FERGUSON HAPPY WITH SQUAD

Last updated : 27 February 2007 By Editor

Ferguson talks about Smith first:

"At the time I said going away on loan would be a good thing for him.

"But he had the ambition and drive within to say 'I want to get back in the team'. That showed great faith in himself.

"The one thing you know about Alan Smith is he has great courage and enthusiasm to play football, which always gives him a chance.

"Alan has been unfortunate not to get his chance sooner, because of the form of the team. Yet he still has a long-term future at the club."

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"There's no question our options are better than last season.

"Alan Smith and Kieran Richardson had another run-out in the reserves last week and enjoyed it.

"I've been saying for weeks that the more football I can give them, the better it will be for us if the time comes that we need them later in the season.

"Things can change with the team. Louis Saha is not in the side at the moment but a few months ago I couldn't see my team without him.

"Mikael Silvestre and Gabriel Heinze have been fantastic players for this club. Yet they are not in the side at the moment either.

"We will use our squad and it is so important I do that in terms of getting minutes on the clock for all the players. The most important thing, though, is to play a team that wins."