HALF the nation don’t want to come to work today, the other half itching to jump about bursting and chanting; “Gloooory, Glory Man United….”; celebrating the three goals scored by Dutchman Robin Van Persie that earned the worlds’s most famous football club their 20th league title.
The Red Devil’s dominance this season is emphasized by the comprehensive win on a cool spring evening at their home ground in Old Trafford with four games in hand. The euphoria is tempered somewhat with the reality that all their top players can pack up for their summer holidays as there are no other trophies to fight for.
United have no further interest in the two other domestic cups – what was the League Cup and the more popular FA Cup. Its home city rival Manchester City might just take a bit of shine off United’s thunder should they beat Wigan in the FA Cup Final in May.
More galling to its hordes of worldwide fans, United may rule the home roost but it is in Europe that its pedigree is still a work in progress. While it claims bragging rights by lording it all over the rest of its domestic rivals, it still has a long way to go to come anywhere near the amazing achievements of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona and even the other team in red – Liverpool in the number of European Cups (now Champions League title) in its crowded trophy cabinet.
That grim reality will not dampen the celebrations however. Man U red is a bit like BN blue in terms of steely longevity. It has long passed fellow red rivals – Liverpool – which at one point held local bragging rights for having amassed a long-standing record 18 Division 1 titles. United’s dominance over the Merseyside team is significant as it amassed 13 of its titles as Premier League Champions. No team has had a complete monopoly of the trophy ever since the inception of the new league format that transformed English top tier football to become the most popular televised league in the world. This has enabled the promoters of the EPL (now called BPL – E for English and the B for Barclays which is its current sponsor) to pay top wages to attract worldwide talent to ply their trade in the United Kingdom.
Their presence have made the English league the most colourful with teams scouring the world for some of football’s top talents. The United team that trooped on the pitch on Monday evening has seven starters who hold foreign passports! They carried Japanese, Brazil, French and Spanish passports; and Ryan Giggs who, believe it or not will be 40 in November; is a Welshman!
With nothing left to play for this season, United can let their guard down and let as many of their playing staff to play in the rest of the remaining games. The breathing space will only serve to enable them to plan their assault for next season. Who’s to bet decorators are not already being told to prepare to build a new trophy cabinet?
Razak Chik
Tue Apr 23 2013
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