May 04
Is it really time up for Nani at Old Trafford?
It doesn’t look good does it? Brought off at half-time whilst trailing at home to Tottenham which rather ironically then helps spark that tremendous comeback. I can understand why he wouldn’t be desperate to stay behind and encourage his teammates but it was hardly the wisest of choices to make and it’s difficult to defend a quite childish, sulky and rather petty reaction to yet another below-par individual performance.
It didn’t get much better for the Portuguese winger in midweek either. A quick glance at Sir Alex’s team sheet for the Champions League encounter with Arsenal and the four letters ‘Nani’ were absolutely nowhere to be seen, not even on the substitutes bench.
I appreciate that I have to be careful with what I say from here on in as I am aware of the seismic split in opinions on the Cape Verde-born man of inconsistency and what he brings to our club but I’ll throw in my ten pennies worth and happily accept whatever flack is bound to be coming my way!
For a start let’s deal with this season and what exactly has gone wrong for Nani in United red. Well in the handful of Premier League appearances he’s made (just five as a starter would you believe) he’s hardly set the world alight but you can’t ignore the fact that he’s not even been afforded a full-ninety minutes.
Ji Sung Park’s notably impressive form (despite having tailed off somewhat in recent weeks) this season clearly hasn’t helped Nani’s cause either. You can bet your bottom dollar that if our tricky left winger were playing for anyone else in the Premier League he would have started far more than six league games and would’ve surely had more of a visible impact.
This may surprise you somewhat but I can actually reveal to you quite a different statistical story, especially if you purely take into account domestic league goals and assists. Park, for all his work rate, endeavour and tenacity, has scored one league goal and picked up three assists in the 21 Premier League fixtures he has been involved in. Nani on the other hand has played in only 11 Premier League matches (most of which were as substitute with miniscule amounts of time left) yet still has a goal and two assists to his name. Make of that what you will.
However well he does to cover it up, I’m sure Sir Alex will have surely expected slightly more from a player he shelled out around £14 million for in the summer of 2007. It can’t be denied that our manager has stood firmly by Nani’s side from the moment he stepped into Manchester, offering as much support as humanely possible. We saw it first of all with the Lucas Neill headbutt and since then Fergie has seemingly backed down in banning the 22-year-old winger’s somersault celebration too. Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha would certainly be wise not to take his current mentor for a ride as his patience is probably wearing pretty thin right now, however well he conceals it.
Incase you were wondering, Nani himself had this to say having been brought off at half-time against Spurs: ‘I have no problem with the manager but I am still in my apprenticeship here.’And it’s fair to say that at 22-years-old he is still learning his trade at a club where expectations are elevated like no other. Yet for how long can you keep blaming Nani’s immaturity and inept performances on age and how long will you give the apprentice to finally fulfil his massive potential?
Unfortunately for Nani, when you play for Manchester United, time is not something you can heavily rely on. With the acquisition of Zoran Tosic in January and rumours consistently linking Antonio Valencia with a move to the club, it’s really now or never if Nani is to grab his chance.
With all this relative negativity it’s about time I started talking about the strengths that Nani possesses and why he could still prove something of a valuable asset to us in the future.
Well we all witnessed exactly what he was capable of during his first season at Old Trafford last year and it was arguably one of the better debut season’s of any foreign import that has arrived at the club - certainly in recent times anyway. In 24 starts he scored four goals, created eleven and generally seemed much more confident in his own ability. He was no Stranger in Moscow either, coming on to play a part in extra time and then scoring in the shoot-out too.
Despite Nani’s lack of involvement in the league this season lest we forget that he has played a significantly important part in other competitions for us. Not only has he appeared in seven Champions League matches enroute to the semi-final but he was a major contributor to our Carling Cup success with three goals in six appearances. Add the couple of strikes he managed during our FA Cup campaign and Nani’s season starts to look less disappointing, even if ever so slightly.
Nani is now and always will invariably be stuck in the towering shadow of Ronaldo due to his style, potential and even nationality. It’s ultimately unfair as his Portuguese compatriot performed miracles last season and probably won’t ever achieve such lofty heights again during his career. Poor old Nani has come under stark criticism for not producing similar results but there is no other player in world football quite like Cristiano (bar Lionel Messi perhaps). To be fair you could argue that Ronaldo was some way behind Nani in terms of development during his second season at the club and look how our patience paid dividends then!
I’m going to stop rambling on now and place my cards firmly on the table by predicting that Nani will not only get a start in the lunch time game against Middlesbrough on Saturday but will also make an impression in the match too. Be it a goal, an assist or just a full-ninety minutes, Nani needs game time and when he has it, I’m sure he will produce.
Whatever your stance may be on Nani, there’s no question he’s been used in fits and spurts throughout this season and has clearly been unable to build up any real momentum as a consequence. I am by no means Nani’s biggest fan, far from it infact but hopefully Saturday will go some way to proving that the former Sporting Lisbon man does still have a future at Old Trafford. I sincerely hope he does anyway.
Ed: This was written prior to the Middlesbrough game.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Ronaldo: I like to know what’s happening at Old Trafford
- Featured Lookalike: Nani and…?
- Nani Controversy Helps United To Victory Over Tottenham
- Transfer magic / what next for United?
- Slow Monday Roundup
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@NicoQB: My old band used to be signed to his label. He has a gigantic face.
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@Traverse: My sentiments exactly Trav Bro, we should be pondering who our team will be for the CL game with Le Arse tomorrow!
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Sorry guys i know this is off subject but i just really wanted your opinions of this. My cousin in italy told me that apparently filipo inzaghi is available this summer as he may be sold for as little as a few million pounds. Now i know hes what 35 but the man is a natural goal scorer and if we got him on a say 2 year contract i would be well happy. In my honest opinion should carlos leave we have 2 great looking talents in macheda and welbeck, trouble is they aint ready and wont be for another 2 years. So in my opinion instead of paying big money on another new striker i think we need an experienced short term deal for a player to come in for a year or 2 and then these 2 can step up.
Thats my opinion anyway, and i just feel we need a bloody good goal scorer. Not a speedy player, just a player who will sit on the bench, come on whenever and score goals. Forget his age, just look at his scoring rate, 16 this year in 28, hes just a great goal scorer.
So my question is would you be happy getting in inzaghi for less than 5 million on a short term deal. The man will score goals and is a cheap option who will sit on the bench without complaining. Obvious downside is his age, but does that matter. He doesnt and never did rely on pace and hes in good condition so maybe thats not such a big matter to consider. I dont know, just thought i would mention that as i would quite fancy bringing him in, he seems a good option to consider anyway.
I may get a bit of stick for this but oh well, what all your guys opinions on him?
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@Redrich: You can never underestimate an individuals taste and liking for something or someone. I’ve see good looking friends of mine marry absolutely ugly hags and I ask myself why they would settle for somebody like that? But that’s me being superficial. Nani strokes all of Craig’s requirements for a footballer. I like Nani too but not anywhere near the adoration Craig shows, but then again, I get lots of abuse because I will defend Ballack and Riquelme with the same venom and passion because those two do it for me. There’s nothing homo erotic about it, we just have a strong love and loyalty to certain players and we get defensive because challenging those players skill set and abilities is also challenging our good taste and ability to evaluate talent. Obviously Craig feels Nani has been done wrong by Fergie. I for one agree but obviously, I am not as passionate about it.
Craig lived in Manchester for a long time and he has seen Nani up close and personal and has watched the lad’s training and development and perhaps based on what he sees, he just might have a point. Either way, he is protective of this player. That’s nothing new. I see it in sports here in North America too. Look at all the people that love Tevez for his work ethic and seem to ignore the man’s inability to make a pass or control a ball on a first touch. Go figure!
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OK lets get on to team predictions. Im predicting:
EVDS-Rafael, Vidic, Rio, O’Shea-Carrick, Anderson, Fletcher-Ronaldo Tevez Ronaldo
Blitz them for thirty minutes, get the crucial away goal we need. Bring on Berbatov and Giggs and play keep ball for the remaining 60 minutes. If we can do that to Inter, we can do that to Arsenal. End of.
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@NicoQB: Mist induced eyes?
, well stop sprinkling that star dust in them then Bro 
.
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For all of Park’s “great form”, it amounted to fuck all eh?
I’d rather have given Nani those games. As it stands, its a lost season for him and its really due to little fault of his own.
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@Eric the Red: Sorry, sorry, pardon me!!
I don’t know what came to me..
THough i’ve heard that the Fall.. Not sure about it though..
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@colver: Colver Bro, if you want to play KEEP ball, you really don’t want to play ‘give the ball away’ Giggsy. Giggsy has his assets, but KEEP ball isn’t one of them!
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@MUFC Fan in America: MUFC – your OKAY mate
, and so right too!
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@Traverse: Wow! Brown or Plant? Is he actually a nice bloke? (well I really know that both are, just wanted to hear it!)
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I think our Polish GK must feel more than a bit POLE-ER-ISED for a while now too, with Ben Foster now establishing himself in Fergie’s eyes as No2/future Edwin replacement!
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@Stephen Darwin: Fair enough mate and you are more than welcome on this blog to speak your peace. You won’t always get agreement but for the most part, you will get respect and appreciation. Cheers!
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@Matt: Inzahgi has been a great goalscorer mate, but Fergie seems to be going for younger blood these days. However he did bring in Laarson for a short time exactly to give us goals, so who knows?
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@Craig Mc: You sounded like *thinking of a simile for someone fighting alone against a torrent of differing opinions* pfff… Pandora??
Just had to give a helping hand to my buddy craig!
Sorry – my english’s in my socks today – gawd even that sentence…
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@NicoQB: Yeah, Plant. He’s nice enough, but the people who ran the label were chumps, and on something literally the entire time. We dropped them, and then eventually stopped ripping off the deftones too….
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@Grognard: The name of the blog, grog, the name of the blog!!!
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@Hannoodi: We should sell him and here’s why. Fergie and the team are hindering his development. He’s not some no talent schlock who is just grateful to be around the team. He isa super talented individual who starts for his country in Internationals and who has the ability and potential to be a world class player. The problem is he is in Fergie’s doghouse and quite often when a player gets thrown in there, he is there for life. Nani has too much to offer as well as learn and he will never be able to develop as long as he is ignored and not utilized. He is the best crosser this team has yet when we need a goal and we send guys into the box to try to get something, why is it we never send Nani on to apply the service? Much is asked of him which is not his game and that makes him ineffective. He shouldn’t have to cover up for the deficiencies of one Patrice Evra the way Park does. No, Fergie should bench Evra and buy a LB who will play that position better. Since when should a highly skilled and talented player have to become a sacrificial lamb for the good of Fergie’s close minded favoritism and old boys club?
Bottom line is Nani has been treated abysmally by this club and it’s manager and he deserves the chance to reach his potential and play for a team that will appreciate and value what he brings to the game. Clearly he was a poor purchase for our team because he never ever filled the criteria that Fergie seems to want from hios wingers, which is two way play. Check that, I forgot, Ronaldo can get away with murder and not track back. Some will say that’s because he is great and scores lots of goals. Well Ronaldo wasn’t any better in his first two seasons with us as Nani was last season but he never ever got benched for not doing everything Fergie asked of him. That’s because the roles for these players has changed this year with United’s total change in style and philosophy. United is into ball control and possession and tracking back now and clearly Nani does not fit this style. My feeling is, if you love him, let him go. He deserves better than he got from us.
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@Stephen Darwin: I thought so and I I think you did. I just think that you did touch on a few issues that Craig for one has become sick and tired of having to defend. Read my reply to Hannoodi to get a better feeling of why he gets so upset.
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@Craig Mc: Well it is good that he brings in youngsters cos hes buidling more great stars for the future so in that respect the man is doing something for the future even though he knows he wont be around to see them hit their peak, its not really in his job description to build the team for the future but he does anyway and thats whats great about him.
But you do have to say its great bringing in the younger players but they take time and sometimes an old head coming in can be very benficial to these young players. We potentially have 2 stars in welbeck and macheda but they need time and i feel bringin in another striker in his prime is gonna limit their chances in the long term. A striker like inzaghi and as you said with larsson before were experienced players and inzaghi would only be on a short term basis. But hes a goal scorer and would score goals and in say a year or 2 when he retired these 2 could be ready to start coming in on a regular basis. Im liking the thought of bringing in inzaghi more and more, he would be a great signing imo.
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@NicoQB: I think Craig can speak for himself!!
@Craig Mc: OK lets hear them again. And I promise to have my eyes wide open this time!!
@Grognard: I never questioned Craigs taste, I’m just curious as to why he’s feels so passionate about Nani. It’s one thing to say “I love this guy” but there will always be the question remaining as to exactly why!!
@Craig Mc: Please be more open to dissenting veiws. The war of words are won be the steady head not a quivering heart!!
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@Traverse: Aah I wouldn’t be able to stand in his presence! I would literally self-combust from giddiness, shyness, and whatever.
Don’t know much about the Deftones except for the name, really.
Personally I’m slowly shifting from to being your average classic/indie rock fan to a folk fan – Drake and his cohorts… Right now I’m taken by Daniel Johnston…
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@Grognard: I do understand your point, and a few weeks ago I would have said the same thing but I have always been a man of the club, I want whats best for Manchester United not whats best for Nani, or anyone else for that matter.
Thats just how I feel.
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@Red Ranter: It’s got nothing to do with free speech mate, it’s all about keeping the peace by limiting possible flare ups and combustible scenarios. You knew there could be problems with this topic yet you went ahead with it. That alone should excuse Craig because it’s like throwing meat out into a shark infested sea and expecting the sharks to stay away from it. It’s not going to happen.
One of the things I have always liked and respected about you was you believe in freedom of speech and your tolerance of many and mostly me has been nothing short of amazing and highly admirable, but I just feel you kind of dropped the ball on this one. No you shouldn’t tolerate poor behavior and insults from anyone, especially a valued long time regular like me or Craig or Dan etc. But you also need to know that some of us carry a certain amount of baggage with us that the other regulars on this site know about and are sensitive towards. Craig is very protective and defensive about Nani, I am about Germany, Ballack, Riquelme and “Total Football”. I will fight for those players and styles of play and teams against anyone who says anything to the contrary about them. I won’t insult them or bad mouth them but then again, I am sensitive towards insults myself, so I will only do that if insulted first.
Although you should not condone Craig’s outburst, he is honest with his feelings and the one thing you have to say for him is he dishes it out but will also take it like a man. Sure it shouldn’t have to come to that but then again, Nani is as dear to him as my hatred and animosity towards George W. Bush is to me. It really brings out the worst in me when i get into conversations about that Anti-Christ prick. Anyway, cheers for handling without putting down the hammer too hard, and cheers to Steven for taking it a lot better than the old Grognard would have taken that beating dished out by my Bro Craig. Now lets have a love fest.
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Here’s the team for tomorrow. I don’t think Fergie will risk Evra, so I believe that our back 5 should be – Evans (he can play RT and LT fullback) when necessary, Rio, Vida, Sheasy and VDS of course. I think Andi can do a job on Fabregas, Carrick and Fletch will no doubt be in MF, with Rooney, Tev and Ronnie up front.
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@Grognard: Its seems your favorite players are Ballack and Riquelme, and I do understand they are great footballers and I also kind of like Germany especially Schweinstieger I feel he can fit in at United somehow, but I want to know whos your favorie United player right now?
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@Craig Mc: Hey I support my mates. I see where you went a little ravenous in your reply but I also understand where you are coming from and I agree with your assessment of Nani. I was supporting you because I felt RR unintentionally baited you into this. He knows like all of us here that you have a real issue with anything anti Nani. I just felt he should have asked Steven to write an article on anything else so that he could spare your feeling as well as your wrath.
So in a sense I am supporting both of you by offering my view of the altercation.
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@Craig Mc: The day “Aluminum” plays for England will be a sad day for England. The guy is totally useless and it’s taken three years for him to mhave a game like the one he had against us. And what really did he do but save a bunch of shots that were at him or very reachable. He’s shite.
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@Grognard: I can’t understand myself why Nani was chosen as an article for the blog, purely because he has been discussed so MUCH for ages and ages, to the point was everyone on the blog were sickened hearing about him. But they sure as feck have had to put up with EXTRA NANI PORTIONS today haven’t they
. To be honest though, I think this will be the end of all Nani discussion for a long, long time, because we have had OVERLOAD 
.
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@Jay Jay: I’d leave it be mate. It’s bad enough if he gets this kind of grief from some of us regular contributors but you are respectfully, a newbie or somebody that hardly shows up. In my view that hardly puts you in any position to criticize somebody who has contributed a lot of fun, knowledge and input into this blog over the past two years. Wrong or right, it’s not for you to make that judgment, having hardly been around to experience all the past Nani talk that has led to this.
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@UnitedUnited: Well said mate.
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@NicoQB: We’re overjoyed that you are so amused mate. I’ll invite you to the next town lynching if you’re interested?
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There once was a guy called RedRanter,
Who got sick of all Nani Banter,
He said ‘shut the fuck up’,
we’ve all had enough, and get back to things THAT MATTER
Now we’ve got to play the Le Arse,
and lets hope it isn’t a farce.
Cos Wenger has said, they’ll thrash us reds,
with a right football kick up the arse.
The whole nation wants the Mancs spanked,
They all want to see us get downed.
So they can party, while we are smarting,
But Fergie always has other plans.
COME ON YOU MAN UTD RED DEVILS.
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@UnitedUnited: I almost fell off my chair in laughter. It’s so typical of Fergie. He is saying that because he plays head games with his team all the time. He knows they all read the stuff online and he will say things that he hopes will motivate his players. Anderson has his positives, but his negatives are the kind I cannot see much future improvement in and thus there is no way in Hell he will be the long term heir to the Scholes throne. Not until he can finesse a pass, show vision in tight and congested areas and finish like a footballer as opposed to an old lady wearing stiletto heels. Sorry, built I just don’t see it and as arrogant as I may sound, I am rarely wrong when I go on a crusade about a player whether positive or negative.
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@Traverse: Rather than saying you are bored why not contribute a new topic yourself mate. Stop being a follower, be a leader.
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@Craig Mc: Loving the club means fuck all to Fergie. Becks, Keane, RVN, all loved the club and had set up long term roots in the city but for Fergie, that was not good enough. Scholes, Neville and Giggs are still around because they get Fergie and know better than to challenge him or ever show doubt or frustration whenever he make a decision. Nani shows his displeasure at being subbed off and his lack of totally understanding the Boss has hurt him. Then again, there are those like Rooney and Ronaldo that seem to be able to get away with murder, but heck they are superstars and Fergie has different rules for them.
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@Grognard: I believe some level of hypocrisy is needed in club management — especially when it comes to man management/media management. Which is why Ronaldo and Rooney always seem to get away with murder. However, if not exercised judiciously, it could be fatal to the manager’s career. In Fergie’s case he seems to be able to do it so well that he’s made this hypocrisy, in treatment of players, work for him. He’s made it an art form, I’d say.
That, and the fact that he’s at the club for over 20 years.
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@NicoQB: No worries mate. Just showing my love for the Roses. I don’t know if they play many other band’s songs at OT, you’ll have to get a local to answer. For me, I make a habit of listening to them on the iPod on the way to the pub before every match. As for the Fall, to the best of my knowledge Mark E. Smith is a Shitty fan.
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@Redrich: He loves him for the same reason I like him a lot. He’s quick with his feet, has nifty moves, a dangerous shot and ability to dribble out of traffic and has the ability to cross with many of the best crossers in the game. This year however he crosses in the box and most of the time nobody is there to benefit from his service. His weaknesses are his ability to get frustrated and lose his composure, he occasionally stops thinking and tries to do it all himself, and a bove all, he refuses to be one of Fergie’s bitches.
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@Hannoodi: That’s where you are different than me and Craig mate. We want what’s best for United too but we also have favorite players who we want to and would like to see do well. If it won’t be for my favorite club, then I am more than happy to see him play for most other clubs as long as it is not a hated enemy. I may never forgive my favorite player Ballack for his signing with dreaded Chelski. That was a hard pill to swallow, believe me. But I still love him as a favorite player. I just boo him when he plays United because United comes first. The team is not however exclusive. I am not one of those who accepts everything for the good of the team. I don’t like it when players I like get shafted, and Nani has gotten the royal shaft this season.
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@Craig Mc: Sink me! You are poet, and I did not know it.
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@Red Ranter: Fergie gets away with murder and double standards both with players, referees, the media and FA because he has had twenty years of success and has been knighted. He has been given the benefit of the doubt and freedom to wield his cane anywhere and anyway he wants. He’s earned that right but it’s not right and leave it to the Grognard to let him know.
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@Hannoodi: I’ll name two because my favorite has been sitting all season long due to injury, that of course being Owen Hargreaves. After that my favorite player is and I make no bones about it, Cristiano Ronaldo. But that comes with conditions. As long as he respects United and stays United. Coming in third would be Nemanja Vidic. Always loved the Serbian for his class and physicality. My all time favorite United player is and always will be the King Eric Cantona. Long Live the King.
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@Craig Mc: Like I said earlier, RR and Steven wanted to go fishing for tuna and landed in a section of sea with a hungry, angry and ravenous Great White Shark known to us as Craig. I can picture the scene right now with the soundtrack from “Jaws”. DADUM…..DADUM…..DADUM…..DADUM DADUM DADUM……..EEEEEKK EEEKKK EEEEKKK! I think you get the picture. I guess you would have preferred to feed off of a naked Kimberly Walsh rather than poor Steven and RR?
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JEEZ!
This is the headline story at the Guardian and I have to say I am totally shocked by it. And yes they are saying Man Utd,not Man City. Perhaps Fergie has finally knuckled under and listened to the Grognard. Who says I have no stroke at OT? 
Manchester United launch £63m bid for Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery
“Manchester United have made an offer of about €70m (£62.5m) for the Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribéry as they close in on a deal that would shatter the world transfer record.
Sources in Munich confirmed the bid has been received for the France international, who has made his desire to leave Germany known in the past few weeks. United scouts have repeatedly watched the 26-year-old in recent Bundesliga matches and sounded out his friends and entourage in Munich.
United’s remarkable offer, which comfortably eclipses the record £44m paid by Real Madrid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001, is contingent on the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid this summer but the approach to Bayern has been firm enough to suggest that the Portuguese’s departure is a near certainty. Although Bayern are understood to have turned down United’s offer, it is considered the first serious move in a negotiation that will eventually bring the winger to Old Trafford.
Ribéry, who earns €8m a year at the Allianz Arena, the equivalent of £134,000 a week, is set to replace Ronaldo as United’s highest-paid player. Due to the unfavourable exchange rate and taxation levels in Britain, the Champions League holders, who take on Arsenal in the semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium tonight, will have to spend closer to £145,000 a week to match his net wages at Bayern. Money, however, is not the determining factor for Ribéry. The former Marseille player, who moved to Munich in 2007 for €25m plus add-ons and is contracted to Bayern until 2011, has repeatedly turned down offers to renegotiate a contract extension on improved terms.
Finishing only 16th in the running for the 2008 Ballon D’Or after a season in which he had inspired Bayern to a domestic double – “I am disappointed, I should have deserved better,” he said – and his club’s 5-1 aggregate defeat by Barcelona in the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League seem to have convinced him that a move to a bigger club has become necessary.
Bayern’s general manager, Uli Hoeness, who has ruled out a sale of Ribéry throughout the season, softened his stance over the weekend. He confirmed Bayern were already eyeing up Werder Bremen’s Brazilian midfielder Diego, 24, as a possible replacement “in case Ribéry were to go”.
Manchester City, who have included the Frenchman on a short-list of transfer targets, have been hampered by their lack of Champions League football next season and are not seriously in the running.
Barcelona recently came close to an agreement with Ribéry but negotiations halted when news of their interest was leaked to the French press by sources close to the player last week. Although Barcelona have not officially pulled out, United are now best placed to entice Ribéry abroad. Relations between Bayern and United are cordial despite displeasure at Sir Alex Ferguson’s aggressive pursuit of Owen Hargreaves in the summer of 2006. The English international moved to Old Trafford for £17m in July 2007.
It is understood that Bayern have rejected Ferguson’s first offer but, with the Germans no longer insisting on a prohibitive €150m valuation – “We would perhaps let him go for that,” Hoeness was quoted as saying in January – negotiations between the clubs are sufficiently advanced to suggest an agreement can be reached before the player goes on holiday in June.
In an interview with the French sports paper L’Equipe last week Ribéry indicated that he would leave Bayern if his team did not qualify for next season’s Champions League: “In those circumstances it would indeed be very difficult to stay, that’s obvious… That’s why the club has to finish at least second.” Bayern are currently second in the league, three points off the leaders VfL Wolfsburg. Only Germany’s top two teams are guaranteed places in the Champions League.”
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I don’t think we will lose Ronaldo in the summer, but if we do, Ribery is the best replacement possible. Not as many goals but way more assists and team play. And dare I say if you take away Ronaldo’s step over, Ribery has way more moves and flair in his arsenal. And he has become a great goal scorer who would be good for around 15 a year. Interesting stuff and a great topic to get off the Nani debate once and for all.
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Has everyone seen this past weekends episode of Special 1 TV. Probably the best one they ever had. I love the Dr Who bit as well as the Sven spreading Swine Flu bit. And Jose put Lamps in his place too.
CLASSIC STUFF!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2411042.ece
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@Grognard: I seriously doubt it would take that much to get Ribery and tbh that’s silly money and we could buy a top striker and a top winger for £30m and be way better off. I mean we could probably get Villa for £30m with Valencia’s finances and bring Silva along with him for less than £60m. I just wish we had’ve signed Ribery 2 years ago for 18 measly million!
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@Grognard: What!?!? No love for Sven’s Mountie pimping?
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@Grognard: Fuck me, that is big news!! And it’s astonishing that the story would break right before a critical run of games for us.
The Guardian has been talking about the Ronaldo departure ever since Christmas and are now following up with story about Ribery. To run all this without a solid source would certainly be journalistic suicide for those involved and would also seem out of step for a usually reliable paper.
So if all this is true, I’m truly left without comment here. Ronaldo leaving, and a record fee for Ribery. The first thing that comes to mind is “is this a fair swap”, for the team and for us supporters.
I’ll have to put my jaw back into a more normal position before I say anything else!!
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