Smith ready for the fight

Stuart Brennan and Stuart Mathieson

June 04, 2007

SMITH: Tough fight

BATTLER Alan Smith is prepared to take on all-comers for club and country - and has declared: "I want to stay at United."

Having made his international comeback alongside Michael Owen at Wembley on Friday, the 26-year-old is under pressure from Liverpool's Peter Crouch for a place in the England line-up for Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia.

And next season, Smith will face an even tougher fight at Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson strengthens his squad.

The Reds have invested more than £50m in Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson - and a further addition to the striking department looks a certainty.

United's owners, the Glazer family, have promised more funds to boost Fergie's firepower with Dimitar Berbatov (Spurs), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) and Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) all on the Reds' radar.

Barcelona's Argentine forward Javier Saviola could be a cheaper option - he will be a free agent when his Nou Camp contract expires this month.

Offers

"I consider my career at Barcelona is finished," he said. "There are several offers on the table."

At no cost and in a wage bracket United can accommodate, the experienced hitman is an attractive prospect.

But no matter who arrives to test striker Smith, he is up for the challenge.

"You know at Manchester United that every year they will sign world-class players. It's an education that makes you mentally strong," he said.

"You know players will come in and that you are not guaranteed to play any games, week in, week out. But this year I came back and played in a Champions League game against Roma and it was probably one of my best performances in a

United shirt. But you know you are still not guaranteed a start the following Saturday, and that makes you mentally strong. That is probably how I got through my injuries.

“It’s a short career and you have to try to take every opportunity when it comes. That’s how I was brought up; how I’ve been since I was a kid. I will never lose that.”

Everton, Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Roy Keane’s Sunderland are all monitoring Smith’s position at Old Trafford.

Suitors

But the Yorkshireman rebuffed all potential suitors during the January transfer window – for both permanent and loan deals – and signing a new United contract concerned about.

“I have a contract re-negotiation coming up,” he added. “I was due contract talks last year and we decided, the club and myself, that I wouldn’t do that when I was injured, because it wasn’t fair on them.

“But now I am fit and ready to commit my future. I want to stay at United.

“My agent has spoken with the club and the talks should happen in the next few weeks.”

Meanwhile, Gabriel Heinze’s United future remains cloudy.

He will play, along with Saviola, for Argentina in the Copa America later this month as a United player, but Barcelona have joined a list of clubs including Juventus, Real Madrid, Villarreal,

Atletico Madrid and Valencia, keen on the left-back, who can buy out his Old Trafford contract this summer.

What do you think? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (64) |

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chris, oxford (04/06/2007 at 09:16)

Well he will have to play a damn sight better than he did against Brazil, that's for sure. Would be amazed if he starts on Wednesday or becomes a regular starter for United.

JStander (04/06/2007 at 09:53)

I have never thought AS was United class but his spirit and attitude have always been an example to others. Consequently, I do not necessarily want him to leave, but he will need to improve to cement his place in the side. He deserves some good luck and I hope he gets it, at OT or elsewhere!

On a different subject, have many people been successful in renewing their ST online on the Reds' website? I and several mates have struggled to get thro!

Macca, Cornwall (04/06/2007 at 10:00)

he seemed very lethargic on friday night for england, suprising for smudger as usually he gaurantees hard work. id keep him gives us a completely different option from what we have and could be useful.

Hilton (04/06/2007 at 10:05)

For all his tenacious play, I consider Smith to be of very limited abilities as a striker or midfielder (which he clearly is not)
The guy is static, cannot spin or offer the likes of Ronaldo and Giggs any movement up front. Ronaldo tend to over carry the ball when Smith is playing upfront.
You cannot live on one good game alone. The Roma game - not just Smith but the team played well.
The half chance he got in the FA Cup when he had his back to goal in the box, "Old Sicknote" Saha would have buried that one. No doubt!

Red Lou, Malta (04/06/2007 at 10:14)

Neither Man United nor the English national team for that matter need any "battlers". What they need is skillful players who can do the job and that's where Smith is lacking. He's all heart no doubt but his footballing skills are still Leeds standard,

seasider, blackpool (04/06/2007 at 10:15)

I like Smith. Despite a dodgy start to his career on the wrong side of the Pennines, he's United through and through and obviously a popular and positive presence in the dressing room. He wouldn't leave without a fight but if we need to raise funds to buy a pacy striker, I'm afraid he's the one who has to go.

Shaz Leicester (04/06/2007 at 10:29)

Bartering Saha and Smith for Berbatov is very risky as it will leave us light upfront again with only Rooney being established, Rossi a promising player and Dong/Ole who are hardly going to frighten the opposition. As good a season as Berbatov had he did not have to contend with playing intense games twice a week like our lads. No, Saha MUST STAY injury prone or not. He just needs another striker to rotate with to take some of the strain. Playing Berbatov / Anelka in the CL and Saha in EPL during busy periods will leave our front line fresher and better covered. Unfortunately Smudge is the one who should be chopped.

Steve, Glossop (04/06/2007 at 10:49)

Not surprised he wants to stay but can't see him getting many starts. Gutsy plucky toughy tykey but looking very immobile & out of his depth internationally IMO.

Demo, Glossop (04/06/2007 at 11:00)

i do hope he can make it and believe that after a proper pre season he will gain a bit of pace again. he has looked very slow and one dimension in past few games but i think he can be a good squad player!

of more concern is gabby looks set to be going. i read a quote where he basically said he would be playing for real or barca next season! i think its a bad move as we have good quality cover at the sec and can be used to lessen the demand and incase of injury as well!

Nathan, Finchampstead (04/06/2007 at 11:00)

Can't put my finger on it...but there is something very annoying about Alan Smith. Maybe it's because we and him know that he is out of his depth for both United and England. However, as limited and static as he may be, he is still more deserving of a place in the United squad than KR. Please, please, please off-load him.

beswick red (04/06/2007 at 11:50)

i would take Alan Smith over anelka and his ilk ANYDAY at least THE lad HAS GOT SOME BOTTLE AND WORKS HARD without the attitude of some of the so called super stars

Nathan, Finchampstead (04/06/2007 at 12:19)

Most of us have got BOTTLE and can WORK HARD. But that doesn't warrant us a place in the United team.

redarmy, rochdale (04/06/2007 at 12:23)

gutsy hard worker but not man u class or england material either,as for smithy id admit defeat and go to another prem club where hed be in the starting line up every other week.
As for kr,ole they gotta go im afraid,heinze will go to spanish or italian club for a good fee saha same probably to lyon.
Brown now i am not to sure on brown,fingers crossed he gets his act together as for england he wasnt good 1 bit.

Django (04/06/2007 at 12:26)

The only reason Smith is still at the club is that we are woefully short of strikers.
RVN was never replaced, Ole is just about gone and Sicknote gets more poorly by the year.
Rossi and Dong are, to be kind, unknown quantities.
We have spent big in midfield but we are very vulnerable up front still. What if Rooney was long term injured? Giggs can fill in and Ronaldo may progress to the Henry role sometime, but we need better cover now. Anelka and Viduka would be good. But unless 2 proven strikers like these come in, we will have to keep Smudger, pedestrian and inadequate though he is.

Mick, Dublin (04/06/2007 at 12:28)

I would work my socks off if I played for United. Doesn't mean I'm worthy of a place in the squad though.

Alias Smith, over the moon (04/06/2007 at 12:41)

A few comments suggesting he had a poor performance for England last week and it's true that he didn't set the world alight.

However, the way England played helped neither Smith nor Owen. Neither wide player got to the byline and most of the "service" into Smith came from Beckham; from just inside the Brazilian half, balls played into his feet with his back to goal. This made it easy for the defenders.

How many chances did England actually create?

This is the problem if Beckham is going to play they need a proper winger on the other side, who can whip balls in from the byline.

Paulie (04/06/2007 at 12:46)

he wasnt impressive at all against brazil, a real shame becasue he has the heart. the jury is still out.

Davey Boy, Kuwait (04/06/2007 at 12:49)

Very dissappointed in some of the posts over the past weeks who seem to think its OK for hienze to buy himself out and hawk himself around to you know who. If he had a thought for the anyone and showed some of smudgers commitment to the club he would want to stay, especially with the new signings....this transfer situation has gone along quietly with everyone seeming to think well its OK he's a warrior has had one great season and wishing he would stay....well if after all the club has put up with through playing in the Olympics I believe as well as the WC and injury to find out that he wants out because he doesn't like the competition for places I say take the money . Plenty of people come on here and slate certain players smudger being one but I tell you what by the time the season starts this guy will be ready and does, as some posts have suggested, offer a different option up front. So what ever people think about the abilities of smith, fletcher, oshea and richardson they are united and they won't runaway from a fight for places!
Very disappointed with hienze attitude in this!

Holywood Trev, Broadway, Moston (04/06/2007 at 12:58)

Not a top draw player

Gerry, Glastonbury (04/06/2007 at 13:10)

Just like most of us would like Anelka in the squad, it seems most of us feel Smith is not going to get many games if he stays. Agree with most of the comments made about Smith. Essentially his lack of pace and touch make him a very ordinary player. Perhaps his injury has caused that lack of pace but with Anelka and Saha fit he shouldn't really get a look in - and hay, before anyone starts, I like the guy!

Loyal to the End, Nottingham, ex-Malaysia (04/06/2007 at 13:35)

I am not so sure I want Kieran Richardson to leave.. With JOS and DF not giving us any excuse to bash them this season, who's gonna be the punchline to our jokes next season?

Nathan, Finchampstead (04/06/2007 at 13:39)

The bottom line is Man United clearly want to win games with Pace, Power and Flair. That's why Ronaldo and Rooney have been so key, that is also why we have just signed Nani and Anderson. Smith clearly has very few of these qualities but will be used if we need a battering ram to help change a game. He will only ever be used as a squad player...end of

Mick, Dublin (04/06/2007 at 13:43)

Don't quite agree with your summary of Smith playing for England, Alias. He received the ball with his back to goal a lot because that's what he does, he backs into his marker and waits for someone to play the ball into him. The problem is, he lacks the first touch to make the ball stick when it finally arrives.

Despite that, there were a number of balls slid through but Owen was the only one of the pair of them that made intelligent runs to create space for these passes. Smith was caught on his heels time and time again and remained more or less static throughout.

He's always up for a scrap through, which means he ended up hunting the ball, in and around his own box, which meant he was never available, if/when the English defence did get hold of the ball.

As for decent crosses. When has Alan Smith EVER got on the end of a cross for United? That's another aspect of his game that's lacking. I've lost track of the amount of times when Smudge has played as a striker and I've ended up tearing my hair out at balls whistling across the 6-yard box, with Smith standing, flat-footed, watching.

Here's my summary of Alan Smith, and I'm trying to be as objective as I can. Please tell me if I'm being unfair:

PROS:
Whole-hearted. Brave. Accurate shot. Strong on the ball. Good eye for a pass.

CONS:
Lack of intelligent movement. No pace. Poor first touch. Technique and balance could be better. Lacks a striker's instinct in the box. Disciplinary liability. Scores very few goals.

If you heard about a transfer target tomorrow, with the above qualities, would you think he's the type of player we need at United?

red devil, Salford (04/06/2007 at 13:56)

10 out of 10 for effort. United stand for more than just endeavour. The lad is not good enough but I wish him well when, as I hope, he leaves.

Calvmanu, Barnsley (04/06/2007 at 14:00)

I hope Smith stays and think he will. We won't be signing another striker despite what the papers say. Fergie said that he had 2 or 3 targets and we've just signed them. We will play with 1 up front next year and that will probably be Rooney. Smith and Saha will be back up.

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