Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris was never one to shirk a challenge during his playing days for Chelsea, and he’s equally candid when it comes to the footballing issues of the day. The Blues legend has said what many of us were thinking about Sir Alex Ferguson’s carefully calculated comments that appeared in the press on Wednesday, namely that the Scot is taking out of a certain orifice.
The Daily Mail report that Harris denies that Chelsea are too old to win the Premier League title and we’re inclined to agree with him. He quite rightly points out that it’s not as if the United squad are positively teeming with spring chickens.
‘I think he was talking out of his backside to be truthful,’ Harris said. ‘Did he say that when Chelsea beat them 2-1 in the league and came within a coat of paint of winning the Champions League?’
Harris has pointed out that United have veterans of their own at Old Trafford.
The 63-year-old, a cult hero for his no-nonsense defending in the 60s and 70s, said: ‘Some of the United players are getting on, like (Paul) Scholes, Giggsy (Ryan Giggs) and the goalkeeper (Edwin van der Sar). Sides that win things normally have experienced players.
‘Chelsea have players around 30 like Ballack, Drogba and Lampard but not many are well into the 30s, and my old manager Tommy Docherty told me you didn’t reach your peak until you are 30 years of age.
‘Those players are at the top level and I’m sure they will do that for the next few years to come.’
However, actions speak louder than words and the Chelsea team have ample motivation to now go out and ram Fergie’s words back down his throat next season. With a squad of their size and quality, it’s hard to see them falling short because their players are ageing, more so that they will struggle to adapt to the new manager’s playing style right away.