Nemanja Vidic has urged his Manchester United team mates not to feel sorry for themselves and refocus on getting the club’s Premier and Champions League challenges back on track. Vidic insists there is no point feeling down about the situation and urged his team mates to show their true character for the remaining games of the season.
This was always likely to be a pivotal week in United’s season and so far, it could not have gone any worse. Defeat at Bayern Munich and an injury to Wayne Rooney was followed by another loss against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday that cost United the Premier League leadership.
Little wonder there was a feeling of trepidation amongst fans leaving Old Trafford about the impending return leg against Bayern, who could be bolstered by returns of Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger. “We were down after the Bayern game but we cannot afford to be down again,” Vidic said. “We need to get our heads up and face the facts. We have lost two games but we shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves. We need to seize the moment and make sure we finish well this season.”
Having Rooney available would be the most obvious way of restoring fortunes, although according to Sir Alex Ferguson his 34 goal forward will be missing for at least another week – even if the feeling persists he might be back sooner.
However, there must be a marked improvement in United’s normally reliable method of keeping possession as a failure in that department proved costly in both their recent defeats. In Premier League terms though, the demand is straightforward. Two points adrift of Chelsea, with an inferior goal difference, Vidic knows only victories will do from now on.
Despite frequent reports since the turn of the year that this could be the Serbian’s final season at Old Trafford, Vidic has again insisted that he will not be leaving before the end of his contract in 2012 at the earliest. The 28 year old central defender has consistently been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona but Vidic says that he is more than happy to remain with the reigning Premier League champions.
“I have never said I’d like to move to Spain or anywhere else” he said “I will definitely stay until 2012 at least and then we have time to speak about whatever may happen in the future. I am enjoying it here and I think I’ve showed that on the pitch. For now, all I’m focused on is playing the game and doing my best.
The Serbian who is expected to make a strong impression for his country in South Africa has been far from happy about the constant reports of his pending departure “Media speculation can affect your concentration and I don’t want that now. Maybe earlier in the season, because I had a few injuries, people started talking and saying ‘he’s not happy’. But none of it came from me. I’d like to win four league titles in a row because nobody’s done it before in the English game and I want to make history”
Will United be able to hold on to Vidic if he has a good World Cup?
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