Robin van Persie has received the Barclays Golden Boot after scoring 26 Premier League goals for Manchester United in 2012/13
“The pressure will always be there and he will have to win games and trophies. He will do that. People talk about Jose Mourinho being the Special One but the gaffer (David Moyes) has something special about him. He keeps producing. Every season at Everton people would say he was going to get stale and the club was going to finish in the bottom half but that never happened. He squeezes everything out of everyone. He was the best candidate, 100 per cent.”
“If Jose Mourinho came to Manchester United you would think, with his track record, that in maybe three seasons he would be gone. Manchester United are looking at the next 20 years. You can put him (Moyes) alongside any coach in the world for that job and he is the best candidate. There is no-one else they could have invested in who would offer the same longevity as the previous manager.”
- Phil Neville
“Ryan Giggs is amazing with what he is doing every time I see him. I am thinking: ‘Well, well. I could have done that as well but I don’t really think so!’. I think Sir Alex Ferguson managed him very well as a player of a certain age sometimes needs a rest at certain times. His skills are very important for United so he’s got a good mixture between playing and having a rest. I think that’s very important at United.”
- Jaap Stam
“Shinji Kagawa is one of the best players in the world and he now plays 20 minutes at Manchester United - on the left wing! My heart breaks. Really, I have tears in my eyes. Central midfield is Shinji’s best role. He’s an offensive midfielder with one of the best noses for goal I ever saw. But for most Japanese people it means more to play for Man United than Dortmund. We cried for 20 minutes, in each others’ arms, when he left.”
- Jurgen Klopp
“My whole life as an adult Alex Ferguson was coach of Manchester United. I only know this club wIth him as a coach. It’s unbelievable what he’s done. I never had the time, nor the possibility to go to Manchester United and watch training. I worked as a coach and never had the time to go see what others are doing.”
“It’s one of the biggest stories in the history of football. I don’t think anyone will ever do that again. He’s a great manager and really it’s not possible to do twice what he did there. Or something similar. I don’t know if I would like to do it myself.”
- Jurgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund manager
“I would love to emulate them. I would love to play on as long as possible. Watching Scholesy and Giggsy and the way they look after their bodies - they are true examples for young and old, and that’s what I want as well.”
- Robin van Persie
“He is unreal. He is still one of the quickest and fittest players in the world, and he is almost 40. When Gary (Neville), Nicky (Butt), me and David (Beckham) came into the set-up, we idolised him. In some ways, I still do. He could go on for as long as he likes. He’s in a league of his own.”
- Paul Scholes
“I love football, have done since I first started kicking a ball as a boy. But I am not interested in the things that go with it. For me, it is about the game, the pleasure of striking a ball. It is not about having my name up in lights.”
“I was pleased to retire when I did because I was overshadowed by bigger names bowing out at the same time. I got out under the radar.”
- Paul Scholes
Manchester United win the inaugural Barclays Under-21 Premier League title after a 3-2 comeback victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, and Sir Alex Ferguson is pleased:
“United always placed a great emphasis on youth long before I came. Sir Matt Busby started that, great era, fantastic teams, and took Manchester United into Europe, the first English club to do so. It’s always been there and I have tried to maintain that, though it is more difficult in the present climate - you have to scout abroad now but you are still looking for young people who can do well.”
“It has been overwhelming. The club did fantastic at the Swansea game, it was brilliant. And congratulations to West Brom with the way they handled it. In a way I’m glad it’s all over now because it was hard work. I think Steve Clarke (West Bromwich Albion manager) should get an award because anyone who scores five against United deserves it. It was the perfect send-off. Five each, everyone will remember that game that’s for sure.”
- Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson has been named the League Managers Association (LMA) Manager of the Year for a record fourth time
Sir Alex Ferguson has been presented with the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Season award after his 1500th and final match as Manchester United manager
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The contents of this blog do not reflect my personal views, but are opinions/statements from ManUtd.com.
