03-09-2009, 10:33 AM
Dimitar Berbatov has pledged to prove his worth to Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson ready to make the striker his 'focal point'.
The Bulgaria international has failed to justify his £30.75million transfer fee, only showing his undoubted talent in brief flashes throughout last season.
Many Old Trafford supporters are still to be convinced by the former Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen ace, but Berbatov insists he is ready to put last season's struggles behind him.
"I think this year will be different for me," he told the Daily Mirror. "I've had a pre-season tour with the team, which I missed last year.
"And I really know how every player in the team plays now, so I can understand them better on the pitch.
"Plus, Sir Alex knows the best way he can use me. We have many games and I'm looking forward to each one so I can score goals and make my contribution to the team."
Something to prove
Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Berbatov suffered at times last season due to the role he was given within the team.
The Scot expects the big-money signing to flourish in the role he has been handed this term and believes that will help him regain some lost confidence.
"He probably has something to prove in the sense of his own thoughts about his first year with us," said Ferguson.
"It's difficult to say if his confidence took a knock, but there aren't many players, especially strikers, who aren't at the mercy of their confidence.
"We were a bit unfair to Dimitar last season but we know how to use him this time. He won't be playing in deep midfield positions where he found himself a lot last year.
"He's got to be in the last third, where he is a threat. We saw him like that, playing deep, at Tottenham and maybe we were wrong there.
"Once we realised, before the end of the season, he started playing further up the pitch. I think Dimitar will be the focal point of our team this year."
source: skysports.com
The Bulgaria international has failed to justify his £30.75million transfer fee, only showing his undoubted talent in brief flashes throughout last season.
Many Old Trafford supporters are still to be convinced by the former Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen ace, but Berbatov insists he is ready to put last season's struggles behind him.
"I think this year will be different for me," he told the Daily Mirror. "I've had a pre-season tour with the team, which I missed last year.
"And I really know how every player in the team plays now, so I can understand them better on the pitch.
"Plus, Sir Alex knows the best way he can use me. We have many games and I'm looking forward to each one so I can score goals and make my contribution to the team."
Something to prove
Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Berbatov suffered at times last season due to the role he was given within the team.
The Scot expects the big-money signing to flourish in the role he has been handed this term and believes that will help him regain some lost confidence.
"He probably has something to prove in the sense of his own thoughts about his first year with us," said Ferguson.
"It's difficult to say if his confidence took a knock, but there aren't many players, especially strikers, who aren't at the mercy of their confidence.
"We were a bit unfair to Dimitar last season but we know how to use him this time. He won't be playing in deep midfield positions where he found himself a lot last year.
"He's got to be in the last third, where he is a threat. We saw him like that, playing deep, at Tottenham and maybe we were wrong there.
"Once we realised, before the end of the season, he started playing further up the pitch. I think Dimitar will be the focal point of our team this year."
source: skysports.com