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ALEX FERGUSON plans to make Jose Mourinho eat his words by proving the Quadruple is not an impossible dream.
Mourinho claimed no club could achieve the feat after Chelsea came unstuck in their bid to win four trophies last season — the Premier League, Champions League and FA and Carling Cups.
Rio Ferdinand has already insisted Manchester United will be gunning for the Quad this season.
And Fergie backed up his England star by vowing they will “have a go”.
The United boss believes his squad has the strength in depth this year to retain their title and prove unstoppable in the knockout competitions.
He said: “We have a good squad plus a few decent young players for the League Cup and back-up in the Champions League, so we’ll have a go.
“Hopefully we can enhance our chances by playing the right kind of football and getting the right results.”
As well as thwarting Chelsea’s bid for a hat-trick of Premier League titles last season, United reached the FA Cup final — losing 1-0 to Mourinho’s men — and were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Champions League by eventual winners AC Milan.
They were bundled out of the Carling Cup at the second hurdle by lowly Southend but Fergie clearly intends treating that tournament more seriously this time.
Chelsea, runners-up in the League, won the Carling Cup as well as the FA Cup and, like United, were beaten in the Champions League semis.
According to Mourinho, their punishing schedule proved too much for any team to handle.
He said: “I keep saying that I don’t believe anyone can do it. Even when Chelsea were in a position to do it last season, I still didn’t think we could.
“Manchester United were out of the Carling Cup so even when they were doing well in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup, they couldn’t do the Quadruple. I don’t think it’s possible.”
Fergie’s belief United can end up with a trophy cabinet full of silverware is based on the quality buys he has brought in over the summer.
He is still hopeful of signing Carlos Tevez and is thrilled by the arrival of England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, Brazilian playmaker Anderson and Portuguese winger Nani.
Ferguson said: “Nani and Anderson are terrific talents who are just embarking on their careers.
“They’re both very quick and simply love playing football and we’ve known about Nani for a long time.
“When we signed Cristiano Ronaldo, he was the next player in Sporting Lisbon’s set-up we were keeping an eye on — he was playing centre forward for their youth team at the time.
“However, he can play wide on both sides, he’s very quick and athletic and has a terrific attitude.
“Anderson is another fantastic talent. He can play central midfield or in the middle up front. We’ve taken a bit of a risk as he broke his leg last year.
“But we thought if he starts the season at Porto it won’t be long before everybody wants him, so we decided to do the deal now. We’ve spent a fair bit of money on them, but the deals are good value.
“They’ll give us terrific attacking options as Park Ji-Sung won’t be available until February. We missed his energy in the run-in, so the new lads will help to fill that void.”
Ferguson has also recalled a crop of promising youngsters — who he dubbed “the future” — from loan spells at other clubs
He added: “My biggest management job in the next campaign will be with the young players — Jonny Evans, Gerard Pique, Danny Simpson, Lee Martin, Chris Eagles, Frazier Campbell and Giuseppe Rossi.
“They’re terrific players and there’s no way we’d even think about letting them go out on loan to another club now, because they are the future.
“It’ll be hard to keep them happy but we’ve got some ideas of how to cope.”
IN THIS SEASON - THE 50TH SINCE MUNICH - IT WOULD BE SUCH A TRIBUTE TO SIR MATT AND THE 8 WHO DIED ON 6TH FEBRUARY 1958 IF UNITED LIFT THE QUADRUPLE !!!!
TO WIN THE QUADRUPLE IT WILL MEAN PLAYING 72 GAMES AND MAYBE EVEN MORE !!!! OF THESE 72 GAMES WE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE JUST 3 OF THESE !!!
IT WILL MEAN THE GUYS HAVE TO RUN THEMSELVES INTO THE GROUND FOR EVERY SECOND OF EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY GAME !!!
BUT I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS 50th ANNIVERSARY OF MUNICH SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN !!!
Mourinho claimed no club could achieve the feat after Chelsea came unstuck in their bid to win four trophies last season — the Premier League, Champions League and FA and Carling Cups.
Rio Ferdinand has already insisted Manchester United will be gunning for the Quad this season.
And Fergie backed up his England star by vowing they will “have a go”.
The United boss believes his squad has the strength in depth this year to retain their title and prove unstoppable in the knockout competitions.
He said: “We have a good squad plus a few decent young players for the League Cup and back-up in the Champions League, so we’ll have a go.
“Hopefully we can enhance our chances by playing the right kind of football and getting the right results.”
As well as thwarting Chelsea’s bid for a hat-trick of Premier League titles last season, United reached the FA Cup final — losing 1-0 to Mourinho’s men — and were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Champions League by eventual winners AC Milan.
They were bundled out of the Carling Cup at the second hurdle by lowly Southend but Fergie clearly intends treating that tournament more seriously this time.
Chelsea, runners-up in the League, won the Carling Cup as well as the FA Cup and, like United, were beaten in the Champions League semis.
According to Mourinho, their punishing schedule proved too much for any team to handle.
He said: “I keep saying that I don’t believe anyone can do it. Even when Chelsea were in a position to do it last season, I still didn’t think we could.
“Manchester United were out of the Carling Cup so even when they were doing well in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup, they couldn’t do the Quadruple. I don’t think it’s possible.”
Fergie’s belief United can end up with a trophy cabinet full of silverware is based on the quality buys he has brought in over the summer.
He is still hopeful of signing Carlos Tevez and is thrilled by the arrival of England midfielder Owen Hargreaves, Brazilian playmaker Anderson and Portuguese winger Nani.
Ferguson said: “Nani and Anderson are terrific talents who are just embarking on their careers.
“They’re both very quick and simply love playing football and we’ve known about Nani for a long time.
“When we signed Cristiano Ronaldo, he was the next player in Sporting Lisbon’s set-up we were keeping an eye on — he was playing centre forward for their youth team at the time.
“However, he can play wide on both sides, he’s very quick and athletic and has a terrific attitude.
“Anderson is another fantastic talent. He can play central midfield or in the middle up front. We’ve taken a bit of a risk as he broke his leg last year.
“But we thought if he starts the season at Porto it won’t be long before everybody wants him, so we decided to do the deal now. We’ve spent a fair bit of money on them, but the deals are good value.
“They’ll give us terrific attacking options as Park Ji-Sung won’t be available until February. We missed his energy in the run-in, so the new lads will help to fill that void.”
Ferguson has also recalled a crop of promising youngsters — who he dubbed “the future” — from loan spells at other clubs
He added: “My biggest management job in the next campaign will be with the young players — Jonny Evans, Gerard Pique, Danny Simpson, Lee Martin, Chris Eagles, Frazier Campbell and Giuseppe Rossi.
“They’re terrific players and there’s no way we’d even think about letting them go out on loan to another club now, because they are the future.
“It’ll be hard to keep them happy but we’ve got some ideas of how to cope.”
IN THIS SEASON - THE 50TH SINCE MUNICH - IT WOULD BE SUCH A TRIBUTE TO SIR MATT AND THE 8 WHO DIED ON 6TH FEBRUARY 1958 IF UNITED LIFT THE QUADRUPLE !!!!
TO WIN THE QUADRUPLE IT WILL MEAN PLAYING 72 GAMES AND MAYBE EVEN MORE !!!! OF THESE 72 GAMES WE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE JUST 3 OF THESE !!!
IT WILL MEAN THE GUYS HAVE TO RUN THEMSELVES INTO THE GROUND FOR EVERY SECOND OF EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY GAME !!!
BUT I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS 50th ANNIVERSARY OF MUNICH SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN !!!
