Ruud hits out at Ferguson..

Following his controversial move to Real Madrid, Ruud Van Nistelrooy has hit out at the United manager, Alex Ferguson, claiming he'd been 'stabbed in the back', because he was dropped for the Carling Cup final against Wigan. United thumped Wigan 4-0, but Ruud remained on the bench for the whole 90 minutes.

Many United fans that I've spoken to about this departure have very mixed feelings. I haven't spoken to anyone who wasn't sad to see Ruud leave the club, the fact that it ended on a sour note surprised few reds. IT was the same with Roy Keane, David Beckham, Jaap Stam and more recently the club doctor Mike Stone.

With the very real danger of stating the obvious, football is at times a very ruthless business and players have always been treated like lumps of beef, getting sold to the highest bidder.

In Ruud's case, many fans had noticed that despite his goals, he wasn't quite the same player as he was a few seasons back. Ferguson has claimed to have talked Ruud out of handing in two previous transfer requests, before the eventual parting of the ways this summer. Added to which the players agent had been reportedly hawking him around Europe last summer. So clearly Ruud had been unhappy for some time.

Many reds were unhappy to see the back of Ruud, but they are equally unhappy at Fergie's apparent lack of planning to replace Van Niselrooy. United are left having to rely on strikers who have suffered terrible injury problems over the last couple of seasons. The club also loaned out Rossi - no doubt to cut down the wage bill.

United only have Saha who is an out and out number nine. The clubs other strikers are second strikers and I'm including Rooney in that bracket - he is of course among the very best in the world in that position. Now that RVN has gone, there's going to be even more pressure on Wayne to get the goals.

JR.