Neil Bramwell Speaks Out

THE rosy redness of some rose-tinted spectacles is blinding.

My cornflakes weren't so much spluttered as vomited on reading some of this morning's headlines from Vienna.

'Eric Idol' and 'How Captain Cantona conquered Vienna' were two of the more bizarre offerings.

I can only assume the intended versions were 'Eric Idle' and 'How Captain Cantona conned Vienna'.

This was a crucial fixture in United's quest for the ultimate club prize.

The reputation of the much-vaunted Premiership was on the line.

So Cantona chooses such a high-profile stage to swan in and out of the game with the commitment of an ugly duckling condemned to be drenched in orange sauce.

His moments of 'magic', a tap-in goal, an unchallenged header and a regulation through ball are hailed as examples of the Frenchman's genius.

But in such a nonchalant mood, these moments must fall into his lap because Cantona will not work to make them happen.

It is no fluke that United's poor recent run of form coincides with their captain's apparent disinterest.

Neither is it a surprise that the tetchy side of his nature has shown signs of returning when things do not go entirely his way. To mention the real Lion of Vienna in the same breath is to do a gross disservice to the reputation of Nat Lofthouse.

United's progression through to the final stages was as much to do with their overall squad quality as any progression in English tactics.

There was only one player on the park who looked capable of dominating the game - Roy Keane.

For him possession is 10 tenths of the law.

Another who flatters to deceive is David Beckham, the pass leading to the second goal masking a largely ineffective display.

All that said, I am delighted that United are through and would love to see Ferguson fulfil his promises and develop a strategy before March that is capable of success.

It is time the fat cats of Serie A were made to realise that the dormant English game has been aroused.

That will not happen, though, until domestic commentators stop making silk purses out of sows' ears.

And the ITV team, determined to hype the United Champions' League campaign beyond all realms of reality, are the biggest culprits.

Though, with Terry Venables, Ron Atkinson and Glenn Hoddle as expert analysts, that should not be a surprise.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.