Owen: Injuries aren't an issue

Report by Nick Coppack

Michael Owen was unveiled alongside fellow new signings Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan at Carrington on Monday.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson intimated the former Liverpool and Newcastle striker would wear the no.7 jersey this season and Owen reiterated his delight at signing for the Reds.

"I’m hungry to do well here,” he said. “If this challenge doesn’t put a spring in your step and a smile on your face then nothing will. I still believe I can do well at a top team like Manchester United.”

The 29-year-old was also quick to dismiss any suggestion he was prone to injury.

"If there's one thing that probably angers me a little it's that," he said. "There's no doubt I’ve had injuries in my career, but most people have. You continually read that over the last two years I've been plagued with injuries: it's just not true.

"I think I played 33 games and then 32 games in the last two years. Newcastle weren't in Europe, we didn't have any long cup runs... there are only 38 games in a Premier League season, so playing 33 one year and 32 in the other isn't too bad.

"The two years previous I had a few injuries but it was nothing to do with being injury-prone. If somebody jumps on your foot and you break your metatarsal [you can't do much about that].

"I'm 29 and I've played more than 500 games for club and country, so that says it all. I might pick up an injury here or there but that's the rigours of the modern game. I don't believe I'm injury-prone."

Owen's move to Old Trafford surprised almost everyone, although Sir Alex revealed the wheels had been in motion for some time.

"We mulled it over for a few months," he said. "We knew Michael's contract was expiring at the end of last season. I'd intended to bring another player in and we were waiting on a decision from Carlos Tevez about what he was going to do. But we weren't getting any answers there, which put us in a bit of a quandry.

"We felt we'd waited long enough so we tried to sign Karim Benzema from Lyon. And Michael knew that was the plan. At 21 years of age, Benzema was a real possibility for us. But as soon as that fell through I contacted Michael."

For Owen, the call couldn't have come at a better time. By his own admission he "didn't set the world alight" at Newcastle last season, although he assured media that reports suggesting he'd only received offers from Hull City and Stoke City were incorrect.

"I'm not going to go into how many or which clubs were talking to me but I can assure you there were a few more clubs than the press would have you believe. There were a few good clubs, but when United came in then all other talks were put on hold and the deal was wrapped up virtually straight away."

You can watch the press conference and exclusive interviews on MUTV from 18:00 BST today (Monday 13 July) and subsequently on MUTV Online.

Michael Owen

Valencia eyes success at OT

MUTV presenter David Stowell put his Spanish to the test on Monday to quiz new signing Antonio Valencia...

So, Antonio, welcome to Manchester United. How does it feel to be a footballer at this club?
Thank you very much. I’m very pleased and very proud to be here. It’s great to be at such a big club and now I have to work hard. It's a big campaign for the club this year and I hope to be a big part of the team’s success.

How has training been here with the other players and what’s it like compared to your time at Wigan?
It’s hard to say because it’s my first day [in training] but the lads have been very welcoming. That’s really important and it gives me confidence. Everyone has been great – the players and the manager – and I hope to play well for the club throughout the season.

When did you first hear Sir Alex wanted to sign you?
I think we had a conversation about five or six months ago. I was very happy but when a club that big shows interest it motivates you to work really hard and continue to do so.

Do you like the level of football and the style of football played in England?
I love it. I love life in England and I love the football here. When I was a kid, I always dreamed of playing in a league that was this good. I’m delighted to have the chance and so far it’s been great for me.

Finally, you must be raring to go, looking forward to playing in the Premier League and in Europe. But before that there's the Asia tour, which starts this week...
The Asia tour is very important and we must put in 100 per cent. It's a long trip but it's important to play well and bond well as a group.

Welcome again – thanks for talking to us and I hope you have a great time here.
Cheers.

Antonio Valencia

Obertan: I'm proud to be here

Report by Adam Bostock

Gabriel spoke exclusively to MUTV’s Mark Sullivan, in fluent English, moments after being unveiled as a summer signing alongside Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia.

How does it feel to be here?
I am very happy. I am proud to be here. I will try to prove to the boss what I can do and then we will see.

What do you hope to achieve here at Manchester United?
I hope to become a better player, to improve and progress because I’m only 20. I know I’ll have to work hard.

There are many fantastic players here. Are you excited to be amongst them?
Yes, very excited. I look forward to playing with them. I know I’m surrounded by great players like Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney so I know it will be hard (to get into the team) but I am very excited.

Do you feel that playing with these great players can make you a better player?
Yes, even training with them is great. I hope I will have the chance to play with them on the pitch.

What can you tell us about your style of play?}
I think I’m quick and technical – I do a lot of tricks. I like to dribble, to have the ball and take on a defender, face to face.

You’ve represented your country at various levels – for example you scored against England for the Under-21s. Is it your ambition to play at the very top for France?
Yes, although it is pretentious to talk about the first (senior) team now. I am an Under-21 international now and I will work hard. Maybe then, at the end of the season, I may have a chance to get in (into the senior squad.)

Who are your sporting idols?
I love very much Rivaldo, the Brazilian footballer, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.

So will you try and emulate some of Ronaldo’s ability here?
I will try but he is a great player. He won the Ballon d’Or last year so it will be difficult. I will have to improve and progress a lot, then we will see.

We have had some fantastic French players here in the past – Eric Cantona, Laurent Blanc and Fabien Barthez – and in the present with Patrice Evra. Do you hope to follow in their footsteps?
I hope so. It will be difficult. All the players you name are internationals so I hope I can follow them.

Did Laurent Blanc, your coach at Bordeaux, talk to you about your move to United?
Yes, I called him before I left and he told me it was a big club with a big structure. He also wished me good luck. So that’s all he told me but he was very confident (for me).

Has Laurent been an influence on your career?
A little bit, even if he was a defender and I am a forward. But he was an influence because he was very technical for a defender, clever with the ball.

Finally, we understand you have a slight injury at the moment. Nothing too serious, we hope?
No, it’s not serious. I just have to be patient and wait to have a full recovery, then come back stronger.

Gabriel Obertan

Boss: We've done good business

Report by Adam Bostock

Sir Alex Ferguson insists United have operated well on two levels this summer - in terms of the new faces acquired and the funds used to sign them.

Speaking at a triple unveiling, the boss declared the Reds had got "good value" in an inflated transfer market while importing a classic United blend of youth and experience in Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia (aged 20, 23) and "old codger" Michael Owen (29).

"Everywhere in England and in Europe the players' values have shot sky high," said Sir Alex, commenting on market conditions.

"I don't think any of the (big money) transfers that you see happening are realistic but for some reason the market seems to have caught fire this summer. It is a very unusual summer and difficult to get value because of that.

"It's always been the case that Manchester United have to pay a bit extra. But this summer we were not prepared to do that because we have got some very good young players.

"There didn't need to be a kneejerk reaction to losing Cristiano Ronaldo. We did very well to keep him for six years. He wanted to go, and we allowed him to do that.

"We shouldn't panic because one or two players are leaving. I think we have a very, very good squad with good young players in all positions."

Sir Alex added that no further arrivals are imminent at United, declaring, "It's the end of our business, so forget all these stories about who we're supposed to be getting."

Blog: My football heroes

www.manutd.com

Heroes week on ManUtd.com will reveal who the current United players admired most when they were growing up. Reds midfielder Michael Carrick kicks us off with three former England stars...

I had a few football heroes when I was growing up, and I admired them for different reasons.

Peter Beardsley was a big favourite - I followed Newcastle as a young lad and I just loved the way he played the game.

Paul Gascoigne was another hero of mine. He was an unbelievable player, an absolute genius in fact. I remember watching him at the 1990 World Cup and he was just brilliant. He was a great character as well, he enjoyed playing the game and had fun doing it.

I've been lucky enough to meet Gazza a few times and he's a great lad. The first time I met him was a bit surreal, as it was when I met Beardsley who I’ve since got to know quite well.

Ian Wright was someone else who I enjoyed watching, more for his goal celebrations than anything else!

I wasn't a fan of Arsenal or anything, I just loved the way he played with a smile on his face. He seemed to have a new goal celebration every week and me and mates at school would always try and copy them.

I eventually ended up playing alongside Wrighty at West Ham - it's crazy how things work out in football sometimes!

Look out for more Heroes features on ManUtd.com this week and in the new issue of Inside United, the Reds' official magazine.

The views expressed in this blog are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Manchester United FC.

Gill relishing Far East trip

Report by James Tuck

Chief executive David Gill looks ahead to United’s upcoming tour of Asia…

How important is the tour for the club, both on and off the pitch?
It’s a key part of getting the players ready for the new season, so we have spent a lot of time with Alex and Mike Phelan on making sure that the team get what they need in terms of facilities, travel and rest.

Our fans in Asia generate money for the club – there are no two ways about it. But it’s a coordinated approach. Most of the players have been at the club a number of years, they’re seasoned professionals and understand the importance of the tours to the club. We can’t get away from the fact that it is a long way, but the crowds over there give absolutely fanatical support for Manchester United.

What are your memories of the 2007 Asia Tour, when you visited Japan, Korea and China – did you regard it as a success?
It was interesting because we had a whole mixture really. Japan is not like some of the other Asian markets; it’s more restrained, but we have great support there as we saw again during the FIFA Club World Cup last December. In South Korea the tickets for our game with FC Seoul sold out very quickly and though Ji-sung Park couldn’t play because of his injury, the adulation for him was unbelievable. When the big screen at the match focused on him, the crowd went absolutely wild.

Macau was quite surreal – we stayed in a brand new 2,000-plus suite hotel and there were only 60 or 70 of us. That went well, and there was a chance for a bit of 'R&R' for the players. China was interesting; we went to a new venue there which was a great stadium. So overall it was an unqualified success.

The reception United get in Asia is unlike anywhere else on earth...
You can't leave your hotel room without security because of the sheer number of fans waiting in all parts of the hotel. You arrive at the airport at some unearthly hour and the volume of fans there, all dressed up with their signs saying ‘I love you Rooney or O’Shea’ or whoever, is amazing, as is the amount of time they’ve spent preparing and waiting to take that chance to see the players.

When we arrived at one airport on the last tour and were escorted through the terminal, all the airport staff were going wild, as well as the fans, waiting for photos! From start to finish it’s a very intense, fan-focused tour.

The manager will be taking a strong squad to Asia later this month, allowing the fans to see some of the club’s biggest stars in the flesh…
It’s very important that we give our fans the ability to see the team live every so often. The English game is very well followed across Asia, and we have phenomenal support out there, so I think it’s only fair and right that we can give something back to these fans.

What will your typical day be like on tour this summer?
I'll be involved in the work we do with our commercial partners, UNICEF and other charity projects. MIDAS, the inward investment agency for Manchester, arranges trade-related visits around our tours and we have a couple of events with them this year. I, and a couple of other directors, will go along to speak to and welcome some companies they are trying to attract to invest in the Manchester region.

I’ll also be doing some interesting events with the England 2018 bid, trying to gain some support. I’m on the board of that company and the tour represents a great chance to assist that process, as the Asian football nations have a big say in where the World Cup is held.

When I start the day I'll get my usual emails and correspondence, and I’m sure there’ll be some player activity going on while we’re over there. Overall it’s about representing the club and helping us to have a proper presence in Asia.

Praise for new boys

Report by Nick Coppack

Versatile players like Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia are "invaluable", according to Reds boss Sir Alex.

The new arrivals were unveiled at a press conference at Carrington on Monday, where the United manager was quick to sing their praises.

"They're both very quick and play in wide positions, although they can also play through the middle," he said. "Players who can play in several positions are invaluable in the modern game.

"You saw the contribution John O’Shea made last season – we played him in three or four positions and he was excellent in every one.

"But we like wide players at this club and [Obertan and Valencia] give us two more avenues to explore."

Sir Alex revealed United had been keeping tabs on French sensation Obertan for four years.

"We’ve monitored Gabriel since he was 16 years of age and he was probably the most sought-after youngster in Europe. His form dipped a little last year, possibly due to an injury, but he’s regained that form and was fantastic against England U21s earlier this year. That reignited our interest in the boy."

Most of the questions at the press conference were directed at fellow new recruit Michael Owen, although Obertan did manage to get a few words in.

"To play even a few minutes on the pitch in every game would be great. I'll work hard while I'm here and we'll see what happens...

"I think it would be pretentious of me [to talk about making France's squad for 2010 World Cup] but I'll work hard to progress and improve."

Valencia, too, had little to answer, but the Ecuador international did insist he felt no pressure to step into Cristiano Ronaldo's vacant boots.

"When I had my first conversations with Manchester United it was never said that I was coming here to replace Cristiano.

"Obviously Cristiano did very well here and he's a good player. But I’m here to do my job and to do the things that I do well. I’m keen to do well, I have a desire to do well, and I don’t really make any comparisons between myself and Cristiano."

You can watch the press conference and exclusive interviews on MUTV from 18:00 BST today (Monday 13 July) and subsequently on MUTV Online.

Michael Owen

Gabriel Obertan

Antonio Valencia