Dec 04
Ljajic transfer about-face is a strange one
We’ve often seen Ferguson express interest in young players. Hell, as we speak, he must be looking at a host of young promising footballers who could become the next star at our club. A few months ago — well, nearly a year ago, to be correct — United completed deals for Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajic from Partizan Belgrade. The transfers saw Tosic move to the club immediately but Ljajic join the side in January 2010.
Only recently, about a couple of months ago, Ferguson was quoted as being rather excited about his arrival:
Given all the talk about him and the fact he plays for Serbia’s Under 21s even though he’s only 18, we hope we will be granted the permit.
Of course, there is also the small issue of actually having paraded him along with Tosic at Old Trafford like the picture below, and manutd.com doing a Q&A with him. [Manutd.com never does such things till something is completely done.]
The comparisons of showing interest in players and then dropping them won’t necessarily apply here, because this was a done deal [with the option to reject clause in it, of course] and money was obviously budgeted for this back in December.
The statement from United obviously was a strange one because it suggests we’ve suddenly decided he wasn’t that good after all. It’s quite possible he isn’t as good as he was being made out to be despite overwhelming opinion on the contrary by most accounts. However, the Ferguson quote — that they were looking to apply for a work permit and their excitement about the player — does not quite add up. It’s really odd if they went scouting his matches after Ferguson made that remark just to be sure he’s good.
This brings us to the obvious questions swirling around in the media that we’re skint. Despite such fears expressed by all and sundry, as well as the lurking fear at the back of most United fans’ minds about our financial situation — there is little hard evidence in the open to prove we are doing badly. We haven’t had egregious problems dealing with banks on our loans like the Liverpool owners have, nor have we defaulted on our payments so far. The only thing we can base our judgements on, is by our spending in the transfer market.
Even then, it’s hard to say anything tangible, because Ferguson’s transfer dealings have often confounded fans and pundits alike only for them to be proven wrong. At the moment, the Glazer ownership has one positive — which is to ensure a manager doesn’t just throw money around for the heck of it: something Ferguson was guilty of when he went on a spree buying the likes of Bellion, Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson and the like. That scatter gun approach taught him to be more prudent. Most of Ferguson’s buys during the Glazer era has been astute. Vidic, Evra, van der Sar for instance. Even Park’s purchase was a good one at the time. We have seen a clear directive (although not explicit) that Berbatov was the exception in the deal to buy players under 26.
A lot of thought needs to be put before we buy players, instead of spending for the sake of satisfying shareholders. [I am not saying the Glazer model of club ownership is right, mind; far from it.] Another instance of this approach is when we didn’t throw crazy money at Tevez. Perhaps, Ljajic is just us being sensible in the market. Maybe he really isn’t that good. Maybe we are saving up now because we intend to have someone lined up for January.
Well, we’d better. Because, at the moment, most fans are forgiving and believe either of two things. One: that Ferguson genuinely believes players are overpriced in this market, or two: that Ferguson honestly believes this side is good enough to last this season.
However, despite a favourable comparison in the goal tally, with respect to last season [although last season, in my opinion, is not an ideal we should be aspiring to, as we limped across the finish line] I am not entirely convinced about a majority of the performances put in this season. I am willing to concede this is a transitional season, and in a season of transition one looks to build a side good enough to dominate the future. But that is a discussion for another day.
United’s handling of the Ljajic affair is hard on the boy, and has been generally abysmal. It goes against the grain of the club’s excellent reputation as far as handling young players is concerned. But, there are already feelers in the media that this money could be put to better use on more ‘ready made’ stars. If that’s the case, I’m fine with it. If not, I will be fine with that too, but the seeds of doubt about our finances actually affecting our decisions in the transfer market — dormant so far — could germinate.
Edit: Phelan in the press conference today gave a different reason for the club deciding against Ljajic:
Mike has just been asked about why Serbian youngster Adem Ljajic is no longer joining the club. Apparently the club were unable to gain a work permit for Ljajic in time for when they had to make a decision about whether or not to sign him. He also added that money was not an issue.
So yesterday they said he wasn’t good enough. And today they say it’s a work permit issue. You’d think a club like Manchester United would at least invest in decent PR.
Also, United Rant who’d emailed the Man Utd communications department, got a response from them here.
Further reading:
1. A very good breakdown of the Ljajic non-transfer by Man United Youth.
2. Soccerlens – Are Manchester United screwed?
3. United Rant – United’s reputation for youth under threat.
Related items from Red Rants:
- United’s Tongue Twisting Duo and What they Mean
- Irons Hammering and Chelsea Stuttering makes Jack a happy boy
- Man Utd v Barcelona: Preview
- Blackburn v Man Utd: Preview
- Easter Island Head To Arsenal: Funniest. Transfer. Ever.
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Grognard
Of course you are invited, you will be the priest!
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@Red Ranter: could be a combo of the two he wasnt good enough to buy without a work permit at the time they were forced to make a final decision.
Maybe the kid really just isnt good enough? I still think we have some time to wait and see if were skint yet. and ill reserve any overly-impassioned, vitriolic tirades against the glazers until said time arrives. the full 90 min is not up yet and so many fans are booing already.
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@colver: +1 true that
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@Red Tan: Finally there are people on this blog who are speaking my language and who feel my hatred and wrath towards the Glazer’s. Finally the Kingdom of Mancunians is waking up to the reality of the situation. Can it be that far off then when we all band together to force the Glazer’s out of town? Nobody wants to be part of something where they are hated and feel outsiders. A lot of harsh treatment and shows of protest against them will get them to sell. Nothing else will. The must go and go ASAP.
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@Red Ranter: They are becoming a PR nightmare. At best the Glazer’s must hire a savvy PR man who knows how to handle questions to the media and how to publish official statements from the club without them changing every 24 hours. This is a case where not everyone in the organization is on the same page. I’ve seen it work it’s ugly side many times when I was working for the government here in Canada. Only solution was that everything that comes out from the team has to go through one individual who checks for quality, and consistency. I mean they are a bloody football team and instead they are acting like the Labor Party after a bad day in Caucus. Shameful and sad really and yet more evidence of what I have been screaming about for years now. The Glazer’s are out of touch with the common man and all they are concerned with is fleecing this club for as much as possible and then dumping it as well as the debt on to someone else because they know it will still sell. In the mean time, they are sucking up all the profits while making the minimum payment required to the banks for the loans and offering the club very little to operate on.
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@Traverse: Ask yourself this, what great manager out there will take a job when he knows the owners are slowly but surely sabotaging the the team and where very little is offered to that manager for player transfers? Mourinho wants the job but not if he finds out that all he has to work with ten to fifteen million pounds for players. Only a desperado will be willing to take the job under the Glazer’s regime. I for the life of me am amazed that Fergie hasn’t quit out of frustration. His loyalty to them is a real enigma to me which always leaves me with a little bit of optimism that I could be wrong and the problem all along has not been lack of available funds, but Fergie’s Scottish frugality and inability to judge talent. If that is the case, then no problem, but I just don’t believe it is. Too many things have happened that point a finger at the Glazer’s and a depleted bank account.
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@Red Tan: Is it in the teams best interest to tell a bold face lie that every one else can sense and that they do a terrible job concealing?
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@Beachryan: Many teams have problems getting players work permits. They all come out and say his transfer is complete pending a work permit. That makes everyone know that the only thing that can derail this is a work permit. And when was the last time we saw a player turned down because he never got a work permit? I certainly don’t recall. The work permit angle is complete total bull shit of the first order. Manchester united are acting and running their organization like a bunch of ass clowns.
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@Footy4Eddy: I’ve committed too many sins to be a priest, even at this wedding. Besides, how could I possibly join two Anderson fans together in happy matrimony and still live with myself? I’d only preside at weddings for Ballack and Riquelme fans.
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For some change
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/12/tony-cascarinos-premier-league-team-of-the-decade.html
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@Grognard: what great manager out there will take a job when he knows the owners are slowly but surely sabotaging the the team and where very little is offered to that manager for player transfers? Mourinho wants the job but not if he finds out that all he has to work with ten to fifteen million pounds for players.
Most great managers will take the United job if it were offered. Glazers or no Glazers.
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@Grognard: Can it be that far off then when we all band together to force the Glazer’s out of town?
Certainly far-fetched exaggeration given the circumstances. They couldn’t drive Mike Ashley out for all his woeful management of the club. And we are a million times better off to induce such a fan revolt. I don’t think a revolt is the way forward, as much as we’re unhappy with the way things are run.
As I’ve said before, the whole “Glazers are evil” is well-known to all United fans. And nothing will happen as long as Ferguson holds the side together – even if we get a new manager and if he happens to keep the side up and running.
Fans care about trophies at the end of the day.
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@Red Ranter: Unless they are Liverpool-fans… then they care about trying to win trophies
Or City fans, then they care about posters, over-paying and looking up to big brother United!
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I can’t believe this. Just 24hrs ago I was saying EXACTLY the same thing United Rant (last link) are talking about. The exact same points. Sometimes on this blog people can make you feel like you are talking nonsense and being melodramatic but it’s encouraging to see that other people see things the way you do. Clearly, this whole issue is a big screw up on our part. A lot of folk are just trying to play things down. There is no way and I mean no way this is about the kid’s progress. How shameless can we be really? How low and cold can we get diverting the heat on the kid by claiming he didn’t make the grade knowing fully well it ain’t nothing to do with that? Pathetic and at the same time tasteless and classless. We have recently acquired a history of treating players like rubbish. In fact it’s not that recent after all since Ferguson has his own history of poor treatment of players. Ince, Becks, Forlan, RVN, Tevez, Nani. But with the exception of Nani this treatment has never been extended to very young players. This is a new phenomenon. 18 bloody years old and apparently he was still reassuring his fans on his Facebook page that the deal was still a go since he had not received any news of that nature from United. That was yesterday morning. He was saying not to worry it’s all media talk and he was gonna be a United player in less than a month. How disgusting is that. Sick. If I’m a young player and I’ve got Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona, Milan and United tracking me then definitely United will be my last”all-else-has-failed-incl-West Ham” option. Especially given how more experienced youngsters like Nani etc still struggle to get into the team ahead of golden oldies like Paul Scholes and esp Gary Neville. My advisors will passionately advise against going to United and rightly so. How some continue to see all things rosy is beyond me. Open your eyes and look beyond the sainthood of Sir Alex Ferguson and see the reality
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@owen: What a garbage team… Why is Gerrard on team of the decade when he won 0 premier leagues and Scholes and Giggs are on the bench or missing all together and have 6 .
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: It’s Tony Cascarino. ’nuff said.
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Now having said that I’d like you all to know that I’m not blaming the manager here. I’m just saying all should look beyond their perception of “always right” Ferguson and attach the same respect to every Tom etc. If Ferguson is behind all this then great shame on him but I seriously doubt this was his decision. Everything and I mean everything (to those who are not naive that is) points to a last minute financial decision and nothing else. Not talent, not work permit(which was a PR disaster on our part by the way) and most definitely not our current squad. Dollars and cents or rather sterling pounds and pennies. That’s why I really doubt this was sanctioned by Ferguson.
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@Jay wire: “Having said that” eh?
heh may I point you out to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhyGlGgXMxY
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: I am not familiar with him outside of that article…
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@[OPTI]Madschester United:
the figures can be found in the details of the PIK loans in the Red Football accounts. not sure where (online) atm if i’m honest, but i’ve read them plenty of times.
and ST prices have gone up from £20 in 77, to £50-£80 ish in the early 80s, to £100-£150 early 90s, £300-£500 in 96, £400-£600 late 90s and it’s now £800 ish, some are a bit cheaper but the ACS screwed a lot of people into paying more anyway.
i’m well aware that the previous board weren’t shy in hiking prices way beyond inflation 10 years ago either, but the imposition of the ACS added to the constant rises has made it too much for a good few.
(not that it shows)
it makes no odds really, it’s either a bigger fatter sugar daddy, or, DOOM!
neither of which particularly appeals to me if i’m honest.
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@CraigMc:
as has been mentioned, his agent was the one who said it was work permit related.
partizan have ‘claimed’ that it’s cos we’re skint.
now they can’t know that for sure, but given the events of the last 48 hours, i know which side i’m tempted to believe.
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@Jay wire: He’s no bloody saint, he wouldn’t have won all those trophy’s if he was.
He’s as fallible as you and I and has certainly got elements in his personality that work against him.
Let’s not forget, he has a hard time controlling his rage, and lets also not forget he has a hard time controlling his passion!!
The likes of him has not been seen in recent memory – his success, his endurance, his steady handness, all have no matching comparisons!! He wins, he loses, he excels, he fucks up. He’s just like you and me, only he wins more than he loses, and excels more than he fucks up. He’s not a god, nor is he a devil. He just happens to be in charge of a team that we all feel so passionate about, and for so many years.
The Llajik thing is just piffle. If he changed his mind and he felt the kid wasn’t worth the money anymore, I’ll back his judgement. TBH I could give a rats arse about 18 year old’s that may or may not be the next coming. If he’s that good, Barca or RM or Chelski will pick him up, and his life will be just fine.
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@Red Ranter: I lived in Edmonton my friend and I’ve seen it happen with the Edmonton Oilers former owner Peter Pocklington. After numerous threats to his life and constant harassment from people on the street and at games, he finally got the hint, sold all his businesses and got the hell out of Dodge. Nobody wants to be where they are not wanted and despised. As for it happening, yes it won’t happen as long as Fergie is running things. But what about after that. More and more bad publicity for the team and more and more rumors of poor financial standing is going to make many prospective managers think twice about coming. Yes the job is highly prestigious but the present ownership is like pouring salt brine on chocolate sunday.
The Glazer’s running of this team is enough to turn many off the job because no manager likes to manage with one or both hands tied behind their backs. And you think little of the passion and the commitment fans have for their team if you think they won’t revolt if things get really out of hand. We are not Newcastle, we are United and we are all used to a specific standard and a pride and heritage for this team needs to be maintained and saved. If we start to implode on the field as well as off, look for fans to finally get pissed off enough to act. It might not look like it now but then again, nobody thought things would look like they do now just three years ago. Unlike Newcastle, this team’s fans have pride and have been spoilt on winning. Anything less will get them to revolt. I’m not talking pitchforks and axes, I’m talking protests and staying away from OT.
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@Jay wire: It’s amazing how everybody can bash us for our beliefs and then when things actually start to happen the way we predict, they just go on without ever alluding to the fact that Jay Wire or Grognard or Redrich or some others were right all along. How many times do I have to be proven right before the abuse I get stops? And Jay you got it right also but did you get a pat on the shoulder and acknowledgment from the masses over your comments which came previous to the Ljacic affair? Nobody wants to admit we are right when we are because nobody likes egg on their face. They call me arrogant or full of myself when all I am trying to do is make them see that other minority opinions are often right and need to be respected because of the fact they were well thought out and based on an intelligent analysis of the situation. Well done mate and kudos for getting it spot on. Admiral Fergie has been running a shoddy ship of late and playing favorites with the crew while forcing many good hands to walk the plank. And as if Fergie’s treatment of players wasn’t bad enough, now we have the owners pulling the plug on a confirmed transfer because of financial problems. How many more things do we need to predict before we start getting a little credit? Man it sucks to be a United supporter right now, regardless of the wins.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Gerrard is on the team because he has been an awesome player for Liverpool in this decade. Love him or hate him (and it’s clear that everyone on here hates him), the fact remains that Gerrard is a fantastic talent and has been super clutch for his team. It is a team game mate and one man cannot win it all for them yet he has brought them an FA Cup single handedly and saved their bacon and brought them a European Cup as well. I wouldn’t say he was completely shut out of trophies this decade. I don’t like him but he is a player I have always admired for his skill and ability to be clutch.
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@Jay wire: I agree. Everything points to the Glazer’s and Fergie not showing up for the press conference may be a case of he being pissed off with the situation enough to not be bothered for fear of exploding. I think he has tolerated about as much as he is going to take from the Glazer’s and this January will tell us if he will be returning next season. If he gets the few players he wants, he’ll be back. If he doesn’t get the money, I think he will finish out the season and retire because you cannot run a club like this and have zero money to play with.
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@algernon radish: Thanks! I will be looking for the PIK and Red Football details online…
20 to 800+ pounds in 30 years is a “wee” bit above inflation eh… in fact, 850 is one month salary for me. I can sure understand how people may have to give up on season tickets if the increase continues… maybe that is what they want since individual tickets yield larger profits.
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@Redrich: Got to love your honesty mate. I to couldn’t care less about the kids as most of them are woefully overrated and very few will ever amount to a hill of beans. Fergie is far from perfect but who will argue over his success. My concerns regarding Ljacic has nothing to do with the kid but what this kind of thing does tot he team’s reputation and the perception of the team. For em it is making me think that we are even more broke than i bitch about week after week. It’s got me in a panic. Right now things are so bad as i see it that Fergie and his genius is the only thing keeping us afloat as he is masking the situation as best he can.
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oh yeah, forgot to mention. Denmark, Holland, Japan, Cameroon and USA, England, Algeria, Slovenia are the groups I will follow most closely… and what about group of death(s) G (brazil) and D (germany)?
Good stuff for this summer. Can’t Wait!
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@Grognard: Listen mate, nothing is proven yet, but the writing has been on the wall for some time – and for that, folks either cant be bothered to read the wall, or are too busy reading an imaginary wall!!
I’m just not interested in the fantasy of what was, or maybe could have happened, I just want to see things as they are!!
If we are broke, and the likelihood is the Glazers are hurting big time, lets put that out in the open and deal with it like grown adults. What is much less appealing to me, is this constant sniping about the possibilities that the responsibility for all our troubles falls squarely on the head of innocent parties!!
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@Grognard: Mate, if we were in control it would be nirvana at OT. All that we speak, and all that we preach would be ours to dole out!!
However, (and you probably knew that was the next word!) the best we can do, in reality, is to shine some light on what is happening with our club. Form solid opinions, based on the facts that are available, and to object and support as the occasion rises.
If there’s anything else, I’d be happy to sign up!!
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@Red Ranter: But he put out a balanced team.I know keano not being there will open up some debate,but the Pires selectoin over Giggs,outside OT,will appear the best option,but i know many United fans will not agree.
Giggs while having played at a top level for most of his life,has never been as consistent as Pires was.Easily the most threatening winger at his time in England.
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@donibrasco: On second thoughts since it wa the best team of this decade (ie, the 2000s, I can concede Pires over Giggs.) But I’d want Makelele in one of the MF spots merely because of how important he was to Chelsea.
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@Redrich: What’s so frustrating is that we the loyal supporters are kept so in the dark. I’d like to be wrong and i’d love to be shown all the money Fergie has to spend but the longer they keep shut a veil over their business, the more and more people like myself will continue to slash at that veil hoping to catch a glimpse of what’s happening inside. It may not be our business but we care and we support and for that, we must be respected by the team. Right now we all should feel like Rodney Dangerfield.
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@Grognard: Paying supporters deserve to know what happens in the club, but most clubs these days are shut shops for many years. It’s frustrating but I’ve long made my peace with that. Screaming at them for it will make them look at us like a doctor would at a sane guy wrongly shut up in an asylum.
I’ve stopped going on about the Glazers a long time ago, precisely because of this. And a lot of people I’m sure see the writing on the wall, but also understand that as long as Fergie’s at the helm, it’s always going to be a waste of our energies.
The Glazers live miles away, have never given a fuck about those in “MUST” who have actually lobbied against the Glazers in tangible ways ever since the takeover. You think they are going to bother about us letting our blood pressure off the scales in an internet blog? No – as much as we’d like to think our humble little blog in the corner of the internet matters. Being invested as a fan in modern football has become a one-sided relationship. The sooner we come to terms with that the better it is for our health.
Till then it’s a world of hurt for everyone involved.
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@Red Ranter: Veira and Keane were as if not more important to their respective sides, look at Arsenal and ourselves now both sides have not replaced either player and it shows, Chelsea have in my eyes with a better option Essien.
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@Red Ranter: Also Giggs has to in over Pires in my eyes Giggs is the best United player of all time, maybe not with ability as we have had better players but with the way he plays and how he represents everything good about our club.
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@Stephen: In the 90s I’d put Keane and Giggs in. But I think 2000-2010 both Keane and Giggsy’s influence waned in comparison to other players in their position.
You must make a distinction between all time and this decade.
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@Red Ranter: Keane was very influencial in the early 2000′s and Giggs is still producing now and is the current PFA player of the year.
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@Grognard: It’s not Fergie’s loyalty to them it’s his loyalty to us and the team. He knows that when he’s gone we’re fucked, so he’s staying around and biting his lip for as long as possible for the good of United.
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@Red Ranter: Actually describes 99% of YOUR opinion posts.
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@Jay wire: Um, ok.
PS: Just so you know, my post wasn’t directed at your comment at all, but the phrase just reminded me of the episode I’d watched yesterday. (A completely unrelated comment meant as a joke.)
Of course, if you really meant that, disregard the PS part of it.
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We should look forward to an exciting match at West Ham today. Zola has said he is setting up his team not to defend, but to outscore United. If that’s the case, I think we’ll murder them.
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@Footy4Eddy: lol….
(RR my smileys are not working)… oopppss an issue with my browser..
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@Footy4Eddy:
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@Grognard: I guess ticket to NORWAY is on its way buddy…
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Preview up.
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@Redrich: That’s why I said I believe SAF has very little to do with this whole thing. I’m not questioning his worth. I was talking of how cynical this whole thing looks and how it is irresponsible behaviour that should only be reserved for the likes of Real Maggots FC.
Now if you think “this whole Ljajic thing is just piffle” that’s your opinion. You obviously go with anything you suppose the manager decides right or wrong. Reports are already coming in of how the youngster has been affected psychologically with his agent saying “this will change the course of our lives” since they had already focused everything on what was a “done deal”. It’s pretty bad. Platini and Blatter have done a great work at tainting our reputation with their claims of us taking advantage of young rising stars. Carlos Alberto Parreira called us “rapists” when we got the Da Silvas. I know, as you indicated yourself,that you wouldn’t care much for the kid and what happens to him,but at least you should be genuinely concerned about our battered reputation. Think of it really,we have successfully shot ourselves in the foot for the upteenth time with our recent conduct.I mean in all honesty,our treatment of players and especially young players of late has been atrocious and we will get what is coming to us for it. With our recent dealings with players like Rossi(though it was not entirely our fault),Nani,Tevez and now Ljajic,the rest of the world is not going to look for explanations like we do. They will just shrug their shoulders and say”look what did you expect.It’s ManUtd after all,that’s what they do. Ask Ramsey.” Say the next genuine Messi comes along. Do you think we would look very attractive to him? I think not.
So whichever way you look at it,whether like some of us who feel for the kid or like you whose only concern is what’s best for the club,this is still one major screw up
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@Jay wire: Regardless of what the agents say regarding his being affected psychologically (personally I think he would have been shocked, but psychological damage is most likely exaggeration), however, I think it’s a major goof up from a PR angle by United. And they’ve served a whole load of BS to cover it up.
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anyone wanting to read a bit more about the debt, and the PIK loans, read this article in the times today.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6945421.ece
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