Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Fergie's 'arogance' warning
SIR Alex Ferguson has warned his troops about the dangers of arrogance. Fergie, whose ambition remains undiminished as United chase their 19th league title, said: "Don't ever think you are above a challenge. "It's not right. Arrogance is not a quality, it's a hinderance to success." The United boss, who needs to fire up the Reds for a tricky league match against West Ham Tuesday and Sunday's Carling Cup final still has the prospect of leading his world-beaters to their third Champions League final on the trot. He knows, like England, that Wayne Rooney is pivotal to his constant drive for success - even if it is set against the backdrop of the fans' opposition to the Glazers' ownership and their growing debt. Luckily, Roo's recent form and impressive goal tally this season has more than compensated for the pre-season sale of to real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo for £80m.[LNB] "The only reason Ronaldo was sold, was because the boy fervently wanted to leave," said Fergie. Experience "I got a text from him last week saying `I miss you so much'. I'd texted him to say happy birthday. He was 24. And he said he missed me, and `thanks for all the kind things you're saying about me'. You appreciate things like that. "I did well to keep him for another year. When we sat down, you could see it in his eyes. "He said: `Boss, I just want to play for Real Madrid, it's nothing against Manchester United. I'm going to go because it's an experience for me.' "He played that extra season, did fantastically for us and after the Champions League final came to me and said: `Boss I want to leave. `I said: `Right, you've done another year let me consider it.' The next day an offer came in for £80m." With 11 league games of the season remaining, it now looks unlikely United will get to the 90-point mark that has tended to be required to clinch the championship in recent times. Fergie said: "Saturday was a bad result for us and at this time of the year you can't afford results like that, but I don't think we will panic because it has been a funny season. "Teams have been losing points that you don't expect so the very nature of the league suggests we still have a chance. But tomorrow is a massive game now." Fergie was at a loss to understand why his side performed so poorly, failing to force Tim Howard into a significant save once Diniyar Bilyaletdinov had levelled just two minutes after Berbatov's opener. Although United controlled the game for long spells, Everton were more incisive and it was no real surprise when Dan Gosling bundled David Moyes' team in front. "We had some good chances early on and we could have been two or three up. The equaliser changed the game a little bit. But it was the second half that let us down. "Our second-half performance was very poor and, when you are going for the championship, you expect Manchester United to respond to the importance of the game." [LNB]
