Yesterday, Sir Alex Ferguson said he was putting Owen Hargreaves in the Champions League squad to face AC Milan.
Today, Hargreaves has been withdrawn from the squad and his people aren’t revealing anything.
Is he ever going to come back?
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Nah, I think he will return eventually. Fletcher will be our main man in midfield for the rest of the season, so lets hope he stays injury free.
I can’t believe I beat AIG to post first here.
Sadly its a no (for now)
and this is the biggest thing a player must over-come after being out for so long
unless he makes a psychological turnaround
cause from what i can tell is he’s not yet there in terms of mental strength..
i would love to be wrong tho
not once but twice costas!
Keep the faith!
I think its too late, even saha didnt stay out this long.
there are some more alternatives missing, however I understand this is to be kept simple. I think he will come back but he won`t make an impact anymore. which is the option somewhere between those two above
Just wrote a long msg but deleted it. To be honest, I don’t know what to think.. surprised SAF wouldn’t keep him in the CL squad.. hopefully it’s a mental issue rather than a physical one!
You’ve got to think it might be over for him. It’s not as if Ritchie de Laet will add much… worth taking the risk on him making a comeback by the latter stages. Unless Fergie has no faith that he’ll make it back by then.
I feel if by next season he is not back then i cant see him coming back anymore. Next season is the last season. I hope he does make it!
Hope he does get his head straight sooner! We could work wonders with a midfield trio of Fletch, Hargo and Ando! If he does play it is a new signing, good or bad……
He will never play for Manchester United again in my humble opinion – his contract is up in June, if he does play, it should be for free… 25 starts over his career.. that is quite pathetic. As I said yesterday, those pesky Germans are laughing at us.
Well Muggaz, I was laughing at the Germans when I was celebrating a Double a few years ago, with Hargo playing the full 120 mins in the final AND scoring emphatically on his pk…
Earlier on today I saw shergar playing football,after a few minutes bin laden joined in,a few minutes later lord lucan came alolng and then the tooth fairy,closely followed by santa and the easter bunny.I was going to say Owen Hargreaves was with them but nobody would believe me.
I guess SAF just didn’t think he was going to contribute much in the CL, however Hargo may still be used for cameo appearances in the league…and hopefully he’ll be back to his best for the start of next season.
@Muggaz
Hargreaves has an option, so he will most likely remain at United until 2011.
Hi,
I can´t believe that Fergie is happy with the situation at all.
What´s happened in 24 hours that made him change his mind.
Fergie is never happy when made to go back on his word.
I can´t help that think that the problem is in Hargreaves mind and that doesn´t go down well with Sir Alex
cant see it.Take the insurance.
I don’t think so, not after so long. If it’s purely psychologically now I think if he was ever going to return he would of by now. If he doesn’t make it back by the end of season I pray that Fergie buys to replace him / Scholes and doesn’t wait and hope that he makes it back for next season.
Unfortunately I agree with most on here that this will be the last of him, which is disappointing. I’d love to know what made fergie change his mind. There’s still nothing on the website so hopefully we’ll have a bit more info tomorrow after his press conference
No way. its not over for him. looks like its curtains as far as this season goes but he can come back next season.not having played for 16 months, he will take time to be back to anywhere near his best so it wont be sensible getting him back now because we are approaching the business end of the season with vital games coming up. Let him play in the reserves for 32-3 months and then have a full pre season in 2010-11. If that works he will be back next season but if he gets injured again, that would be disastrous.
@Costas
Thank me for that. I thought i must give someone else a chance too.
Wats up guys, I dont know wat is wrong with harg and we need him on the field as soon as possible.
well… am sure the manager will be asked about this in the next press confrence, interesting to hear what he says.. I predict he might play before the end of the season or maybe next season – If big freddie flintoff can come back from so many injuries surely our Hargo can too!
Keep the faith buddies, can’t be over for him. i refuse to believe that
he carnt come straight back to the starting 11, he must play some reserves games first.
hope he comes back as good as he was!
Gary Neville was out for this long and he played again – even if it would probably have been better if he didn’t.
what the fuck is this mental strength bullshit everyone keeps going on about? If a player hasn’t got the mental strength then sorry, out the door. Love Hargreaves as a player but if he really is having mental issues about returning then he’s done. I hope that isn’t the case.
@0161-Jon
It isn’t easy. When a player who used to be tough and competitive as Hargreaves was, has operation on both his knees, it can be quite demoralising. Lets face it, not everyone can be like Roy Keane and not get affected by this sort of stuff. Hargreaves has to start believing that once he puts his feet into a tackle, he won’t get injured. It’s not surprising that this problem has come up. If this is the only problem that Hargo is up against, then I am pretty sure that he will bounce back eventually. All he needs is some tough training sessions to build his confidence.
Removing him from the Champions League squad was a wise and obvious decision. Even if he comes back fully fit this week or next week, he still wouldn’t be in a fit state to play in the knock out stages this month, as he will need time on the pitch in a couple of non competitive games i.e reserve games.
It is certainly not over for the man. As Fergie said, he does not want to rush him back. I think it’s good that he will not play at all this season, because that means he will be fully ready and fresh for the whole of next season, that is if Fergie still wants him. And I think he does, Hargo’s only played for us for one season, and if Fergie wasn’t so keen on him he wouldn’t have bought him knowing fully well Hargo has a serious knee injury. The club won’t sell this player after spending all that money on his surgery and rehabilation. There is a great possibility that he may come back as the same player he was. He has been treated by Richard Steadman, the same knee specialist who operated on Bullard, Bellamy, Owen in their careers and they owe him a lot because he has helped them get back to the level they were playing at after their injuries.
I say we should keep the faith. Hopefully next season he will be like a new signing for us. I know he has only played 25 games but he is one of my favourite players in the team; does his job pretty damn well and I admire his attitude, his versatility and I will never forget that wonderful freekick he took against Arsenal. I hope to see him fit at the beginning of next season; he has been truly missed in the middle.
Wouldnt like to be in the tenchs with most of you guys!!
Proper downers. Lets hope he makes it as he’s superb!!
And if it really was over for him, he wouldn’t be smiling in every training session with the first team. From the pictures I see he looks happy and confident to be honest.
United Rant – I agree it maybe over for hargreaves do you think he will ever return because I am not being nasty hargreaves maybe one of fergies worse hes a quality player but the injurys the cost and the number of games he has played for the club. because atleast berbatov and veron have had their moments hargreaves has had a couple but not enough.
fingers crossed he will come back, we could do with him for sure.
I suspect he is omitted for the CL because CL are going to be crunch matches that Fergie will want to win.
I believe in Hargreaves. Keep the faith, as long as he is a player of Man Utd. Even if he doesn’t come back ever, the double, the amazing free kick he scored against Arsenal will be in my mind.
He’s my second favorite player after Scholesy. You know the answer.
Obviously Scott is a as concerned as we are but i asked him not to bring up all of these again.
We are not doctors so we can’t say. Only god knows the future (c) you know who
So this summer we will see a major overhaul then guys?
Out could be: Neville, Van Der Sar, Foster, Anderson, Scholes, Owen, Hargreaves
In perhaps Lloris, Smalling, ????
I think a lot of people are getting carried away with this whole “mental” thing that SAF quoted. The lad is still recovering from his injury/surgery. The fact he can only train a couple of days then has to rest says hes still not physically ready to play. If it was just a “mental issue” right now he would be training full time with the squad, and dont think for a second if he was match fit SAF would force him into playing instead of babying him. I think if he can get a couple of games in before the end of the season the have a full pre season he will come good next year.
The problem with Knee Tendonitis is its only going to get worse again so no matter what shape his knees are in when he comes back them moment he starts playing again the problem going to slowly return, hes never going to be able to play 2-3 games a week on those knees, i see him as a squad player at best if he comes back. Its a shame because he is/was a great player..
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5918383,00.html
The transfer bays is lifted for the rentboys.Cunts always get away with wrongdoing. Hope they dont win the league. clasless club, only 2nd to city
Costas:
I definetly agree with that. Even the best and toughest players have taken a long time getting back to full competitive fitness and mental state. No need to rush him as Fletcher is doing a good job as several have said here and if Anderson can get his act together for 90 minutes again, we have enough for now I think.
Buit we do miss his free-kicks. Come on Hargo! You’re the love of my life!
All this mental strength shit is bollux.
Firstly – the guy is a pro footballer and gets paid millions, SAF or Man Utd would not stand for a weak minded footballer for such a length of time, and since we’ve not heard SAF or the club blowing up about this, or looking to get rid – I assume that the problem must be physical.
Second – As if Hargo really has a mental issue with getting back on the pitch and making tackles. He loves the game and has seen his teamates dominate the last 3 years, missed out on a title and a CL final. The guy is busiting to get on the pitch. When yolu see Cisse and Ruud and Shearer all have these terrible injuries and get back on the pitch, i dont think a couple of dodgy knees really keeps Hargo up at night scared of making a tackle.
The only problem with my view is that it must be the injury and it must not be healing – the chances of him making a full recovery get slimmer each week which is sad coz a team of:
EVS
EVRA RIO VIDIC BROWN
CARRICK FLETCH HARGO
GIGGS NANI/VALENCIA
ROONEY
Course he will be back. It just takes time. He wouldn’t put all this effort in only for it to be in vain. At least I hope not. He is a fighter. He WILL be back.
I thought the quote from Fergie including him was from a while back? Not yesterday. Cannot see him saying yesterday he is in then 24 hours later say he isn’t.
By the way folk why the fuck has the reserves been cancelled? Was really looking forward to that. They have played fuck all games since Xmas.
Darius – Anderson won’t be sold I wouldn’t have thought. Still very young and I have every faith he can make the grade at United. As for Owen I find it surprising that, great player he is, only playing 25 games and to some he is their favourite or second favourite player. Each to their own but I prefer Scholes, Fletch, Pat, Edwin, Wes, Vida, Sheasy, Wazza, Rio, . My list could go on. What warrants him being peoples fav player? Just interested.
aig – Fuck the Rentboys mate. They have had the opportunity over the last 3 seasons to buy players and strengthen their squad but they seem quite happy sticking with the shite they have. I mean look who they bought in the summer. Jerkoff who has managed SIX games, Ross fucking Turnbull and Sturridge. Unlike United who are always evolving they seem to rest on their laurels. Hence the reason the league trophy has resided at Old Trafford since mid 2007.
schmadmir – Of course we have “enough for now” in the midfield. What exactly did Owen contribute to last seasons triumphs and near misses? Fucking nish.
King Eric – the irony is united could have rested on their laurels after they won the european cup a phew years ago, because unlike chelsea united had all the positions filled and settled and in their prime.
- chelsea are an old side its very stale and a static outfit, alot forger chelseas owners are not spending any money also. The next 3 to 4 games we will all get a glimpse how the league table could be panning out. I am praying after 4 games call me over expecting but if things go uniteds way and they pick up maximum pts? I expect united to have opened up a gap to 3 to 4 pts but thats if united pick up 12 pts.
I can barely remember what was wrong with him it’s been so long.
Anybody got any idea where he might be at medically? I mean it seems strange to me that a man could carry any injury for this long, was he picking up new injuries along the way?
Doghouse – Tendinitis in BOTH knees.
rtnk – Spot on mate.
Darius C – well VDS and scholes are starting to play well and they could go on to atleast to 2011. Also can you tell me why would united move hargreaves and owen on when you have not put these factors into consideration
A – where is the value moving on hargreaves and owen when someone like owen who cost nothing could be a key player to united and is always a goalscoring threat he is not even 30 yet.
B – hargreaves needs atleast another full season before united consider letting him go and it will cost united alot to release hargreaves from his contract, hargreaves will have to make the decision will he retire or continue to play
@ King Eric
the quote was from last week in SAF’s programme notes for the second leg against citeh. So u r right mate, Sir Alex hasn’t changed his mind in a day, it was reported later on by the papers, apparently there is other stories hitting the headlines about some chav scum footballer who has been knocking off his best mates ex. Not sure if there is any truth in the rumour.
@ rooney the new king
Hargreaves contract runs out in June 2011, so i reckon if he doesn’t make any games this season he will be allowed to run down his contract.
I think he will play again in the league by the end of the season anyways.
Jandsdad – I agree I also think he will play a game like neville done in the 07/08 season or 2 if united really have a 2002/03 type run in to the end of the premiership season and there is a game to spare so hargreaves can get a run out.
With his contract expiring in June it could well be the end of Hargreave’s United career.
He’s out so long I don’t even consider him part of the squad anymore.
I didn’t realise his contract was up this year. I hope he proves all the doubters wrong and gets a new contract. I love the guy.
Fergie will let Vidic go in summer
http://www.nzurisana.com/forum/showthread.php?437-Fergie-will-let-Vidic-go-in-summer&p=447#post447
It looks like his injuries are not going to disappear completely. They’re clearly still causing him grief, and I think, at best, we might end up with a Ledley King type situation. I really hope we don’t, and we should all be thinking of him and willing him to make a full recovery, but I’m not sure I’ve heard many stories of tendonitis being fully cured in footballers. Bad knees and football don’t mix too well. But Hargo, if you’re listening, we miss you…
Hargreaves was signed in 2007 for 4 years. He is under contract until the summer of 2011.
The John Terry poll: have your say on the England captaincy….Vote for Roooney to be captain of England tean in WC
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2010/02/the-john-terry-poll-have-your-say-on-the-england-captaincy.html
Kenyan-Canadian Reds – we all know about these storys for christ sake stop annoying everyone with your stupid links you send which everyone knows about. christ I check the times daily mail and the sun about 11 to midnight time so why say about storys we already know idiot
Kenyan-CanadianReds @ 0:43: “Fergie will let Vidic go in summer
http://www.nzurisana.com/forum/showthread.php?437-Fergie-will-let-Vidic-go-in-summer&p=447#post447”
You can’t believe all you read; but there is probably “some truth” in this. My guess – and that’s all it is – is that SAF has tried to convince Vidic to stay and honour his contract but Vidic wants much more money because he currently makes about 2/3rds of what Rio is paid. So, a new, “improved” contract might address his concerns BUT, on the other hand, he might want to get more money and live elsewhere. There’s no idea of knowing about that.
The suggestion that Huntelaar could be used as some sort of “make-weight” in a transfer is just bollocks – UTD have had a number of chances to go after Huntelaar and decided that he wasn’t what was required on each and every one of those occasions. So, I can’t see why SAF would splash-the-cash on a substitute striker.
BUT if ACMilan would agree to some sort of swap-deal involving Pato then I’d be more-than-interested – he’d make a dynamite partner for WayneRooney.
That Vidic article has to be the biggest pile of shite I’ve read for some time.
“The Croatia defender has made it clear he wants to leave England at the end of the season, after being constantly told of the riches – and lifestyle – available in Spain by his close pal Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Croatia defender! “Close pal” Ronaldo has been tapping him up! Laughable!
Oh and I’d expect a lot more than £20m for Vidic. Lescott went for over £20m FFS!
Worst piece of “journalism” I’ve ever read. Someone actually got paid to write that? Incredible.
I think (I hope) he will be back for next season. This season… I doubt it
and Fred – agreed, that story is a piece of shit! But if Vidic doesn’t return from his mysterious ‘injury’ soon I will start to get worried!
hargreaves should be given time.he is a class player.but i would like fergie to but a replacementc for him.a defensive midfielder who is young.hargreaves will be 30 and i dint want we depend only on him.hoping he start playing in this season .
i mean,buy a replacement for him.
i voted yes: keep the faith. just because i like that bon jovi song
I think Hargo will play again, but not until the close season. At his best he is world class so we have to give him the time ne needs. I am as frustrated as anyone else as we have needed him badly at times, but I do think he will be back. Re the Vidic speculation, if he wants to go we should let him, end of story. I hope he stays but we can cope without him.
King Eric – should i answer your question ?
I´ve said many, many, many times and I say it ONCE again. We signed a very seriously injured player and we got what we deserved. I think he´ll never play again, for any team.
My heart said that Hargreaves will join manchester united and he will play very important role for manchester united in champions league….
King Eric;
I do remember a certain free-kick against Arsenal and a certain Champions League final. Even when not fully fit and recovered, he contributed more to the cause in our 07/08 season than most players do during multiple years at our club. (Bellion, Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba spring to mind)
Not to mention that we had the most dynamic centre midfield when he and anderson had a good run in the side. We had Ronaldo suspended and Rooney injured, but those two made us look like world beaters, some of the best football we have produced in mye view.
@schmadmir
i agree with what you are saying. Alo that is one of the reasons we struggled in big games last season in the league.We got 13 points out of 18 against the big teams in 07-08 compared to just 5 last season. Hargo was excellent against the dippers in 07-08. last 2 years we have been outplayed due to alack of fight at Anfield, although Fletch has also missed the last 2 at Anfield. Hargreaves has an excellent technique when it comes to freekicks.
The other freekick he scored was at Craven Cottage against Fulham
*also*
Oh yes, some much needed help from you guys!
I think it is time we start looking at getting a backup DM for Fletcherinho. I love Hargo but I am losing hope now. A player who is out for this long will take at least one full season to get back to near his best. We must look for a replacement.
aig alex is god: That free-kick against Fulham did him no harm whatsoever
Im not going to hide it, he is one of my favourite players at United, but time is running out. Hope it doesn’t turn out to be another Saha-story. Look at how well he’s doing at Everton now.
Fergie knows best.
Does any of you guys not think that Fergie done that to get any pressure off Hargo.
The day he mentioned he’d be in the team, he was the target of media setting imaginary targets and dreaming about the World Cup! He needs to play a lot of reserve games and I don’t think CL is the right platform for him to return.
He is not out of the Premier League squad is he????So!
Also I think Fergie does not want Hargo to be in the World Cup. Just imagine him playing very well in CL and going to end his career with an injury in the World Cup.!
We need to take a step back and think more carefully before writing Hargo back. He WILL come back!
Lets not forget how crucial he was in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final. Whether or not he ever plays for United again, he was key in one of the great victories for the club. Too bad he couldn’t have been a regular player for about 5-6 years.
Keep the faith
@ Romeo
Have to say I didnt think of it that way, but your comments make sense and that might just be it. I’ll admit its a bit worrying but I guess it’ll be better if he’s fresh and available for next season and beyond. I believe he will come back, just dont know if he’ll be the same player he was.
schmadmir – Fair enough , however I didn’t question his contribution in the 07/08 season. What I said was that people are saying we need him now. I replied that we did ok last season without him. Although with him and Fletch in Rome it could have turned out better. Don’t get me wrong I love Hargreaves and sincerely hope he comes back and I think he will.
Also sorry but disagree that we saw some of “our best football”. No offence but you can’t have been watching United long. We have produced MUCH better football than that.
when hargo came to united he slotted into the centre of thr park as if he had been in r team for years and was outstanding but unfortunately i dont think he will be back in a red shirt which is a big disappointment.
altough fletch and carrick have been immense all season apart from mayb a few blips. If gibsons ball play was as good as his shooting he would be a complete player and these qualities with come with experience. & if anderson bucks up his ideas he will also be a quality player.
and how can forget about scholsey!
As I said earlier:
http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/33690/Manchester_United_boss_explains_Hargreaves_omission_.aspx
KIng Eric;
sorry, I got a bit carried away there. The most important thing is that the team does well, whoever is on the pitch.
And you are right of course, we have done well without him, credit to the players.
so the answer was no.
what i hate is how people automatically assume that hargs would walk into out team. i disagree. even in 07-08 i though he was good, but generally a pretty negative midfield player. Okay he could take a free kick, but generally he was liable to pass the ball backwards or square. even then i was sayinng fletcher and scholes/carrick or 3 of them. but hargreaves is just so overrated by our fans its frustrating. like they say, the best player a team has is the one thats not available. ie. rooney euro 2004, fletcher cl final. A
scholeses ginger pubes – maybe some of us are deluded but at least it is our opinion. i don’t necessarily mean he will take Fletch place. I did even say that it will be very difficult for him to play in Fletch place.
Enough is enough though. There is no point to argue right now.
*Hope
The lad just had serious knee surgery to ‘cure’ a niggling problem.. A problem that affects his mobility and hence his deadliness on the pitch.
I wouldn’t expect him to walk back into the squad, not at the level that is required of him. From what SAF has been saying, he rather let him incrementally step up his training and build his confidence that his knees wont give way again.
Losing him in the CL squad is a blow, but perhaps wise as of now (feb), its too late to play in the knockout stages. Fingers crossed he makes his comeback in the league before this season is up….if not a tough decision has to be made sadly