Aug 23
Real Cough Up Money for Wheinze | Benitez Moans and Whines
Another bit of good news filtered down to the papers all over town yesterday. Real Madrid, now officially known as UUPOAH (Unhappy United Players’ Old Age Home), have come and done United a big, big favour: they bought Heinze, and, wait for it… for £8 million!
Now this, I must say, made me feel pleasantly surprised. Real Madrid have always underpaid for our players. Beckham was a snip at £25 million - a sum they were reported to have recovered in three months! Ruud once again was bought for a ridiculously low fee, given his goal return, and the fee paid by Chelsea for Shevchenko.
So, with this bit of business, it’s pleasantly surprising that Madrid paid more than the fee Heinze was touted for and we got a player who was clearly unhappy playing for us, off our backs.
As an aside, Madrid’s purchases, this season, have been interesting, while the amount of money they’ve thrown around has been shocking. The Dutch left-back, Royston Drenthe, was bought, seemingly, to replace the outgoing Roberto Carlos. But the arrival of Heinze would mean Drenthe would be converted to a left-winger. This brings us to another purchase - which is pleasant news if you are a United fan - that of a certain Arjen Robben from Chelsea, who is also a left winger. Oh well, it’s not that I care much on how they intend to make use of their personnel. Capello or Schuster, the White Circus of Madrid shows no signs of letting up.
But from our perspective, Madrid’s buys have taken an unhappy player, who would never be good for team morale, and a scarily creative player, in Robben, away from the Premiership. Robben’s sale to Real means that the Spanish giants have managed to milk the last ounces of creativity from a Chelsea side which now only contains an increasingly injury prone Joe Cole. Although, it would be fair to say they bought an able replacement in Florent Malouda, who has shown, as evidenced by the Rob Styles, that he is just as capable of winning penalties by theatrical dives as his predecessor.
You may have noticed that there is awful little about United in the article so far, and so it will be, I guess. I am reserving a separate post for Gabby. So watch out for that.
Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez has launched a tirade against the Premier League as well as Manchester United. We know the saying that money changes people, or something to that effect. But not in a long time have I seen the transformation so marked in a person than I am seeing right now with Rafa. With the big budget and heightened expectations that accompany such spending, Rafa’s outburst for once made me wonder if it was Mourinho who had suddenly taken over Liverpool. Let’s have a look at some of the claims and you’ll see for yourself what I mean:
Benitez said: “I would like to ask the Premier League a number of questions. How can a player with a signed agreement be treated like this?
I would like to ask Benitez this: how does a piece of signed paper matter if there has been no concrete effort in formally amending the contract between the player and the club? Because last heard, the contract has the ultimate say in matters pertaining to a club’s ownership of a player. Had £6.8 million been mutually agreed and written into his contract as a minimum release clause, then the club would have no power to stop the player from moving.
“Then I would like to ask the Premier League why is it that Liverpool always plays the most fixtures away from home in an early kick-off, following an international break?
How about probability, bad luck for an answer? But don’t we hear this always from managers? Why, Benitez’s old foe, Mourinho always comes up with such gems. How we wish we could have managers stop cribbing about fixtures and conspiracy theories. At least let managers come up with more original/creative moans; as one commenter in the MEN suggested Benitez ask this question to the League: why do we play all away games away from home?
“Then I want to ask the Premier League why it was so difficult for Liverpool to sign Javier Mascherano, when we had to wait a long time for the paperwork, but it was so easy for Carlos Tevez to join Manchester United?”
Unbelievable! I wonder if his brain has temporarily been hijacked by those monkeys on typewriters who happened to write a novel that they implanted into his brain, for him to blurt out. Mascherano’s deal was rather painless because till that point, the Premiership hadn’t really got itself into too much of a mess, and they could do almost anything without too much of a scrutiny. Tevez’s deal happened after much controversy, with the mess of an April ruling, where a billion eyes were on the League. Our case got cleared up after quite a bit of time and plenty of pain. And yes, you lot did get him after the transfer window was shut, under ’special dispensation’. If that wasn’t enough, I wonder what is.
Note that I haven’t even started on the consideration given to the ‘Dippers by the League, to be able to defend their Champions’ League title, when they spectacularly managed to finish fifth, the season before that.
Seriously though, Benitez is trying his best to create some sort of an ‘Us against the World’ situation, which has clearly not worked out well. All he’s ended up doing is sounding like a half-witted twat. At least Mourinho was a smart manipulator of the media and he did win titles. If Rafa intends to be taken seriously he needs to deliver.
Such moans and whines would only see you hit it big on ‘Joke of the Day’ columns. Nothing more really.
(Dear ‘Dipper fans, I’m sure the odd one of your lot pops up and reads this blog. Maintain a level of decency if you intend to comment here. Wind-up merchants would be tolerated, but in a way you will live to regret. Remember, we can moderate your comments, and if you don’t maintain a semblance of civility, I assure you, your comments will be appended with an “I am a Liverpool fan but I Love Man United”)
Related items from Red Rants:- The Week So Far: Benitez, Heinze, Strikers, Nani, EVDS, Ferdinand, Gibson, Saha and Spurs
- Can you lead Manchester United to the Premier League title?
- Why Becks and van “the man” were sold so cheaply to Real
- Wenger Whines Again
- Why Moving to Liverpool Won’t Help Heinze
Tags: Manchester United Players · Manchester United News
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:53
patethic, Benitez has won. It has always been a win/win situation for Liverpool, fans best player of the season on his first year saying he wants to move to Englands greatest? hard to swallow but true. That is enough for me, good luck Gabbi, you served us well.
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:54
Keep writing about Liverpool, while you have pressing issues like 2 points from 3 games… I think you need to focus more on how to get your season started and not worry about Liverpool .
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:56
Haha yes brilliant article… I do think that United now need to add one more player to complete our team.
It was good money we got for Heinze, but he probably needs to be replaced. Buying a striker wouldn’t be a bad idea at all.
Atleast Mourinho didn’t sound like such a ridiculous fool…
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:00
fuck u all manc wankers, go suck ferguson’s saggy man breasts
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:06
Cant you come up with anything better? What a waste of webspace this piece of crap is, RED pants? more like Red POO to me.
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:07
There is a difference in the comments made.. Mourinho makes his comments cos he feels the threat of Utd breathing down his neck. Benitez? I have no respect for a man who doesnt respect his opponents. Mourinho almost always puts out his best XI to win the league games. Benitez lost my respect when he put that team out against Fulham. I may be a Utd fan but i do have a grudging respect for Mourinho.
As for Heinze, I am glad to see the back of him. A player that doesnt want to play for us should get the hell out. Well the Dippers seem desperate to get our 2nd choice Left Back.
I do have a concern. He is supposedly to be Ronaldo’s closest friend at the club. Will it affect Ronaldo in any way??
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:10
A ridiculous fool indeed… just for the records… He won the Champions league in his first year, got to the final last yr… Something Sir Fergie is still dreaming of achieving since 1986. I ll take the ridiculous fool anyday…. Fergie won the CL once in 21 yrs.. legendary stuff indeed
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:42
Even though i’m a Liverpool fan I must
admit that I find it funny that Rafa
has thrown his toys out of his pram.
But even the most diehard United fan
must admit that is exactly what Fergie
has been doing throughout his manageral
career. Maybe Rafa’s just trying to
take a leaf out his book to ensure the
premier league bias swings our way
for a change!!
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:54
rafs not able to handle the stress of trying to win the premeirship thats it all these years all he treid was the cups and not the real deal no wonder they never were in top two 4 past couple of seasons
Hob u got me thinking there since real madrid have a huge dirty habbit of atracting big names i wonder this heize- ronny frndship does not come back to haunt us in the future
anyways nice article
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:15
A strange article this one - have any of you considered that Real paid less for our players (Becks, RVN and now Heinze) as they weren’t really worth much to begin with? I am getting more and more disappointed with the conduct of our club as time goes on. If Heinze had appealed the decision to not join Liverpool or taken it to a court he would have won! Alex’s behaviour in this matter has disgusted me and that’s as a lifelong Man U fan. It’s certainly not immaturity on his part rather the opposite - the tantrums of an old git. Heinze wouldn’t have even gotten into Liverpool’s first team on a regular basis and would have weakened their squad. There is no way he is better than Riise or their Brazilian left-back Aurelio. I understand now Liverpool will reignite their interest in a young Italian left-back who is a considerably better player than what we have in our squad i.e. Patrice “no end product in the final third” Evra and also Heinze himself.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:16
not to be negative, but I think Ronaldo is tipped to leave at the end of this season.
Should we win the CL this year, then Ronaldo will definitely move on (I feel).
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:23
yeah i agree with karl. ronny will move on. he said so himself. utd gonna go all out for champions league then its bye bye ronny bye bye scholes byebye giggs bye bye neville imo
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:27
The article started out well enough although it was irritating to see that the author could not resist the odd squeal of bile which detracted from the general intent to register a view.
As a Liverpool fan, I agree that Rafa has departed from his usual urbanity to air his views in a less than productive manner. I also agree with the underlying view in the article that managers, as a breed, let themselves down when they use sound-bites to address complicated issues but Rafa is not alone in this and Ferguson has done his bit to finely execute the art of delivering the odd exploding invective and petulant tirade over the years (something that was amazingly not mentioned, funnily enough !)
In other words, ‘people in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones’.
The point I wish to make is that the League must really look at how it opens a dialogue with its clubs and more especially its managers. Clearly, given that Mourhino, Ferguson, Wenger and Benitez are all guilty of using this sound-bite strategy to publically raise an issue or a complaint, there is something wrong with with the channels of communication presently in place. Instead of sound-bite diplomacy and the inevitable riposte of an allegation of bringing the game into disrepute from the League, why isn’t there a more robust active dialogue between the Premiership and the clubs and their nominated representatives ?
August 23rd, 2007 at 13:30
Sell ronaldo?.r forgetting who our manager is?
August 23rd, 2007 at 13:42
still laughing from the article. nys piece there mate,,manutd rules and prob with benitez is pride,do u guyz remember him confidently proclaiming that to him heinze was a done deal and he aint looking for another left back,,rafa! get back to the real world! lol!
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:06
hi i personally think that man u supporters will be one sided in their judgement and assesment of this saga as your man Mr Gill messed up and the scurried to fix it . We all know its Fungusface,s lifelong ambition to de-throne the best Team ever in England and that goes without saying LIVERPOOL. u know what Fregie is shaking in his boots with tevez, nani, hargreaves and anderson. For the firt time it looks like liverpool are genuine contenders. Perhaps with the help of the Premiership and the referees and linesman will help to a large extent in awarding the required free-kicks and penalties that Man U so desparatley needs in order to win the league. it happens time after time. U are a bunch of cheats and thieves. Fergie hy-jacked almost all of liverpools targets last year and in years gone by purely because u r one of the richest clubs and now you are the most bonded clubs as the Glazers had to boorow large sums to pay for the actual purchase. Watch this space. Here come liverpool. We dont support a bunch of gay footballers called MAN U.
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:10
benitez..the new moaner on the block…since mourinho has promised to mellow a bit..benitez it seems has decided to take up the mantle..but he sounds like an idiot..not even half as entertaining as mourinho..
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:21
HAHAHA i love this…
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
Thats gold!
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:43
I Luv Real:) (Still I’ll be supporting Barca)
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:47
The most pathetic thing about his tirade is that the soft kopite bellends will lap it. It is beyond belief the way those delusional rednoses and the fawning local media here on Merseyside give that arrogant Spaniard carte blanche to say whatever the hell he likes without ever calling him up on it.
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:55
Red Ranter - I like the bit that’s appended to the ‘bad’ messages.
It’s really funny, espescially if read in juncuntion with the person’s comments.
It seems a bit cruel, but,
They were warned!!!
August 23rd, 2007 at 14:57
fuck u mancs editin my msg..wankstains
Although I am a Liverpool fan, I love Man United! I read Man United blogs and comment on them. I expect Man United fan blogs to praise Liverpool. I am a wishful thinker.
August 23rd, 2007 at 15:14
[karl]
I’v edited only the comments that are expected to be wind-ups. The reasonable Liverpool fan comments have been retained as they are without appending to them. (All this done to avoid a flaming war here that doesn’t contribute too much to the discussion as such.)
August 23rd, 2007 at 16:05
I’m still trying to figure out why no one has pointed out the hilarity of someone thinking the name of your blog was ‘Red Pants’
.
August 23rd, 2007 at 16:25
i guess we should have a warning on the front page in bold letters
scousers not allowed
vasa ur not welcomed here stay away god fergie hijacking their player name one man
August 23rd, 2007 at 17:15
For those of you slating Rafa Benitez consider that he seems to be talking a lot of sense (and I’m a Man Utd fan). Each of his points are valid except it about it being easier for us to sign Tevez than their signing Mascherano. Heinze was treated badly by the Premier league in their decision, they effectively restrained his movement as a worker; the reasons given by us as to why he shouldn’t have joined Liverpool were very weak and reeked of petulance.
August 23rd, 2007 at 21:27
Ben: Rafa comes across as paranoid. The reason for the lunch time kick offs if that Utd and Chelsea (top 2 last year) are the big draws therefore Sky wants these games for their prime time Sunday slots. As a result the third choice time slot, Saturday lunch time, is dominated by the third choice team. Unfortunate, yes but hardly some conspiracy dreamed up by the league to disadvantage Liverpool. He also makes complaints about accusations against Liverpool, suggesting they had no grounding, yet Crystal Palace themselves provided evidence during the hearing that they were approached about buying Heinze. You know what they say, no smoke without fire.
Football clubs can sell players to whomever they want, unless there is a release clause present in the player’s contract. The letter provided did not constitute a release clause or a contract, common sense and basic contract law can tell you that. For the PL to rule in favour of Heinze would have been wrong and marked a significant shift in the conduct of football transfers.