MORE FROM VERON

"I didn't play well last year," admits a relaxed and confident Veron, "so criticism was to be expected. The club paid a lot of money for me, but I didn't perform to the level I knew I could. Under those circumstances, people had a right to be critical."

"There were a series of events which all came together to make life a little difficult last year, but this season, I feel better. I can express myself better on and off the field.

"What's most important is that I now know the language a lot more. When you join a group of players who have spent a long time together – a well-established unit who have known each other since they were kids – it is quite difficult, however friendly they are, to integrate. I feel more part of the set-up now and that's made all the difference on the pitch."

Seba on criticism

"The criticism annoyed me a little bit but it never affected me," he says. "It was only hurtful when it got personal, like the time I was alleged to have argued with my team-mates and then stormed out after the Champions' League semi-final defeat by Bayer Leverkusen. That was an absolute invention and it angered me."

Constant transfer talk

"It really gets on your nerves after a time," he admits, "but I never for one moment thought England would not be for me. I want to see out my current contract with United, and I would even consider ending my career here. I needed a settling-in period, a time to adapt to a different language and lifestyle, but I was always going to stay. I've proved my commitment and now thankfully all the talk has calmed down."

On life in Argentina

"When I was growing up sometimes we had enough money to eat well, sometimes it was a struggle to feed the family. That prepares you, and helps you keep things in proportion. You must not make the mistake of confusing football with life and death. There are lots more important things going on in the world."

SAF on Veron

"Seba is a fantastic player," Ferguson says. "He is always looking for the ball and then, when he has it, he drives forward. But what I like most about him is his resilience. Not once last season did his head go down."

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