More to wins than buying the players

Press, 18 March 1986, Page 23

More to wins than buying the players

NZPA-Reuter ondonq The Manchester United manager, Mr Ron Atkinson, often gives the impression he regards football as little more than a real-life version of the board game, Monopoly. Whenever a suitable soccer property becomes available, Mr Atkinson can barely resist" the temptation of reaching for his cheque book. In his’ four-year reign, a steady stream of players has passed through the Old Trafford front door including Bryan Robson, Remi Moses, Gordon Strachan, Jesper Olsen, Alan Brazil, John Gidman, Colin Gibson, Terry Gibson, Chris Turner, and this week, Peter Davenport. At one stage last November, Atkinson’s extravagances looked likely to pay off in terms of United’s first championship success since the heady days of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton in 1967. United led the first division by a massive 14 points and “Champagne Ron” was the toast of the Old trafford terraces. However, a prolonged injury to the England

World Cup captain, Robson, suddenly left United bereft of attacking ideas, and a 1-0 defeat at Queen’s Park Rangers at the weekend saw United slip six points adrift of the first division leaders, Everton. Atkinson blames United’s plight on their lack of goal power, a reason which makes Mark Hughes’ reported $5.73 million move to Barcelona next season all the more curious. The transfer speculation has seriously affected the young Welshman’s form, and he was left out of the side at the weekend after scoring just three goals in his last 22 matches — hardly the stuff that will keep span-1 ish defenders awake at nights. Terry Gibson, signed from Coventry for $1.91 million last month, was given a seat on the bench as Atkinson experimented with a Frank Stapleton-Peter Davenport formation up front. Davenport made a promising debut after his $167,125 transfer from Nottingham Forest last week, but Stapleton was a shadow of his former self, and his days in a red shirt appear numbered.