FERGIE: I ONLY HA WORLD CLASS PL
SIR Alex Ferguson has claimed only four of his Manchester United players could be truly regarded as ‘world class’. Ferguson confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player he worked with at Old Trafford.
He also put Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes among the elite, as he reflected on his career in his new book, Leading.
But there was no place in the very top bracket for England stars such as Wayne Rooney, David Beckham or Rio Ferdinand, whom Ferguson regarded as ‘great’ but not world class.
Ferguson said: ‘If you read the papers or listen to the television commentators, we seem to be awash with ‘world-class’ footballers.
‘In my book there are only two world- class players playing today: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
‘I don’t mean to demean or criticise any of the great or very good footballers who played for me during my 26-year career at United, but there were only four who were truly world class: Cantona, Giggs, Ronaldo and Scholes.
‘These players elevated themselves above all that. And of the four Cristiano was like an ornament on the top of a Christmas tree.’
Ferguson signed Ronaldo as a teenager for £12.25million from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and reluctantly sold him to Real Madrid for £80m six years later.
The former United manager told the BBC: ‘The younger breed like Ryan and Scholes were just fantastic players and the thing about those two was longevity.
‘Are there players who have played right through the whole of the Premier League and performed at the level they have? There are none, absolutely none. Of course Ronaldo was just a complete genius of a player.’
Ferguson spoke at the Royal Festival Hall on Monday night on the first of four theatre dates to accompany the release of his book, co-written with successful businessman Sir Michael Moritz, and he paid tribute to another tier of his United players.
‘There were big influences like Bryan Robson, Roy Keane and Steve Bruce,’ said Ferguson. ‘They weren’t the best footballers but they had wonderful desire and made sure they were the best players.’
In his book, Ferguson also discusses the stars he failed to bring to Old Trafford, including the other Ronaldo. Ferguson wanted to sign the Brazilian striker from Cruzeiro in 1994, but United were unable to get a work permit and he signed for PSV Eindhoven instead.
Other major names to escape were Petr Cech, Didier Drogba, Thomas Muller, Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany.
‘Leading’ by Sir Alex Ferguson with Michael Moritz, is available through Hodder and Stoughton