NEWS PAGE 2
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NEWS PAGE 2
This is the 2nd page to my latest news and team info page.
  SCHOLES CONCENTRATING ON THE LEAGUE(from football 365) Paul Scholes has exclusively admitted to Football365 on the eve of Manchester United's Champions League clash with Sturm Graz that retaining the Premiership title rather than seeking European domination remains the Old Trafford outfit's primary goal this season. United are top of Group A after an opening second group phase victory over Panathinaikos two weeks ago - putting Alex Ferguson's team in pole position to progress to the quarter-finals - but Scholes is adamant that wrapping up a seventh Premiership title in nine years is still the side's main motivation. "Our priority is definitely the league," the 26-year-old England midfielder said.

"We have opened up a good gap already, but we haven't had the really tough away games yet, and they'll all come in the second half of the season - we've got to travel to Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Spurs, Chelsea and Leeds.

"They're all very difficult games, and I think we've had our easy games already and that's why we've got the lead we've got. We know the league won't be easy and that's still our main aim. Obviously, we hope to go a long way in the Champions League too, and hopefully win it. But we've got a very difficult group, and we just want to get through to the quarter-finals to begin with."

The champions' defence of their Premiership title will continue at Charlton on Saturday after their trip to face the runners-up in the Austrian first division in the Arnold Schwarzennegger Stadion on Wednesday night. The following weekend United are at home to old rivals Liverpool - a team Scholes believes could be the main threat to United's stranglehold on the Premiership.

"The Liverpool match is a massive one for us and I'm really looking forward to playing in it," Scholes said. "They're a very good team and they've only been let down by a couple of defensive errors recently. If they can cut them out then I think they could genuinely challenge us."


Still concentrating on league
  BECKS IS BEST IN WORLD- BECKENBAUER Manchester United midfielder David Beckham has been hailed as the best footballer on the planet by German legend Franz Beckenbauer. The votes for the World Player of the Year award are set to be collated next week and Beckenbauer believes that last year's runner-up Beckham has done enough
to reverse the placings with current title holder Rivaldo. ''Coming from a German, this is going to sound a little controversial,'' Beckenbauer told the Daily Mail.

''But my vote for the world's best footballer, if I had one, would go to Beckham. It's hard to compare one player against another these days, but in this week of all weeks I am prepared to be bold and state the case for this man.

''David Beckham is simply the most exciting, talented footballer in the world. Rivaldo and the wonderful Frenchman Zinedine Zidane would be strong contenders. They both remain excellent players. But Beckham has the edge this year, not just for his ability but also because of his consistency. It is impossible to ignore it these days.

''Beckham this year has been fantastic. If you look at all the great stars, they have had periods when they have had a break or haven't been at their best. Zidane and Rivaldo, for example, have not been at their peak for the whole
season. But Beckham has not faltered.''

Beckenbauer also feels that Beckham's best days are still ahead of him. ''He can continue to get better,'' added the World Cup winner. ''I really like him. I like the way he passes the ball and the way he shoots. It's fantastic. He can play wide or in the middle of the field so that doesn't have to be a debate. It really depends on the tactics and ideas of the manager.

''As long as they have Beckham in the team, England will always have a chance of making progress.''

Best in world?
  THERE IS STILL WORK TO DO-SILVESTRE Mikael Silvestre has come in for some stick since joining United in September 1999, but the young French defender is the first to admit he's had problems.
Silvestre, who's improved after switching from centre-back to full-back in recent matches, admits that he's taken his time to settle into the Premiership, but he's working hard to prove himself in England's top flight.
"Last season I played all my matches at centre-back. Now I am playing in a new position at left-back and I have to adapt. I don't have to worry about attacking, because that is my instinct, but I must work on my defending. After all, that is my main job in the team," he tells the January edition of the Manchester United magazine.
His concentration has also been called into question. He'll make a marauding run down the left, setting up a great goal, just like he did against Panathinaikos, but the next minute he'll needlessly give the ball away. Again, he's his own worst critic.
"Yes, I find that sometimes when the game stops, say someone is injured, I'm looking around and losing my focus. That's another area I need to work on," he pledges.
A move to Liverpool was in the offing for Silvestre before he joined United, with stories that he only turned down Gerard Houllier because the French manager wanted to play his compatriot at left-back. Ironically, Mick made his debut against Liverpool at left-back, and has put in his best performances backing up Giggsy.
"Even if I prefer to play centre-back, I prefer to play somewhere than be sitting on the bench. I'm actually enjoying playing left-back," he admits.
"Especially when we are playing a game like the 5-0 win over Southampton. It's better to be on the left side because you can go forward and get more involved in the game. If you are a centre-back in those types of games you have to just sit back and watch."
Fabien Barthez recently spoke of his love for Manchester life and the camaraderie shared by his team-mates. It was different at Monaco, and seemingly the same is true of Inter Milan.
"Italian clubs often go out and buy a completely new team every year, so there isn't the same team spirit as you get here. Two years ago when United played Inter in the European Cup quarter-final, maybe United won because there wasn't the same closeness in the Inter squad. When you see the quality of the individuals - Ronaldo, Baggio, Simeone, Zamorano - you have to wonder."
The fans are fairer in Manchester, too.
"The Inter fans kicked in all the players' cars, including Ronaldo's, and that was after a draw against Venezia. They smashed my windscreen. Manchester United fans are so nice in comparison!" he laughed.

Still work to do!


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