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Of all the 2008 Manchester United European Cup winners that fans will give away to their grandchildren, a few will mention Owen Hargreaves, although few players were more important than Hargreaves.
The 12th anniversary of United’s third and final European Cup win is looming this month, and the suspension of football is an additional cause for the club and its supporters to remember longingly. Moscow was the zenith of his career for Hargreaves, a 2001 European champion with Bayern Munich, and started just three more times for United.
His last start lasted five minutes and the consequences of the launch of Hargreaves in 2011 were bitter. Hargreaves felt like a ‘guinea pig’ through the injections in his knee and United expressed ‘disappointment’ at his comments in a club statement. Ferguson waited until retirement and his 2013 book to go to town in Hargreaves. “When I signed it, there was something about it, I didn’t like it,” said Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson claimed that Hargreaves “was not self-confident at all. He did not show sufficient determination to overcome his physical difficulties, for my liking. I saw him go for the easy option too often in terms of training. He was one of the most disappointing of my career. ” Ferguson called the deal a “disaster”.
Hargreaves was even used as a key point by leading United sources who justified Jerome Boateng’s veto as an alternative option in the 2018 summer window. The bottom line was that they had already bought enough pots from Bayern.
Hargreaves had an inconsistent season with Manchester City after his contract with United expired and his sight not only in blue but in the top open bus for the City title parade would have been left behind.
Describing Hargreaves as a “disaster” was a serious detriment when without him Ferguson would have struggled to match Brian Clough’s two European Cups. United attempted to reward Bayern’s Hargreaves in 2006, but the German champions, recovered from Michael Ballack’s move to Chelsea for free, refused, and GM Uli Höness accused Hargreaves of ‘prostituting themselves’. Ferguson made an unsuccessful late move for Spanish midfielder Marcos Senna before reinforcing his midfield with Hargreaves in 2007.
Hargreaves scored twice for United, both finishing free throws against Fulham and Arsenal, but their contributions in the knockout stage of the Champions League claimed the £ 17 million disbursement. Hargreaves started in the midfield against Lyon, on the right wing against Rome, on the right side against Barcelona and on the flank in the all-English final.
Carlos Tevez killed the quarterfinals with Roma of a Hargreaves crossing that remains one of David Beckham’s best impressions since he left, and the success of Hargreaves around the world prompted Ferguson to throw one of his most tactical surprises. groundbreaking against Chelsea in Russia.
“Whether it starts or not, it will play a role,” said Ferguson. The staff suggested that United would line up in a 4-3-3, but Ferguson chose 4-4-2, with Hargreaves on the right and Cristiano Ronaldo on the left and Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney in front, Chelsea was thrown and only got a foothold via Frank Lampard’s slapstick equalizer.
One of the most curious evaluations in Ferguson’s book is that of the “enchanting” Anderson, who raised seven trophies in seven and a half years but did not achieve chronic success as an individual at United. His most credited contributions in 2007-08 occurred at the midfield axis with Hargreaves in some setback performances at Arsenal and Liverpool, and United won seven and tied two in the nine that started together.
Anderson was never so formidable without Hargreaves at his side and the discomfort in midfield soon settled. Ferguson has not signed a central midfielder in his past six years, United felt dizzy from the Barcelona carousel in two finals and Anderson lasted 45 minutes in Rome. Liverpool rounded out United’s midfield in their Anfield horror trilogy between 2008-11. Ferguson still collected titles.
Hargreaves was worthy in his response to the air after the publication of Ferguson’s book. “It is a conversation that he and I must have personally,” said Hargreaves. “The reason he brought me in was to help Manchester United win the Champions League and we were able to do it.” They were reunited in the Old Trafford dressing room with the rest of the 2008 final team in Michael Carrick’s testimony in 2017, but Hargreaves, of course, was unable to play.
Ferguson had effectively contradicted himself. “In the games that he (Hargreaves) really played, I had no qualms about his contribution. He was lightning fast and a great parts dealer.” So hardly a “disaster”.
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