Manchester United must take long hard look in mirror

In their dressing room in the depths of the Stadio Olimpico, the Manchester United players sat in silence as Sir Alex Ferguson, crimson-faced, entered the room. Nobody knew what was coming, but the message was begin. “I could stand here and shout but I’m not going to do that,” he told them before instructing them to dwell on the disappointment long enough to ensure that it leaves them desperate to make amends when they return for pre-season training.

The tone was measured, but the message reflected Ferguson’s long-held belief that defeats must be dwelt on longer than successes. This had been a chastening experience for him and his players, humbled as they lost 2-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League final, and it is one that he expects them to learn from, just as he will strive to take his own lessons from a defeat that might have led him to wonder whether this United team is quite as “special” as he had thought.

Some of United’s players tried to drown their sorrows as the post-match party dragged on long after the sun rose over Rome yesterday morning, but by the time they touched down in dreary Manchester, the hangover had kicked in. Rather than a victorious open-top bus tour of the city, they went their separate ways to mull over the memories that will stalk them wherever this summer may take them, first to far-flung locations on international duty and then to the beaches of Dubai, Barbados and beyond as they attempt to recharge their batteries.

Carlos Tévez did not fly back with his team-mates and will instead fly to Argentina, unsure who will be paying his wages after his contract at Old Trafford expires on June 30. Cristiano Ronaldo will fly to Portugal on international duty and to wrestle with his own future as he continues to send out conflicting signals to both United and Real Madrid. Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville will wonder if they will see another Champions League final, whether from the starting line-up, the bench or the stands. And Ferguson will fly to the Côte d’Azur, where even the maître d’ in his favourite restaurant might be advised to think twice about asking: “Cava?”

Posted by riskabagus