It makes you wonder how major club managers can possibly juggle the commitments of their admittedly large squads. Just look at what Sir Alex Ferguson is up against for the rest of this year following Sundays home clash with Arsenal. It’s enough to give anyone nightmares as key players travel across the world for international duties on no less than three occasions. That’s on top of a heavy domestic and Champion League schedule but Sir Alex is of course not the only one facing this dilemma, many leading Premier League and European club bosses have to somehow wrestle with the same problem. It’s little wonder that so called super squads are no longer a luxury but an absolute must if clubs are to have any hope of winning silverware.
INTERNATIONAL WEEK
Sat Sep 10 – AWAY Bolton
Wed Sep 14 – AWAY Benfica
Sun Sep 18 – HOME Chelsea
Tues 20/Wed 21 Sep – AWAY Leeds, Carling Cup
Sat Sep 24 – AWAY Stoke
Tues Sep 27 – HOME Basel
Sat Oct 1 – HOME Norwich
INTERNATIONAL WEEK
Sat Oct 15 – AWAY Liverpool
Tues Oct 18 – AWAY Otelul Galati
Sun Oct 23 – HOME ManchesterCity
Sat Oct 29 – AWAY Everton
Wed Nov 2 – HOME Otelul Galati
Sat Nov 5 – HOME Sunderland
INTERNATIONAL WEEK
Sat Nov 19 – AWAY Swansea
Tues Nov 22 – HOME Benfica
Sat Nov 26 – HOME Newcastle
Sat Dec 3 – AWAY Aston Villa
Wed Dec 7 – AWAY Basel
Sat Dec 10 – HOME Wolves
Sat Dec 17 – AWAY Queens Park Rangers
Wed Dec 21 – AWAY Fulham
Mon Dec 26 – HOME Wigan
Sat Dec 31 – HOME Blackburn
Ferguson has faced this sort of schedule for a quarter of a century which must give United a decided advantage in the race for Premier League points. With all due respect to his two most experienced rivals, neither Arsenals Arsene Wenger nor Liverpools Kenny Dalglish can even come close!
Will Sir Alex make the difference in a close title race?
