In memory of United’s greatest

I’m posting again after a long time. I’ve noticed how most of the posts for some time now have been battling transfer rumours spread by obnoxious tabloids. This isn’t going to be one of those.

This is about a sadness that wells up every time I think about two players that have left United via the ‘back door’. These two, together, have proven to the world what they can do when playing together. No points for guessing. Its Ruud and Becks. The first was the result of a really bad case of the club trying to offload a jaded star and for a decent price while they still could. The second, well, is a truly sad story.

Ruud has picked up the Pichichi this season. Forlan went that way before him. 25 goals apiece. It really irks me to think that we let him go and that for a petty $18M. 25 goals mate! I mean, it’s worth a king’s ransom. He has had his moments of brilliance, no doubt. But this season, ageing player that he is, his record has come about mostly thanks to some incredible feeding from many of his team-mates. Given our own amazing team efforts this season, I am beginning to wonder if he wouldn’t have scored as many here at OT.

Those goals in no small part came thanks to much slandered Beckham. He really deserved a lot better than the treatment he got since his departure. I can’t believe that there are United ‘fans’ who berate him and hold him in contempt despite his immense contributions to the club’s success. For those of you who tend to have a fickle memory, the winner on that wild night in ’99 came of his corner. There are times when his crossing has been so inch-perfect that it upped the goal scoring capability of really mediocre players. Take Crouch’s goal against Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup for example. England were skulking around the pitch in want of some good old fashioned creativity till that forty yard cross came out of nowhere.

The truth about Beckham is that he has been blind in his ambition as he has been blind in his dotage toward his dear wife. I have nothing personal against the Beckhams, mind you. It’s just that, in my eyes, and the eyes of any United fan, Becks chose his wife and their ambitions over those of his club. Both are, I suppose once in a lifetime affairs, but nonetheless, I will feel aggrieved.

But I will not tolerate badmouthing of a player who, in all respects, is one of the world’s most talented midfielders. His vision and crossing are impeccable. Passing is fine, even by United’s high standards. And he should have been here at OT where he was at his very best. A move to LA is by no means a career highlight. It is my belief that this again is a result of the coaxing and cajoling by his ambitious better-half, but then, that’s just my opinion. Whatever the reasons, I rue the day he set out from Manchester to play with the Galacticos.

Again in pure retrospective speculation, I will go as far as to say that Fergie would have been a happier boss today if he hadn’t ousted Becks. Financially, he was a boon. On the pitch, his professionalism is unquestionable. In fact, United haven’t really been able to play the 4-4-2 effectively because of the lack of such crossing ability in the wings since his departure.

His presence along with Ruud’s would have assured that those fiascos in Europe and at home never happened. And what Fergie is pushing for now, in the twilight of his career, as he would have it, he would have already had: a second Champions League trophy in the cabinet.

For the second time, a player of immense caliber left United much to our woe. The first was God. The second, well, was only too human. If only history was written in retrospect…if only…