Ferguson has moved on already

SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL:IT WAS no great surprise when Manchester United cancelled the press conference they had scheduled for yesterday morning in the event that they did indeed beat Chelsea to become Champions of Europe for the third time, writes Emmet Malone

The event was scheduled for 10am yesterday at the team's hotel but it had been well after three local time when the formalities were completed at the Luzhniki Stadium and, sure enough, the party was only winding down at the Crowne Plaza when the media had been supposed to arrive.

Even before he left the stadium, though, manager Alex Ferguson had been casting an eye forward to the challenges that lie ahead for his side next year. "When you win something," he remarked with the sort of quiet conviction that must have been key to persuading Roy Keane to break the promise he had given to join Kenny Dalglish at Blackburn all those years ago, "you have to look into the players' eyes to make sure the hunger's there for next season, that's the first thing.

"I feel proud," he insisted. "Very, very proud. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself but I do think the great asset I have is that I don't get carried away. Tomorrow morning I'll be thinking about next season. It drains away quickly for me. The euphoria evaporates almost immediately. The drug for me comes when the referee blows that whistle that signals you've won the game. Then it vanishes for me.

"The moment this time was that penalty save kick from Edwin van Der Sar. That was my moment and the euphoria and excitement was then, after that you carry on."

Beside him the Dutch goalkeeper admitted his save from Nicolas Anelka was just the sort of moment he had been striving for since watching Hans van Breukelen perform the same feat back in 1988 when PSV beat Benfica by the same margin in another penalty shoot-out. "I sort of strived my whole career to make a decisive contribution," he said. "I've been playing well and saving shots but to get that that final moment where you make the save and win the game, yeah, that's fantastic."

He thanked Ferguson for bringing him to United at the age of 34 and joked about it taking so long, after a proposed move in 1999 fail to materialise but, he said, with a smile; "Never mind, I've got two titles, we're champions of Europe now and we're not finished yet."

At that final bit the Scot broke into a warm smile for this is clearly the sort of character he has sought to surround himself with during more than two decades at Old Trafford and there was again a sense that he believes this might be the best group yet.

Asked about the prospect of starting again after the summer, he was full of optimism. "The young players who've had the experience of tonight will want to do it again, I'm sure of that. They won't find it easy because defending a European Cup is not an easy thing to do. Some teams have done it and I hope we can do it, I think we're good enough.

"There's certain players who will improve immeasurably next year. Okay, we have the issue about Scholes and Giggs getting to the twilight of their careers, but they will contribute in a big way next season even if they don't play as many games because they'll eventually have to be phased out, which you have to do in life.

"Ryan," he observed, "will be 35 in November, I think he'll play till he's 37, with maybe 25 to 30 games a season. Paul Scholes will be 34 in November, he'll play 25 to 30 next season because we have the back up now, that was done last summer."

Though he had earlier included Gary Neville in a collective tribute to the character of the club's longest-serving players, there was no prediction about how many games he might feature in next year. Inevitably, indeed, there is concern the injuries that blighted the club skipper's season this year may result in him struggling to rediscover his best form and, having apparently been beaten to Porto's Jose Boswinga by Chelsea, United have been linked with the Londoners' previous target, Sevilla's Daniel Alves who is being courted by Barcelona.

Another striker and left-sided defender may also feature on the shopping list.

A few will be allowed to leave, with Gerard Pique, for instance, heading back to Barca, Louis Saha likely to pay for what is viewed as an overcautious approach to recovery from injuries and Tomasz Kuszczak perhaps opting to go if, as expected, Ben Foster slips past him in the pecking order.

The major question after Wednesday, however, remains whether Ronaldo will be still be about the place come the new season. The Portuguese has had a spectacular campaign, silencing his critics and playing a key role in a most impressive double but he could not make it back to the hotel in Moscow without reviving speculation he would start the next campaign at Real Madrid.

"I don't promise nothing," the 23-year-old told BBC radio. "I don't promise nothing to my mum, I don't promise nothing to supporters. I want to stay but the future - no one knows. I want to stay. We are going to see in the next two weeks, I don't say I make a decision."

Real's president Ramon Calderon has certainly made no secret of his interest, observing the club would gladly sign the player if, "United want to sell, he wants to come and we can pay what they ask."

Clearly, given the influence he has had this year, United will not want to sell and if they are absolutely forced into naming a price then Real will not want to pay it but Calderon has also observed that, "if a player wants to leave he is unstoppable" and Ferguson knows the truth of that as well as anyone, if only because it's something he's been happy to capitalise on it once or twice down the years.

In the circumstances, he may well have encouraged his worldly-wise goalkeeper to have a quiet word back at the all-night bash.