Sir Alex Ferguson has announced that this coming 2010/2011 season could finally see the old guard of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville retire.
Speaking to the M.E.N Sir Alex said,
“Neville, Scholes and Giggs have become very important but this could be their last year, you cannot guarantee at their age they will carry on much longer.”
All 3 have been rolling back the years with top level performances and have all signed contract extensions that run out next summer but how damaging could it be if all 3 leave at the same time?
It will be a massive loss when they retire anyway but for all to just leave at the same could be disastrous. Sir Alex also told the M.E.N,
“At the moment their experience combined with the young players coming through who are playing on a regular basis it is a good mixture. The younger ones will benefit from that and in two or three years become your regular players.”
So if the three leave at the end of next season and it takes the youngsters he speaks of 2-3 years to become first team regulars what happens in the time in between?
The impact of each player on the club is monumental and it is likely all 3 will be kept on in some capacity but not having their skills and experience to rely on may hurt us. It’s not like our midfield is the greatest at the moment anyway.
Although all 3 are irreplaceable I’m under no illusions that the players that will eventually fill the voids created by their departures will do a good job but at the moment it does make you worry.
Of course this is being said in May without the transfer window open and no signings being made and come September 1st depending on who we sign this could be 1 big panic for nothing but at the moment I don’t think I or any United fan would be wrong to be concerned if all 3 do in fact depart at the same time.
It’s a tough call, certainly there are more positives than negatives in having them around as long as they’re fit; but we do have them for another full year, so we’re really talking about a scenario which is a year and a half away. By that stage, I’d hope our current players would’ve develped more – and a least a couple good signings (Silva!).
Their legacies are also important, and it wouldn’t be wise to have them stay until they reached sub-standard form. SAF has been wise in utilizing them in different capacities with their slower pace; but this is England and not Italy and I don’t think they can afford to be any slower which is a real possibility down the road. Though it may be a bit of a shame for them to retire with some game left in them; it would be far worse to retire because they had nothing left.
Finally, though they are important to have around to mentor the younger ones are they have been doing, they could be in the way of others’ development if they stay more than another year. We’ll see what next year holds, but I think it’s likely best that 2011 serves as a transition year.
On a different note check out Wayne Rooney playing keyboards for Bonobo!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7rIs45UCOk . . . Cool song too!!!