West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: Mac 10 † on December 01, 2006, 05:42:17 AM
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Larsson move may be inspired
http://www.youtube.com/v/AUhsKyVWAdc
Sir Alex Ferguson's love of gambling is not restricted to his beloved racehorses - he also likes a flutter on football.
Ferguson rolled the dice when he took the maverick Eric Cantona from Leeds in November 1992 - and backed a winner as silverware subsequently packed Old Trafford's trophy room.
Larsson is a gamble, not quite on the same scale as Cantona in the current circumstances, but one that may yet inspire the return of the title to Manchester United.
The Swede appeared to be winding down his career at home town club Helsingborg after playing a role in Barcelona's Champions League triumph last season.
At least he was, until a phone call from Ferguson offered him a three-month stint at Old Trafford.
Once the sense of disbelief subsides, it is a move that makes perfect sense.
And it is one that might leave one or two clubs cursing the fact they hadn't thought of it themselves - namely his former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa, and the Scottish champions themselves.
Larsson may be 35 and not the goalscoring master that made him a Celtic legend.
But anyone who witnessed Larsson playing at Chelsea in the Champions League last season, and in the World Cup against England last summer, dismisses him at their peril.
Ferguson clearly feels he needs a short-term fix to protect against ending up a striker light, with Alan Smith still on the road to recovery and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer injured.
And what is there to lose in landing Larsson?
He has proved he is still an intelligent and influential player in recent times, and his game has relied more on these qualities as much as blinding pace.
Larsson is a master goal predator, and he will get plenty of opportunity to prove he has still got it at Old Trafford.
He may also feel it gives him an unexpected chance to silence the few doubters who questioned whether he could score goals in the Premiership, despite an incredible record of 242 goals in 312 appearances for Celtic.
Larsson has proved his worth on the world stage and with Celtic.
But with typically misplaced arrogance about the quality of the Premiership, he was treated with an air of suspicion by some south of the border.
He would have scored goals in the Premiership at his peak. Only an idiot would say otherwise.
There may be some who regard it as a desperate measure by Ferguson - parachuting in a 35-year-old whose best days are behind him as a quick fix.
Nonsense.
Chelsea may have done it a different way - maybe by way of another £20m-plus stop-gap - but this does not mean United are trying to win a title on the cheap.
Even if Larsson returns to Sweden in March without making an impact, it is unlikely his failure will cost United the title.
But if he succeeds, Larsson could be the man to help maintain their current lead over Chelsea.
Larsson is also the consumate professional.
He would not have agreed to join United for a holiday or take part in an exercise that would damage a reputation forged over a glittering career.
Credit to Ferguson for actually dreaming up this scheme and pulling it off.
And even the cynics must agree it will be a pleasure to finally see a craftsman such as Larsson operating in the Premiership.
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2 of the best strikers of a generation ole and henrik playing together damn thats dope
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Puuuuuureeeeeee DoPeNeEeEeSs !!!! 8)