http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/sports/story/0,4136,127310,00.html?HIGH time for Sir Alex Ferguson to let go.
TOHARI PAIJAN tells WANG MENG MENG something has got to give way for Man United in their showdown against Roma
April 11, 2007
The fiery Scotsman is after another glorious Treble but if he's not careful, he will lose sight of all three trophies.
Already, Manchester United are under extreme pressure after their 2-1 loss at Roma in the Champions League Quarter-final first-leg.
And things got worse when they were beaten by the same score at Portsmouth to see their lead at the top of the Premiership trimmed to just three points.
Look at how much difference Nemanja Vidic has made.
With the reliable Serb out injured, Rio Ferdinand has become error-prone. Wes Brown has been guilty of ball-watching.
On top of that, Fergie doesn't seem to have a replacement. He could try John O'Shea or Gabriel Heinze but neither is the best solution.
At Fratton Park, the Red Devils rested Ryan Giggs ahead of the Roma clash but the plan backfired when his stand-in Kieran Richardson gave away a needless opening goal to Pompey.
In contrast, Roma rested seven regulars in anticipation of their visit to Old Trafford.
When they played Catania away over the weekend, Luciano Spalletti could afford to rest Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, Taddei, Mancini, Doni, Christian Panucci and Christian Chivu to keep them fresh.
Despite that, Roma still managed to win 2-0. Their confidence is sky-high and they will travel to England with no fears.
That should convince Fergie to give up on the Champions League in order to save his Premiership season.
Man U still has Chelsea to play in May and their squad can barely cope with fighting in three competitions. That's how thin his squad is now.
The Red Devils have depended too much on a few key players and with Paul Scholes suspended, Vidic and Gary Neville injured, they will look to Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to deliver.
At least, Ferguson should state what is his priority - and I suspect it's the Premiership - and focus entirely on it.
That's better than ending up empty-handed if he stretches his players too far. If he gives up on Europe, at least he can fully concentrate on beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next month.
UPHILL TASK
Until then, Man U have an uphill task against Roma.
In Totti, the Serie A side have a coach on the pitch. The skipper has a great working relationship with Spalletti.
The coach convinced his playmaker that he should take a break from the national team. As a result, Totti is having a tremendous season so far.
If Fergie is to stand a chance, he will have to look for the 12th Man.
Old Trafford has a capacity of 76,000 and it is time for the fans to stand up and be counted.
But I still have my doubts on Man U's chances against Roma.
They should just forget about the Treble and just gun for the Premiership instead. The FA Cup would be a bonus.
If Fergie is sensible about his squad's lack of depth, he would know he has to give the Champions League up. His days in Europe are numbered.
