This summer has been full of football’s most dramatic elements: transfers, rumors, and money. With silly season in full flight, one of the most debated topics in the world of football has been the future of Manchester United. Yes, the same Manchester United that is coming off three straight Premiership crowns.

For some reason, many members of the media have been writing Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United off already.

Having sold the best player in the world (I don’t mean Carlos Tevez) and one of the Premiership’s hardest working strikers (there’s your cue, Carlitos), far too many people were anxiously awaiting a massive spending spree by Fergie and company. Instead, United fans are forced to sit at home and celebrate the signings of a standout from Premier League giants Wigan, a former Liverpool star who enjoyed a memorable spell at the famed Newcastle United, and a young French winger who admitted himself that he was shocked at the move. Hmmm…

But even with all of this, even through all of the disappointment that United fans are feeling, I can’t help but think that everything is going to be alright. Here are the five reasons why United will be in with a shout come May:

1. There’s no “Ronaldo” in “team”

While Cristiano Ronaldo may have appeared to carry Manchester United game after game, it was only because the system set it up that way. When I wrote about Sir Alex Ferguson’s new plan the initial feedback was “yeah, but who will replace Ronaldo!?” It’s a simple solution.

Just like when Ruud van Nistelrooy left the club in 2006, everyone is looking to replace that one star player. When Ruud and all of his goals left, the fans were crying out for Fergie to sign a 30 goals a season striker to replace the Dutchman. No such signing came in, but somehow the Red Devils managed to secure a first Premier League crown in four seasons.

Now, with Cristiano Ronaldo gone, Sir Alex Ferguson is clearly opting for the same fix. Instead of trying to replace a single man and his goals, the wily old Scot is signing players that will fit into the new system. Cristiano Ronaldo scored forty-two goals in one season? So what? With him gone that means the rest of the team will split those 42 goals amongst each other; Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, and the midfield will all gain some tallies.

At the end of the day football is a team game, and eleven men working together is far better than one. Sir Alex Ferguson is getting the right players for a new system, and they will all be pieces of the puzzle.

2. The class of 2009

United will forever be remembered for their famous crops of youngsters. Last season we were lucky enough to get a tiny glimpse of what’s been going on behind closed doors at Carrington as Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck got significant playing time, but there’s still more to come.

Kiko Macheda and Welbeck should have even more chances to shine this season, and fellow youngsters Ritchie De Laet, Fabio, and maybe even Davide Petrucci could see some senior action during cup games. Just like the beginning days of the Nevilles, Beckham, etc., these youngsters are hungry and determined.

3. Owen Hargreaves

Before you write this guy off, think back to May of this year. United were chasing an unprecedented second straight Champions League victory, but Barcelona’s midfield played with United and put the English champions to the sword. United fans were clamoring for a Michael Essien-type player, and one is already waiting in the wings.

Yes, Owen Hargreaves has been hurt for an entire season, and yes his health is being compared to the fragile Louis Saha, but if he can remain healthy this season then United will be getting back a solid midfielder. Owen can tackle, can shoot, and can take some worldclass freekicks. It may be a cliche, but Owen’s return is like a new signing for the club.

4. Squad players

Cross-town rivals Manchester City are catching a lot of heat for their summer exploits this far, but Mark Hughes knows exactly what he’s doing. Manchester United’s success in recent years has been down to the fact that the Red Devils’ squad is much deeper than their rivals’.

Even without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez this rings true. Last season saw the emergence of some fairly average players like Darren Fletcher make the step up into useful squad players, and expect more of the same this season. If you look across the board there are very few positions where United is thin; the defense is as solid as ever, the midfield has been bulked up over the summer, and the front-line has experience and youth.

5. The white Pele

Wayne Rooney was billed as England’s savior when he was only a teenager. Now, years later, people are still saying the same thing – but still in anticipation. It’s time for Wayne Rooney to stand up, and there’s no better time than in a World Cup year. On top of that, Rooney will have a chance to play an entire season with Michael Owen, who could quite possibly be Rooney’s strike partner come June in South Africa.

Even without all of the extra motivation, Wayne Rooney should be in top form due to the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. Instead of being pushed out wide to compensate for Ronaldo’s lack of tracking back, Rooney will be able to stick to his central role and get in front of goal this season. “Shrek” will not have to focus on getting back and playing defense – this season it’s all about the goals.

It’s for these five reasons that I truly believe that Manchester United could make history this time next year. A record fourth consecutive Premiership crown? It just might happen.

Brian Lofrumento is a full time writer for Premiership Talk.

Also See: Red Ranter’s take on Ferguson’s transfer strategy this summer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If everything the media wrote was true, then Arsenal would be the greatest football side to ever grace the planet and Manchester United would falter with their “old” squad every season.

This, however, is the media’s most common misconception, and one that Arsenal fans quote quite often. After growing sick of hearing that Arsenal are a team full of youth compared to the United old guard, it’s necessary to look at the facts.

United have forever been known for their excellent youth academy. Older fans witnessed this phenomenon in the 50′s and 60′s with the Busby Babes, and more recently we’ve witnessed the brilliant class of 1992. Since Beckham became a pop star, Phil Neville stumbled over to Goodison Park, and Nicky Butt left Old Trafford to find first team football, many people started to believe that the United youth academy had dried up.

Is this true, though? Is United going to have to continue buying big in order to keep the pace? The answer is a definitive “no,” as much as the media would like you to believe otherwise. Like the Arsenal “youth” system, United are doing an incredible job of buying talented teenagers from around the world for very cheap and nurturing them to stardom. All too often people overlook the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t even a quarter of what he is today when United bought him in 2003. The club’s staff looked after him closely and have developed him into the world’s greatest player. The same process is going on with Nani and Anderson right now before our eyes.

The point of this piece, however, is not to talk about what can already been seen on the pitch. Instead, let’s focus on United’s future: is the future even brighter than the past or are we witnessing the last wave of success?

This season should give the world a glimpse into United’s very bright future plan – we are within a year of seeing the next great batch of youngsters. Rafael, Fabio, Fraizer Campbell, Possebon, Jonny Evans, and friends: welcome to the big time. Fergie’s final batch of youngsters have proven themselves in this preseason and will surely figure into the first team’s plans this year.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with these players, you soon will be. Rafael and Fabio are identical twins from Brazil who play right back and left back respectively. Rafael has already secured the adulation of many of United fans after great performances against Peterborough and Juventus. Fabio, who hasn’t gotten as good of a chance as his brother yet, is apparently the more talented of the duo. Fabio captained the Brazilian Under 17 team in Korea last year.

Meanwhile, Fraizer Campbell is a talented striker who has been plying his trade on loan spells for Antwerp and Hull. After joining Hull in October last season, Campbell finished the year as the club’s leading scorer. This prompted the Hull chairman to declare Campbell as “too good for the Championship.”

Possebon is yet another Brazilian at Old Trafford. The young central midfielder has a wide range of passing similar to Paul Scholes and is also capable of shooting from distance. Possebon has been heavily tipped a future star in United’s midfield.

Jonny Evans is the reason why Fergie was confident enough to let Pique return to Barcelona. The defender has proven himself on the international stage for Northern Ireland against the likes of Spain, and Sunderland fans were lucky enough to watch him help the club to promotion in 06/07 and then again in their fight for Premier League survival in 07/08.

These particular youngsters are just a sampling of what is going on behind closed doors at Carrington. There is no doubt about it that United always have something brewing in their youth system, and football fans around the world should be looking for these youngsters in the coming season.

Besides, United’s current batch of stars are mere youngsters. Wayne Rooney is only 22, Cristiano Ronaldo is 23, Carlos Tevez is 24, Anderson is 20, Nani is 21, and goalkeeper Ben Foster is only 25 (extremely young for keepers).

The future is only bright for United.

Brian Lofrumento writes at Premiership Talk.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Two years ago, Sunderland were the laughing stock of the English Premier League. The Black Cats finished the 2005/06 season with an embarrassing 15 points – a record only topped by Derby this past season.

A new era began at the club in 2006, though, as legendary midfielder Roy Keane was appointed manager of the club. Under Keane, Sunderland recaptured their good form and ended up winning the Championship – giving the squad a chance at redeeming themselves in the Premier League.

This summer has seen a revitalization of the club. I would go as far as saying Roy Keane is beginning to wake this sleeping giant (the club has, after all, won the top flight of English football six times). The signings of players like Craig Gordon and El-Hadji Diouf signal the club’s intent, and this season could see a change in fortune for Sunderland fans. Here are the four reasons why:

1. Roy Keane. The former Manchester United captain learned from one of the best in the business at Old Trafford and is now becoming an assertive figure himself. Keane has brought the best out of players through his motivation and has shown that he can unearth gems as well. In Kenwyne Jones, Keane has an exciting striker who has proven he can score goals. Keane has also made other great signings such as promising goalkeeper Craig Gordon and pacy winger Kieran Richardson. This season we’ll see if his gamble on the eccentric El-Hadji Diouf will pay off.

2. The fans. Sunderland are known around the nation for having some of the most passionate fans. The Stadium of Light holds 49,000 of these crazed fans, which means a consistent fanbase brings financial stability to the club.

3. The veterans. Like his old Manchester United sides, Roy Keane has built a squad which blends youth with experience. Experienced heads like Dwight Yorke and Graham Kavanagh are great to have around because they can offer invaluable advice to the less experienced players in the club. In times of trouble, you can always count on these veterans to step up.

4. The youth. Every team needs youngsters in order to ensure long term stability, and Sunderland fans will be excited at the younger prospects that the club have. Even key members of the starting eleven are young; Craig Gordon is only 25 years old – for a keeper that’s like being 18 or 19, so he still has about 10 years at the top.

Richardson, one of the most exciting players Sunderland has, is only 23 years old. With his pace, the sky is the limit, and a powerful shot will allow him to pick up a few goals this year.

The third key youngster is Jones, the 23 year-old striker from Trinidad and Tobago. Jones impressed greatly in his debut campaign at Sunderland last season and will be looking to better his goal tally this term, though he will start the season as a spectator thanks to a knee injury.

It is these four reasons that make me certain that Sunderland is on the verge of making that next step up. Perhaps not this season, but within the next few years, Sunderland should be a side challenging for a spot in European competitions. With a solid financial backing, a good manager, great fans, and an excellent blend of youth and experience, the sky is the limit for the Black Cats.

Brian Lofrumento writes at Premiership Talk.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News