Rioch leads hunt for autographs as United enjoy a friendly welcome
Friendly face: Aalborg boss Rioch greets fellow Scot Ferguson
It is not every Champions League match that sees one manager turning up at a press conference seeking autographs. But for Aalborg's Bruce Rioch, some opportunities are clearly too tempting to pass up.
'I grew up watching the Busby Babes,' said Rioch. 'Wood, Foulkes, Byrne, Colman, Jones, Edwards, Berry, Whelan, Taylor, Viollet, Pegg. I have Sir Bobby Charlton's autobiography with me here, I hope I can get it signed.'
One imagines that Rioch - former boss of Middlesbrough, Bolton and Arsenal - will not have too much trouble securing Sir Bobby's signature. But the 61-year-old's approach to Tuesday's clash with Manchester United sums up a meeting that represents something of a throwback to the days when smaller continental clubs enjoyed much easier access to the old European Cup.
There will be only 10,000 people in Energie-Nord Arena on Tuesday evening, but Rioch warned: 'If we were to take a point off them then it will be like an earthquake in here. 'This is the biggest game in our history. To get to this stage of the Champions League is a fantastic achievement. But to play Manchester United is something else. This is a huge day for Danish football as a whole.
'Everybody here knows Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov. There is a party that leaves these shores every Saturday to go and watch Manchester United. 'I was the same as anybody else when this group was drawn and we got Celtic and Manchester United. I was buzzing, just like the town.'
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his players are used to the clamour that tends to wait for them at most of their journeys into Europe. Even by their standards, however, they have been afforded deity-like status here. A welcoming party awaited them at Aalborg airport before they were applauded into their town centre hotel by staff and fellow guests.
City centre signs informed them: 'You are more than welcome here' and Aalborg captain Thomas Augustinussen declared: 'This is the biggest press conference I have ever been at. It's amazing.'
Given that he has fallen out with the English written media again, it is doubtful whether Ferguson shared Augustinussen's sense of wonder when he followed the Aalborg representatives in to see the press on Monday night.
Reunion: Ferguson (left) meets his former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel
Nevertheless, the Scot is aware of the dangers that Tuesday's game could hold, especially in the light of United's 0-0 opening draw against Spanish side Villarreal at Old Trafford a fortnight ago. Two years ago Ferguson brought his squad to Denmark and fielded a relatively weak side at Copenhagen. He will not make that mistake again.
Ferguson continues to express his satisfaction with new striker Dimitar Berbatov, but a goal or two from the Bulgarian would not go amiss on Tuesday. He needs them and so do United. Even here in Aalborg, reputations will only get you so far.
AALBORG (probable 4-1-4-1): Zaza; Bogelund, Olfers, Beauchamp, Pedersen; Augustinussen; Curth, Johansson, Risgaard, Enevoldsen; Saganowski.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-2-1): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Scholes, O’Shea; Tevez, Rooney; Berbatov.
Referee: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal).
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