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Becks not among Fergie's best
14/12/2006 17:41 - (SA)
Manchester - Alex Ferguson named five "world class" players he coached during his 20 years at Manchester United.
And David Beckham wasn't among them.
Asked for the list for a club history published this week, Ferguson came up with goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, winger Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane.
While he added that current winger Cristiano Ronaldo has the potential to join the list and that Paul Scholes was a possibility, Beckham didn't get a mention.
That could have as much to do with the pair's personality clash as anything else.
Former England captain Beckham helped United win nine league and cup trophies, including the 1999 Champions League, and looked on Ferguson as a strong influence on his 12-year spell at Old Trafford.
However, the pair fell out.
Ferguson was once so angry after a defeat that he kicked a soccer boot in the changing room and it hit Beckham above the eye, opening a deep cut. He sold him to Real Madrid in 2003.
Blessed with several world class players
Ferguson also overlooked Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mark Hughes and, surprisingly, Bryan Robson, who played almost 400 games for the club and was at Old Trafford for the start of United's run of eight league titles in 11 seasons.
"In my time I've been blessed with several world class players," Ferguson said. "Schmeichel was certainly one, Giggs for me, definitely. Cantona could have been even better, but for the parts of him you had to control. Wayne Rooney, that's four.
"Then there's Roy Keane - that's five. Then there's an argument for Paul Scholes, the cleverest midfielder we've ever had."
While he didn't include Ronaldo on his list, he had little doubt the Portugal winger will one day join the ranks of the club's elite.
"He's playing in the hardest position in football, out wide, and never refuses to take the ball and attack players," Ferguson said. "He's two-footed, he's brave and, once his decision making improves, he'll be world class without question.
"To work with such people has been an absolute pleasure. It's fulfilled every aspiration."
Other United stars who have had standout spells playing for him during that time include Gary Neville, Dennis Irwin, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Paul Ince, Nicky Butt, Jaap Stam, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunner Solskjaer.
But there have been some disasters too, notably France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, Uruguay striker Diego Forlan and France defender Laurent Blanc.
- AP
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