shattered in a 3-2 Highbury defeat by lowly Leeds yesterday. Ferguson now wants his team´s triumph to fire another European Cup assault - though it will have to be without David Beckham, who looks certain to move on to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Neil Custis, The Sun

Ruud: I danced for joy
Ruud van Nistelrooy put himself through 90 minutes of torture before celebrating his first title with Manchester United. While boss Alex Ferguson was enjoying his grandson´s birthday party, Van Nistelrooy could not resist watching Arsenal´s defeat at home to Leeds. And the 43-goal Dutch ace went crazy when Mark Viduka fired in Leeds´ third and decisive goal. Van Nistelrooy said: " I watched the game, but it was really hard to watch - so nerve-wracking and exciting. When Viduka scored I danced around the living room! The five minutes of extra-time nearly killed me! I´m so overwhelmed. It´s unbelievable that we´ve won it."
Neil Custis and Shaun Custis, The Sun

King of mind games
Alex Ferguson turned this season around with a classic piece of psychology. Back in February he feared for the unity in his camp following successive league draws against Manchester City and Bolton and a Cup defeat to Arsenal. Off-field tales of Ryan Giggs taking up with the girlfriend of David Beckham´s best pal had caused a rift in the camp. Giggs´ form was faltering, Beckham looked unhappy and their friendship was suffering. Add the now infamous Fergie-Becks flying boot after the Arsenal defeat and all was not well. There were cracks in the empire - and the outside footballing world was loving it. So ahead of United´s daunting Champions League trip to Juventus, Ferguson decided to act. He decreed goal celebrations must involve every player, no matter who scored - an outward show of unity to emphasise United were not finished. How ironic, then, it should be Giggs who scored twice in a superb 3-0 win in Turin. Pundits and spectators alike were shocked to see Beckham the first to congratulate Giggs, followed by every United player including the goalkeeper. We have seen passionate celebrations from Ferguson´s troops ever since - and the new-found bonding soon showed itself in their performances.
Neil Custis, The Sun

Fergie is so crate-ful
Peter Reid pocketed a £500,000 bonus as reward for keeping Leeds in the Premiership. But he still reckons United boss Alex Ferguson should buy him a good bottle of wine. Stand-in Leeds manager Reid ended Arsenal´s dreams of retaining the title and made sure of Leeds´ top-flight status with a game to go. Reid looked ashen-faced and sounded hoarse after his team´s hard-fought win at Highbury. He said: " Fergie should send me a decent bottle of red. I´m hoping for a crate but, knowing Fergie as I do, it will probably be a bottle."
Pat Sheehan, The Sun

Alex is the Best ever
George Best has hailed Alex Ferguson as the greatest manager of all time for snatching the Premiership title from under Arsenal´s noses. Manchester United legend Best said: " As a manager you have to say he might be the greatest of all time after what he has achieved, not just at Old Trafford but also previously with Aberdeen. " United were written off by so many including me. They were eight points adrift at one stage but they have showed amazing commitment. The football they played and work-rate has been amazing." United and Arsenal legend Frank Stapleton said: " The best teams always win the league and that is what has happened this time. The Gunners showed mid-table form in the run-in." Former United and England skipper Bryan Robson said: " The mentality of Ferguson´s players has been spot on. United ground out results at the start but Arsenal haven´t done that lately."
Neil Custis, The Sun

Fergie: This is the sweetest title yet
Sir Alex Ferguson last night hailed his Manchester United " heroes" for their dramatic Premiership triumph over Arsenal - then challenged his players to recapture the European Cup. Arsenal´s 3-2 defeat to Leeds at Highbury handed United their eighth Premiership title in 11 years. But amid all the euphoria of United´s triumph, Fergie focused his attention on the next challenge and said: " This is our greatest achievement but now we have to get the big one again. By that I mean the European Cup. " Winning it twice is not enough for a club of this size. We´re not far away, believe me. We want it again and going out to Real Madrid has only made us more determined to be European champions again."
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror

Gr-eightest
Sir Alex Ferguson last night hailed his players´ " greatest achievement" after Manchester United became the Premiership Champions for the EIGHTH time. " This is a fantastic achievement by the players," said Fergie. " They´ve been up against a terrific side in Arsenal. They have deserved their success for their sheer perseverence and their determination, which is allied to the great ability they have."
Bill Thornton, Daily Star

Weng: We are still number 1
Arsene Wenger last night astonishingly claimed that Arsenal were still the best team in England. " I don´t think Manchester United were flying," said the Arsenal boss. " They were consistent and found a consistent defence, but their last two games were quite easy. We had difficult games, at Bolton and then again today."
David Woods, Daily Star

Rio thanks his pals
Rio Ferdinand yesterday thanked his former Leeds team-mates for the best present he´s ever had - a Premiership winner´s medal. The United defender said: " Today my old team have done us a favour. They have helped themselves and helped us as well. I couldn´t bear to watch it. I just kept nipping out of the room to keep an eye on the game. I came to United for this reason, to win Championships."
Bill Thornton, Daily Star

Why Beckham is vital for driving the Van on
It was delivered immaculately with David Beckham´s white boot and as the ball arched 40 yards to the waiting Ruud van Nistelrooy, it carried with it a message so profound that Sir Alex Ferguson could read it without his glasses. It said this is what you´ll be losing if you hold out the collection bowl to Real Madrid.
Steve Curry, Daily Mail

Winners
Sir Alex Ferguson savoured his sweetest title triumph - then immediately set his sights on bringing the European Cup back to Old Trafford. He said: " Manchester United have only won the European Cup twice in their history and that is not enough. That is what we are gauged on and we have to demand more of ourselves in that respect."
Richard Tanner, Daily Express

Fergie fire shows no sign of fading
The bad news for the rest of the Premiership is that Sir Alex Ferguson is as hungry as ever. And it would surprise no-one at Old Trafford if he decides to carry on in management beyond the two years left on his current deal.
Richard Tanner, Daily Express

Revealed: How Fergie won the title for United.. On February 22
The championship formalities were completed in a melancholy cocktail of sunshine and tears at Highbury yesterday afternoon. Sir Alex Ferguson, a proud grandfather and a proud manager, left his grandson´s birthday party early to give his victory speech dressed in a cosy pullover. But the fourth Premiership title of the 21st century was not lost when Arsenal succumbed to the relegation desperation of Leeds United in north London. If you listen to the players of Manchester United, it was decided instead on an outwardly innocuous winter´s day in the north west of England. It was just after three o´clock in the afternoon on February 22 when Sir Alex Ferguson and his team climbed disconsolately back on board their coach. They had just scraped a 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium in their midday kick-off match courtesy of a late, late equaliser from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They had been hoping they might draw level with Arsenal at the top of the Premiership that day but when the coach driver switched on the radio, their hearts sank.
Oliver Holt, Daily Mirror

" Ruud delighted "

Ruud van Nistelrooy has told ManUtd.com of his disbelief at claiming the Premiership title in his second season with the Reds.

The Dutchman´s 43 goals have helped United turn around their season after looking in the doldrums at the turn of the year. And he´s chuffed to bits to have claimed his first trophy in English football.

" It´s unbelievable that we´ve won it," he told us.

" We´ve all worked so hard and it´s a great feeling, especially after the bad position we were in. The way we won it is unbelievable."

Ruud revealed that, unlike the manager, he was glued to the television as the Gunners took on Leeds - and the experience has taken its toll!

" I watched the game, but it was really hard to watch - so nerve-wracking and exciting. When Viduka scored I jumped up and down!

" The five minutes of extra time nearly killed me! I´m so overwhelmed.".

Report by Simon Davies.