Manchester United: Deja Vu

The Premier League campaign for 2007/2008 has just begun and the country comes to life:  There are school ground debates amongst fans of various teams, the tabloids are full of WAG's, and other loosely football related junk all starts up again. It is time everybody is rife with expectations and speculation—it has begun.

Fast-forward a couple of months ahead to the team that has the most eyes on it; this team is being interrogated by the newspapers, the fans, and detractors like a terror suspect. They ask, "does Manchester United have it anymore? Can Manchester United pull the trigger any longer?"

Their nagging questions are assuaged by Manchester United fans and players alike who insist they should wait till the end of the season before judging, but their pleas are ignored.  The season is over before it has begun. Manchester United has lost; they are no longer the force they once were in football.

Manchester United's crime was explored in great depth. Manchester United played the other three teams in the big four and only managed to get four points, less than half of the possible nine. Surely that is the nail in the coffin?

But no; Manchester United's Alex Ferguson refuses to give in. He says the international schedule and team-related problems have given him a rough patch but his team will rise. His pleas are ignored as he is scorned for refusing to take the blame for what is becoming the great decline.

Manchester United is relegated to the back pages and scorned for being a shadow of what it once was. They cry, "Manchester United is no longer relevant to the football world," and "it is game over," or "it is now just the big three."

Manchester United fans wait patiently for their team to re-gather their form and to gel together like Peter Andres' hair while everybody laughs at and pities the formerly great and title-winning Manchester United.

Fast forward again. It is May 11, the final day of the Season. Manchester United has already done enough to capture their trophy, after dismantling Wigan Athletic 2-0. They lift the Barclay's premier league trophy with that familiar look that speaks louder than words and says, "I told you so."

Manchester United—2008/2009 Premier League winners—I told you so.