MAIN NEWS

SUBSCRIBE
Receive a copy of 'View from the Top' direct to your inbox. Whenever the LMA issue a statement on the game, you'll be the very first to receive it.

NAME

EMAIL

We would like to keep you informed about the LMA by email in the future, but we need your permission to do this. Your feedback is really valuable so please tell us how you'd like to hear from us.

Tell me about new promotions, products and services from the LMA.
Tell me about new promotions, products and services from carefully selected 3rd Parties.

You can change your subscription status by hitting the unsubscribe link at the bottom of each edition.
20 Feb 2001
FERGUSON LOOKS FOR EARLY QUALIFICATION

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants his side to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with two matches to spare.

The Old Trafford boss wants an attacking display from United as they take on Valencia on Tuesday night.

Ferguson knows that three points will guarantee their place in the next round for the fifth consecutive season and is prepared to gamble with his tactics to achieve an early place.

"It will be worth taking risks because the prize is so big. To qualify for the quarter-finals as early as this you have to try to seize the opportunity. To take that opportunity there has to be an element of risk," said Ferguson.

"But getting into the last eight so soon is something that must drive us. It would be a tremendous achievement."

With his opposite number, Hector Cuper, also promising an attack minded formation, Ferguson's tactics are likely to ensure a thrilling match.

Arsenal and Leeds are in action on Wednesday night and Ferguson believes they both have an excellent chance of reaching the last eight, but is not worried about meeting them in the knock-out stages.

He said: "The way the groups are placed, the more it looks likely that Arsenal and Leeds will finish second in their groups, which makes the chances of us facing one of them very high. But that does not bother us."

United's premature exit from the FA Cup meant they had a free weekend when the Fifth Round was played, whilst Valencia were in action against Las Palmas, beating them 2-0.

The Spaniards also had a gruelling journey to Manchester after flight delays took their journey time to ten hours and Ferguson says his team has no excuse for not getting a result.

"We will be the fresher team. They had a game, they had to travel to that game, then travel here long hours. We only had a couple of training sessions. So there will be no excuses," he said.

A defeat for Valencia would not eliminate them from the competition and Ferguson hopes this year will see another battle between Spain and England for Champions League domination.

He said: "We lost to Real Madrid last season, though I can assure you that we will not play in the same way again. We ignored the history book and were caught too much on the counter-attack. We will not do that again.

"The fact that Real, Valencia and Barcelona made up three of the last four in the Champions League last season shows that Spain, as they once were in the 60s, are now a major European influence again.

"If we can have three English clubs in the last eight, I would hope there would be an injection of confidence within our sides that would also help us to do really well in Europe. Confidence and belief are so important in continental football.

"English football is going very well again and you have to say that Leeds are the success story of Europe this season. You can see that they have really gained experience and confidence."

Sir Alex Ferguson CBE

T: 01926 831 556 F: 01926 429 781 E: lma@lmasecure.com © League Managers Association 2007
Website Design & Development by Digital Marmalade Ltd