ARBUCKS
27-11-2007, 04:37 PM
ANDREI Kanchelskis believes this year's Premier League title race is a straight
fight between United and Arsenal - and is backing Sir Alex Ferguson to win out
over Arsene Wenger.
The former Reds winger sees a battle for the league trophy developing without a
significant challenge from Chelsea for the first time since Roman Abramovich
arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2003.
Kanchelskis will be rolling back the years on Sunday as he returns to Manchester
to show off the wing wizardry that made him such a hero on the Red side of the
city.
He will line up for a Rest of the World side coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson, which
will face a team of England legends led by Terry Venables in a charity match at
Eastlands to mark the PFA's centenary and raise money for a rehabilitation and
physiotherapy unit at a new children's hospital in Manchester.
A star-studded cast list, which includes Alan Shearer, Gianfranco Zola, Robert di
Matteo and Jamie Redknapp - plus Blues' legends Shaun Goater and Ali Benarbia
- will do battle to raise money for the PFA's `One Goal, One Million' campaign.
The campaign aims to raise £1m for the new unit at the Manchester Children's
Hospital. It's a match Kanchelskis cannot wait for.
Twelve years after he left Old Trafford - and six after a blink-and-you-missed-it
spell at City under Joe Royle - the former Russian international is still a keen
follower of United.
And despite the Reds' defeat at Bolton last Saturday, Kanchelskis still sees
Ferguson and Co as the team to beat.
"I've watched United on television this season, and they've been doing very
well," Kanchelskis said. "They lost at Bolton, and they've got a lot of injuries at
the moment, but they've still got a good chance of winning the league.
"Of course, it will be difficult, because Arsenal are a very good team, with quality
all the way through. But when United played at The Emirates earlier this month,
they should have won the game.
Chance
"I think it will come down to a straight fight between United and Arsenal. And in
that fight, I would say that United have a very good chance of winning.
"But I don't think Chelsea will be serious contenders this season. After losing Jose
Mourinho and bringing in a new coach, they are going through a transitional
stage. For me, they have left themselves with too much to do."
Kanchelskis' acrimonious departure from Old Trafford in the 1995 clearout that
also saw Paul Ince and Mark Hughes leave has not dimmed the former winger's
admiration for the job Ferguson has done at United.
Indeed, it is Ferguson's staying power amid the ever-increasing pressure of the
Premier League that has impressed him so much.
"I am not surprised he has lasted so long at United, because he works incredibly
hard," Kanchelskis said. "But his achievements are incredible.
"And what makes it even more impressive is that he has managed to maintain
that for such a long time. Jose Mourinho won practically every game for two years
at Chelsea, but then he started to run into problems, and now he has gone.
"That shows you what a difficult game it is. You have to keep getting the results
to survive, and Alex has done that."
Ferguson has always prided himself on building attacking teams, and Cristiano
Ronaldo is the latest in a long line of classy Old Trafford wingers, a category that
Kanchelskis also slots into. A comparison, though, is something Kanchelskis finds
impossible.
"I'm just an ex-player, that's a question you would need to put to a coach," he
said. "What I will say is that Cristiano Ronaldo is now a much, much better player
than he was when he first arrived, because he has learned to play for the team.
"During his first season, he seemed to be playing for himself too much; there
were too many tricks. Football is about 11 players, not one.
"But now he has developed as a player, and you can see the effect he has on the
field for United."
Kanchelskis was part of the United Dream Team that won the double in 1994, 12
months after ending the club's 26-year wait for the league title.
His hat-trick in the 5-0 battering of City at Old Trafford in November 1994 will
probably be the first thing United fans remember him for.
"That was a great night," he said. "But I had so many great times in Manchester.
I spent four years at United, and every day was a great day.
"I'm always very grateful that I was given the chance to play for the club. I had a
very, very happy time there."
And Kanchelskis is now the sporting director at Russian First Division club FC
Nosta Novotroitsk - is looking forward to returning on Sunday.
TICKETS are still available for the PFA Centenary Match at City of Manchester
Stadium on Sunday December 2, with corporate packages also available.
Click below to join manutdtalk.com forums to read and
discuss all breaking news on all things United !!! Come talk to us….
http://manutdtalk.com/forums/register.php
fight between United and Arsenal - and is backing Sir Alex Ferguson to win out
over Arsene Wenger.
The former Reds winger sees a battle for the league trophy developing without a
significant challenge from Chelsea for the first time since Roman Abramovich
arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2003.
Kanchelskis will be rolling back the years on Sunday as he returns to Manchester
to show off the wing wizardry that made him such a hero on the Red side of the
city.
He will line up for a Rest of the World side coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson, which
will face a team of England legends led by Terry Venables in a charity match at
Eastlands to mark the PFA's centenary and raise money for a rehabilitation and
physiotherapy unit at a new children's hospital in Manchester.
A star-studded cast list, which includes Alan Shearer, Gianfranco Zola, Robert di
Matteo and Jamie Redknapp - plus Blues' legends Shaun Goater and Ali Benarbia
- will do battle to raise money for the PFA's `One Goal, One Million' campaign.
The campaign aims to raise £1m for the new unit at the Manchester Children's
Hospital. It's a match Kanchelskis cannot wait for.
Twelve years after he left Old Trafford - and six after a blink-and-you-missed-it
spell at City under Joe Royle - the former Russian international is still a keen
follower of United.
And despite the Reds' defeat at Bolton last Saturday, Kanchelskis still sees
Ferguson and Co as the team to beat.
"I've watched United on television this season, and they've been doing very
well," Kanchelskis said. "They lost at Bolton, and they've got a lot of injuries at
the moment, but they've still got a good chance of winning the league.
"Of course, it will be difficult, because Arsenal are a very good team, with quality
all the way through. But when United played at The Emirates earlier this month,
they should have won the game.
Chance
"I think it will come down to a straight fight between United and Arsenal. And in
that fight, I would say that United have a very good chance of winning.
"But I don't think Chelsea will be serious contenders this season. After losing Jose
Mourinho and bringing in a new coach, they are going through a transitional
stage. For me, they have left themselves with too much to do."
Kanchelskis' acrimonious departure from Old Trafford in the 1995 clearout that
also saw Paul Ince and Mark Hughes leave has not dimmed the former winger's
admiration for the job Ferguson has done at United.
Indeed, it is Ferguson's staying power amid the ever-increasing pressure of the
Premier League that has impressed him so much.
"I am not surprised he has lasted so long at United, because he works incredibly
hard," Kanchelskis said. "But his achievements are incredible.
"And what makes it even more impressive is that he has managed to maintain
that for such a long time. Jose Mourinho won practically every game for two years
at Chelsea, but then he started to run into problems, and now he has gone.
"That shows you what a difficult game it is. You have to keep getting the results
to survive, and Alex has done that."
Ferguson has always prided himself on building attacking teams, and Cristiano
Ronaldo is the latest in a long line of classy Old Trafford wingers, a category that
Kanchelskis also slots into. A comparison, though, is something Kanchelskis finds
impossible.
"I'm just an ex-player, that's a question you would need to put to a coach," he
said. "What I will say is that Cristiano Ronaldo is now a much, much better player
than he was when he first arrived, because he has learned to play for the team.
"During his first season, he seemed to be playing for himself too much; there
were too many tricks. Football is about 11 players, not one.
"But now he has developed as a player, and you can see the effect he has on the
field for United."
Kanchelskis was part of the United Dream Team that won the double in 1994, 12
months after ending the club's 26-year wait for the league title.
His hat-trick in the 5-0 battering of City at Old Trafford in November 1994 will
probably be the first thing United fans remember him for.
"That was a great night," he said. "But I had so many great times in Manchester.
I spent four years at United, and every day was a great day.
"I'm always very grateful that I was given the chance to play for the club. I had a
very, very happy time there."
And Kanchelskis is now the sporting director at Russian First Division club FC
Nosta Novotroitsk - is looking forward to returning on Sunday.
TICKETS are still available for the PFA Centenary Match at City of Manchester
Stadium on Sunday December 2, with corporate packages also available.
Click below to join manutdtalk.com forums to read and
discuss all breaking news on all things United !!! Come talk to us….
http://manutdtalk.com/forums/register.php