Ferguson chases the regeneration game

As the Glazers look on, United's knight seeks shining evidence of a team growing into winners again after the barren years

Suddenly, though, the Carling Cup has achieved a new significance, even for Manchester United. When you are stumbling through a desert, any kind of an oasis will suffice. If Sir Alex Ferguson's men overcome Wigan Athletic this afternoon they will voraciously lap up the waters of recovery.

It was back in May 2004 at the Millennium Stadium that the pyrotechnics were last ignited to herald a United trophy - Millwall defeated 3-0 in the FA Cup in that pathetically unequal contest. Since then, a blank canvas. But are United a classic work in progress or a once magnificent piece of art being defaced by indifferent acquisitions and an absence of quality young contenders emerging through the academy? Ferguson is in no doubt. He would perceive victory as evidence of his club's regeneration during a transitional period, when his midfield wall has disintegrated following the departures of David Beckham and Roy Keane, and with Paul Scholes absent until next season with an eye condition.

The more sceptical, though, contend that if this is to be United's only trophy this season, after an embarrassingly bare cupboard last term, it is evidence of decline, and only triumph today - with members of the Glazer family in attendance - stands between Ferguson and a swift retirement.

United are many points adrift of Chelsea, eliminated from the FA Cup and out of Europe after ignominious defeats at Benfica and Lille, while their principal rivals still contemplate thoughts of Paris in May. The Scot's features suggested his pride had been stung sorely when it was put to him that the season had been a painful one personally.

"I don't think any manager comes into the job expecting to lose," he retorted. "They want to be winners. That's the only thing that keeps them in a job. For me, I had to take a long view of where we're going as a club."

He added: "There's lack of consistency, and that's what you get when you build a team again. You don't have the same consistency every week. You notice that particularly at a club like ours, where we're developing the club again, and at Arsenal, too. They can go and beat Real Madrid. We can go and beat Chelsea and Liverpool. Yet we can go and lose to other clubs, like Manchester City, and Middlesbrough 4-1." Ferguson added the scoreline, almost masochistically, as though he still could not believe it could happen to a team of his. "Arsenal lost games they didn't expect to lose. That happens when you pick young players. It's unfortunate, but you have to wait and be patient. Over the next two years, I think you'll see our team differently."

Midfield, he conceded, particularly exercises his managerial prowess. He was asked if Rio Ferdinand would occupy a more playmaking than defensive role today. "Picking my team?" he replied good-humouredly. "That's a good guess. We've had to patch up that area of the field for quite a time now. The loss of Paul [Scholes] means we've had to change almost every week, different variations and pairings. It's not easy, but the lads in the main have handled it well. Over the last three months their form has been good. We lost at Liverpool last week, but then an FA Cup tie at Anfield is a toss-of-the-coin job. A very difficult tie."

The whole perception of United has been transformed in two seasons. Once they were seasoned, scarred but victorious veterans, proudly bearing their ribbons, who strode into battle. New recruits were enticed to Old Trafford with the certain promise of honours. If there is an incongruity about United's recent history it is that Wayne Rooney is far from being alone among Ferguson's virgin soldiers who will contest today's final. "As you can see, the young players we've got have, without question, excellent ability," he maintained. "They lack the one thing that inexperienced players lack and that's maturity."

And a timescale for authentic recovery? "I hope it's next year. I hope our young players mature quickly. There's a great potential there. I've every confidence in that." He agreed that two years without a trophy was "too long. But that's football life nowadays. We expect that." He expanded on that theme, insisting: "Money is being thrown at the Premiership now, not just by Manchester United and Chelsea, but by a lot of clubs who are under pressure to deliver."

Even this afternoon's opponents are not exactly paupers. But they are the season's romantic lead, particularly when the FA Cup, Brentford and Colchester's exploits apart, has failed to deliver once again, both in terms of upsets and provision of a new home for its final. Ferguson conceded his respect for the Wigan manager. "It's good for someone like Paul Jewell because he's earned his position at Wigan. He's come up the hard road." The Scot assessed his counterpart, who has been linked with the Newcastle vacancy: "He's had disappointments at Bradford, he's been at Sheffield Wednesday. But when you get those disappointments and when you're at clubs maybe fighting against [lack of ] resources - Wednesday's position today is sad in a way - you have to battle through those circumstances. But that experience enabled him to take a bigger job at Wigan and to cope with it. It's good for me to see that because I think it's very important for young managers to come in at the harder end of the game and learn. Too many go in at the top too quickly."

The cynical among us may reply that too many stick around when their work is done. Ferguson is determined to prove that theory wrong. Starting in Cardiff this afternoon.