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Sir Alex Ferguson maintains Manchester United's Champions League exit was a 'big downer'
Scot looks ahead to the new year and the Europa League clash against Ajax, hailing the former European champions as 'one of the giants' in the continental arena
Jan 1, 2012 10:45:00 AM
By Adithya Ananth
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Sir Alex Ferguson feels that Manchester United's exit from the Champions League was a "big downer", but the manager is still looking forward to the test that awaits the team in the Europa League.
The Red Devils managed to lose just one of their six games in the European competition, but fell behind Benfica and Basel to finish third in Group C. This saw the club bowing out of the tournament at such an early stage for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.
"Undoubtedly the big downer in the first five months [of the 2011-12 season] was going out of the Champions League at the group stage and figuring out the reasons for the disappointment," Sir Alex wrote in United's official matchday programme.
"My conclusion was that it wasn’t a matter of not being good enough but that we had been careless in a competition that is unremittingly relentless.
"You cannot afford slackness or a lack of concentration in European football or you will be punished – and we were. But these are failures that can be remedied and provided we learn the lesson we should be stronger for the experience. It was a wake-up call for a number of our players."
United have now been drawn against Ajax in the second tier European tournament, but Sir Alex is still looking forward to the test that the Dutch side can provide.
"Although the Europa League is rated the poor man’s competition in Europe, it is turning out to be quite a challenge after all," said the Scot.
"We are paired with one of the giants of European football with a history to compare to anyone. Winners of the European Cup three times in the seventies, Ajax won the Champions League in 1995 with a team that included players like Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Frank Rijkaard, Marc Overmars and our own Edwin van der Sar and [was] managed by Louis van Gaal.
"They are currently managed by another Dutch legend in Frank de Boer who took Ajax to the championship in his first season.
"If we can get through against the Dutch we will play the winners of the Lokomotiv Moscow versus Athletic Bilbao tie and older United fans will need no reminding of the club’s early days in the European Cup when Bilbao figured against us on a memorable two-leg affair in 1957."
Manchester United lock horns with Ajax in the Round of 32 in February.
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The Red Devils managed to lose just one of their six games in the European competition, but fell behind Benfica and Basel to finish third in Group C. This saw the club bowing out of the tournament at such an early stage for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.
"Undoubtedly the big downer in the first five months [of the 2011-12 season] was going out of the Champions League at the group stage and figuring out the reasons for the disappointment," Sir Alex wrote in United's official matchday programme.
"My conclusion was that it wasn’t a matter of not being good enough but that we had been careless in a competition that is unremittingly relentless.
"You cannot afford slackness or a lack of concentration in European football or you will be punished – and we were. But these are failures that can be remedied and provided we learn the lesson we should be stronger for the experience. It was a wake-up call for a number of our players."
United have now been drawn against Ajax in the second tier European tournament, but Sir Alex is still looking forward to the test that the Dutch side can provide.
"Although the Europa League is rated the poor man’s competition in Europe, it is turning out to be quite a challenge after all," said the Scot.
"We are paired with one of the giants of European football with a history to compare to anyone. Winners of the European Cup three times in the seventies, Ajax won the Champions League in 1995 with a team that included players like Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Frank Rijkaard, Marc Overmars and our own Edwin van der Sar and [was] managed by Louis van Gaal.
"They are currently managed by another Dutch legend in Frank de Boer who took Ajax to the championship in his first season.
"If we can get through against the Dutch we will play the winners of the Lokomotiv Moscow versus Athletic Bilbao tie and older United fans will need no reminding of the club’s early days in the European Cup when Bilbao figured against us on a memorable two-leg affair in 1957."
Manchester United lock horns with Ajax in the Round of 32 in February.
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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