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Comeback of 2001 still a spur for Fergie
Last Updated: 10:49pm GMT 03/02/2007

It's always rewarding to ramble through the memories with Sir Alex Ferguson and today's visit to White Hart Lane with white-hot Wayne Rooney and company threw up one of the richest. As he said at the time: "It might not have been good for the blood pressure, but I will be able to look back upon this day and remember it vividly for the rest of my life. Not many managers could say that."

The sense of experiencing something special has not diminished from that day, Sept 29, 2001, when United emerged from the dressing room at half-time 3-0 down, but rode home winners 5-3 with goals from Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham. "I was almost threatening to get back on the bus at half-time," he said as the sunlight shafted in through the windows of the United Youth Academy at the Carrington training ground on Friday. "As we came out for the second half, Teddy Sheringham was leaving their dressing room when I heard someone say, 'Now don't let them score in the first five minutes.' We scored in the first."

He laughed at the memory, but today is about keeping United flowing towards the Premiership title, holding off Chelsea and taking three points. Someone has to score the goals and Rooney has struck such spell-binding form there could be diamonds on the soles of his boots. Sir Alex was a striker himself and when he talks about Rooney the words become a rhapsody.

"He's got wonderful feet, a great touch on the ball,'' he said. "He has always had bursts of scoring. The goalscorers are the ones who get one almost every two games. I said to him some weeks ago that if he could get into that scoring one goal a game thing - odd goals, deciding goals - it would make a hell of a difference to our season. It would give us a massive chance."

United gave him a rest recently. He was on the bench for an hour before Ferguson brought him on against Portsmouth, who were threatening to stifle their FA Cup tie. His two goals were sublime. He followed them with another against Arsenal and one more in Watford's submission.

"It was only an hour's rest, but it seemed to galvanise him," said Ferguson. "Those goals gave him encouragement and hopefully he is going into his best form now. He's not a goalscorer who wants to stay in the penalty area, because he wants to link the play and be in the box at the same time. When he drops into these positions and surprises a defender, you know it is a great contribution."

The final piece in the United jigsaw? "I thought he was a while ago. He's come up against obstacles in matches and he is overcoming all that. His goalscoring will make the difference. Everyone matures. He is a young lad [21] and he has fantastic enthusiasm. It's good to see young lads. They want to train all the time. It becomes a discipline they enjoy. It's great to see Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and the young players enjoying the discipline."

High on the wall, surrounded by a montage of young players who became household names - Beckham, Ryan Giggs, the Neville brothers, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and so on - were the words that continue to be the mantra. "The responsibility to the future of this game is to give budding talent the very best opportunity to flourish. The academy is just such a place, a proving ground for tomorrow's heroes."

Rooney is a product of the Everton Academy, but Ferguson is convinced a new wave of homegrown talent is about to burst through and that several 19-year-olds could be challenging for first-team places next season.

The present, though, concerns Tottenham, a team with a good home record and a manager, Martin Jol, who almost joined United as assistant manager before Carlos Queiroz, the present incumbent, returned to the job after a stint as Real Madrid coach. Ferguson said: "Martin has done a really good job, as he did in Holland with clubs with limited resources. I spoke to him about coming here, but when I knew Carlos was coming back, the matter stopped there.

"Martin is a talented coach. You only need to talk to Michael Carrick, who enjoyed playing for him at Spurs. It can't be easy for Tottenham with Arsenal above them. If they keep consistency of management it will give them a better chance. Martin has ambitions to make them better. You can't just do it in a year. You need four or five years to implement your vision of the club.''

No one appreciates that more than Ferguson. He laid down his plan when he arrived in 1986. The first years were not easy. Now United are a model for all impatient chairmen to study.