Manchester United Should Be World Champions Barring A Miracle

Manchester United jet off to Tokyo early next Monday in a quest to become the World Club Champions. Why they would want to do such a thing is beyond me but they have taken the decision to do so.

Back in 1999 when United won it, the only British team to have done so I might add, the competition was a one match competition between the best of South America and the Champions of Europe. But now, nine years after United last won it, the cup has taken the form of a seven team knockout tournament.

By the time Manchester United first step out onto the pitch, Waitakere United from New Zealand should be back home in New Zealand already, along with two other teams.

Sepp Blatter is really keen to make this tournament work but swathes of empty seats have not helped FIFA's case in former competitions and Thursday's curtain raiser between Waitakere and Adelaide United in Tokyo hardly sets pulses racing.

AC Milan broke Europe's Club World Cup jinx by beating Argentina's Boca Juniors 4-2 in last year's final after Barcelona and Liverpool had failed in 2005 and 2006.

"We're the only British team to have won it," said United manager Alex Ferguson, whose side face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at the weekend before jetting to the Far East.

"I consider that to be one of the club's greatest achievements."

Ecuador's LDU are likely to be United's biggest threat after becoming the first team from their country to win South America's Libertadores Cup.

The Quito-based side face the winners of the first quarter-final between Mexico's Pachuca and Al Ahly of Egypt.

Fergie's boys, currently six points adrift in the Premiership, start their campaign on December 18th in the second semi-final which should, in theory, be against Gamba Osaka of Japan and a defeat against them is unthinkable for Fergie!

Barring a rather odd result in the other semi-final United should meet up with Ecuador's LDU in the final. They became the first side from Ecuador to win the Coa Libertadores hence their participation in the competition.

The form book says this is a win for United but as we all know, things can go wrong in a big way with these trips to Japan......Back To Home Page...

Manchester United Squad For Japan

Manchester United have name the squad for the World Club Championship in Tokyo from 11 Dec 2008 until 21 Dec 2008.

The United squad for Japan:

1. Edwin VAN DER SAR
2. Gary NEVILLE
3. Patrice EVRA
5. Rio FERDINAND
7. CRISTIANO RONALDO
8. ANDERSON
9. Dimitar BERBATOV
10. Wayne ROONEY
11. Ryan GIGGS
12. Ben FOSTER
13. PARK Ji Sung
15. Nemanja VIDIC
16. Michael CARRICK
17. NANI
18. Paul SCHOLES
19. Daniel WELBECK
21. RAFAEL
22. John O SHEA
23. Jonny EVANS
25. FINCH
24. Darren FLETCHER
28. Darron GIBSON
29. Tomasz KUSZCZAK
32. Carlos TEVEZ

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Sir Alex Keen To Become 'World Champions'

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has stated quite clearly he is keen for them to win the Club World Championship.

In a recent news conference he said: "We are delighted to be playing catch-up because it means we did things right during the previous season, to win the event in Tokyo would be great. We won it when it was a one-off game and now we have the opportunity to become the first British team to win it in its new tournament format. We will have to manage the second half of this season as best we can. We don't want to get to April and May and have to play rearranged games. Fulham and Wigan are our outstanding games and we will try to arrange them for January."

The FIFA Club World Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is a competition contested between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations, although, since 2007, the champions of Oceania must play a qualifying play-off against the champion club of the host country.

The first competition took place in Brazil in January 2000. It was intended by FIFA to be a replacement for the Intercontinental Cup (also known as the Toyota Cup), which was contested annually in Tokyo, Japan by the champions of Europe via the Champions League and South America via theCopa Libertadores.

I guess it is a major trophy and it is worth winning but the timing of theis match and the journey involved to go and take part is not the best for United. Still, it is a piece of silverware so let's go and win it! .....Back To Home Page...