GRAEME McDOWELL IS a big Manchester United supporter, so when we sat down with the Irish golfer this week, the conversation eventually turned to football.
In 2011, McDowell elected not to play in the Masters par-three competition at Augusta, leaving him free to watch United’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Chelsea.
Since then, however, McDowell has taken on additional commitments as a husband and a father, so he’s not able to watch his beloved United as often as he’d like.
“Living in America, I haven’t followed the games as closely as I used to,” said G-Mac. “They’re on at weird times over there as well so it can be hard to tune in sometimes.
“I think you’d be happy enough with how this season went, but it’ll be good to be back in the Champions League again. Hopefully things can keep improving.”
Here’s what G-Mac came up with when we asked him to name his all-time Manchester United XI. And remember, he’s only 35, so no moaning about the omission of Bobby Charlton et al.
Graeme McDowell’s all-time Manchester United XI
1. Peter Schmeichel
2. Gary Neville
3. Denis Irwin
4. Steve Bruce
5. Nemanja Vidic
6. Roy Keane
7. Eric Cantona
8. Paul Scholes
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
10. Wayne Rooney
11. Ryan Giggs
So that’s how Graeme McDowell’s dream Manchester United line-up would look. After some deliberation, Denis Irwin made it in ahead of Patrice Evra at left-back, and there were some difficult calls to make in midfield too. At first, McDowell’s team was shaping up to play a 4-6-2 formation, but David Beckham and Andrei Kanchelskis (“I hate leaving him out, he was a legend”) had to settle for places on the bench.
United fans, what do you think of G-Mac’s selection? Do you agree, or are you gobsmacked that he couldn’t find room for Ben Thornley and Eric Djemba-Djemba?
Graeme McDowell is a brand ambassador for Aer Lingus, who are continuing their long-running partnership with the G-Mac Foundation, through which it supports the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. Along with their families, Aer Lingus has flown recovering children from all over Ireland, who have been patients of Our Ladies Children’s Hospital, and their families, to Orlando for a ‘dream come true’ holiday in the US.