While Michael Owen came off the bench to rescue a point for Manchester United at Bolton, it was another disappointing result for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. The result completed a bitterly disappointing day for the Scott, who once again saw his talisman Wayne Rooney produce another ineffective display.

Rooney’s performance was once again disappointing. The striker just doesn’t look like the player who scored goals for fun last year. He showed glimpses of his quality, but has clearly been impacted by his poor World Cup, and the media storm surrounding his private life.

The old saying is that form is temporary and class is permanent, and I have no doubt that Rooney will return to form sooner rather than later, but right now he just looks so far off his best. There were often opportunities for him to produce some magic, but instead he played the simple ball, that  just isn’t the Rooney we know. While Rooney would eventually be substituted with an ankle injury, it wouldn’t have surprised me had been substituted anyway.

It wasn’t good day for United as far as injuries were concerned, as Ryan Giggs also suffered a hamstring injury and Rio Ferdinand was left out of the squad all together as he struggles to find any form of match fitness.

The England defenders fitness problems have been going on for the past few seasons now, and you really do feel that Fabio Capello will have to start looking elsewhere, because Ferdinand is becoming increasingly unreliable.

The official line was that Ferdinand was rested for the Valencia game, but for me an England international needs to be playing week and week out. We had a similar situation with Ledley King, and look what happened in South Africa as he missed most of the tournament.

So generally not a very good day for Manchester United, who missed an excellent opportunity to add some real pressure on early pacesetters Chelsea. You have to feel that things will drastically have to improve for them to seriously challenge Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who quite frankly look superior in nearly all departments.

For some, the end of Rio Ferdinand’s World Cup also sent a blast across the bows of English hopes of winning the trophy. One of the squads truly great players being forced out simply weakens the side is the consensus, but me I’m not so disillusioned by the news. Yes it’s a blow and I feel dreadfully sorry for Ferdinand, but thankfully, England have something as good as to fall back on. Ledley King.

None of the waling from this England fan, no panic, no fear, no lack of conviction because I have the pleasure of watching King on a regular basis. He is my favourite Tottenham player in recent memory, a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth system, a footballing diamond. Don’t give me the nonsense about his knee. King on one leg is better than most central defenders in Europe. Capello knows this, it’s why he’s wanted him as part of the squad since he took over as England manager. He knows how good Ledley King is and he knows he makes England stronger.

King is a freak of nature, the likes of which I’ve only ever come across once before in the form of the Irish colossus, Paul McGrath. Yet what a player he is, comfortable on the ball, strong in the air, dangerous at set pieces. Like McGrath before him, chronic knee problems curtail his training to a bare minimum. Yet there is, playing at the back for Spurs, slotting seamlessly back in. The club have had to tailor the tactics to suit him, fit the team around him, when his knee allows it, he plays. In a World Cup competition, the break between games gives him ample recovery time.

Yet, for all Kings problems, he looks after himself far better off the pitch than McGrath did. If I could ever recommend a book about football, Paul McGrath’s autobiography would be it. It’s frightening he was able to play with damaged knees, never mind as a chronic alcoholic as well. King, Carling Cup winning celebrations apart, tends to keep himself in good condition. He has to, he needs to, his body can’t be allowed to slip away from the conditioning he uses in his training.

People forget back in Euro 2004, King came in for the injured John Terry for his competitive England debut against France and was immense. He then played as a substitute in midfield against Croatia and calmed the team down.  He was a shoe in for the 2006 World Cup until a metatasal injury ruled him out of the tournament. Then his injury problems began and here we are 4 years later facing the fact that King will be playing.

With only 68 league appearances since 2006, it is nothing short of amazing that he is here, ready to put his body on the line for his country when it needs him. Do not underestimate Ledley King or suspect him to be a weak spot in the English defence. He only needs to play against USA and Algeria and help England try and gain maximum points. 6 points there will be enough to see him rested against Slovakia and saved for the second round game. The way the tournament has fallen, he could effectively play one game every 5 or 6 days, just enough recovery time and play every match bar the 3rd group game.

Yet, in Tottenham’s final 3 matches, he started all 3 in 8 days. The first time he had done so in nearly 3 years and that alone stands as a testament to the man. No training, no tactical practice, he simply keeps fit and plays, it’s an astounding achievement.England have only lost one competitive game when he’s played out of 12 and he can partner John Terry without breaking a sweat. That kind of record speaks for itself, great players can slot in as when required and there is no doubt that King is indeed a great player.

Just as the hype and excitement for the World Cup is building to a feverish pitch, over the last two days we have had to read devastating headlines about star players (most of them Premier League stalwarts or ex-EPL stars) going down to injury in exhibition warm-up matches.

Devastating because in the World Cup you want to see the best of the best out on the pitch, that is what this tournament is about, it is what makes it so special. But in the last 48 hours, the list of those that will or may not be in South Africa has become staggering.

• Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United):  Ferdinand had replaced John Terry as England captain after the Chelsea star’s unscrupulous affairs made international headlines, and was set to appear in his fourth consecutive finals.  But a clash with Emile Heskey on the training ground on Friday has ruled him out of the Cup.  His season had been tarnished with injuries (started only 13 EPL matches) and this just puts the icing on the cake.  The only ball-playing CB for England, it will be interesting to see how the Three Lions cope without their captain.

• Didier Drogba (Chelsea): Arguably the best striker in the world, Drogba is now trying to salvage his World Cup dream through emergency surgery after dislocating his elbow in a friendly against Japan. The 37-goal striker is coming off his best season ever, and is the heart and soul of the Ivory Coast squad. If he cannot return to action for the tournament, it could bury the Elephants’ chances of getting out of their “Group of Death” featuring Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.

• Michael Essien (Chelsea): Having been plagued by injuries all season long for Chelsea, Essien tried to play his way back to get into the Ghana team, but failed to prove his fitness.  Ghana’s best player, Essien’s absence will severely hinder any hopes of Ghana returning to the knockout round where they were eliminated by Brazil in 2006.

• Michael Ballack (Chelsea): Yet another pivotal Chelsea player, Germany captain Michael Ballack was ruled out of the tournamant after a vicious tackle from Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana) in the FA Cup final left Ballack’s ankle in smithereens.  So productive for his national side, Ballack’s injury leaves a gaping hole in midfield for the always-dangerous Germans.

• John Obi Mikel (Chelsea): Are Chelsea footballers cursed for this World Cup?  While it was always going to be difficult for Mikel to feature for Nigeria after injuries derailed his Chelsea season in April, it has been confirmed that he will indeed not be traveling to South Africa after an undisclosed injury this morning.

• Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich, formerly Chelsea): And now the news this morning that Arjen Robben, Bayern’s wizard winger who at certain points single-handedly took the Munich giants to the Champions League final, has suffered a hamstring setback which could very well rule him out for Holland. While the Dutch have a plethora of playmakers, Robben is instrumental to their setup, and will be sorely missed this summer if he is out.

So there you have it.  The above players would make any manager’s starting lineups in the world, yet they could all be missing from world football’s biggest stage this summer.

When Argentina and Portugal were struggling to qualify, I thought to myself how tragic it would be to deprive the world of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup.  While not quite up to Messi and Ronaldo’s enormous stature, the players above are major international stars that will be sorely missed by not only their countries but by the whole world, because in a World Cup you want to see the very best out there in full health so that the greatest tournament possible is realized.

Sports can be so cruel sometimes.

On a day where two of the Premier League’s brightest and most popular stars succumbed to various knacks and knocks and subsequently exit the World Cup, another of the league’s most popular athletes ascends into the captaincy of the England National team feeling strangely like some hand me down jacket worn by your older brother. Realistically, Gerrard will be Capello’s third choice after the off the field exploits of John Terry and most recently because of Rio Ferdinand’s naggled knee.

I’d argue, like the USA’s temporary loss of striker Jozy Altidore, that the loss of Rio Ferdinand won’t place England too many pegs down the potential World Cup winning pole as the once great defender has struggled with fitness and form on and off for the entire year for England and more detrimentally to Manchester United. Was Ferdinand really to miss all those games for club and country and somehow miraculously return to his best from in time to lift the World Cup? 

Many will say Ferdinand’s pace at the back is what England will miss most as opposed to his leadership as captain, and although I don’t whole-heartedly disagree with that ideal, Ferdinand has not been the rock in central defense that once heard the words “best defender in the world” uttered not so long ago. England are a team that have traditionally always defended well. A loss of Ashley Cole and his ability to overlap the left sided midfielder and support attacks would have hurt England more than Rio’s exit.

Still, an injury is in injury and a loss is a loss. The national team is sending their captain home before a ball is kicked in anger as an already nail biting and obsessed nation slump their shoulders again, this time the weekend before the opening round clash with the US.

So who will partner John Terry in the center? The aging and slowing Jamie Carragher? The unreliable Ledley King and his knee? Or the still somewhat inexperienced Matthew Upson or Michael Dawson? Likely, Capello will pick King as long as he can play. He’s favored him in the past, and although he didn’t impress v Mexico, King has the class and talent to overcome the pain he plays with while his partner with club Michael Dawson waits in the wings. Matthew Upson has also performed well for England during qualification when King, Carragher and Dawson were unavailable. England have other choices to pair with John Terry that can get the job done, the sky in fact has not started to fall. At least not yet.

When Steven Gerrard places the captain’s arm band on and runs out against the States, it’ll be painfully clear to England fans that the loss of Ferdinand won’t hinder their chances of lifting the trophy. The 2010 World Cup was always going to be won or lost on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard – England’s three best players and the ones most likely to score goals. The title won’t come down to one defender, captain or not. Progression in South Africa will depend on England’s ability to retain possession in midfield and find Wayne Rooney to score or make plays regardless of his positioning. The defending of England’s goal is still in capable hands as is their ability to win matches and go far because of their real star, Fabio Capello.

Well it’s not been the best season for either of England’s first choice centre halves so far. Enough has been written about John Terry’s problems and Rio Ferdinand’s chronic back injury to have caused meltdown on Google through searching for both issues. Thankfully, Terry’s form seems to be picking up again and Manchester United seem to have cured Ferdinand through a calming spell of rehabilitation.

The issue for England would seem to be cover for both players with several high profile replacements injured, retired or bang out of form. Capello has already shown that he rates Matthew Upson, and for all his Premier League problems, Upson is clearly the first choice as a back up centre half for the Italian. He’s been dependable and reliable for England when called upon though and is clearly on the plane to South Africa.

The only question mark would be West Ham United’s struggle in the relegation battle they currently find themselves in. Could relegation leave a hangover that could affect him? It will be interesting to see, but Upson should be strong enough to deal with whatever happens to West Ham. After that though, it becomes a bit of a lottery with a major question mark over another player Capello clearly rates, Ledley King.

What can be said about Ledley King, he simply defies science and common sense. King has been suffering for 4 seasons with a chronic knee injury that he picked up in pre-season training back in 2006. Now with no cartilage in his left knee, it is simply bone grinding on bone every time he plays, King has to have at least 5 days rest to recover. The problem is that fluid builds up in the knee, swelling it up after any vigorous exercise but it’s incurable.

For a player in this day and age to be able still perform without any real training week to week is astounding. Harry Redknapp rightly calls him a freak for being able to still continue at the top level and this will probably be his last major tournament for England. Even at 29, the toil of the injury will surely bring an end to the career of surely one of English football’s brightest talents far too early. Fully fit, it wouldn’t have surprised me if King had become a regular starter for his country. Unfortunately, we will never know.

Of the other two outstanding centre halves of this generation, one is seemingly more injury ravaged than King and the other retired after being consistently overlooked by Steve Mclaren. Jonathan Woodgate must have run over several black cats in his career, which like Kings, promised so much but has petered out in to a continual battle to even make it on a treatment table, never mind a pitch. When fit, Woodgate was a superb ball playing defender who could score a couple now and again. Time is certainly against him and he has no chance of being fit for the World Cup and maybe even the beginning of next season.

Jamie Carragher has stuck to his decision made back in July 2007 after being consistently overlooked by Steve Mclaren and no amount of pleading has seen him make himself available for selection. I kind of understand why he’d had enough, but hells bells, World Cups don’t just grown on trees. Yet, regardless of that, Carragher along with Wayne Bridge seem certain to stick to their principles. It’s a shame and Carragher is certainly deserving of more caps than he won.

Of the remaining contenders, Joleon Lescott has had a terrible season by the standards he set whilst at Everton. Injuries and criticism over the way he handled his £23 million move to Manchester City have certainly seemed to weigh on Lescott’s mind this season. Of course, his career at City along with his relationship with Kolo Toure is still in it’s infancy and it should settle down eventually, question is, will it settle down in time for the World Cup?

Phil Jagielka is another high profile candidate only recently returning to playing after a 9 month lay off through injury. He’s certainly impressed since joining Everton in the summer of 2007, but it could be a little too soon for him. He’s another that has impressed with the chances available to him at international level and looks set to be involved with the England set up in the European Championship qualifying rounds when they begin in September 2010.

The outstanding English centre half who is not an England regular for me this season has been Michael Dawson. It’s ironic that if King and Woodgate were fit, Dawson wouldn’t be playing, never mind captaining the side in King’s absence. In fact over the last 18 months, Dawson has come on leaps and bounds and has been playing excellently all of this season. Strong in the air, reliable and passionate, Dawson in my opinion, clearly deserves to go to the World Cup.

I was amazed when Ryan Shawcross was called up but Dawson overlooked once again, because he’s simply a better player at the current time. I doubt Capello picked the Stoke defender to deflect the criticism over the Ramsey challenge, but it was still a surprise. A pointless one in the end as he didn’t even get on the pitch, but the experience will have stood him in good stead. Shawcross is definitely one for the future though, along with Jagielka.

So for me, the final choice comes down to John Terry and Rio Ferdinand as first choice centre halves,  Matthew Upson and Michael Dawson and Ledley King, dodgy knee as well to make up 5, taking my squad to 12 players so far. King, despite the knee issue, offers cover in both central defence and midfield and deserves his last chance after cruelly missing out in 2006. So who would you choose?

Manchester United players such as Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney star in a new comedy video to raise money for the Sport Relief charity in Britain.

The new video (see excerpt above) features Smithy (the Gavin & Stacey character played by James Corden) leading the players in a workout routine (Richard Simmons, watch out). Rio Ferdinand gets a couple of words of encouragement from Smithy before Rooney and Smithy get face-to-face in a laughable sing-song.

The full clip from the video will be shown on BBC on March 19.

It’s perhaps inevitable in this day and age that footballers will not follow in the footsteps of their predecessors into the inevitable job opportunities that present themselves. Manager, Coach, Television pundit, Pub landlord, Priest and Horse trainer are just some of the roles that former players often either fell into, or chose to follow their career.

Premiership football however is light years ahead of how football used to be, even just 15 years ago. Now, with a world wide audience, viewing figures for some games in hundreds of millions, footballers are known throughout all continents, all countries and all terrortories. No where it seems is football’s ever too far away, some one, some where will be showing it.

As such, the opportunities for the modern footballer offer a myriad of careers their predecessors could only dream about. Ignore the dreadful records and films of the 70′s, 80′s and early 90′s, those days are long gone, thank god. Cantona began the ball rolling with his acting and has currently teamed up with legendary British director Ken Loach’s and appeared in his new film “Looking For Eric”, an early favourite for the Palme D’or at Cannes. No, really it is. Don’t mention Pele’s acting or Viagra adverts, it hurts my head too much.

At the forefront of these new opportunities comes Rio Ferdinand, who has released his online magazine #5 through his website www.rioferdinand.com . To say it’s a refreshing, pleasant surprise would be an understatement, certainly steering clear of the much maligned articles that have dogged Icon magazine since its launch at the beginning of last season. Firstly, unlike Icon’s digusting subscription charge, £115 for 6 issues, no that really does say one hundred and fifteen pounds for six issues, Rio wants to let you in free.

Whilst the average fan can’t certainly match Rio’s buying power, its articles and interviews are about things we can all do, people we can all see, clothes most of us can afford. He’s got competitions to meet him, win some cool clothes, jewellery and signed England shirts. Icon hasn’t got anything like that, as it seems to think we’re all multi-millionaires who simply must have the new Range Rover. Rio has wants us to meet some freestyle footballers, even with a Cristiano Ronaldo masterclass thrown in, Icon has a list of the most exclusive restaurants in the UK, of which there are 13 so far, including this one!

Now it’s so easy to slate footballers these days, but I have to take off my hat to Rio Ferdinand, he could have simply followed the distasteful line that Icon has gone down, but he’s resisted it and all power to him. He could have quite easily set himself up for a massive fall, but whoever has advised him about this venture wants applauding, if it’s all Ferdinands idea, even more respect to him. It’s a refreshing idea from a footballer who seems to realise the buying power of his fan base.

Of course there are items in the gadget section of the magazine that we can only dream about owning, but which magazine out there doesn’t give us such items. The whole website seems to be lovingly put together and for once, I’m looking forward to seeing how this opportunity works out for Ferdinand.

When the final whistle went and those West Ham fans who’d spent most of Saturdays game against Chelsea abusing former old boys, Frank Lampard and John Terry, had disappeared to the pubs around and about, I bet they never thought they’d ever see either player back at Upton Park that soon. Obviously they were unaware that both players have agreed in principle to play for West Ham in a testimonial match for the Hammers’ academy director, Tony Carr as a celebration of his 36 years working for West Ham.

Now the West Ham fans have to swallow their pride after Saturday and think about how their actions toward those two former players reflects on Tony Carr’s night. Here’s a guy who’s given years of service to West Ham United and brought through countless players since he took over the role as Director Of Youth Development in 1973.There’s no doubt if Chelsea had played anywhere that weekend, they’d have got a lot of stick, especially Lampard and Terry and the chants weren’t that bad in the context of some of the things that are sung at football matches.

Yet, Lampard hasn’t helped himself before, with some comments about how his time was at West Ham, that he didn’t enjoy it as well, his family was badly treated by the club, he also said in a Chelsea supporters meeting he’d love to score the goal that sent West Ham down as well as the allegation that when he broke his leg playing for West Ham, some fans were cheering. I’d hate to think that was true, in fact I find it very hard to believe that West Ham fans would do that at all.So the abuse he got on Saturday was to be expected really.

People forget that Lampard has a history of slating West Ham whenever he seems to be interviewed but to say Lampard had a tough week last week would be an understatement, with the anniversary of his mothers death, an on air argument with a sad little shock jock and then the gauntlet of abuse he ran at Upton Park.

West Ham fans didn’t sing anything about his mother, but they did about the rant with the DJ and splitting up with his girlfriend, Terry got the same about his mother’s shopping indiscretion. That’s what happens at football matches, away players get rude songs sang at them, always have done, always will do. Some of the criticism the West Ham fans have received seems to be rather calculated in my opinion and I don;t think the stick they got was any worse than they would have received at Arsenal, Tottenham and Fulham.

I’m sure the majority of  West Ham fans that attend Tony Carr’s testimonial remember it’s a celebration of someone that has brought through the calibre of  Joe Cole, Lampard, Carrick, The Ferdinand brothers, Glen Johnson, Mark Noble,Tony Cottee, Paul Ince and the latest batch of Collinson, Tomkins, Sears and Stanislas. Let’s hope the minority don’t spoil a celebration of a man who would bleed claret and blue if you cut him, a more humble and proud Hammers fan you’d be hard pressed to find. Save all your singing for the next time you play Chelsea and give them the stick you feel they deserve, just don’t overstep the mark or spoil Tony Carr’s night.

If today’s PFA Player of the Year shortlist shows us anything, announcing the player of the year with almost 6 weeks of the season left looks a stupid decision. With only Steven Gerrard not from Manchester United on the six player shortlist, it just shows how quickly things in football can change. What if Frank Lampards goals fire Chelsea to a treble this season? What if Arsenal win the Champions League? Could Manchester United miss out on the Premiership, F.A. Cup and Champions League yet have a player win the PFA award?

Has Edwin Van Der Saar really been the best Premiership goalkeeper this season? Surely Mark Schwarzer’s contribution for Fulham has been more important between the sticks, as perhaps Shay Given at Newcastle and Manchester City this season can claim too. Manchester United could play a snowman in goal sometimes and no-one would notice.

Liverpool have now only got one chance of silverware after Wednesdays classic Champions League Quarter Final say Chelsea edge them out, with Lampard once again dragging the Blues through. Lampard has now scored 19 goals in all competitions, 2 less than Gerrard and Ronaldo but has set up more goals for his team mates than those two put together.Ferdinand has been superb all season, Vidic has seen his form drift away since February.

I don’t understand why the PFA awards have to be announced so soon and the voting to be concluded before all the major trophies are handed out. Last season, it was obvious that Ronaldo was head and shoulders ahead of anyone else, won all the domestic player awards and then failed to deliver once again for Portugal, spent all Summer flirting with Real Madrid and then missed the beginning of the season through injury and still won the World Player of  The Year Award.

This year, there is no stand out candidate, but for Lampard to be omitted is beyond a joke. During the final weeks of Scolari’s reign at Stamford Bridge, Lampard carried them single handed it seemed to try and keep them in as many competitions as possible, showing  guts and determination throughout the chaos that seemed to be going on all around him. Are professional players that daft that they couldn’t see that?

The Young Player of the Year award seems even more ludicrous, only 3 of the candidates have truly played well all season. Ireland, Rafael and Lennon have been head and shoulders above the other 3 candidates, with Ireland being the stand out nomination. Of the other 3, Agbonlahor has scored 3 goals since Christmas, has Jonny Evans been that good all season  and Ashley Young has been so inconsistent as to be almost laughable to be included in the final six.

How two Aston Villa players could be included when they’ve won 3 games out of their last 15 matches makes me think that the nominations must have been done on New Years Eve because Villa have fallen away so far and are in danger of finishing 6th when they had a good chance of finishing 3rd. Are there so few young players kicking around? Where’s Jack Rodwell? Mark Noble and Jack Collinson from West Ham have both had excellent seasons yet don’t feature at all.

Hopefully Ferdinand and Ireland will win the awards, but the nominations themselves just don’t make any sense at all. It’s time to move them to the end of the season when it actually matters.

They seem to have been mentioned on here quite a lot recently but since the inception of the Premiership in 1992, the dominant force in English football has undisputedly been Manchester United. Over the years they have had a number of fantastic footballers on their books but who have been the best? Below I have attempted to put together a best eleven of the Premiership Years (also stating the season that I believe each player was at the height of their powers). There are going to be one or two notable absentees but here goes:

Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel (1995/96).
This was the easiest choice of all eleven as Schmeichel is probably the best goalkeeper of all time. United haven’t exactly been blessed with an abundance of talent in this area since The Great Dane left the club in 1999. Edwin Van Der Sar has become the closest thing to a replacement that Sir Alex has found for Schmeichel but without a doubt, he would be my choice of keeper for any fantasy team.

Right Back: Gary Neville (2000/01).
The most difficult part of this selection was pinpointing the exact season as to when Neville was at his best. I have gone for the early 2000s as to when I think he was at his peak but for the best part of a decade, Gary Neville was the best right back in the league. Still an important figure at Old Trafford as the club captain, his determination and desire to play for United has seen him rewarded with a contract extension. Neville deserves this for his service to the club and has been an integral part of United’s unrivalled success.

Left Back: Denis Irwin (1993/94).
Patrice Evra was a close contender for this position but I have gone in favour of the former Ireland international purely on the basis of longevity. In his twelve years at the club, he won seven titles, three F.A Cups and a Champions’ League. Albeit right footed, Irwin was arguably better at left back where he played the majority of games for United. Irwin was not only a dependable full back but also had a knack for scoring penalties and free kicks too.

Centre Back: Jaap Stam (1998/99).
In his first season at the club, he won the treble. Intimidating, powerful and no nonsense, Jaap Stam was a centre forward’s worst nightmare. When he signed for the club he was exactly what they were missing and when he was sold (something Ferguson has since admitted his regret at doing), he was sorely missed as United leaked goals in a way they had never really done so before. Although he only spent three years at the club, Jaap Stam made a huge impression on Man United fans and I feel definitely warrants a place in this team.

Centre Back: Rio Ferdinand (2007/08).
I feel that Ferdinand has been the best centre back in the world for the last couple of years now. It took him a while to mature but seems to have been worth the wait. At the time, thirty million pounds seemed to be a very steep price tag for a centre back but Rio looks to have justified that investment and has gotten better with age and experience. Ferguson ought to think about awarding Rio with the permanent job of captain (I’m pretty sure he has).

Right Midfield: David Beckham (1998/99).
While at Man United, David Beckham twice came runner up in the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award. Although he was probably a more accomplished player and talismanic figure for both club and country in 2001, the way that Beckham bounced back from being outcast as a public hate figure after the 1998 World Cup is what most impressed me.

Left Midfield: Ryan Giggs (1992/93).
Giggs has the unique record of being the only player to have scored in every Premiership season. For as long as I can remember, Ryan Giggs has been annihilating full backs. He is the personification of loyalty and is Mr Manchester United. Over the years he has adapted his game to ensure that he can still compete at the top level and doesn’t get any less remarkable. However, it is the Giggs of the inaugural Premiership season that I would want marauding down the left wing as he was simply unstoppable.

Centre Midfield: Roy Keane (1999/00).
The PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 2000, Roy Keane was the engine room, the heart and soul of Manchester United for many a year. He demanded perfection and usually got it. The way his United career ended sours the fact that he was an immense talent and a fantastic captain. Not only is he an automatic selection but would definitely get the armband too.

Centre Midfield: Paul Scholes (1999/00).
Paul Scholes has never sought attention like many professional footballers do, but somehow I don’t feel he (or his talent) can ever receive enough praise. A truly remarkable exploiter of a football, he can dictate games with his eyes closed and has been doing so for what seems an eternity. It’s tricky to nail down the specific season that Scholes most shone for me as he has been superb for so many of them. I have gone with 1999/00 because of two special goals that live long in the memory, versus Bradford and then Middlesbrough (look them up on YouTube, both occasions United wore the less fondly remembered purple strip).

Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo (2007/08).
Well he had to be in here somewhere. You could play Ronaldo anywhere you like really and he’d still be sensational. Many would say that he is a midfielder but I would probably just tell him to play where he likes. Anyone who can score 42 goals in a season earns that privilege. His aerial ability married with David Beckham’s delivery would be an exciting prospect and I’d be intrigued to find out whether or not Ronaldo would score as many goals up front as he does from the wings. Either way, he’s in. You can’t not have the world’s best player in the team.

Striker: Ruud Van Nistelrooy (2002/03).
This was an unbelievably tough call, one that I didn’t anticipate (somewhat naively) when I began this article. Cantona or Van Nistelrooy? I only went for the Dutchmen because it’s who I’d pick to compliment the team if this were real. A born predator, he scores goals like you and I breathe. 44 goals in a season isn’t easy to ignore. Whereas Cantona was perhaps United’s most influential figure of the nineties and they wouldn’t be where they are today without him, I have to go for Van Nistelrooy just on the basis that goal scorers win a team trophies.

There is my team; some agree with me, most won’t so feel free to add your own suggestions and/or best elevens as well.