FERGIE STILL WANTS OWEN

Last updated : 19 October 2006 By Editor

“If we had got Owen Hargreaves it would have given us a complete variation of the type of midfield players you need in the modern game.

“We focused on Michael Carrick and Owen right away but we got one and didn't get the other.

“We are disappointed we didn't get Owen but we have people like Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea developing.

“Paul Scholes has also returned and Ryan Giggs is showing his maturity and experience, which is helping everyone, and I also have younger players like Kieran Richardson.

“Scholes was missing for six months last year. This season we've got a player with a freshness about him. He was keen to get back, because he had a worrying injury that nobody knew the cause of and nobody knew the recovery or remedy for. But he's back and I think the boy's relishing being back.

“Then there's Solksjaer. Out for over two years at 31 and you're saying to yourself ‘well this is going to be very difficult for the boy'. But he's been fantastic.

“So when you get that sort of boost or bonus, added to the younger ones that have been emerging over the last couple of years, there was every reason to be confident.”