Rossi sale to bite Ferguson on the ass?

I've actually lost count of the number of times that I've written this before, but it's worth repeating in the wake of Giuseppe Rossi's tansfer to Villarreal. Sir Alex Ferguson hasn't often got it wrong when selling young players, few with the possible exception of David Healy have proved his judgement to be wrong.

In truth even Healy, despite his goalscoring record for Preston, Leeds and Northern Ireland has yet to make Fergie's decision to off-load the youngster look like a bad one. The jury is very much out on Healy's ability to perform at the very highest level, the same applies to Rossi. Nonetheless, many United fans will have nagging doubts about the decision to sell the American/Italian youngster to the Spaniards.

There are three key positions in the spine of any team: goalkeeper, centre of midfield and centre-forward. Despite having one of the best records in England for producing home grown talent. United have not been able those three key positions with players who have come through the ranks of the club for a long time.

Mark Hughes was the last player to fill the centre-forward role and before him it was Bobby Charlton. Scholes has of course been used a central attacking player, but he's neither a centre forward or a Keane/Robson type of midfield general.

Gary Bailey was the last 'keeper who came through the Old Trafford ranks and 'made it'.

So the problem for Rossi and any other young star in the making, is that being very good is never going to be quite good enough at a club like United. Which is why it has been so hard for United themselves to produce players to fill these key central positions.

If you're going to really make it as a United striker, then you have be able to compete with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez (Rossi's move must mean the Argentine is on his way to join the Reds). Before them it was Ruud Van Nistelrooy and before him it was Cole and Yorke.

It remains to be seen whether or not Fergie's decision to cash-in on Rossi will bite him in the ass. Time, will as ever, tell.