http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/sportsonthehour/2008/july/28/sportsbreak-28-07-2008-001.htm

Mikel could have been better with Man Utd – Ferguson

By RICHARD JIDEAKA, Abuja
Monday, July 28, 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson
Photo: Sun News Publishing

Index

The legendry manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, has said that he could turned Nigerian star, John Mikel Obi to a better player if he had agreed to stay with his club rather than Chelsea.

Sir Ferguson stated that he felt that Mikel was already a Manchester United player, but when the young man felt otherwise and Chelsea offered some money, he had to let him go because they don’t force a player to stay against his wish.

“I do not regret losing Mikel to Chelsea, but I was disappointed and I really feel that he should have been a more refined player with my club. “We tried to keep him and we were ready to give Chelsea a fight for that young and intelligent player, but he was overwhelmed by pressure and had to go,” said the longest serving and most successful club manager in the world.

Asked why he does not sign African players, and he stated that it was because they do not always find the kind of players they wanted adding that it works for Arsenal and Chelsea, but that his team had to look for players, who had featured in at least 75 per cent of his national team’s matches.

He stated that the English Premier League would still be a straight battle between the top four: Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and his team, adding that it would be very difficult for any of the other teams to break into the top four.

“We have all it takes to retain the title, but the battle would be fiercer than last season. The real battle for survival and winning will hot-up in January when the league would have taken shape and the FA Cup and European Champions League would be at their peaks then.
“Manchester United will be ready because we have the players who are young and whose games are on the rise.” he stated.