Nemanja Vidic - Farewell Captain!

Article by e-Manchester United Correspondent Tony Gillies

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Well after 8 years Nemanja Vidic’s time at Manchester United is coming to an end. I can’t say I’m surprised as it seems he’s agent has been seeking a move away since the moment he signed for United. Every window we’d hear rumours that Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona were keeping tabs on him, we’ve all heard that he’s wife never really settled in Manchester and hates the weather but whatever rumours were going around Nemanja stayed true to he’s word and never left us. But at the age of 32 and with injuries par for the course of such an old school centre half, he feels it’s time for him to move on and finish he’s career elsewhere, I’m sure David Moyes helped him with he’s decision as he wants he’s own players in now and wants to stamp he’s own mark on the team and as he is the manager we’ve got to accept these decisions and move on regardless of if we agree with him or not.

We have young players who will have to step up a level or so to fill Vida’s shoes with the likes of Jonny Evans who is more than capable, Chris Smalling who may need another year before he is ready to be a permanent member of the back four but surely this means that Phil Jones will finally settle playing in he’s desired position and a centre back pairing of Evans and Jones with Smalling as an understudy doesn’t worry me at all. We’v always built our teams on trusting youth and I for one am proud if this is the case that we are not just going to splash the cash on the world’s best central defenders, we are re-building a team for the next 10-15 years, our owners don’t expect instant success like your Chelsea and Man City’s but it would seem our fickle fans are and I’m afraid this re-building process could take a few more years yet so they may have to go a few years without us lifting silverware and battling for the league title but if Moyes does have a plan for the future, we will be up where you believe we should be within the next 3-4 years, please just be patient.

Nemanja Vidic was signed from Spartak Moscow in January 2006 for £7m, he was big, strong and powerful something we had been missing since the departure of Jaap Stam, it took him a while to settle in at United but went on to become one of the best centre backs the club has ever seen, he was threat from set pieces, he would defend at times like he’s life depended on it, he wore he’s heart on he’s sleeve and gave us 110% every game and still does, even if he’s timing in some tackles do leave a little to be desired but that’s expected as you’re getting older and the younger, quicker forwards are coming at you every year.

He and Rio Ferdinand quickly became the best centre back pairing in the league, if not the world during the 2008-09 he started every match in the domestic league, with United going on a record run of 14 consecutive clean sheets in Premier League matches totalling in 1,311 minutes without conceding.

It has been injuries that have blighted he’s career over the past few years and since picking up a bad knee injury against Basel in December 2011 meaning he would miss the remainder of that season, he hasn’t quite managed to get a decent run of games together. He’s disciplinary record wasn’t great especially against rivals Liverpool and Chelsea being shown red on 5 occasions against the two. In fact he was shown red 3 consecutive times against Liverpool something that the Liverpool fans like to remind us of and he’s since been sent off twice against Chelsea since Fernando Torres moved to London and I believe the last four times both players have been on the pitch the same time, Vidic has been given he’s marching orders every time.

After 284 appearances and 19 goals (and counting), he will leave United as Captain, after winning 5 League Championships, 3 League Cups, 1 Champions League (possibly 2? Or maybe not…) and 1 World Club Cup Championship, only the FA Cup is missing from he’s time at United but he will leave as a fans favourite and will never be forgotten, the Vidic song will be ringing around Old Trafford 20 years from now.

Thanks for everything Nemanja, you will be missed. Good Luck in the future.

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