New Nani Interview

[rotherham_red]

Because he was woefully inconsistent for us? Pace and skill mean little without consistency.

Great player on his day but those days weren't frequent enough, imo.

The inconsistency jibe wasn't even true though. He came to us as a youngster so he was obviously inconsistent but he grew out of it by 2009/10 and towards the end of that season was far and away the best winger in the league, which carried forward into the next until Carragher did him in. He was always a little sensitive so it took him a little longer to come back from that incident, but he never really got the chance to play himself back into form. With Fergie instead preferring the painfully average Young and Valencia instead, the reasons for which, I will never know.

Also, considering how streaky Wayne Rooney has been during his time here in both his general play and goalscoring, and how Ronaldo would try inane attempts at goal for his own hubris, Nani was positively tame in comparison to those guys yet it seemed he was the only one who copped some flack.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

He was dropped after the Carragher injury, and he did quite well in the games he got after that - Fulham at home, West Ham away I think. But SAF had decided his formula for the big games and didn't deviate from that, sticking to it even v Barca...

I also don't blame him much for that league cup goal. He lost the ball in the final third when he was pretty isolated and we had numbers back. It took 2 stupid defensive calamities in the same move for us to concede that penalty.
Unfortunately I can't find the full video of his goal that game. He started the move with some insane skill on the right touchline near the half-way line.

I'm not blaming him, fwiw. However, the way we set up during those last 3 seasons with Scholes/Carrick playing really deep, Berbatov/Chicharito not involved in defensive work and an aging Ferdinand with back problems means that Nani's propensity to try things can often lead to the detriment of the team. Contrary to popular belief, he's not a lazy player, but his mindset isn't suited for a team looking to play on the break primarily. That COC goal is an example. He was up near their corner flag, can simply run the ball out of play, but decided to try nutmegging the defender and lost the ball.

 

[criticalanalysis]

I'm not sure why I'm so fond of the cnut, maybe it's because he was underappreciated.

After Giggs, probably the most dynamic winger we've had? I mean stylistically as well because the Ribery/Robben comparisons are true. When he carried us during (large parts of) that season, his level was so so good.

Valencia and Ronaldo were most effective as flat track bullies (the latter developing himself into a whole different category of course). Nani was an out and out winger but had incredible technique, dribbling skills and ability in tight situations. When on song, he was the most aesthetically pleasing to watch imo. Delicate touches whilst dribbling, feints, nimble feet and then rocket shots with either foot.

It's why so many were chuffed about the Di Maria transfer and the praise for Martial. Few players, who have that ability who could genuinely take a ball and do something with it in standing still situations (with little reliance on other team mates).

 

[shabadu84]

Nani says “United gave me all that I have in this life”, and his affection for Sir Alex Ferguson endures. “I see him like a father, angry and shouting at you one minute but in the next, patting his hand on your head and saying: ‘Come on, son.’

“It was hard to deal with at first, because you don’t know him and his strong ways but when you know him, you learn it is for your benefit. If today I have a strong mentality, it’s a lot to do with him.”

Perhaps Nani was frustrating at Old Trafford because his potential was so rich and, consequently, the bar was set so high. It is also true that he was not helped by the comparisons with Ronaldo, who had arrived at United from Sporting in 2003.

“They were expecting me to be the next Ronaldo but that’s unfair,” he says. “We are different players, different personalities. Maybe it was a mistake to compare us.”

Thought this was good to quote, since I'm sure some will offer their opinions without actually clicking the link. Wish he was still around, too bad we didn't include a buy-back in case he was able to get over his post-Moyes funk

 

[harms]

His last minute winner against City in the Community Shield will always be one of my fav United goals.

And he scored the second one too, one of the best team goals in our modern history
And to think that Cleverley was the man who made that goal He looked class then

 

[Skills]

Off topic, but the amount of injury time winners we've scored against City really hilarious. I can think of 4 recent ones just off the top of my head.

Owen, Scholes header, Nani, RVP free kick. Any I'm missing?

Rooney in the Carling Cup semi final

 

[Leftback99]

Terribly managed by Moyes and LVG and we got stuck with Rojo minus £16m in return.

He'd start on our right wing even now.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

Nani's interviews are always good

 

[2 man midfield]

Rooney in the Carling Cup semi final

Ah yeah, had to look it up but now I remember. That makes it what, 5 between '09 and '12?

 

[FujiVice]

Nani was consistently inconsistent. I bet if he was here now he'd still have those moments of brilliance throughout the season. Shame he couldnt have been the player he looked like he was going to be in 2011. God he was good at the time.

Signing Nani to a new deal and selling soon after might be still the stupidest move out of all the stupid shit we've seen in the last 4 years.

 

[Walrus]

I always believe that when Nani was played consistently, he delivered consistently. Unfortunately for whatever reason, Young and Valencia got the sort of time and patience that Nani needed, despite their awful performances.

He was treated poorly by LVG, Moyes and also Ferguson - brought in for big games when lacking match fitness, dropped after good performances, punished more harshly for his mistakes

 

[Cheesy]

Frustrating at times but I'd have kept him. Was excellent in 2010/11.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Worst thing about Nani is that he played really well for 18 months and then his form took one hell of a nosedive. Obviously had great ability and agree that he is a class above Young, who was never a Utd player in my opinion.

 

[RC89]

He still feels like a United player to me. Makes me sad even.

 

[Adisa]

Moyes gives him a 5 year deal then proceeds to keep him on the bench.
The guy was really a competition winner.

 

[Revan]

He was great for some times, but terribly mismanaged IMO (even by Fergie in the last 2 seasons). Still, I think that it was the right time for him to move on, and I was happy to see him winning the EUROs.

Still, I cannot help but thinking that it could have been much better and he could have been one of our greatest players if some things would have been different. He was really talented to achieve that.

 

[pacifictheme]

Best not look in the Rooney thread mate.

Ha ha. Agreed. Bit different that though. Rooneys form has taken a dip and the members of this forum go way over the top with him. Nani is an ex player, who was poorly treated by moyes and arguably fergie in his last season.

I'm not sure why people would have anything but fond memories of him. Fantastic, if a little frustrating, as a player. Even won our player of the season in a year we won the league and got to the CL final.

 

[paulscholes18]

Very classy from him

 

[Galactic]

On his day he was unstoppable but when he was shit he was proper shit and probably the most frustrating player ever. I miss him though and id still have him over Young for sure.

To be honest, he had more bad games than good ones. If he sort his mind up, he can be a monster of a player. He still has time.

 

[Red Dreams]

talented. but inconsistent and frustrating at times.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Best not look in the Rooney thread mate.

 

[beergod]

I always believe that when Nani was played consistently, he delivered consistently. Unfortunately for whatever reason, Young and Valencia got the sort of time and patience that Nani needed, despite their awful performances.

He was treated poorly by LVG, Moyes and also Ferguson - brought in for big games when lacking match fitness, dropped after good performances, punished more harshly for his mistakes

For all of Fergie's man management skills, his treatment of Nani was always odd. From the outside it seemed like he never gave the ultimate confidence player the stability necessary to maintain his confidence.

I think I'll be lazy and just blame it on the insanely bloated squad we carried and the trainwreck that was our central midfield during that period.

 

[cantona319]

Off topic, but the amount of injury time winners we've scored against City really hilarious. I can think of 4 recent ones just off the top of my head.

Owen, Scholes header, Nani, RVP free kick. Any I'm missing?

Keane in 94 wasn't injury time but around the 87th or 88th minute.

 

[lem8sh]

Loved Nani but he was so frustrating at times. His peno in the shootout in Moscow was worth his transfer fee alone.

 

[nick2004]

Great interview! It's a pity that Nani didn't play more for us, both under Fergie and the other managers.

Thank you for the memories, Nani! Our best wishes for your career at Valencia!

 

[Womp]

Miss Nani, regardless of how his form was you could always bank on him having a stormer of a game against Arsenal and tearing them a new one. He didn't live up to his potential, but that 18 month spell he was one of the best wingers on the planet, his return was crazy for someone not in the Ronaldo/Messi discussion.

 

[Green_Red]

In my humble opinion hes one of our most underrated former players. His goal against Arsenal has to go down as one of the best in Premier League history.

 

[Organic Potatoes]

After reading this thread, I'm not sure there's ever been a player I've been more confused with in regards to his quality.

It's like debating the best movies of this century with someone who only likes Batman.

 

[OldTrevil]

Great interview. Nani was my favorite United player for a good while. It was frustrating how he never got the same treatment like lesser players Valencia, Young and Rooney who got a license to stink up the place match after match without getting benched. And the way Rooney constantly berated him on the field whenever he tried something or didn't pass to him, which the crowd then followed by shockingly booing him on many occasions. Even though I supported France I was happy to see Nani win and being Portugal's best player at the Euros. I hope he enjoys his football at Valencia and gets the support he needs from his team.

 

[prath92]

Great interview. Nani was my favorite United player for a good while. It was frustrating how he never got the same treatment like lesser players Valencia, Young and Rooney who got a license to stink up the place match after match without getting benched. And the way Rooney constantly berated him on the field whenever he tried something or didn't pass to him, which the crowd then followed by shockingly booing him on many occasions. Even though I supported France I was happy to see Nani win and being Portugal's best player at the Euros. I hope he enjoys his football at Valencia and gets the support he needs from his team.

Rooney is tiers above Nani.

 

[mr.suave]

Nani was largely inconsistent while he was here but he did go through that two year (ish) spell where he was probably our best attacking player. It seems a bit mental that so many people seem to have completely forgotten about it.

He was great on the right wing in particular. He could whip a mean cross in with his right foot, or cut inside and bang them in with his left. So exciting to watch on his day.

Good to see him get another shot at a big club, anyway. I hope he tears it up next season.

 

[OldTrevil]

Rooney is tiers above Nani.

the only facet of the game Rooney is better than Nani is as an out an out goal scorer, but even that is debatable since Nani is a very good finisher but he didn't play as a #9. If you look at stats, Rooney will have more goals but in my opinion Nani is the better footballer.

 

[prath92]

the only facet of the game Rooney is better than Nani is as an out an out goal scorer, but even that is debatable since Nani is a very good finisher but he didn't play as a #9. If you look at stats, Rooney will have more goals but in my opinion Nani is the better footballer.

Rooney was an excellent striker in his prime. His finishing was top class. Beside this he had good workrate and could also create lots of chances. He almost always had assists of above 10 in the PL alone(for at least 8 or 9 seasons). Nani I guess managed that in 2 seasons?

No manager would ever choose a prime nani over a prime Rooney given a choice.

 

[OldTrevil]

Rooney was an excellent striker in his prime. His finishing was top class. Beside this he had good workrate and could also create lots of chances. He almost always had assists of above 10 in the PL alone(for at least 8 or 9 seasons). Nani I guess managed that in 2 seasons?

No manager would ever choose a prime nani over a prime Rooney given a choice.

That's your opinion. You realize prime Nani led us to a league title as our main weapon and was the player's player of the year, no? Anyway, Nani is no longer a United player and I have no desire to continue the discussion so we can agree to disagree.

 

[snk123]

 

[SirScholes]

Off topic, but the amount of injury time winners we've scored against City really is hilarious. I can think of 4 recent ones just off the top of my head.

Owen, Scholes header, Nani, RVP free kick. Any I'm missing?

Pretty sure Rooney got one the same season scholes scored in the carling cup

 

[RedDevil@84]

I am not sure why many think he was up there at the top, but for me he was frustratingly inconsistent... You never know which Nani will turn up on a given day

 

[Spoony]

the only facet of the game Rooney is better than Nani is as an out an out goal scorer, but even that is debatable since Nani is a very good finisher but he didn't play as a #9. If you look at stats, Rooney will have more goals but in my opinion Nani is the better footballer.

Good joke.

 

[Tosicsleftpeg]

Off topic, but the amount of injury time winners we've scored against City really is hilarious. I can think of 4 recent ones just off the top of my head.

Owen, Scholes header, Nani, RVP free kick. Any I'm missing?

Not injury time but remember the Rooney goal against them late on in 2010 I think league cup to win 2 - 1 same season as the Owen goal.

 

[Stretford End Phil]

The article seems a pretty fair statement.

I confess to being a big fan of Nani; and, was raving over his performance when he took over for Ronnie. Spent the evening in a Portuguese restaurant and saw how he is well loved and was the hero of the night. His game was in quite a contrast with Pogba who was pretty much shut out. In the end it was his final.

Moyes and the fat head lost us so much talent - that for me that was their greatest crimes. To give a player a 5 year contract and not play him just shows how clueless that former manager was. But, some fans never gave the lad a chance and always compared him less favourably to Ronnie.

Nanl's sending off against Real Madrid was the beginning of the end. He had got back to form and was playing well and a dubious decision turned the game and the player. Fergie used his talents but I always got the impression he was just too lightweight to get a regular place, which of course came down to that old English game perspective. He would never have been trusted with the captaincy and certainly not given the chance to run the team as the experienced player - even as a stand in.