what a muppet

That is the opinion of the man who proved Manchester
United's very own starmaker for so many years, Eric Harrison.

The former academy chief knows a thing or two about
replacing the "irreplaceable" and while he is adamant life
will go on at Old Trafford should Ronaldo complete an
big-money move to Real Madrid this summer, he believes
that only the signing of Messi could soften the blow of
losing the double footballer of the year.

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing up to the growing inevitability
that Ronaldo will head to the Bernabeu, leaving him needing
to identify a successor to the talisman of last season's
Champions League-winning side.

Harrison was arguably charged with an even more perilous
task when needing to find replacements for Paul Ince, Mark
Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis when that trio moved on in 1995.

He responded by furnishing Ferguson with a golden generation
of academy graduates, including David Beckham, Paul Scholes,
Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville.

But he says replacing 42-goal winger Ronaldo could be even
more difficult.

"Bryan Robson, Ince, Kanchelskis and Hughes were all great
players," he said. "But Ronaldo will be harder to replace because
there is no one in the juniors to do it.

"Back then we had the golden generation. We were always
confident they would eventually play in the first team, it was
a matter of when.

"Ronaldo is probably the best player in the world at the moment.
If you were twisting my arm, I'd say the only guy who can replace
him is Messi and there are no guarantees that Barcelona will be
willing to sell him. That means it might be a more difficult situation."

Ronaldo's future has turned into the transfer saga of the summer
with United infuriated by Real's blatant attempts to unsettle the
23-year-old.

Harrison has been disappointed by Ronaldo's failure to put an end
to the debate once and for all, but is still convinced he will be a
United player come the start of next season.

"I'm not happy with Real or Luiz Felipe Scolari," he said. "If not for
them driving the situation I am sure Ronaldo wouldn't have even
considered it.

"Why would he want to leave? He said he would make an announcement
on his future once Portugal were out of Euro 2008 and he still hasn't
done it, which is disappointing.

Plans

"The worry is that the longer it drags on, the more difficult it will be
to attract someone like Messi. It has got to come to a head quickly.

"Alex will already have his shopping list, but that will have been made
under the assumption that Ronaldo would still be at the club. If he
goes they will have to change their plans."

And while Harrison is reluctant to criticise Ronaldo, he believes the
winger could learn a thing or two from his United teammates and,
not least, his manager.

"Alex will be disappointed," said Harrison. "Just look at the amount
of time he's been there.

"Given the success he's had, there is not a team in the world that
wouldn't have wanted him as manager. But he's got loyalty to the club.

"So did all those players who came through the youth system. Even
the ones who left, people like Beckham, Butt and Phil Neville, they
never wanted toleave.

"If Ronaldo goes or keeps on going on like this, he will regret it. He's
got a wonderful life. United have just won the European Cup and the
championship again.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that we are a better
team than Real.

"And Real is a funny club," he added. "They change their president
regularly and they throw their toys out of the pram.

"I've been there and seen how the fans react when things aren't
going well and they start waving the white hankies.

"It is a very strange club and nothing like United. For as long as he
is at United he knows he will be under no pressure. Even if he comes
back and says he will only give them another one or two years, he
will still get a great reception.

"It's not just a case of throwing a great player into another side and
expecting it to work. He's been taught a lot at United.

"I want him to stay and want him to continue playing with a smile on
his face. I'm not sure that would be the case if he went to Real."

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