Owen Hargreaves | 2009/10 Performances

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United78

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To be fair, if true, you'd be pissed. He hasn't played for 18 months and all he wants to do is play for United. Fair go I say, atleast he's not in a crippling depression like Saha...
No all he wanted to do was go to the World Cup and play for England --
 

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While it would have been nice for Owen to go, can you imagine if he had been injured during the World Cup? I think Sir Alex might have literally killed Capello.

Hargreaves owes us a service more than England right now, he should be greatful he has a free summer to get his fitness back and be ready for the start of the season.
 

devilish

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Don't think this has been posted yet (mind you I'm up early for a Sunday morning!)

Article suggests that Capello was going to call up Hargreaves as a 'wild card' for England but was vetoed by SAF. If true, I think its a shame. He should of been given the chance...

England World Cup squad: Sir Alex Ferguson Ferguson vetoed Owen Hargreaves call-up - Telegraph

Sorry, I never learnt how to post the actual story so you'll have to make do with a link.
Hargreaves needs to be introduced to football little by little and the WC is not the ideal place to do so. On the long run, such move may benefit United, the player himself and England. I mean if Hargreaves returns to fitness then he would be a likely candidate for next Euro.
 

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Don't think this has been posted yet (mind you I'm up early for a Sunday morning!)

Article suggests that Capello was going to call up Hargreaves as a 'wild card' for England but was vetoed by SAF. If true, I think its a shame. He should of been given the chance...
You've been misled by the typical press word 'veto'.

Ferguson has said he would bring Hargreaves in when fit. He hasn't, really, so he isn't fit. Is he supposed to lie to Capello or give him honest advice?

Try substituting the word advice for veto and there's no problem.
 

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I did not think Ferguson could stop any player being called up for a competitive match if they wanted to call him. It was my understanding that it was Capello's right to call him up and assess his injuries himself. If Capello wanted to call Hargreaves up, he would have, regardless of what Alex Ferguson said.
 

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I had long advocated that Hargreaves should if given the opportunity go to the World Cup, taking the view that it may well help United, in terms of him getting fitter and even a little more playing time after so long out of the game.

However, the flip side of the that, is plain and simple, I thought he might have had say 45 to 90 minutes worth or if not longer of first team football and probably 3 or 4 reserve team matches under his belt by now. However, that's not the case, in the past 18 months he's had 45 minutes 30 seconds. I can see the benefits of him going to the WC, but let's be honest, SAF has taken stock of the situation and it wouldn't be fair to England nor the player possibly to send him to any training camp. Give him a little break, a chance to stop the rehab, let him rest a little and approach pre-season with the rest of the team.

All SAF would have told Capello would be that he isn't match fit, and whilst being able to do a job for the team in one game, over a 2 or 3 week period he won't be able to play in every match. That's what's needed from every one in the squad. Hargreaves will be back next year and if he's looking at another 7 or 8 years playing he'll be around for the next World Cup in Brazil and maybe even the next one.
 

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I had long advocated that Hargreaves should if given the opportunity go to the World Cup, taking the view that it may well help United, in terms of him getting fitter and even a little more playing time after so long out of the game.

However, the flip side of the that, is plain and simple, I thought he might have had say 45 to 90 minutes worth or if not longer of first team football and probably 3 or 4 reserve team matches under his belt by now. However, that's not the case, in the past 18 months he's had 45 minutes 30 seconds. I can see the benefits of him going to the WC, but let's be honest, SAF has taken stock of the situation and it wouldn't be fair to England nor the player possibly to send him to any training camp. Give him a little break, a chance to stop the rehab, let him rest a little and approach pre-season with the rest of the team.

All SAF would have told Capello would be that he isn't match fit, and whilst being able to do a job for the team in one game, over a 2 or 3 week period he won't be able to play in every match. That's what's needed from every one in the squad. Hargreaves will be back next year and if he's looking at another 7 or 8 years playing he'll be around for the next World Cup in Brazil and maybe even the next one.
He's 29 already....I don't think he has more than 3 or 4 years left to play. He may have had the surgery but it will take it out of him physically, he'll never be as good as new...
 

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He's 29 already....I don't think he has more than 3 or 4 years left to play. He may have had the surgery but it will take it out of him physically, he'll never be as good as new...
I used the 7 or 8 years as I read some where that's what he's quoted as saying, not what I think.
 

Devilton

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All SAF would have told Capello would be that he isn't match fit, and whilst being able to do a job for the team in one game, over a 2 or 3 week period he won't be able to play in every match. That's what's needed from every one in the squad. Hargreaves will be back next year and if he's looking at another 7 or 8 years playing he'll be around for the next World Cup in Brazil and maybe even the next one.
What in gods name have you been smoking? Forget 7 or 8 years...if he can go 7 or 8 months without breaking down again I'll be amazed. I personally can't see him getting a contract extension with us unless he hits the ground running next year and proves he's still the same player he was before the injuries.
 

RonaldoVII

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What in gods name have you been smoking? Forget 7 or 8 years...if he can go 7 or 8 months without breaking down again I'll be amazed. I personally can't see him getting a contract extension with us unless he hits the ground running next year and proves he's still the same player he was before the injuries.
Hargreaves said he has 6-8 years left in him.
 

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I'm looking forward to seeing him back in action next year. Is it likely that he'll be the same player he was in 07/08 ? Probably not - but it will be a massive boost to the midfield even if he makes it back to 80% that level. And who knows, he may surprise a few people and exceed all expectations. Let's see how it goes.
 

askabob

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Ferguson was right in advising not to take Hargreaves to the WC. It would not be fair on United if he got injured at the World Cup. Hargreaves owes it all to United and we should be his #1 priority after helping him get through 18 months of rehab. Also, it would be highly unfair on other England players as Capello clearly stated that it would only be players with actual match time that would go to South Africa. Taking Hargreaves when he has been out for 18 months would be a slap in the face to the likes of lesser known players such as Scott Parker, et al.
 

MacMUFC

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I'm looking forward to seeing him back in action next year. Is it likely that he'll be the same player he was in 07/08 ? Probably not - but it will be a massive boost to the midfield even if he makes it back to 80% that level. And who knows, he may surprise a few people and exceed all expectations. Let's see how it goes.
At the beginning of the 2007/08 season, Hargreaves was quite easily our best player. I'm talking about the first 6 games, then something happened, he probably got injured and lost his place, but thats not the point. I think that people are forgetting how good he was during this period.

It stands him in good stead though, because it means that there are going to be a few people on here that are going to be pleasantly surprised - until he gets injured again.

On a side note - People expecting him to play for the next 6-8 years need to get their head checked. Once you're injury prone, you're always injury prone. I think we'll get 2-3 good years out of him.
 

Raoul

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It all depends on his specific situation. If he can turn the corner psychologically, then there's nothing to say he couldn't keep going physically. 6-8 years is a bit daft though, as it would put him between 35-37, which is quite unlikely. 3-5 years would be more realistic.
 

Anderson Searl

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Honestly Wayne's going to be taking some I reckon... Adam Johnson any good at them? Milner? I know Young is decent... Barry?

Anyone but Lampard or Gerrard, this is the world cup, they won't step it up
 

Devilton

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Honestly Wayne's going to be taking some I reckon... Adam Johnson any good at them? Milner? I know Young is decent... Barry?

Anyone but Lampard or Gerrard, this is the world cup, they won't step it up
Rooney is pretty woeful at freekicks. That and his long distance shooting are aspects of the game he needs to improve upon. I personally can't see anyone other then Lampard or Gerrard taking freekicks.
 

Devilton

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The SUN are truly shameless when it comes to writing lies to sell newspapers.

Hargo who hasn't played in 2 years demands showdown talks with Fergie...Bonkers!
 

Nathan

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I really hope that Owen can recover from his injury setbacks. He is an important player for the team and we really missed him.
 
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