Ronaldo better than the Best????????????

Comparisons with George Best are inevitable as the 23-goal United star continues to shine

Towards the end of 2005 I was one of three writers asked to select Manchester United’s 50 greatest postwar footballers for a book. The hardest task was judging current players, especially those whose careers were young. Cristiano Ronaldo caused the greatest headache. Caution led us to put him at number 39, one place below Arthur Albiston, two above Andy Cole. Overhyping is the worst sin of modern pundits but to underplay can be criminal too.

There are Ronaldo-sceptics even now but, quicker than the Dow Jones Index, their numbers are falling. Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s numbers keep stacking up. With 23 goals in 26 appearances, and at least 18 United fixtures remaining, he seems likely to beat the 32 goals scored by George Best in 1967-68, a record for a United winger or midfielder in a season. It remains premature, but no longer feels odious, to bracket the pair. At the very least we must be reaching the point where, if Best were around and his boots needed lacing, there might be someone fit for the job.

There have been other “new George Bests” but Ronaldo is different. “He’s the first to come on the scene and make me think, ‘By God, this kid’s got everything, maybe he does compare to George’,” Paddy Crerand said. Crerand was Best’s close friend as well as teammate and needs nobody to tell him the Irishman was unique. But hearing Ronaldo mentioned in the same breath does not leave him gasping. “They’ve got great similarities: beat people easily, great with either foot, George was good in the air and so is Cristiano and you’re talking a pair of good-looking so-and-sos,” Crerand said. “Most of all, he has the same impudent streak George had. I’ve seen a lot of football but I get a thrill on my way to the stadium if I know Cristiano’s playing.”

Ronaldo, England’s Footballer of the Year for 2007, league champion, FA Cup winner, global icon, is all that before his 23rd birthday, which arrives on Tuesday week. When precocity is the measure he can hardly be bettered, yet Best was best, European Footballer of the Year, European Cup winner, double league champion, icon twice over, all as he was turning 22. His strike-rate was slightly better than Ronaldo’s goal every three games and in 1967-68 it accelerated as the games increased in importance. He scored in a European Cup semi-final against Real Madrid and conjured a magical solo effort in extra time in the final with Benfica to tip glory in United’s direction.

Compared with that, Ronaldo’s little triumphs in Europe, such as his two goals in last year’s demolition of Roma, are forgettable and while Best was inspired by a rivalry with Eusebio, Kaka, who beat Ronaldo to European and World Footballer of the Year in 2007, dwarfed the Portuguese on the two occasions they went head to head in Champions League knockout ties. Ronaldo’s record on the most important domestic occasions is also sketchy, as three goals in 26 appearances against Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal attests. “George starred in the big games, they inspired him. The bigger the stage the better he played,” said Crerand. “He hasn’t always shown that, but Cristiano will get there.”

His two performances against England in major finals show it is in him to make big gestures on the big stage and in the 2006 World Cup semi-finals, while the rest of the Portugal team capitulated, he launched what amounted to a one-man crusade against France. “He demonstrates character every week,” said Crerand. “In the Premier League he gets booed and abused away from home and George never got that, away fans loved watching George. Sadly, it’s the way football’s going.”

Sir Alex Ferguson is always talking about Ronaldo’s mettle, his contention being that it takes the greatest courage in football to keep demanding the ball and taking players on because of the high risks of failure and physical harm. Bravery was the most hallowed value Sir Matt Busby ascribed to Best. “I don’t think the diving thing’s true of Cristiano any more,” said Crerand, “he takes a lot of knocks. But George played on rubbish pitches against people who could boot him all afternoon – in my day you had to shoot someone to get sent off. We’d come in on Sunday mornings for a bath or a rubdown and George’s legs would be black and blue, but it never bothered him. What would he have done to teams today, playing on bowling-green surfaces with defenders who are hardly allowed to tackle?”

The similarities are there in the back-stories. Best ran home to Belfast when overwhelmed by Manchester during his first trial with United aged 15. Ronaldo, when even younger, made his own journey from a small island community to a mainland, leaving Madeira for Sporting Lisbon’s academy, where he suffered homesickness. Their families had little money, the football they learnt was on the street; later they would embrace glamour: Ronaldo is partners with his sisters in a fashion boutique (CR7) in Funchal, just as Best dabbled with a menswear emporium in Sale at the height of his fame. After Busby first set eyes on Best, “the vision of this black-haired lad kept coming back to me”, he said. Ferguson knew Ronaldo from the scouting reports, but was bedazzled by his first proper encounter, telling Peter Kenyon at half-time of a friendly against Sporting in 2003: “We’re not leaving the stadium until we get the boy.”

On Friday, in his weekly briefing, Ferguson waxed lyrical about his protege until questions started going in the direction of Best’s record and the comparisons. “I hope he can do it. But that’s enough on Ronaldo,” Ferguson growled. For once he is happy to see one of his players ignoring a job description he set out for them. Did Ferguson imagine Ronaldo had such scoring powers? “No. We saw his potential as a winger, his ability to drive at defenders. That was the main reason we took him on. And he still plays as a winger for us. He gives us width and is a threat from there,” he said. “He’s an improving player, his decision-making is good and getting better. He practises all the time. The boy’s a finisher.

“He’s a good header, has two good feet, is quick, brave. He has all those assets great strikers have always had. He scored a header this season from a corner kick and he hung in the air, so at corner kicks we’re hoping he’ll be a threat, and from crosses from the opposite side of the pitch, because he’s got that great leap, great power. “The rest (of Ronaldo’s goals) is a combination. His third goal against Newcastle came from fantastic team passing and movement, the first-time passing, and he has that great ability to run beyond people on to the through pass anda good shot, a strong shot. The kind of kid he is, he has always had the hunger to play. He loves the game.”

Of course you can fall out of love with football. Best did so by his mid20s but by then had scored more than 20 goals in a season for United in five consecutive campaigns. His beating of defenders was founded on extraordinary control and ability to make sudden changes of direction, while Ronaldo’s is more about using theatre to distract his foes, but the flank is not big enough for either of their talents which is what draws and drew them central, in search of goals.

Best appreciated United’s latest No 7. “There have been a few players described as the ‘new George Best’ but this is the first time it has been a compliment to me,” he said. He was a better judge of ability than the authors of a certain list.

Ronaldo is good but Best is best

Cristiano Ronaldo’s exceptional form and soaring goalscoring rate are such that serious comparisons are now being made between the Portuguese winger and George Best, the greatest of all his forerunners in the Manchester United No 7 jersey. With at least 18 games remaining for United, Ronaldo, on 23 goals already, stands a good chance of beating Best’s 1967-68 tally of 32 goals, the most scored in a season by a United winger or midfielder. A comparison of their achievements at similar ages shows Best remains out on his own, but Ronaldo may be catching up

Big-game Best Ronaldo has yet to emulate Best’s record in big games. When Manchester United won the European Cup in 1968, Best scored in the semifinal against Real Madrid and the final against Benfica. He had already defined his iconic status with two goals and a virtuoso performance in the away leg of a European Cup quarterfinal, against Benfica in 1965-66. Ronaldo has yet to show his best form in big club games

Best in history George Best’s total of 32 goals in a season was extraordinary for a winger at any club, but especially at Manchester United where there is a tradition of spreading the goals around. His total is better than some of the greatest strikers in United’s history ever managed and stands comparison with all but Denis Law and Ruud van Nistelrooy

Best ever scoring season, selected United players

Denis Law 46 goals (1963-64) Ruud van Nistelrooy 44 (2002-3) Tommy Taylor 34 (1956-57) Dennis Viollet 32 (1959-60) George Best 32 (1967-68) Brian McClair 31 (1987-88) Jack Rowley 30 (1948-49 & 1951-52) Bobby Charlton 29 (1958-59) Dwight Yorke 29 (1998-99) Eric Cantona 25 (1993-94) Cristiano Ronaldo 23 (2006-7, 2007-8)

HEAD TO HEAD

Professional debut Best 17 years 4 months, Ronaldo 17 years 8 months

First professional goal Best 17 years 7 months, Ronaldo 17 years 8 months

International debut Best 17 years 11 months, Ronaldo 18 years 6 months

First international goal Best 18 years 7 months, Ronaldo 19 years 3 months

First league title Best 18 years 11 months, Ronaldo 22 years 3 months

First European Cup Best 22 years 0 months, Ronaldo is still trying

First FA Cup Ronaldo 19 years 3 months, Best never won the FA Cup

English Player of the Year Best 22 years, Ronaldo 22 years

European Footballer of the Year Best 22 years, Ronaldo still trying

Ronaldo v Big Four

v Chelsea played 9, 0 goals
v Liverpool played 7, 0 goals
v Arsenal played 10, 3 goals

Total played 26, 3 g

chelsea sign disanto

Watch Chelsea's new signing in action

Chelsea have signed Franco Di Santo, the Argentinian teenager, on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

The Stamford Bridge club is reported to have agreed a deal worth more than £3 million with Chilean counterparts Audax Italiano for Di Santo, 18, who holds an Italian passport.

“It is going to be a dream to be next to Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Andriy Shevchenko and Nicolas Anelka,” Di Santo said.

Related Links

• Chelsea sign £9m Serbia defender

“I am going to watch how they play and if I am called on to be part of the team, I will give my maximum ... To be changing next to Drogba will be something out of another world.”

Chelsea reportedly saw off competition from the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool to sign the 6ft 4in striker, who despite his height is said to possess skills similar to the Argentina legend Diego Maradona.

Di Santo's signing takes the spending by Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, to £27 million in the January transfer window, having already snapped up Nicolas Anelka, the France striker, from Bolton Wanderers for £15m and Branislav Ivanovic, the Serbia defender, for £9m.

Ronaldo is the best - Fabregas

"Ronaldo is amazing," said Fabregas, whose table-topping Arsenal side are two points ahead of United.

"I admire his physical body, his power, he is so quick with the ball and he has such strength.

"He is a player that at any moment can score a goal for the team and make the team win - even if it is a header, left or right foot.

"For me, he is an exceptional player."

He added: "It is good that people say they enjoy watching Arsenal, but when I watch teams like Manchester United, I really enjoy watching it myself."

Anelka and Chelsea may be perfect fit

Nicolas Anelka's move to Chelsea provides the perfect stage for this enigmatic, but hugely gifted, striker to give his career a final flourish.

The 28-year-old has been called many things in his nomadic career, but he has never been called anything less than a quality player.

And as someone who has commanded around £85m in transfer fees, he is always in demand. It easy to see why.

Anelka is blessed with pace and an eye for goals of any size and shape - but there is always a question mark. Never over his ability, but over his personality and an apparent reluctance to settle in one place for too long.

He is still saddled with the tag of "Le Sulk", first inflicted when he left Arsenal in August 1999 to join Real Madrid in a £23m deal.

Arsene Wenger unearthed the gem from Paris St Germain, and got some brilliant performances during an all-too-brief stay at Highbury.

Anelka was not a qualified success with Real or PSG - but the charge that he was a failure during a loan spell at Liverpool is a myth.

He was the model pro at Anfield, scored goals and was never a moment's trouble. Indeed, it was a pivotal moment in Gerard Houllier's reign when he ditched plans to sign Anelka and bought the dreadful El-Hadji Diouf instead.

Anelka was also a success at Manchester City, and despite a messy departure, he would have been welcomed back with open arms by the majority had Sven-Goran Eriksson made a move.

He has been a hit at Bolton, leaving with nothing but praise from manager Gary Megson.

Chelsea have bought a proven talent, now it will be a test of boss Avram Grant to get him playing to his best and then keeping him at Stamford Bridge.

At 28, this could be Anelka's last chance to add more major trophies to his collection.

It will be intriguing to see how his role plays out at Stamford Bridge. Will he partner Didier Drogba or ultimately replace him?

Grant has no problems at present with Drogba with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Drogba is the master of playing alone up front, although he is also world-class in a partnership. If he plays alongside Anelka, it has the potential to be explosive.

But how long would any such partnership last? Drogba is still being linked with a move abroad, with talk of a reunion with Jose Mourinho at AC Milan being touted.

This is for the future - for now Chelsea have signed a class act, for all the supposed baggage he brings with him.

Anelka has been an outstanding operator for a decade, and now he has been presented with a golden opportunity to round off his time at the top in style.

If he can, Chelsea have every chance of forcing their way in among the major trophies at the end of the season.

I Will Not Lay Low -BECKHAM

David Beckham would be honoured to help England's 2018 World Cup bid, should he be asked by the Football Association.

The 32-year-old is yet to be confirmed as a bid ambassador but would like to play a role similar to the one which helped London win the 2012 Olympics.

Speaking as he showed Prime Minister Gordon Brown his football academy in London he said: "To bring the World Cup to England would be something special.

"And I would be honoured to be involved in that."

Beckham currently plays for LA Galaxy in America but has 99 England caps and captained his country between 2000 and 2006.

He added: "I was proud to be involved in 2012 and being involved in 2018 is something I would be interested in."

Brown has thrown his weight behind the 2018 bid and said although it was a matter for the FA, Beckham enjoyed respect across the world.

The prime minister said: "David Beckham is known in every part of the world.

"It's a matter for the FA but I'm sure David Beckham will be associated with every big sports campaign that happens in this country because of his reputation, and because of the fame and the respect he has worldwide."

Brown also said that schemes similar to those developed at Beckham's academy in Greenwich could be used to help the Government's target of every child having five hours of sport a week in school.

"I want to see what goes on here having an influence in every part of the country," he said. "It's David Beckham's idea, he thought of this first and it has been a dream come true for him.

"You don't have to be brilliant at sport to benefit from this and you can see what the kids are taking in about nutrition, diet and fitness.

"You can see from the kids that they are listening to what David says. He has support right across the country and what he does as an ambassador for sport generally is something we should be proud of."

New stadium boosts Arsenal income

Arsenal's move from Highbury to the larger 60,000 seat Emirates Stadium is beginning to show results off the field of play for the north London club.

Their annual financial results to 31 May 2007 show that income soared 46% to £200.8m, up from £137.2m a year before.

Match income is now put at £3.1m a game, with total match income over the past year coming to £90.6m.

However, TV revenues were down on 2005/06, when the club reached the Champions League final, by £10m.

The figures also showed that Arsenal's operating profits before player trading and exceptional items was £51.2m, up from £13.7m the previous year.

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood said: "The best way that Arsenal can continue to deliver success is by maintaining a business that pays its own way.

"This philosophy helped establish our objectives for the club's move away from Highbury, and Emirates Stadium now provides Arsenal with the increased income, profitability, cash generation and firm financial foundations from which we will continue to build trophy-winning Arsenal teams for many years to come."

Arsenal's income for 2006/07 moves it close to Real Madrid, whose turnover was £202m for the 2005-06 season.

And more than 90% of the housing units at "The Stadium - Highbury Square" development at their former stadium are already pre-sold, with final completion sales expected to comfortably exceed £300m.

However pretax-profit dropped to £5.6m from £15.9m the year before, after taking into account a £21m one-off charge to refinance the £260m it cost to build its new stadium.

Russian billionaire

The past year has also seen jostling at the boardroom level of the club.

Former vice-chairman David Dein left the club in April over differences with the board over investment possibilities, with American businessman Stan Kroenke's potential involvement thought to be a major sticking point.

Mr Dein is now the chairman of Red and White Holdings and looks certain to remain a key figure in the future shape of the boardroom composition.

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has been gradually building up a stake in the club and on Friday said he wanted to increase his holding.

Red and White Holdings Ltd, which is co-owned by Mr Usmanov and business partner Farhad Moshiri, currently holds a 21% stake.

Mr Usmanov is a metals magnate with an estimated $5.5bn fortune.

He first bought into Arsenal in August when he paid Mr Dein about £75m for his 14.65% holding.

That holding was increased earlier this month when he bought another tranche of shares.

Russian media reports have said that Mr Usmanov now aims to up his share in Arsenal to at least 25% plus one share.

Should Mr Usmanov reach a 30% stake in the club then he would be obliged to make a takeover offer.

However on Monday the club's managing director Keith Edelman said that Mr Usmanov had not sought a meeting with Arsenal.

He also said that he expected to have further talks with Stan Kroenke, the American businessman who owns a 12% stake in the club.

Success boosts Man Utd finances

Manchester United have moved to the top of the UK's football financial league after reporting record turnover for 2006/07 of £245m ($481m), a 27% rise.

That puts them ahead of the £200.8m reported by Arsenal for last season, but behind Real Madrid of Spain, whose turnover was £263m for the same period.

Pre-tax profits rose 93% to £59.6m, as United won the Premier League.

The club, which says it has 333 million fans worldwide, also reached the FA Cup final and Champions League semi-final.

Those cup runs, during the second year of the Glazer family's ownership, helped to boost media revenues by 35% to £61.5m.

An update on the club's debt and interest repayments - the Glazer family borrowed heavily to buy the club for £790m in 2005 - will be made in the spring when the Glazer company accounts for Red Football are lodged.

Last May the annual interest payment was £62m, and in the autumn a club spokesman said debts continued "to be comfortably serviced by the business".

'Quest for success'

Chief executive David Gill said full houses at Old Trafford, plus the increases in media and sponsorship revenues "combined with team success to produce a substantial financial improvement".

"I am confident that the uplift in the Premier League television deal, together with our new sponsorship sales structure will enable the club to continue to increase its revenues and profitability to provide support to the team's quest for further on-field success," Mr Gill added.

Details of the new sponsorship structure, driven by the recently appointed commercial director Richard Arnold, have not been revealed.

But a spokesman said the club was looking forward to improved financial figures next year - when the results of an improved TV deal will come into effect - on the proviso that there is continued success on the playing field.

Manchester United once again disclosed the total payments made in the year to players' agents - £2.1m in 2006/07 as against £1.8m the previous season.

The club said it was the only one in the Premier League to reveal its payments to agents, and said other top flight teams should follow suit.

Wage payments

The extra seats afforded to Arsenal following its move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium had been instrumental in the large rise in the club's turnover, as matchday revenues boomed.

At Manchester United matchday revenues were up 30% to £92.6m, reflecting the expansion of Old Trafford to a larger capacity of more than 76,000.

The £245m turnover figure is for its overall business, but Manchester United points out that more than £200m of that figure was for its core football activities.

The club said it had reduced its wages-to-turnover ratio to 43.6%, well within the 50% set by the Glazer family as a long-term aim.

chelsea edges out everton

Everton defender Joleon Lescott scored an injury-time own goal to hand Chelsea the advantage after the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

Lescott headed the ball into his own net as Shaun Wright-Phillips closed in.

The Chelsea winger had opened the scoring with a curling strike before Jon Mikel Obi was dismissed following a sliding tackle on Phil Neville.

Yakubu then equalised with a brilliant shot on the turn while James McFadden hit the post for Everton.

Chelsea were the better team for large phases of the match but, once Yakubu equalised shortly after Mikel's 64th-minute dismissal, Everton looked the team most likely to win a pulsating tie.

And even after Lescott, under pressure from the impressive Wright-Phillips, had put the ball into his own net Everton might have grabbed a second equaliser.

Lescott found himself through on goal and with a chance to almost immediately atone for his error but a heavy touch at a crucial moment saw the ball run away from him and Hilario was able to gather.

It was a far cry from the opening half, which Chelsea went on to dominate after Wright-Phillips struck with 25 minutes played.

Lee Carsley allowed Wright-Phillips to drift into the Everton area and the Chelsea winger turned sharply before finishing brilliantly after collecting a pass from Florent Malouda.

Everton all too often gave Chelsea too much time and space and Joe Cole almost scored after eluding Phil Jagielka before bursting through on goal.

Cole saw his shot smothered by Tim Howard but referee Peter Walton, having initially played an advantage, awarded Chelsea a free-kick for Jagielka's challenge and Michael Ballack missed by inches with a fizzing strike.

Everton looked relieved to reach the break without conceding again but Wright-Phillips was once more gifted far too much space a minute into the second half and forced another save from Howard.

Chelsea seemed intent on trying to establish a decisive first-leg advantage but their attacking ambitions were undermined when Mikel was dismissed for his tackle on Neville.

The Nigerian appeared intent on trying to win the ball but his studs were showing and Walton had no hesitation in dismissing the player.

Despite the sending-off Chelsea still managed to fashion a great opening but Claudio Pizarro, after collecting Wright-Phillips's superb through ball, failed to connect cleanly and within minutes Everton were level.

Yakubu, mostly absent for the first 64 minutes of the tie, brilliantly equalised after Joseph Yobo had hooked McFadden's free-kick back into the danger zone.

McFadden then hit the post from the tightest of angles after a mazy run down the left as Everton suddenly started to dominate.

But Lescott put the ball in his own net after he was caught stationary by Wright-Phillips at the far post.

Sunderland consider Fortune deal

Sunderland have revealed that former Manchester United player Quinton Fortune is having a trial at the club.

The 30-year-old South African, who was released by Bolton in the summer, has been training with them for a month.

"He's building up his fitness after an operation, but there'll be more news on that over the weekend," manager Roy Keane told the club website.

If he does sign he will become their second signing of the transfer window after Jonny Evans joined on loan.

Speaking after Evans' arrival from Manchester United, Keane said there would be more new arrivals on their way.

"I'm certainly not getting into a panic situation, far from it," he told the club website.

Fulham appoint Hodgson as manager

Fulham FC, have announced the appointment of Roy Hodgson as their new manager on a "long-term" contract.

He will take over on 30 December, with caretaker boss Ray Lewington remaining in charge for Saturday's away game against Birmingham City.

Fulham sacked Lawrie Sanchez last week with the club in the Premier League's bottom three.

"I am determined that we will overcome the current position," Hodgson, 60, told the club's official website.

"I understand that it will be a challenge, but one that I will relish."

Fulham's new manager will be at their game at St. Andrews on Saturday before taking training with the Craven Cottage squad on Sunday.

His first game in charge will be a local derby against chelsea on new years day.

berbaov a red devil????

It has been widely rumoured dat dimatar berbaov, the bulgarian striker has been linked with a transfer away from london ,to manchester . its well known that he has fallen out of favour with his club and is no more a regular start , and the situation is being monitored by manchester united .however his present employers , tottenham hot spurs are unavailable for cooment !!!!