Queiroz heralds United triumph as 'win for the game'

The first provocation of the new, "mellowed" Jose Mourinho did not take long. A mere 24 hours after declaring his intent to avoid confrontation next season the Chelsea manager was effectively accused of endangering the global appeal of the Premiership yesterday as Carlos Queiroz heralded Manchester United's title success a victory for football's romantics over the pragmatists.

Sir Alex Ferguson's Portuguese assistant, accused of sacrificing attacking principles himself in the past by the Old Trafford faithful, did not mention his compatriot by name as he eulogised United's return to attractive form and English pre-eminence during the club's pre-season tour of the Far East. But then, as Queiroz condemned those who have triumphed through more methodical means, he had no reason to.

In a critique that cut to the heart of Roman Abramovich's unease with Mourinho last season and which catches Rafael Benitez and Liverpool in its net, the former Real Madrid coach claimed teams who succeed through defensive, safety-first tactics risked driving away the audience that had made the Premiership the richest league in the world. By extension, he reasoned, the Premier League should now be indebted to United for proving championships can still be won through adventure.

"The Manchester United culture is to win by playing great, creative football," said Ferguson's number two. "It is about winning and entertaining. It has always been like that. Sometimes, with so much competition from all the other sports, football needs to be innovative to keep the title of the best sporting entertainment.

"For some time now, the game has moved in one direction. The systems and strategies and the general way teams approached the game had become so defensive. That is why it was so important, not just for Manchester United but for the game as a whole, that we won the championship. We proved it is possible to win trophies with an attacking style of football."

Ironically, many United fans branded Queiroz the architect of Ferguson's move away from his traditional 4-4-2 formation prior to last season's championship, and his condemnation comes as Mourinho, albeit on a pre-season tour of the United States, has reverted to the fluid 4-3-3 system that delivered the Premiership title in his first two years at Stamford Bridge.

Queiroz's stock, however, has risen at Old Trafford since last summer, with the coach playing an instrumental role in Cristiano Ronaldo's impressive response to his World Cup vilification and decision to sign a new five-year contract, plus in the £30m-plus signings of Nani and Anderson from Sporting Lisbon and Porto respectively. With Carlos Tevez also a likely addition before the close of the transfer window, the assistant manager believes the reigning champions will embellish their attacking style next term.

"The manager is a great believer in playing an entertaining brand of football," added Queiroz. "Of course, at times we have to be efficient. But mainly, Manchester United needs to play with fantasy, imagination and creativity. We need to produce attacking football and be sure when we have the trophies in our hands, it is because we deserve it."