Former United youngster Peter Coyne gives the rundown on United’s season and who they should sign this summer.
Peter regularly attends games at Old Trafford and believes the Tottenham game in March marked a turning point for United’s season. “I’ve been to quite a few home games this season and I went to Stoke away as well,” he exclusively told RetroUnited.com.
“Up until the Tottenham game where we played them at home and beat them 3-0 I couldn’t see where we were going. But watching that game and the way we played it was like a brand new season had started.
“That game was the start of a really tough run of four games where we also played Liverpool and City and we didn’t lose one of them, it was like watching a different team.”
This season has seen youngsters Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett and James Wilson all given a run of games in the first team. Once a promising young player himself, Peter discusses the importance of giving them game time: “It is important, that’s what Fergie was good at, introducing young players at the right time.
“With these youngsters they’ve been put in at a rather difficult time when we’ve not had a successful team in the past couple of years. With James Wilson, I need to see more of him before I make my mind up.
“Paddy McNair seems to be the one, he looks to be progressing very quickly and he’s obviously filling out physically as well. Obviously the more games they play the more experience they’ll get and develop an understanding with the senior players. But at the same time it’s down to the manager and when he can fit them in. He seems to be prepared to give players a chance no matter how old they are which is fantastic for the youngsters.”
It is looking more and more likely that David De Gea will leave the club for Real Madrid this summer and Peter gives his opinion on how the Spaniard has developed during his time at the club and who should replace him: “When he first signed I thought he was hopeless but they’ve obviously built him up physically and he seems to have filled out now.
“He’s proved me wrong and it’ll be a big loss if he does go but goalkeepers come and go and they’ll just have to get it right with who they replace him with. We haven’t always got that right in the past, we’ve had some nightmare keepers but we’ve also had some of the best ever.
“It depends who’s available and there’s not many top goalkeepers available now. We’ll just have to wait and see, we’ve also got Victor Valdes who has tonnes of experience with Barcelona and showed against Hull in the last game of the season what a good keeper he can be.”
Angel Di Maria hasn’t lived up to most people’s expectations this season and has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer. Peter puts the Argentinian’s dip in form down to a loss of confidence and wants him to stay at Old Trafford: “I hope he doesn’t leave, everyone seems to be dying for him to do well, and he just seems like a likable guy. I loved him when he played for Real Madrid and maybe that’s because he likes to run at defenders.
“It just looks to me like he’s suffering from a terrible loss of confidence, when he first came he was fantastic then all of a sudden he looks like he’s never played before. Obviously he’s got great ability and there’ll be clubs queueing up to sign him but I want him to stay with us and prove what a great player he is.”
On who United should sign in this transfer window, Peter goes for three names that have already been linked with the club this summer: “I’d love us to go for Gareth Bale, he’s got pace, power and if he doesn’t come to us he’ll only go to Chelsea or City and we don’t really want that. I like the look of Varane the centre-back at Real Madrid who a lot of clubs seem to be wanting to sign.
“I like Schweinsteiger at Bayern Munich, Carrick can’t go on for ever and I think he would be the perfect replacement. Someone who can just sit in there and run the show. Carrick has proved how important he is to the team this season and we’ve missed him when he’s not played.”
On whether United can win the title next season Peter isn’t so sure and believes that it is vital that the team get off to a good start: “I don’t think we’ll do it next season, it kills me to say that. City are going to be stronger next year but the team to beat are obviously Chelsea and whoever finishes in front of them will win the league. Mourinho isn’t going to go away and they’re only going to strengthen their squad.
“We need to get off to a good start, no matter what happens we can’t afford to slip behind early doors like we did this season. If we got the three players I mentioned I think we might have a good chance because they’re experienced enough to fit in straight away.”
