by Machiavel Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:15 pm
Sir Alex Ferguson has declared the number of trophies will decide whether Arsenal's crop of youngsters are a match for those at Manchester United.
"Time will tell over Fabregas because he is young," Ferguson said. "It is the same with my players. You have Ronaldo, Rooney, Nani, Anderson and Carlos Tevez who all have their future in front of them.
"In two or three years' time I want to be saying, 'They are the best in the world'. At this moment in time they are showing those signs.
"But it is very important to look back at what they have won. Can they win a European Championship? Are they playing in World Cup finals? These are the periods you have to add up. It is what Johan Cruyff, Pele and Maradona had to endure in terms of how highly they were rated. That is the challenge for all these young players and they must always be judged in that way."
Although he found another player of potential at Barcelona in Spain Under-21 international Gerard Pique, Ferguson is honest enough to admit Fabregas had escaped his own radar.
"Judgements are made over a period," he said. "There can be no knee-jerk reactions or quick decisions. When you are spending money on a teenager you have to be sure of certain things.
"Do they have the temperament to handle that fee? Is there more development in the player because some do peak very early?"
Ferguson has also warned Wenger that ’rough days’ lay ahead for his team and that their position at the summit meants nothing in November. Arsenal will open up a three point cushion at the top of the table if they defeat United, who are level on points, for the third time running in the Premier League.
“I thought that Arsenal would make a strong challenge throughout the season and at this moment in time that has proved correct,” said Ferguson. “But it’s a long season and other clubs will have a say yet. “I know from my own experience that there are rough days ahead.
"I said in pre-season that there was no way that Arsenal would want to be 20 points behind Manchester United again. I expected them to be stronger."