He can throw long to Jerry Rice or John Taylor, he can dump it short to the tight end Brent Jones, he can hand it off to the explosive running back Ricky Watters, or he can scramble himself It is a range of options from quarterback heaven. And what with their all-star defense, led by "Neon" Deion Sanders, the 49ers surely cannot lose.And yet. Young is the most elusive, mobile quarterback in the business and, once in daylight, has a step that can embarrass any tackler. Nevertheless, he does not yet possess the ugliest, but most prized, piece of jewellery in America: a Super Bowl winner's ring. The four years he spent as a million- dollar understudy to one of the sport's legends has clearly fuelled the desire to make this one his own "I was in the laboratory with Joe Montana every day.

How could you get a better tutor? But there was a time when I felt like saying, `OK, I got it do wn, now can I try it?' Those years were tough."This is redemption day for Steve Young And the pay-back can come from any number of directions. He has been the league's highest- rated quarterback for each of the past four years and, statistically at least, can now claim to be the most effective playmaker of all-time. "That is the farthest thing from the way we are handling this game We're workaholics We prepare. We don't take ourselves lightly, nor do we take anyone else lightly."In a team of all talents, Young is the most generously endowed. "You can't just go out there and play and hope everything will be all right," he said.

But if he loses this, his first Big One in the four years he has led the 49ers, the monkey on his back will grow into an orang-utan.Young, in measured tones befitting a law student, has been convincing in his mission statement. We try to be prepared for the bad thing, and that's why we've had success coming back."There may be too many bad things for the tightly focused Chargers to handle today, however. San Francisco have no obvious weakness, and, despite the rapping, the trash-talking and the showmanship that have characterised their public appearances this pastweek, there has been little to suggest over-confidence. There is certainly too much at stake for the quarterback, Steve Young. He knows that he is unlikely ever to supplant the great Joe Montana in the hearts and minds of the Bay City faithful. We tell the players that at some point something bad is going to happen out there and you have to work together and react to it.