Sir Alex Ferguson says well done but warns Manchester City they still have a long way to go
A defiant Sir Alex Ferguson has warned City that United wont fade away under the threat of the new champions Sir Alex Ferguson insists it will take City 100 years to match Uniteds illustrious history.
The 70-year-old proved he is ready to rise to the challenge laid down by Roberto Mancinis champions after watching his side relinquish their Premier League crown in the most agonising of circumstances.
City may have ended their 44-year wait for the title, but Ferguson wasted no time in reminding them who he says are the real kings of Manchester.
Sergio Agueros dramatic injury-time winner saw Mancinis side lift the championship for the first time since 1968 and ensured a summer of boasts from the blue half of Manchester.
But Ferguson immediately vowed to return United to supremacy adding that their record haul of 19 league titles should be enough to drown out any gloating from the noisy neighbours.
They can go on as much as you like, thats what you expect, he said. But with the history of our club, it stands us aside. We dont need to worry about that.
I think we have a rich history better than anyone. It will take them a century to get to our level of history. But for us its a challenge and we are good at challenges and we will kick on from here.
Ferguson had initially shown good grace in congratulating Mancini on pipping United to the title on goal difference. But the nature of the defeat to his closest rivals is arguably the most painful of his 25 years at Old Trafford.
Not least because he watched his side squander an eight-point lead at Easter, but also given that the most dramatic of final days meant United were champions as the final whistle blew on their 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Only Agueros stunning last-gasp goa! l, as Ci ty came back from 2-1 down against QPR to win 3-2, produced one more extraordinary twist and a victory that had all the hallmarks of Fergusons greatest triumphs.
I said to Mike Phelan, If they equalise late on were in trouble, because of the impetus of scoring late on, he revealed. They had five minutes injury time. It seemed a long time, but I dont know the circumstances. QPR were down to 10 men and that was probably the killer for them.
At the end of the day weve lost the league. Theres nothing we can do. We congratulate Manchester City because anyone who wins the league deserves to do it.
It is a very, very difficult league to win. We know that as weve experienced by losing on goal difference.
Ferguson maintains that for young players like David de Gea, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck the experience of missing out in such painful circumstances could prove the making of them. He immediately emphasised his faith in his latest generation backing them to lead United long after hes retired.
But he will also know that this is a crucial summer for the club.
Win or lose the title yesterday, Ferguson planned to strengthen his squad addressing the areas that were found wanting even in a season in which they came so close to being champions.
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Central midfield remains an area of such concern that it took Paul Scholes retirement U-turn in January to enable United to run City as closely as they did.
Both h e and Ryan Giggs started at the Stadium of Light, proving Fergusons continued reliance on two players in their late 30s.
Borussia Dortmunds Shinji Kagawa is high on his list of targets and both he and Phelan watched the Japanese international in action on Saturday night with a view to a 6m bid.
He has also made a personal check on Lilles Eden Hazard, but is likely to miss out on the Belgian playmaker, with City able to outmuscle United in any bidding war.
Crystal Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne is another player Ferguson has tracked as he looks to solve his problem right-back position.
He must also address his over-reliance on Wayne Rooney, who underlined his importance to Uniteds cause with the winning strike against Sunderland.
Without his 27 league goals this season, City would have had the title wrapped up long before yesterdays thrilling finale.
And with Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov set to leave, Ferguson needs another 20-goal-a-season striker.
He is now left assessing a campaign that started with him hoping to challenge Barcelona in the Champions League, but ended with City usurping United on the home front.
Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher missed the majority of the campaign through injury and illness respectively and Ferguson now hopes his latest starlets will be able to stop City from turning their triumph into a spell of dominance.
Ive got absolutely no recriminations about our season at all, he said. Yes, we can look back and say we did this wrong or we did that wrong, but 89 points would have won the league in most seasons and they are a good bunch of lads.
The younger players will remember today because sometimes a bad experience is better for you. When youve got a good character and purpose about you then you shouldnt fear the future and I dont think these lads will. Its an experience none of them have had before.
Its a cruel way to lose. Weve experienced many ups ! and down s in the 25 years Ive been here and most have been great. We won the league three times on the last day. Today we nearly did.
We take credit with so many injuries in the season and weve coped with that very well.
Some of our young players will be around in five, six, seven, eight, 10 years time, all these young players for Manchester United. The experience is good for them even if it is a bad one.
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The 70-year-old proved he is ready to rise to the challenge laid down by Roberto Mancinis champions after watching his side relinquish their Premier League crown in the most agonising of circumstances.
City may have ended their 44-year wait for the title, but Ferguson wasted no time in reminding them who he says are the real kings of Manchester.
Sergio Agueros dramatic injury-time winner saw Mancinis side lift the championship for the first time since 1968 and ensured a summer of boasts from the blue half of Manchester.
But Ferguson immediately vowed to return United to supremacy adding that their record haul of 19 league titles should be enough to drown out any gloating from the noisy neighbours.
They can go on as much as you like, thats what you expect, he said. But with the history of our club, it stands us aside. We dont need to worry about that.
I think we have a rich history better than anyone. It will take them a century to get to our level of history. But for us its a challenge and we are good at challenges and we will kick on from here.
Ferguson had initially shown good grace in congratulating Mancini on pipping United to the title on goal difference. But the nature of the defeat to his closest rivals is arguably the most painful of his 25 years at Old Trafford.
Not least because he watched his side squander an eight-point lead at Easter, but also given that the most dramatic of final days meant United were champions as the final whistle blew on their 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Only Agueros stunning last-gasp goa! l, as Ci ty came back from 2-1 down against QPR to win 3-2, produced one more extraordinary twist and a victory that had all the hallmarks of Fergusons greatest triumphs.
I said to Mike Phelan, If they equalise late on were in trouble, because of the impetus of scoring late on, he revealed. They had five minutes injury time. It seemed a long time, but I dont know the circumstances. QPR were down to 10 men and that was probably the killer for them.
At the end of the day weve lost the league. Theres nothing we can do. We congratulate Manchester City because anyone who wins the league deserves to do it.
It is a very, very difficult league to win. We know that as weve experienced by losing on goal difference.
Ferguson maintains that for young players like David de Gea, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck the experience of missing out in such painful circumstances could prove the making of them. He immediately emphasised his faith in his latest generation backing them to lead United long after hes retired.
But he will also know that this is a crucial summer for the club.
Win or lose the title yesterday, Ferguson planned to strengthen his squad addressing the areas that were found wanting even in a season in which they came so close to being champions.
Sunderland 0 Manchester United 1: Stuart Mathieson's verdict
Sunderland 0 Manchester United 1: Player ratings
Central midfield remains an area of such concern that it took Paul Scholes retirement U-turn in January to enable United to run City as closely as they did.
Borussia Dortmunds Shinji Kagawa is high on his list of targets and both he and Phelan watched the Japanese international in action on Saturday night with a view to a 6m bid.
He has also made a personal check on Lilles Eden Hazard, but is likely to miss out on the Belgian playmaker, with City able to outmuscle United in any bidding war.
Crystal Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne is another player Ferguson has tracked as he looks to solve his problem right-back position.
He must also address his over-reliance on Wayne Rooney, who underlined his importance to Uniteds cause with the winning strike against Sunderland.
Without his 27 league goals this season, City would have had the title wrapped up long before yesterdays thrilling finale.
And with Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov set to leave, Ferguson needs another 20-goal-a-season striker.
He is now left assessing a campaign that started with him hoping to challenge Barcelona in the Champions League, but ended with City usurping United on the home front.
Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher missed the majority of the campaign through injury and illness respectively and Ferguson now hopes his latest starlets will be able to stop City from turning their triumph into a spell of dominance.
Ive got absolutely no recriminations about our season at all, he said. Yes, we can look back and say we did this wrong or we did that wrong, but 89 points would have won the league in most seasons and they are a good bunch of lads.
The younger players will remember today because sometimes a bad experience is better for you. When youve got a good character and purpose about you then you shouldnt fear the future and I dont think these lads will. Its an experience none of them have had before.
Its a cruel way to lose. Weve experienced many ups ! and down s in the 25 years Ive been here and most have been great. We won the league three times on the last day. Today we nearly did.
We take credit with so many injuries in the season and weve coped with that very well.
Some of our young players will be around in five, six, seven, eight, 10 years time, all these young players for Manchester United. The experience is good for them even if it is a bad one.
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