SAVAGE: GIGGS IS BEST OF THE LOT

SAVAGE: GIGGS IS BEST OF THE LOT

Robbie Savage has hailed former Wales team-mate Ryan Giggs the best player of the Premier League era.

Although competition for the accolade is fierce, Savage has no hesitation in naming Giggs number one after another outstanding performance from the 35-year-old in Manchester United's FA Cup win at Derby yesterday.

Giggs had a hand in all four United goals, plus the one Cristiano Ronaldo was controversially denied, and opinion is strengthening that he should win the major individual player of the year awards this spring.

Having spent the afternoon chasing after Giggs at Pride Park, Savage has no doubt his old international colleague is simply the best.

"I don't care what anyone else says, Ryan Giggs is the best Premier League player ever," Savage told Key 103.

"It is not just the trophies he has won or the goals he has scored, it is the way he has conducted himself.

"You can look at certain superstars in the game and question their lifestyles. But Ryan Giggs has won more than anybody and he conducts himself in a way he can only be proud of. He is a great character."

A former trainee at United who came through the Old Trafford ranks a year after Giggs in the famed 'Class of 92', Savage has kept in close contact with his countryman throughout his career.

And while the Derby man has built a reputation on being spiky and controversial, he revealed Giggs is capable of equally destructive comments in his own cheeky style.

"Before the Carling Cup semi-final recently, we were both warming up as substitutes," recalled Savage.

"Ryan came running up and really quietly whispered, 'I can't believe they are paying you all that money'. I tried to have a go back but he had run off. He is quite funny like that.

"Any kid learning about the game needs to look at him. Legend is a word used too often these days - but he is one."

Like Giggs', Savage's own career is drawing to a close, although at least the 34-year-old is contributing to the Derby cause under new manager Nigel Clough having been brought in, then discarded, by former boss Paul Jewell.

"It has been the most difficult four months of my career," said Savage.

"I was made to train with the kids at one stage, which was a real low point.

"At 34, with the career I have had, to end up doing that was soul destroying.

"But I feel it has made me a stronger person."

Savage clearly feels he can still make a valuable contribution in his own unique way.

He asserts that for a player who has never signed for any of the truly big clubs, he built a mighty reputation.

It might not be quite what he wants sometimes but Savage has no regrets on that score.

"If my close friends were to say I am like I am on the pitch in real life, that would upset me, otherwise I could not give two hoots," he said.

"The other people don't know me. Really I am just a genuine lad who links a pint and a game of darts.

"I guess my reputation has been built around getting a few tackles in and winding people up.

"But I need something like that to get me going. I need to smash someone in the first minute or the crowd to have a go at me. The more people who boo the better. I love it."

Top Ten Premier League Chairmen

Top Ten Premier League Chairmen

10) The Glazers - Manchester United
There were two abiding fears among Manchester United fans when the Glazers bought the club back in 2005. Firstly, that they would drastically increase ticket prices to help pay of the annual £62million in interest payments on their loan to buy the club. And secondly, that these financial constraints would eat into Sir Alex Ferguson's transfer budgets.

The reality is that these two fears have been respectively emphatically confirmed and emphatically dismissed. In their time at the club the Glazers have effectively almost trebled the price of some season tickets. In 2004/5 a top price season ticket cost £532, whereas the same ticket this season will set you back £912. Chuck in the frankly scandalous compulsory cup ticket purchase scheme (which forces fans to buy tickets for all FA Cup and Champions League games) and you have a potential outlay of around £1,400. Indeed, some fans are so irked that they have asked their lawyers to complain to the Office of Fair Trading about the rises.

However, in terms of spending on the side, and just plain allowing Alex Ferguson to get on with his job, the Glazers have been flawless. Since June 2005 when the takeover was completed, United have shelled out just shy of £140million on transfers (and that's discounting whatever money has been spent on Carlos Tevez), as well as rejecting the squillions that Real Madrid had to offer for Cristiano Ronaldo. Oh, and in that time United have won the league twice and the Champions League once. Not bad.

In judging whether the Glazers have been good for the club United fans must weigh up whether the magnificent success has been worth the scandalous price increases.


9) Peter Coates - Stoke City
Currently in his second period at Stoke, Coates compares favourably with the chaps who were in situ between his spells. Stoke Holdings, a consortium based in Luxembourg but with Icelandic backing, were in charge for seven years between 1999-2006, a spell that, among other things, featured sacking Tony Pulis around a month after giving him a new contract. Coates, who made his money through Bet365 (meaning that your correspondent probably pays Rory Delap's wages), bought the club back and set out a five-year plan to achieve promotion to the top flight. By 2008 they were in the Premier League, due in no small part to his trust in Pulis (the fact that the two have an excellent professional and personal relationship has a lot to do with this) and backing his manager as far as a club of Stoke's means can.


8) Paul Duffen - Hull City
When Duffen, along with businessmen Martin Walker and Russell Bartlett, purchased Hull from Adam Pearson in the summer of 2007, most laughed at his plans to win promotion to the Premier League within three years. However, things didn't exactly go according to plan, with the club gaily skipping past several much bigger hitters to waltz into the top flight. In addition to promotion, Duffen has promised to fund a 7,000 seat expansion of the KC Stadium, as well as the assorted leisure and hospitality facilities that clubs seem to make their money from these days. Although it was Pearson that laid the foundations for their rise, Duffen's tenure has seen Hull win promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history. And you can't argue with that.


7) Peter Hill-Wood - Arsenal
If you ever notice that The Daily Star usually gets things right about Arsenal, it's probably because Hill-Wood is just painfully polite. The story goes that chief Star hack Brian Woolnough managed to get hold of the Arsenal chairman's phone number, rang him up one day and Hill-Wood was just too damn polite to tell him to do one. In truth Hill-Wood doesn't have an awful lot to do with the day-to-day running of Arsenal, leaving Ken Friar, Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger to run the club, but without Hill-Wood and his City contacts (he was vice-chairman of Hambros bank) it's unlikely that Arsenal would have secured financing for the Emirates Stadium. It should also be remembered that Hill-Wood was the man at the helm when Arsene Wenger was appointed as the club's manager.


6) Bill Kenwright - Everton
As you might expect from someone whose other job is as a theatre producer, Kenwright is one of the more flamboyant chairmen in the Premier League, but that should not detract from his success and popularity at Goodison Park. His judgement should forever be trusted after appointing David Moyes, but beyond that Kenwright has sanctioned the breaking of Everton's transfer record four times in as many years, with the purchases of James Beattie, Andy Johnson, Yakubu and Marouane Fellaini. Whether continuing to push for a move to Kirby from Goodison Park is a good thing depends on your point of view, but Kenwright remains realistic enough to know that serious investment is needed if Everton are ever to challenge the best in the Premier League, and has consistently stating that he would listen to any offers should anyone wish to purchase the club.


5) Roman Abramovich - Chelsea
He may be appearing to lose interest now, but remember that he is the reason that Chelsea fans are complaining about being fourth.


4) Steve Gibson - Middlesbrough
In a time when chairmen are lambasted for not having any patience with managers, in particular with young English managers, Gibson should be lauded, even if his loyalty to Bryan Robson and Gareth Southgate smacks of patience for patience's sake. Even so, it's worth noting that since he became chairman Boro have had three permanent managers, while down the road at Newcastle the managerial hot potato has been passed on nine times. After becoming the club's youngest ever director aged 26, Gibson was part of the consortium that saved the club from liquidation in 1986, and eventually became chairman in 1994, overseeing the move from Ayresome Park to the Riverside Stadium. His money brought players like Fabrizio Ravenelli and Juninho to a god-awful part of the world, and his impact at the club can be summarised by simply noting that before his time, Boro's proudest achievement in knock-out competitions was reaching the Zenith Data Systems final in 1990. They didn't win by the way.


3) Khaldoon Al-Mubarak - Manchester City
Among the madness of £100million transfers, what Manchester City desperately need is a sensible voice of reason to calm everything down, and in Al-Mubarak they have just the man. Compare and contrast, if you will, various quotes from Al-Mubarak and the slightly more flamboyant end of ADUG, Sulaiman Al-Fahim.

Al-Fahim on September 2: "Ronaldo has said he wants to play for the biggest club in the world, so we will see in January if he is serious...A place in the Champions League is quite a jump from last season, but we are ready to sit down with the manager, find out the players he would like, and bring the right players into the club. This season we would like to be a lot better than last season, and we are eager for trophies next season."

Al-Mubarak on September 23: "One thing I have made very clear to Mark is that any player he wants comes from him. It comes from his requirements, his plan for the Club. I'm a fan, but I am not an expert...The watchwords are patient, committed, and long term."

It would have been very easy to get rid of Mark Hughes as soon as ADUG took over, and it would have been very easy to veto the decidedly unsexy signings of Wayne Bridge and Nigel De Jong. Al-Mubarak has done none of this, and it was telling that all the talking during the Kaka saga was done by Garry Cook and Hughes, with the chairman remaining quiet and detached. It's not a surprise that Al-Mubarak has been charged by ADUG with running the club, while very little has been heard from Al-Fahim in the past few months.


2) Niall Quinn - SunderlandWhere to start? Heading the Drumaville consortium that bought the club in 2006? Setting aside personal differences to appoint Roy Keane as Sunderland's manager in the same year? Shelling out the ugly end of £70million to establish the club in the Premier League? Paying £8,000 for taxis home for 80 Sunderland fans when they were turfed off an EasyJet flight in Bristol for singing 'Niall Quinn's Disco Pants'? Reducing season ticket prices next season to £19 - that's £19 - for under-16s, while all other tickets have been cut by between £30 and £70? Generally being the most likable administrator in football? If anyone can claim to legitimately dislike Quinn then we invite you to F365 Towers for a duel. Only you have to wear the disco pants.


1 - Randy Lerner - Aston Villa
Lerner purchased Aston Villa a little more than a year before two other American financiers with their fingers in sporting pies took over Liverpool, but they have offered lessons in how to and how not to carefully run a football club. If nothing else, Lerner is a PR expert. From spending £4million on doing up the previously derelict Holte pub, to persuading Ron Saunders to return to Villa Park for a lap of honour a couple of years ago (he refused to set foot inside the place while Doug Ellis was in charge), to paying for fans' travel, to forgoing shirt sponsorship in favour of local children's hospice Acorns, Lerner has got gathering goodwill down perfectly.

And that's before you even consider his investment in the team and total trust of his manager's judgement. Would Doug Ellis have allowed nearly £10million to be spent on the then raw Ashley Young? Probably not. If Aston Villa do win the Premier League in the next few years then Martin O'Neill will receive the majority of credit, but Lerner's contribution should not be under-estimated.

Giggs summons up old title magic

Giggs summons up old title magic

At the final whistle, Ryan Giggs was inundated with requests for his shirt from West Ham players all eager to get their hands on a piece of Premier League history. Giggs is 35 years old, the hair is greying at the temples, but there are still few more evocative sights in English football than when he jinks in from the touchline to score the goal that decides a match.

As Manchester United fans are keen to remind everyone, Ryan Giggs has "won it 10 times" – it being the Premier League title – and after, last night, there was a case for saying he is well on his way to his 11th. There are few more evocative sights in English football than Giggs jinking in from the left to score the winner in the midst of a tight title run-in unless, of course, you happen to be Rafael Benitez.

From his front room, the Liverpool manager had to endure watching a very average Manchester United side do just about enough to beat West Ham United yesterday to retake the lead at the top of the Premier League. But there was nothing average about Giggs' goal, a dribble followed by a right-foot shot that was a throwback to his teenage roadrunner days when he would leave full-backs spinning in his wake like autumn leaves. That is the beauty of Ferguson's team, even the 35-year-olds are chipping in with vital goals.

For all the ineffectiveness of Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo, the champions could look back with pride on their 13th straight Premier League game without conceding a goal, a remarkable record in any circumstances. Having broken the English record two games previously, Edwin van der Sar has now broken the British record for the longest unbeaten sequence in goal, surpassing the one set by the Aberdeen goalkeeper Bobby Clark in the early 1970s.

This was not Manchester United's finest performance of the season, although it was difficult to remember a really clearly defined West Ham chance for all their good work in midfield, particularly the shift that was done by Scott Parker and Mark Noble. Between them West Ham held the champions at bay and you wondered where the winning goal might come from. Liverpool set the pace on Saturday in hectic fashion; United demonstrated that they could live with it in rather more assured style.

Gianfranco Zola had surpassed expectations on a number of levels with West Ham, although against Manchester United the bar is raised a little higher at Upton Park. For the last two seasons, Zola's embattled predecessor as manager, Alan Curbishley, won this fixture, against all the odds it has to be said, and he did so both times with teams in much worse shape than the one Zola fielded yesterday.

It was eight games unbeaten in all competitions for the Hammers before this defeat and three players in the England squad – Carlton Cole, Robert Green and Matthew Upson – which was announced to a roar of pride before the game. Less enthusiastic was the response when Fabio Capello's name was read out a couple of seconds later, but it is indicative of Zola's effect that the England manager was not just there to watch Manchester United's Englishmen.

Cole had an early opportunity to impress the England manager when he shoved away Rio Ferdinand as the United defender tried to ease him off the ball in the 12th minute. The West Ham striker was sufficiently forceful to push away Ferdinand, take on Mark Noble's through ball before letting himself down a bit with a weak attempt to chip Van der Sar.

That was the most artfully created chance of a first half in which West Ham had much the better of the game. Parker, one of those not selected by Capello in the England squad for Wednesday, was excellent, twice taking the ball from Ronaldo as he warmed up to dribble his way through West Ham. On the second occasion the winger responded with his can't-be-bothered, self-indulgent worst, sauntering back towards the halfway line after play had long since moved on.

Valon Behrami put Nemanja Vidic on his backside on one occasion, dribbling into the penalty area and freeing Cole, who could not get a decent shot off in time. Zola's side passed the ball coherently and they never allowed Michael Carrick – afforded a warm reception by the home side – and Paul Scholes to dominate the midfield.

It was Scholes who created his side's best chance, striking a corner from Giggs first time, a shot that was pushed goalwards by Ronaldo and tipped over by Green. Other than a header from Ronaldo that was well wide of Green's goal there was little else of significance offered up by Ferguson's team before the interval.

In fact, it was difficult to see from where Manchester United's goal would come, especially with Berbatov looking so uninterested and Ronaldo increasingly ineffectual. In the end it came from Giggs, who started the game on the right wing, switched to the left in the second half and, from there, scored one of those goals that are thought to be beyond 35-year-old footballers.

Giggs received the ball a long way out on the left side and from the moment Cole came hurtling towards him it was evident to the whole of Upton Park, apart from West Ham's No 12, what Giggs was likely to do. He dummied to go left, Cole went that way and Giggs cut in on his right foot. He swept past Parker and hit a right-foot shot through a crowded area and past Green's left side.

With two minutes left in the game, Ronaldo might have had a penalty when he cut in from the left and went past the trailing leg of David Di Michele, which clipped the winger on the very edge of the box. He might just have got the penalty on another day in another stadium – such as Old Trafford – but it was a borderline decision and, for all his posturing throughout the afternoon, it was not like Ronaldo deserved it.

Giggs, shattered at the end of the game, was inundated with requests for his shirt from West Ham players at the final whistle. If this is to be his 11th title then he might wish to keep it himself, as a reminder that the old magic is still there when required.

Goal: Giggs 0-1 (62).

West Ham United (4-4-2): Green; Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga; Behrami (Tristan, 87), Noble (Savio, 77), Parker, Collison; Di Michele, Cole. Substitutes not used: Lastuvka (gk), Boa Morte, Kovac, Spector, Sears.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; R Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea; Giggs, Scholes, Carrick, Ronaldo; Berbatov, Tevez (Park, 86). Substitutes not used: Foster (gk), Nani, Welbeck, F Da Silva, Fletcher, Eckersley.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).

Booked: West Ham United Neill; Manchester United Vidic.

Man of the match: Giggs.

Attendance: 34,958.

Ronaldo confident of United progress

Ronaldo confident of United progress

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo is confident his side can overcome Inter Milan when their defence of the Champions League trophy resumes later this month.

United travel to the San Siro on February 24 before welcoming Inter to Old Trafford for the second leg 15 days later and Ronaldo has no doubt who will progress to the quarter-finals.

"Inter are a strong team, with great players," he told Rai Sport. "But we are better than them and I strongly believe we will succeed in beating them. By knocking them out we can feel one step from the final."

Ronaldo's stunning form was a big factor in United's success at home and abroad last season and the 24-year-old was duly recognised with both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

Inter coach, and former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho recently claimed Inter's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a better player but Ronaldo has refused to be drawn into a war of words.

"I respect everyone's opinion," he added. "But the trophies that matter are at my house."

Ronaldo also commented on Chelsea's latest signing, Portugal team-mate Ricardo Quaresma, who moved to Stamford Bridge on transfer deadline day on loan from Inter Milan until the end of the season.

"Ricardo has important qualities and it's a pity that he hasn't had the time to show his true worth," he said. "He was great at Porto and in the Portugal shirt and he cannot be judged solely for the few games he didn't play to his level.

"It's probable the fact he was bought for so much money put too much pressure on him in Italy, it's not easy to do well immediately."

Ferguson unconcerned by record

Ferguson unconcerned by record

Sir Alex Ferguson sees no reason why Manchester United should be worried about taking on anyone at present even though they head to West Ham on the back of a woeful run of results in London.

Since Cristiano Ronaldo dribbled half the length of the field and crashed home an injury-time winner at Fulham in February 2007 which ultimately proved pivotal in that season's title race, United have made nine visits to London and emerged victorious just once.

"I was not aware of the record. It happens. We have had good runs down there in the past. But it doesn't concern me," Ferguson said.

Three trips this season have brought nothing better than a couple of draws at Chelsea and Tottenham, so little wonder Ferguson is refusing to look too far ahead in a title race that increasingly looks to involve just one team.

Instead, Ferguson remains focused on the immediate obstacle, which is a Hammers side unbeaten in eight under Gianfranco Zola.

Yet, wary as the Scot may be, after 12 successive clean sheets that have brought 10 wins and a place at the Premier League summit, he sees no reason to live in fear.

Ferguson continued: "With the form of the team as it is I would be prepared to take them anywhere at the moment," he said. "We are in good form so why should we not want to play anyone?"

Zola's work has not gone unnoticed by Ferguson, who acknowledges what a difficult test lies in wait for his men.

"Zola has done a remarkable job to get West Ham to the level they are playing at just now," said the Scot, once more crowned manager of the month.

"They are undefeated in the last eight games and have only conceded three goals in that time, which is a fair indication of the work they have been doing."

Pepe predicts Ronaldo Real Madrid arrival

Pepe predicts Ronaldo Real Madrid arrival

Real Madrid defender Pepe has no doubts that he will soon be a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Manchester United star was linked with a switch to Real last summer but Pepe believes it will not be long before the two Portugal internationals are starring for the same club side.

He told AS: "I expect to be able to play with Cristiano at Madrid some day and I expect it to be soon.

"It is he who must decide. He has to choose Madrid, that is for sure, and I think that the Real Madrid executives want him.

"I hope that things go well. Cristiano already clarified his desire to come to Madrid, and it could not be, so we must hope."

Valencia midfielder Joaquin hopes his club form can earn him a recall to the Spain squad for next week's friendly international against England.

The former Real Betis star has been in the international wilderness for the last 15 months but has produced some good displays for Los Che so far this season.

He told Marca: "At the time when I was taken out of the Spain team, I was in a good run of form and the coach counted on me. The truth is that I do not understand the motives for leaving me out.

"If I return, I would be speechless and it would be special, but I am relaxed and I try not to think about it.

"I will give a kiss to my wife and my daughter because they are the first to suffer the bad with me and also the good.

"Now is a new time and it is difficult to come in because there is a lot of quality, but the hope and desire are never lost.

"Everyone wants to beat Spain, not just because they are champions of Europe, but because they are a good team."

Meanwhile, Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has revealed his intention to finish his career back at former club Real Mallorca.

The Cameroon international spent five seasons at San Moix before joining Barcelona in 2004 and is hoping to return to the Balearic club before he hangs up his boots.

Speaking before the two sides meet in a Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, he said: "I would like to spend a year or two at Mallorca before I finish my playing career, regardless of which division the team will be in.

"Hopefully, it will be in the top-flight.

"I hope that they can overcome their current poor run of results and improve their league position."

RONALDO: I ENJOY BEING BOOED

RONALDO: I ENJOY BEING BOOED

Cristiano Ronaldo claims that he actively enjoys the abuse he receives at the hands of rival fans in the Premier League.

The Manchester United winger is rarely the most popular player with opposition supporters, but he says he thrives on the boos.

He is quoted in The Sun as saying: "It's normal for me now. If it doesn't happen, I'm thinking, 'Why aren't they booing?'

"It's part of football. Maybe they think if they boo I'll lose my concentration - but it doesn't happen because I like it."

Ronaldo also has not given up hope of matching - and indeed beating - last season's tally of 40 goals, despite a slower campaign this time around.

"I've improved every year and the last season was the best.

"But I want more - this season I want to score the same amount of goals, or more. I know it'll be hard but I think it's possible."