Source: Daily_Mail
Champions again: Is this the greatest Manchester United team ever?
Manchester United have enjoyed ground-breaking success over the years, becoming the first English team to win the European Cup in 1968 and the first to clinch the Treble in 1999.
Now the extraordinary success of Sir Alex Ferguson's current champions raises the question of whether they are the greatest team ever assembled at Old Trafford.
JOE BERNSTEIN asked the people who know best - the great names from United's glory years, starting with the greatest of them all, Sir Bobby Charlton.
With his voice nearly hoarse from shouting and his eyes burning withpride and excitement, Sir Bobby Charlton abandoned his customaryrestraint to hail Manchester United's new champions as the greatestteam in the club's illustrious history - and the completion of a secondhat-trick of Premier League titles as Sir Alex Ferguson's mostremarkable achievement.
'Being part of Manchester United is the greatest ride in the world,'said Charlton, as Ferguson's team sealed the club's 11th Premier Leaguetitle in 16 years with a draw against Arsenal yesterday at OldTrafford.
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'This team are better than any we've ever had. Some of the football they play is fantastic. It is in the best Manchester United traditions. It has been hard playing three games a week at times, but we deserve to be champions.'
Charlton was part of two great United sides - the 1958 Busby Babes who were devastated by the Munich air crash and the 1968 side of George Best and Denis Law that was rebuilt by Sir Matt Busby to win the European Cup.
Charlton was captain that day but Law missed out on the Wembley final against Benfica because of injury.
The current United side have hauled their way back into the title race after starting the season in the bottom six and Charlton admits that it has been hard on the blood pressure.
'It is the way United play - adventurous,' he said. 'Sometimes when you are adventurous, you get caught. It drives you mad if you are involved in it. At times, you have to go to the brink.
'Sir Alex has followed on from Sir Matt, whose philosophy was always that you have to please the fans. He said United had to play attractive football, and Alex has continued it.'
What has impressed Charlton most is the way United's players have coped with an extraordinarily crowded fixture list. Flying to Japan to play three games in December in the FIFA Club World Cup led to a packed schedule on their return, made even more crowded by runs to the finals of the Champions League and Carling Cup, and the semifinals of the FA Cup.
'This season we have been to the other side of the world and had to play catch-up,' said Sir Bobby.
'It's hard when you are playing three games a week and you have to win every game. It is such a long slog. But the players have got there in the end and three titles in a row is amazing.'
Charlton believes that now Ferguson has equalled Liverpool's record of 18 league titles, he will not rest until he has passed it.
'Alex is the greatest of all time,' added Sir Bobby. 'His ambition keeps him going. He said when he arrived at Old Trafford that he was only interested in United being champions and that is the way it has always been. We have a statue of Sir Matt at Old Trafford. There will have to be one of Sir Alex one day. In fact, they might have to put up five or six!'
DAVID SADLER
1963-1973 335 appearances, 27 goals European Cup winner 1968
This is the greatest team ever. Nobody thought the Treble was possible in 1999, but this side have done even better because they have won the Carling Cup and become world champions in Japan as well.
Our European Cup winners in 1968 had that perfect blend between young and old, attacking and defensive.
Players are stronger and technically better now, but Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law would have been involved in today's United squad comfortably.
Alex Stepney and Peter Schmeichel were good enough as well.
STEVE BRUCE
1987-1996 414 appearances, 51 goals Double winner 1994
If this is the best United team ever, Alex Ferguson will want them to be even better next season. He will want to get past Liverpool's record of 18 titles now.
The celebrations will last half a day then he'll be ready to go again. I still maintain our '94 team would have taken on anyone over 90 minutes.
But the next year Paul Parker, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis left.
Rooney is 23, Ronaldo is 24 and if they can stay together, they will win so many trophies compared to our team that they would have to be ranked as the greatest.
BRYAN ROBSON
1981-1994 461 appearances, 99 goals Double winner 1994
This team are right up there with the very best Sir Alex has ever built. United can go anywhere in the world and win. They have tremendous pace, loads of energy and there is still enormous potential there.
When you look at players like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest, their best years are ahead of them. It's almost frightening to think what they could be capable of.
I played in some great United sides who didn't manage to be quite as successful as this one could be, but I'm proud of my time at the club and maybe playing a major part in the development of the squad that is there today.
RYAN GIGGS
1991-present 805 appearances, 148 goals Treble winner 1999
This year we have the best United team ever. But to talk of a great team, you need six or seven consecutive years of dominance. This side is good enough to do that because all our young players can improve.
I was there at the beginning, and it seems unbelievable that we've now won 11 Premier League titles.
The first one, we always thought, was going to be the hardest. Now we've got the winning mentality and that stems from the great man himself.
ANDREW COLE
1995-2001 275 appearances, 121 goals Treble winner 1999
This side can be the best ever - but they still have to beat Barcelona in the Champions League final to be considered above our 1999 side.
If they do that, they will have created history as the first team to defend the Champions League successfully.
Until then, you have to keep my '99 team as No1. A lot of our players, maybe most, could have played in this team.
Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are still there. But could Peter Schmeichel or Roy Keane get into the current side? Of course.
And did you ever see a better full-back than Denis Irwin, on the right or left?
The secret to our success was the team spirit, it was awesome. We had to fight every step of the way, but the spirit shone through.
ALEX STEPNEY
1966-1978 539 appearances, 2 goals European Cup winner1968
You have to say that this United side are top of the tree. Football progresses every decade; the 1999 side had a better squad than we did in 1968, and this squad is even better still.
Sir Alex has 25 top players to pick from, and don't forget that he has been without Owen Hargreaves and Wes Brown for most of the time and they and they were fantastic last season. It is incredible.
Of our 1968 team, you would certainly have to put Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best into the current line-up. All three were European Footballers of the Year after all!
NOBBY STILES
1959-1971 394 appearances, 19 goals European Cup winner1968
What people forget is in 1968 it was a team comprised entirely of homegrown players and we beat the best the Continent could offer.
Sir Alex Ferguson has adapted to the modern demands of football brilliantly. The large squad he has is necessary for modern football. Ours was about 15 players.
PADDY CRERAND
1963-1971 392 appearances, 15 goals European Cup winner 1968
Comparisons are pointless. This United team are the best in Britain and are capable of becoming the best in Europe.
There is no doubt four or five of our side would get into the present line-up.
But if you ask me how did I compare them or rate them, I would have to go back to something Fergie said when he was asked 'Is this your best team?' His answer was: 'I don't know.'
If he doesn't, who does?
