I'm delighted to announce our proposed tour in the summer. We are finding it more exciting each time we come here... the big change now is the MLS is developing into a very competitive league, and teams making it more difficult games, like Kansas, which is measure of improvement, and the national side did very well in the World Cup, definite sense of improvement.
And fantastic to bring the players here, they feel a freedom.
Last year we trained in Chicago, as part of our new sponsorship with AON, it's going to be a hectic tour, to build up you need a hectic, very competitive tour because of the intensity of our league back here.
Very impressed with Red Bulls stadium, real football stadiums. Sometimes abroad you have these big tracks, to me that\s not a real stadium. I feel Liverpool, Everton, Manchester are real stadiums.
Expecting and sure MLS will want to do better than last year.
Barcelona game should be fantastic finale to our tour.
Hopefully I will have all my players. Always conscious we don't want any pre-season injuries but intention is to bring all players with us apart from Valencia who will be playing with his own home country tournament and Hernandez who plays in Gold Cup in Mexico but hopeful he will make some part of the tour. We thank you and hope you endorse the rich history of Manchester United when we come here which is a strong one.
(where would you put Barcelona, Number 1 ahead of you or behind you)
I hope this season they are reaching a peak! From a coaches perspective, seeing potential, maturing into something special. Performance vs Real Madrid in league and Arsenal tells me everything I knew about them anyway, hopefully diminish if we manage to get to FInal against us, example of how we want to play football. Look at size of Iniesta and Xavi, courage, not to avoid tackle, but take ball, and little magician Messi, wonderful to watch. Some people say 'stay clear of Barcelona', but is a privilege to face them, a challenge. And we will learn from Rome and be better.
(mc says Sir Alex flying back after this)
Development size of States is going to happen. Said some years ago weakness was where do young kids go at college age, don't have pyramid system like Europe, players have left but national team held up pretty well. In previous World Cups done well, changes are new league has started. I came here in 1978 when coach of Aberdeen and different set up of league, now far more competitive, and as we experienced Kansas of very good standard. Shown itself in way we will approach games, not expecting to be easy.
(how do you compare tours to US to Far East).
Far East has to be part of our programme simple due to sponsorship programme and fans in Far East, don't know but has to be 100m, whenever we go there we see that incredible enthusiasm, we can't ignore that. When we find time to come to States we also finding increasing volume of fans here, both cases importance to be here and Far East.
(what's your secret to longtevity?)
You need good health, and an energy, and I've been blessed with good health so far, touch wood continues as I've always had an energy. I've stuck with my principles and teams play the right way, and important train the right way, never changed that, the importance of training sessions. When I started I was raw, went into management with two things - had coaching badge and I had played, anything else had to learn. And luck, as some coaches don't last in game. When young mangers get sacked can have a devastating affect. And fantastic club to work and play for. Timing is everything some say, timing of moving has always been good.
(among MLS legends is David Beckham and Henry how will you prepare against them)
Have a special plan for sorting Henry out. I'm bringing Roy Keane back! You always have to plan against good players. Always been case. I don't spend a lot of time discussing opponents, only ones that matter, great players get that, Thierry understands that, he and David have had a great career in game. We hope our own good players will be more important than our opponents.
(what do you see in Hernandez and his success)
It's been nothing but acceleration. When we took him, reminds me what we say to our young players, take time to develop, settle, learn language, develop physically as is physical league. Put a time marker on it, and assessment was would be sub and that type of thing. When he scored first goal in Houston, Paul Scholes said after game '25 goals'. Paul Scholes doesn't say a lot, but fantastic judge. He said '25 goals', I said you think so, '25 goals. He could get the 25, and Scholes would be right, and that's the way we're looking at it, expecting it. Allowed to develop, breaking in, could speak English, is much better, comes in every morning at 9am, stays on, boy wants to be a player, helps tradition of his family, helps him, nothing short of sensational.
(speaking of Paul Scholes and Giggs nearing end of careers, do you feel need to bring in more younger ones, and with club debt think you have funds for that)
We have certain targets in mind at the moment, and 2 or 3 will be fulfilled. Glazers always been very supportive in desires to improve team, where we our good is bringing young players, Ronaldo, Rooney, Chico, we are good at that so I don't see why we should change. With Hernandez we have some of the best young strikers in country, Welbeck, Diouf, also a good prospect. We are particularly strong with young strikers for some strange reason. We will continue and when the right young players are identified, that is the way we will go.
(still on for treble, achievable goal?)
More difficult than 1999 because then we went through last 3 months without an injury, only last week Berg in lead up to Final, no injuries, amazing, that kind of luck because we have so many injuries to defenders. But great desire to do it, anyone given the opportunity to achieve that target will try and go for it. Happy with character of players, never give in, no matter the scoreline, always think MUFC are going to score in last minute, fantastic advanatage to have. We must have a chance, but very difficult one. Going away from greed of achieiving 3, if you win one major a year, you have to be happy with that, turns out we win one only of those big trophies, I'll be delighted.
(could you ever see yourself ending your career right here in MLS)
No, I think once I'm finished with United - I'm 69 crikey! - the sand is drifting through. Maybe in a few years time when I finish with United that'll be me. Unless Charlie can persuade me.
(for all the young players watching United on tour, what advice you give them)
Two simple things always say to young players, one is to practice, one is to sacrifice. Want to be a top footballer have to sacrifice your time, life is not like that of your friends, can't go out to disco on Friday night, means sacrifice and a lot of things. Practice important thing, anyone can play a game of football, see pub football, old men at 50, doesn't mean they are a footballer, and practcise always helps.
End