Ryan Giggs

Following a disappointing exit from the Champions League, this week’s Can They Score podcast takes the positives out of Tuesday’s match (Giggs, Welbeck, Vidic etc) before moving on to the likes of Wayne Rooney and his future. Then, during our preview of the Chelsea game we talk line ups, Lampard, Benitez, Terry and Veron. Joining me in the studio is Tom and Frenchy.

Following another win in the Premier League, this week’s Can They Score podcast looks back at our 2 goals and clean sheet against Queens Park Rangers before previewing our two matches over the next week. During our previews of games against Norwich and Real Madrid we talk line ups, tactics and injuries before posing a number of other questions- Bale or Ronaldo, RvP or Jones, Vidic or Evans and many more. Joining me in the studio is Doron and Frenchy.

‘He’s an incredible human being. It’s as simple as that’ – the words used by Sir Alex Ferguson to describe a player who might just get a statue or an Old Trafford stand named in his honour in similar fashion to the wily old Scot. Many within the game have even tipped him to replace the man who has managed him throughout his professional career.

As Ryan Giggs is on the verge of bringing up his millennium of senior matches, we pay tribute to a man who will go down as one of the greatest to ever grace the pitch. The 39-year-old is a one-off and it is unlikely that his combination of footballing excellence and longevity will ever be replicated.

Wayne Rooney is closing-in on goal scoring records for Manchester United and England and, at 27 years of age, needs just another 56 goals to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton to top the Old Trafford all-time striking charts. Judging by his scoring rate over the past few seasons, it’s a target he should be able to hit, but what does the future hold for Rooney beyond these milestones?

As his first touch becomes evermore precarious and unreliable when off-form, we’re told he’s not a young man anymore, and received wisdom tells us that football is a young man’s game.

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I am going to be direct here; trying to bring Gareth Bale to Old Trafford would mean a tedious transfer saga, an inflated fee and could well prove impossible to achieve. Despite all this, I think an attempt should be made, and summer 2013 is the time to strike.

Being married to a Spurs fan, I have watched more Tottenham games than any of our other rivals. It has been an entertaining sideshow for me to focus on Bale’s quest to perfect his Cristiano Ronaldo impression. All the elements are there of 2006 version Ronaldo; increasing goal return, diving reputations, more ostentatious attempts from distance, open disapproval of teammates’ shortcomings, growing awareness of how to roam from the wing effectively and even the trademark infuriatingly selfish away performances.

The decision for Bale then is how he moves to the next level. For all Villas-Boas’ impressive endeavours, the feeling remains that qualification for the Champions League represents the summit of Tottenham’s ambitions. It won’t be lost on Bale that his breakthrough moment came over two seasons ago now. He will take some comfort from improving as a player in this time, but the bottom line is in terms of achievement he has made no progress. The sale of Modric reinforced the view that Spurs are destined to remain a second tier club. If Bale is to become one of the Europe’s premier players then logic would suggest a move to one of the Europe’s premier clubs. Only by being surrounded by superior players and competing for trophies can Bale truly fulfil his potential.

But why United?

Daniel Levy attempted to soften the blow of finally losing Modric by announcing a new partnership with Real Madrid. Speculative assumptions were immediately made that this paved the way for Tottenham’s other prize asset to make the same move in the near future. Madrid would certainly fit the profile of the challenge Bale needs as he turns 24 in the summer. Where better to establish yourself as a successor to Ronaldo than at the club where he has become the undisputed second best player of the planet? Herein lies the problem, a move to Madrid at this stage would see Bale directly competing with Ronaldo in order to play in his preferred role. As the feted Modric has found, there are no guarantees at Madrid and a bit part role is a real (forgive the pun) possibility. Is operating as Ronaldo’s understudy an effective way of auditioning to be leading man? Ask Luis Nani. In my view a move to Madrid would see his minutes limited, his role ever-changing and his development stalled.

Which brings me to Manchester United. If Bale were to move to Old Trafford he would be the marquee signing and clear first choice in his preferred position. A debut season at the club with an experienced, Welsh legend for company would allow him to make the transition to the top tier in a comfortable environment. From United’s point of view, he would bring qualities we clearly lack. It is a strange scenario we find ourselves in where our success this season is in spite of an underlying collection of wingers. Young has been tactically useful if limited, Nani has been absent sometimes in body – always in mind, and the less said about Valencia’s regression the better. It is a damning indictment of our options that our most impressive wide players this season have either been fullbacks or 38 years of age. Bale would bring direct running, consistency of supply and an added goal threat. It isn’t hard to think of him linking up spectacularly with the players we have both emerging and established.

Making sense is one thing – actually happening is another. In a dream scenario for many we would be saving our summer budget to bring in that central midfield colossus Reds have been demanding for years. The likelihood of that is a subject for a whole other article but recent seasons would suggest ‘no chance.’ Defensively we have been porous this term – yet with Smalling, Jones and Evans already at the club is a major move for a defender likely? I’d suggest not. At the time of writing, an interest in Zaha has been confirmed yet this would be an acquisition for the future rather than a purchase to solve our immediate wide issues. James Rodriguez is another name frequently linked; but I confess to being in the dark about his likely price tag and/or adaptability to our culture. Bale would carry no such concerns as a proven Premier League player who has excelled in his fleeting opportunities on the European stage. The biggest stumbling block therefore would be cost – the sale of a couple of well-paid squad members (Nani? Anderson?) and likely departure/retirement from at least one from our veterans corps would free up space on the wage bill.

The transfer fee is a trickier issue. The hostility between the respective boardrooms is well known; and Levy would revel in his reputation for driving a hard bargain. A fee in excess of £35m would not be unexpected. A bridge too far in the era of Glazernomics? Perhaps not. The signing of van Persie (minimal resale value, high wages, significant fee) showed a willingness to splash out when a player becomes available of a) sufficient quality to significantly improve fortunes on the field, and b) has the status or potential to be a marketable name throughout the globe. Bale ticks both boxes. In addition we were allegedly willing to pay major sums for Hazard and Moura – players with a similar (or in Lucas’ case arguably lesser) status and record to Bale. Hope springs that the board would be willing to spend big to secure Bale’s capture. Much talk since the Champions League draw has been of ‘bringing Ronaldo home’ – that is beyond our financial capability but Bale is the next best thing.

Do I think it will happen? Probably not. By this stage I would have expected a greater public charm offensive and calculated leaking to prompt Fleet Street ‘exclusives’ that the deal was on. However as today’s opponents love to remind us, I can ‘dare to dream’.

Half a century into the archives, this week’s Can They Score podcast is one to remember. As well as looking back at the last week of games, we have a feast of footballing memories to reminisce on as we look back romantically at King Eric’s time at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and much more. Joining me in the studio today is Mancunian favourite, Steven, and poet and journalist of fortune, Musa Okwonga.

The following text is the transcript of a telephone call to the West Midlands police.  The communication was made on the evening of the fourteenth of April 1999, at approximately 10pm, from an area known as Villa Park.

The witness had just seen a bank robber, who the police have subsequently identified only as “Giggs”, breaking into one of the most secure vaults in Europe.  Additional witnesses are urged to come forward.  Here is what the witness had to say.

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“Ryan makes you believe there is a football God”

Ron Atkinson

“A young Giggsy was like a Ballet Dancer. I had never seen a young player like that and I had seen the Busby Babes”

Eric Harrison

“His talent is God-given. He will have wonderful skill even when he’s got his bus pass, because that sort of ability never deserts you”

Brian Kidd

This video was created by @AdityaReds and first appeared on his YouTube page.

It goes without saying that Manchester United have several world-class players fitting the bill to be classified as reliable penalty-takers, namely Ryan Giggs, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

However, this (apparently) pleasant task has become a bit of a nightmare for the United faithful as of late, as the Reds Devils have failed to find the net 4 out of 7 times so far this season. The more positive side of such an equally dreadful and astonishing stat is that none of these 4 mistakes has proved costly for Sir Alex Ferguson troops.

In previous years, former Manchester United legends Dennis Irwin, Eric Cantona, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo were all terrific from the spot. They had very different personalities but when it came to take a penalty, all four knew how to do it properly. Every one of them missed obviously the odd penalty, but fans knew a penalty in United’s favour meant an almost secure goal.

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