On Man United Legacy
Former Manchester United and Argentina legend, Juan Sebastian Veron spoke exclusively with Gambling Zone about his time at Man United, a future star of Argentinian football, why Pep is the best manager in the world and more.
To Premier League fans, Juan Sebastian Veron is best known for his two-year stint at Manchester United. Veron arrived to much fanfare at Old Trafford in 2001 following a successful three years in Italy with Parma and Lazio.
Veron made 51 appearances for United, but he never made the impact he felt he could have done. Talking about his two years at the club, he said, ‘Maybe I could have stayed for a bit longer. But I know it was a hard decision for Sir Alex to make because he had spent a lot of money to bring me there. No doubt, everyone expected more of me. But my struggles were not good for the team.’ He then revealed that he would have loved to have spent another couple of years at the club.
He was full of praise for Sir Alex Ferguson, though, describing his time playing for the iconic manager as one of the best experiences of his life. He said that Sir Alex had everything as a manager and that he was the reason they were so brilliant. He went on to say he believes his absence is the reason they are struggling now. Veron said, “It is also the reason why the club has struggled so much since he left because he left such a great legacy.”
Full of praise for Sir Alex Ferguson
On United Team Mates
Veron was also quick to praise his former United teammates. Talking about his former captain Roy Keane, he said, “Roy Keane has a strong personality, but he was a really good guy. I learned the importance of having a good captain as well, I picked up so many good traits from him as I looked to become a leader myself.”
The former midfielder came across as reflective when talking about parts of his United experience. His lack of a connection with fellow midfielder Paul Scholes was a key element he commented on- “While there were many other external difficulties to define my time on the pitch, although maybe it was a problem for me and Scholesy. I recognise this, though, and I have no problem admitting this.”
Veron struggled to play alongside Scholes
Bright Future At Old Trafford
There was also some talk about the current crop of talent at United, with Veron believing Eric ten Hag is the right man for the job. Speaking about the current team, he said, “I finally see a good team putting in good performances after years of ups and downs. Maybe now he has clearer objectives and a clearer vision than previous managers. Ten Hag was a great choice for Manchester United, and he needs more time to develop this team.”
One United Player that has certainly caught Veron’s eye is fellow Argentian Alejandro Garnacho. The 18-year-old made 19 appearances for United this season, and Veron believes he has the potential to become a regular player for the team.
He told us about an exchange he had with Javier Mascherano, where the former Liverpool star heaped praise on Garnacho. “I really trust Mascherano’s words, so for him to say he is the best young talent in Argentina is a really big compliment - but it just shows his undoubted quality and he is someone who I am sure has a big future.”
Guardiola and City the best in the world
On Guardiola And Man City
Like everyone else in the football world, Juan Sebastian Veron has been blown away by the quality of Manchester City this season. Talking about their Champions League final victory over Inter Milan, he said that Manchester City are the best team in the world right now. He described Inter Milan’s performance as “close to perfect” and said that they had a fantastic game. The former Inter man also believes it is time for Lautaro Martinez to leave the club and replace Karim Benzema at Real Madrid.
He also discussed the tactical brilliance of Pep Guardiola, saying that he is the best manager in the world right now. Weighing on the Pep vs Jose debate, he said that both managers had perfected the art of football in different ways but said Pep just keeps getting better.
Veron did admit that the current style of football would not be for him, though. Talking about the current style of football played by teams like City compared to his own style, he said, “There are too many transitions, too much defending, and I preferred playing much quicker and more expansive football.”
