Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson 'not worried' by Chelsea

Updated 08.33 Wed Jul 23 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson does not believe Chelsea will make major improvements this season.

With several Chelsea players aged 30 or more, the Manchester United boss admits they will be among the leading contenders for the Premier League and Champions League, but he does not expect their experienced players to perform much better than last season.

"I do not see outstanding progress coming from a team that is in their 30s" - Sir Alex Ferguson

He said: "I'm not concerned about Chelsea. So there's no-one who can improve on Mourinho's record really.

"They are an experienced side. I'm not saying necessarily that they're old because with the modern-day training methods, you should be playing in your 30s.

"What I'm saying is that I don't see outstanding progress coming from a team that's in their 30s."

Ferguson also hinted one of his young stars, Wayne Rooney, could be used as a regular striker after a season in several different roles and a reduced goalscoring rate.

Ferguson added: "I think I have to take a bit of responsibility for it. He's sacrificed himself and never complained about it, which says a lot for the lad.

"But we kept using him in different positions. We need to define his role better."

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