Is Michel Platini for real? Or is this different from the rather good player that strolled the park many years ago?

Yesterday he made a statement backing Real Madrid over the Ronaldo saga. Now, I don’t have any problem with UEFA over not taking action against Real; there is hardly any substantial evidence to back United’s complaint. But when Platini goes as far as to encourage Madrid, then it gets a little bit worrying.

Continue reading “Wenger Speaks Sense As Platini Loses his Mind”

Yesterday it came to everyone’s knowledge that 5 players from the United academy were released. A club statement was issued:

Midfielders Michael Barnes, Sean Evans and Ritchie Jones and defenders Kieran Lee and Michael Lea are all free to leave Old Trafford as of 30 June. Academy striker Chris Fagan and fellow scholar Conor McCormack have also been released.

The youth system was discussed in great detail yesterday, so I’ll spare you from another argument on the youth system.

Continue reading “The Red Exodus | Rio Sure of Ron | Neville v Brown and Other Tales”

[Warning - this is a longer than usual post, since this is too big a topic to cover in a few snappy paragraphs. Still, I think it's an important area, so if you have a few minutes then settle in for a read and a think.]

There’s no doubt that we have been spoilt in the past. In the nineties, our youth system produced a quite extraordinary series of top class players. I don’t need to list them, but I will anyway because of the memories they bring back: Sharpe, Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. All effectively “free”, and all of whom played their best years for United.

Continue reading “Is Manchester United’s Youth System Redundant?”

… and Scolari and Wenger. He thinks the Premiership is the best league; he watches the English league in the weekends; and, more importantly, he wants to change clubs. He said all this in an interview to the BBC [audio link -- thanks to a comment from yesterday's post.]

So where’s the catch?

Continue reading “Arshavin Likes Fergie…”

Carlos Queiroz has been linked with the Portugal job since Scolari quit, and for good reason too; he’s done a great job at United and won over a lot of fans with time. The man himself has been coy over his future refusing to speak anything, citing the now popular excuse with the Man United staff for just about anything: vacation.

Continue reading “Why Carlos Queiroz is More Important than Ronaldo”

Welcome back. Hopefully most of you might be able to read this now that the site is fully functional. As mentioned yesterday, we went through a bit of house cleaning — house moving, rather — as we shifted servers and made changes to the backend.

While we planned an overhaul of the visible part, we decided that can wait. However, we will hope to add some more features that’s visible to you to make the commenting experience better and more expressive.

Continue reading “It’s Holiday Time at Old Trafford”

I know this question has been posed before, but I think it deserves a separate space of it’s own. [Why you ask? Because I think it does!]

On a day where the likes of Zizou have jumped in on the Ronaldo should go to Madrid bandwagon I’d rather sidestep Ronaldo talk for a day and talk about some transfer targets. So today, it’s Ronaldinho for me.

Continue reading “Should United Bet on Ronaldinho?”

[Warning: Highly speculative article involving yours' truly thinking out loud for most part. Kindly bear and do add your 2 pennies' worth at the end.]

Yesterday, following Ronaldo’s interview with Guillem Balague Manchester United Football Club, issued a statement on its official site reaffirming what it’s been saying all along: that Ronaldo is not for sale.

This is the rare occasion where United are being put in a position where they don’t want to sell a player who seemingly wants away. [I personally think he does want away, but for the sake of those who think we should wait till he comes out and says it definitively, I've added the word 'seemingly']

Continue reading “United’s Transfer Strategy — Is There More to Their Denial?”

I saw this link directly from the Guillem Balague exclusive interview (from his website) with Ronaldo, after writing this article. [thanks Ben from the comments] So I suggest you read that interview before reading my post, because what I wrote doesn’t really matter now.

So Portugal, after a mini-drama that threatened to spoil my day, got knocked out by a German side that knew how to get things done. To be fair, the Ballack goal was dodgy because of his push. But otherwise, fair play to the Germans. Nani injected some pace into the side after his introduction and was instrumental in their second goal. If he progresses well, then be sure that the likes of Madrid and Barcelona will come knocking in two years’ time.

But, of course, Portugal’s defeat will be reported more like an afterthought. The chief concern for reporters (and United fans) was the post match comments, in the event of Portugal’s defeat: will Ronaldo make up his mind?

Continue reading “Portugal Knocked Out But Ronaldo Talks”

I’ve been meaning to write a set of guidelines to make certain things clear to commenters on this site. Of course, these are in addition to the comments policy on this site. What I am going to say won’t be ground-breakingly new but a repeat of things I’ve been saying all along for about a year just to remind people of some key issues on the site.

So hear me out…

• Whilst you are allowed freedom to express yourself in anyway as long as the object of your reference is United, the players or football in general, you can’t judge or attack or make some presumptions on fellow commenters as for the most part they will find that annoying. Also snide remarks that seek to wind people up will be frowned upon; if you have something to say, say it don’t try to back-hand the person.
• I don’t enjoy moderating fights that go on in the comments section. It’s very tiresome trying to keep one’s cool and trying to understand where both parties are coming from and then having to make a decision. But it has to be done, and I will continue to do it.
• Whilst I’ve been fairly patient in listening to emails, responses and grievances from readers regarding being attacked or offended by certain comments, at the end of the day I hold the sole discretion to make a call. You will have to agree with it and move on. If you can’t then I suggest making use of the multitude of links on our blogroll — they are all good United fan sites and I am not forcing you to read this site. You come here on your own volition. You know it and I know it too which leads me to the next point
• I don’t hold any personal vendetta against any particular commenter. Some of you might find this laughable but I have got emails from not one or two but several people thinking that I have been partial towards the other party — often it has been from both people on either side of the warring fence! I think I have a fair idea of what is good for the site: if I keep banning people for no rhyme or reason it will be this site which will suffer. So yes, I do know what is good, and my decisions will be for the good of this site and community.
• You can make controversial remarks but when you do so you must open yourself to being questioned. You have to be prepared to take it if you dish it out, of course, as long as there is only questioning of ideas; not personal.
• At the end of the day, and I’ll repeat it, I make the final decision to resolve fights and I don’t intend to pick on anyone when I make a choice. Respect it and move on. Or, you know, this is not the only United site… bah! You get the point.

PS: Don’t worry, this isn’t the last post for the next 24 hours. Another post will follow soon.