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by **anfieldadorer** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:24 am

Webber determined to show he is Premier class
New hope after Old Trafford
By Ronald Atkin
09 January 2005

Danny Webber would be a rare footballer if his involvement in Watford's Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield on Tuesday did not offer pause for thought about what might have been. How he might now be appearing against the likes of Liverpool on a regular basis for the club he loves, supports and once played for, Manchester United.

Webber is 23, was born in south Manchester and was a terrace regular at Old Trafford from the age of 10 until his striking skills gained him a place on the club's books as a teenager and a Premiership debut against Arsenal. However, as with so many other young men of bright talent chasing fame at the top level, he has had to look elsewhere for a chance in, and a living from, the game.

Webber is a striker, and a striker of some ability, as his nine goals in Watford's first eight Championship games of this season showed. Yet he opted to reject the offer of a three-year contract with United because he could see no future at Old Trafford. The offer came at the start of last season, and he gave it considerable thought before offering this reason for saying no: "United will always bring defenders or midfielders through the club development system, but they never seem to bring through attackers.

"Attackers never seem to get the chance. I have seen that from being a kid. At 21, what's to say I was going to change it? I didn't want still to be sitting there at the age of 24 in the same situation, going stale with nobody willing to take a risk on me. So I decided a move was the best way to take my career. United had Ruud van Nistelrooy, Diego Forlan, Louis Saha and David Bellion, and after I took my decision they signed Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney, so if I had stayed I would have been even further down the list. In hindsight, it was a good decision."

Webber dismisses any suggestions of bitterness. "No, none at all, I don't hold a grudge against the club, I love the place. I have a lot of respect for Sir Alex Ferguson, and all the coaches at Old Trafford. But I just got to the time in my career when I had to make a decision, and that decision was to leave. That said, I still aim to get back to that level, and will continue to work hard to make sure I do that. Ideally, it would be at United, because even now I'm a United fan and always wanted to be a first-team regular. Who's to say it won't happen in the future?"

In addition to that start against Arsenal, Webber came off the United bench in games with Sunderland and Deportivo in the Champions' League, and also won an England Under-20 cap. After two loan spells at Watford, his first full season opened with the shock death in August 2003 of his close friend, Watford team-mate and former Manchester United colleague Jimmy Davis, in a car crash.

In 57 games, Webber managed just five goals. "Looking back now, I know how much Jimmy's death affected me last season. I remained in a state of shock for a long time, even though I didn't fully realise it. But in the summer I managed to clear my mind, come back and get on with my football. It is something I have learned from and gained strength from."

The immediate benefit for Watford was that early nine-goal burst, though Webber had not added to that total before, at the beginning of November, he dislocated his left shoulder in a goalless game at Gillingham. "It was a bit of a freak injury," he said. "I was trying to bundle the ball into goal but got tackled at the same time. I fell, my left arm was stretched at a funny angle and all my body weight went on to it."

The worry was that he had suffered a similar dislocation three years ago. "So when it happened again it was a bit of a shock, but having had arthroscopy, they had a look inside my shoulder and said the repair from the first injury was still intact and my shoulder was fine. So the news was as good as it could have been, and I don't expect any more problems."

Even so, Webber has not started since, though he has come off the bench in the last two League games. "It's a bit early to be starting him," explained Watford's manager, Ray Lewington, "but we have had to bring Danny back because of injuries. Although he has been working hard in training he has had no physical contact. I am happy to have him back, but I can't rush him. He isn't ready." An eager Webber disagrees. "I feel fit, I'm ready to go. If I'm good enough to train I'm good enough to play, good enough to take the knocks. I would just like to get back into it, get on with my football again, especially against Liverpool.

"I have played against them through the ranks, from Under-14s to reserve-team level, but not yet the first team, so I'm keen to show what I can do, because ultimately my aim is a return to the Premiership. I haven't dropped a league to be happy. As long as I'm playing I will try to improve and strive for something better. I have by no means accomplished a fraction of what I want to achieve."

Should he play at Anfield, and do well, there will be a renewal of the interest that Premiership clubs showed following his early-season goal burst. Lewington will hope Webber, and Watford, have a good night in this first semi-final leg, since the last time he took a team to Liverpool in the competition, as Fulham's newly appointed player-manager in September 1986, he came away with a 10-0 defeat; the biggest humiliation of his life, he says.

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