Ferguson has plans for Smith
Alex Ferguson will give Alan Smith his biggest midfield test yet tomorrow night by telling the tough-tackling Yorkshireman to hunt down Villarreal playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme in Manchester United’s Champions League opener.
With Roy Keane again absent after picking up a slight hamstring strain during a late substitute appearance against Manchester City at the weekend, Ferguson has already inked Smith in for the contentious holding role.
It is the job Smith accepted with typical gusto when it was offered by the Red Devils coaching staff in pre-season once it became apparent experienced midfield cover could not be attained through the transfer market.
So keen is the 24-year-old to learn his new trade he even snubbed an England call last month, preferring instead to turn out for United’s reserve team at Bolton.
But, after seeing Smith underworked during Saturday’s disappointing derby-day draw, Ferguson acknowledges his £6m (€8.9m) capture from Leeds faces a far sterner examination of his talents in trying to subdue Villarreal’s brilliant Argentine playmaker.
“Saturday was a difficult game to gauge him on, simply because he did not have anything to do,” said Ferguson.
“It was just a matter of tidying up things from the back four and passing the ball into forward positions.
“Tomorrow will be a bigger test for him because Riquelme is a very dangerous opponent.
“Everything goes through him. He is very skilful and controls the Villarreal tempo. Stopping him will be more of a challenge and it will be interesting to see how it works out.”
Although the jury is out among United fans as to whether Smith is capable of replacing Keane on a permanent basis, Ferguson is enthusiastic about the chances of it working out.
A bid to lure Michael Ballack from Bayern Munich once next summer’s World Cup is out of the way is still anticipated but Ferguson knows if Smith does rise to the challenge, it would provide him with an unexpected money-saver.
Few would claim the player has Keane’s instinctive ability to snuff out danger just yet. But he definitely shares some character traits and the United boss has already identified improvements from when the experiment first began at the start of pre-season.
“When we first spoke to Alan in pre-season his initial response was: ’Yes, I fancy that,’” said Ferguson.
“He is still adjusting to the mental side but as each game comes along you can see little things which show you he is acquitting himself to the role.
“The tests will come along for him and he will adjust to those challenges.
“But he has various characteristics which will help him.
“Alan has a wonderful temperament, he has courage, is quick, competitive, good in the air and good striker of the ball.
“Those things will all help him as the season goes along.”
