Ferguson not drawn by Real

ALEX FERGUSON has offered the perfect riposte to Ramon Calderon's senility jibe - we've got Ronaldo.

The Real Madrid president has been angered by Ferguson's reference to Spanish dictator General Franco in a magazine interview in which the Scot claimed the Bernabeu giants liked to get everything their own way.

Calderon responded by claiming the Manchester United manager's ramblings were those of an old man.

"I won't waste time answering him. I admire his history but recently he has gone a bit senile," Calderon said.

However, Ferguson feels he had the last laugh on Calderon this summer when he persuaded Cristiano Ronaldo to remain with Manchester United rather than join Real. And while he insisted there was no need to continue the war of words, Ferguson could not resist reminding Calderon of his summer success.

"Calderon has a few strange things to say every week," smiled the United manager. "There is a lot of hot air comes out of that man. I am not getting involved but the nub of it is he is very disappointed he did not get Ronaldo. I am delighted to say he is still here and I will keep repeating that."

Ferguson has insisted he can handle the striking dilemma that is causing the Manchester United a manager fierce headache.

Against Hull today, Ferguson must decide whether to leave out in-form Wayne Rooney, record signing Dimitar Berbatov or last season's inspiration Carlos Tevez.

Although Rooney was the odd man out on Wednesday when United overcame West Ham, Tevez has largely been the one left among the substitutes.

Ferguson admitted the situation is more delicate than the one he tackled in 1999, when Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were vying for a place in the team.

However, he does not feel a solution is beyond his experienced grasp. "It is much more delicate handling the striking situation now," said Ferguson. "In those days there was that northern European culture that was easier to manage. There was a British mentality and there was no problem dealing with it."