Jul 07
Three Questions for Manchester United
This was written several hours before the time indicated against the article so there is a chance that one of my questions could already have been answered by the time you are reading this. So bear with me.
Let’s play a game folks. It’s not a game really, but still, humour me on this one. Not much has happened in the transfer front and many fans have developed an acute illness borne out of furiously refreshing Newsnow, clicking through to headlines that scream out “EXCLUSIVE: Huntelaar signs for United” or “United sign next Pele” or “Kaka declares love for United (after declaring his love for Jesus for the 12567th time)”; the chief perpetrators of such behaviour being sites like Tribal Football, Sportingo, Caught Offside, The Sun and plenty of blogs looking to generate quick cash with misleading headlines. [I may have been guilty from time to time, but then I am really too lazy to be arsed to think of catchy headlines or perhaps, I just don't have the creative spark in me.]
Moving on… here’s the ‘game’.
I am going to ask three questions to United. I will expand on each question, and then all you have to do is to either agree with my three questions or, if you disagree, post three questions of your own. These three questions can be anything from the current transfer saga to anything that concerns you about United at the moment.
A brief bit of a disclaimer before going ahead, though: I won’t be putting these questions to the folks at Manchester United — be assured. I have no inside knowledge of the people there. It’s just an open letter and anyone can answer to them.
Question 1. What is going to happen to our number two (Assistant Manager) position?
There has been no quotes from Queiroz assuring us that he’s staying at United. There is a growing chorus from the media that he has agreed personal terms. Despite the lack of clear quotes from the man himself it is certainly possible that he will quit United and head over to his homeland. So what names would crop up if that happens will be for us to wait and see. Cantona’s name will be at the forefront in media circles, and although he could be a great motivator, choosing him would be a decision of the heart, not the mind. No one knows his tactical acumen so we can never tell if he’s ideal. Update: As I write this the Mirror claims that McClair is being lined up for Number 2. Whilst he brings in continuity to the club hierarchy, I personally have misgivings on his appointment based on what I’ve heard from different people.
Question 2. Are we getting a striker?
When Fergie said it will be one signing this summer, do we know for sure if it’s a striker he’s talking about? Names like Huntelaar, Berbatov have been bandied about whilst reports circulate that Manucho may have come to Old Trafford carrying an injury. So this ‘mystery single signing’ of ours will not be known for sure until we get an official confirmation.
Question 3. Why have we taken so long to decide on an operation for Ronaldo?
This is my most important question to United. If the club have decided that Ronaldo will not be going anywhere why didn’t they have a meeting with the Portugal doctors earlier? He is still on a holiday and he could find time to meet with the doctors now, so surely, he could have done this immediately after the Euros? What were the doctors waiting on? If the club are firm that Ronaldo isn’t going anywhere and they know that he’s carrying an injury, common sense would dictate an assessment of the injury at the minimum, as soon as possible.
Ok, so these are my three questions to United. Feel free to comment on these questions (see if you can give me satisfactory answers) and add three questions of your own.
Over to you…
Related items from Red Rants:
- Revisiting the Ronaldo Debate
- Do you like Rio Ferdinand?
- Blah, Blah, Blah… Waffle, Waffle, Waffle…
- Transfer magic / what next for United?
- On the Kaizer Chiefs Friendly + Rodrigo Possebon
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
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RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (346)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
All this Huntelaar talk and still nothing is happening. And the reason nothing is happening is because United aren’t interested. Ajax has confirmed that they have heard nothing from both United as well as Arsenal. That leads me to believe that all the talk coming out of Huntelaar’s mouth as well as his agent is nothing more than wishful thinking. In my opinion he is not overpriced so why the delay? Perhaps Fergie has his heart firmly set on buying Berbatov even if he pays 10 to 15 million more than the Bulgarian is worth, but I seriously think that is the reason either. The real reason is still rooted back into my same old story and theory over the past month. We have not got the money to buy a player that pricey. Fergie is presently scouring the world for the best 12 to 15 million pound buy he can find because that is the war chest he has been given. When he thought the Glazer’s said 50, what they actually said is 15. Sounds similar if spoken quickly you know. That’s probably 15 million short of what it will take to buy Berbatov and 10 short of what they need for Huntelaar. Sure I could be wrong (and I sincerely hope I am) but at this point even many of you may start jumping on my bandwagon due to confusion and frustration. Thanks to Tomas for creating a new and amusing term for this sort of malady to the system.
Folks, you’ve been Grognified.
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Please somebody who knows about this, answer this question for me? Is United obligated legally to allow Anderson to take part in the Olympics? Seriously, this is a professional team that competes and makes money like any other business. I don’t see how any professional organization is required to release player’s for any kind of international duty, especially a tournament that is amateur in theme? Why are United not saying NO to Anderson and to Dunga? The lad is 19 and he really hasn’t got a say in anything his club decides. He will just shut up and take it. He is needed at his club and that’s that. Why is this not being done? And why would we let him go knowing that we risk him getting injured for Brazil rather than for us? Please, somebody enlighten me?
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They can choose to keep him Grog, they just didn’t here. I’m not really sure why. He may have begged them to play, and I don’t see United standing in front of a player wanting to represent his country. I’m sure they told him that he’ll have hell to pay if he gets hurt lol.
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What’s the rush Grog? It seems like the players we are targeting aren’t going anywhere, so I don’t see why we would have to rush. I mean, we’ve all heard Huntelaar to Arsenal, but we know they cant afford him, so I’m not even worried about it. SAF will get his man, have no fear.
Just thinking outside the box though, what’s been going on with Samuel Eto’o? I’m surprised he hasn’t been more of a target for us.
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We will then end up with Luis Fabiano!!
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Just something to keep in mind. Tevez easn’t signed until Aug 10. Interest didn’t really turn into anything until about this time. Let Fergie do his thing.
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@Grognard: Ajax has confirmed that they haven’t heard from Arsenal. But they remained tight lipped about United.
And yes, if Anderson is called, he is obligated to join.
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@Brian Lomax: Inactivity to me is a show of weakness. If I have the money and I know what the Hell I want, I go out and get it. That’s the way Fergie used to go and get his players. If they were available, he just went and got them. Why rush to buy van Nistelrooy after he just had knee surgery? He went out and bought him anyway. Why not wait and see a little more of Ronaldo before you buy, or a little more of Nani or Anderson? People were not breaking down the doors to get to them either. When he made up his mind he wanted Sheringham, Cole, Yorke and Stam, he went out and took care of the negotiations quickly. He even showed his hand aggressively and positively with Hargreaves’ and Carrick’s former teams even they forced him to wait.But back then you would here that the team was in negotiations with a player and a team for that player’s contract. Now all we hear is rumors that are not substantiated by any concrete offers. Now all of a sudden we hear nothing about our team being seriously linked with a player due to a communication with a team or a serious offer being tabled. Instead we get absolutely nothing. It is not like Fergie to not buy a few players every year. What is he cheap and thrifty all of a sudden? Doe she honestly believe that our team is so incredibly perfect and unbeatable that we don’t need any more new blood? BOLLOCKS! Every year he has been manager he has been progressively aggressive in pursuing new players despite whether the team has won anything or nothing the previous year. He does not live in the past and he is always willing to push the envelope and make things happen.
Why do you suppose he has never sold players like Saha yet? There’s always somebody out there willing to throw a bob on Balsa Boy? The reason is the money is too little to make a difference for him and he cannot afford to lose him as he knows he is thin on strikers and the money may not be there to replace him. Bullshit you say? Perhaps, but on the chance I am right you members who are not yet “Grognified” will have to explain to me what the Hell went wrong this upcoming season, when no new blood showed up and instead, our squad just began to dwindled and whither because of injuries and dissent. Keeping Ronaldo is a major mistake if in fact he plans to do so. The scumbag has burned his bridges in my mind and I cannot believe his teammates will be jovial and open hearted to him once training camp opens. In the past players who showed dissent were sold immediately and that was that. RVN, Beckham, Stam, Keane are the strongest examples of stars who were shown the hairdryer and the royal boot out the door. And why? Because Fergie knew he could replace them with money well spent. But any money that will be had from a sale of Ronaldo will not go towards buying more players I fear. And that may be the number one reason why Fergie is doing an about face in terms of his stance on dissent and insubordination. Truthfully, I am tired of this rant and this paranoid and negative thinking as you folks are of reading it. I apologize for my feelings and my honesty but what am I a devoted United supporter supposed to think when all this sitting around and doing shite is driving me and many others loony and towards depression? I’ve almost had enough. I seriously think there is a problem here and I just wish Fergie would get his Scottish arse in gear and prove me wrong. I’d like nothing more than a little egg on my face. Please Fergie, end my misery and make my millennium.
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@Red Ranter: RR, is he legally obligate to join and is United legally obligated to let him? Patriotic obligation is one thing but does United have to allow him to go based on that? Wasn’t Barca telling Messi he could not go and even Bayern had told DeMichelis that he could not go either. I’m royally confused.
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Any news on Tevez? Why hasn’t his contract been sorted out yet? Or Is Fergie planning on booting the guy? It’ll be hard to swallow.
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@Grognard: Well, for one thing, I don’t see him selling Saha. For all his injuries and junk, he’s working as hard as he can to get back into a United shirt. You can’t give up on a player like, because once he’s healthy, he’s a hell of s a striker. Is Fergie banking on him? I certainly hope not, although, if you get him back healthy, its like a new signing. almost.
I don’t think Fergie is being cheap and thrifty. I think he’s unsure of the situation. Seriously thiink about…you have a Berbatov, who has all the talent in the world, and a pissy attitude to go with it. Then you have the likes of Huntelaar and Arshavin, who are both talented, but will they fit into the United system? Its a question Fergie has to ask himself, and its one he has to get right. If he’s onyo gonna sign one player. he better damn well get it right. I think he gets his man in the end, but I do think he’s weighing his options here.
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@Brian Lomax: No thanks to Eto’o here, he is a head case and SAF would slit his throat before Christmas.
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http://www.espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news/detail/item84357/Exclusive:-Arshavin-worth-US-47m/
I really hope that United are one of the 3 premiership clubs…..
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@Grognard: Since Anderson is under 23 Man Utd have no say on whether he is called up to play in the olympics, had it been over 23 Man Utd could of denied him from playing for Brazil in the olympics; sucks if you ask me, hopefully he won’t be too tired but at the same time i hope he shines and makes a big name for himself and also maybe even score
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@k9: Mate we have got him on a loan deal for 2 years,, thats why there is no rush to make him permanent and besides we have to sort out his 3rd party ownership as well….
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Why does the Ronaldo video say :No longer available?
, Anybody?
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@Brian Lomax: Aahh come on Brian. You don’t honestly believe that do you? How do you explain Veron, Djemba Djemba, Kleberson, Blanc, Poborsky, Forlan etc? He bought all these guys and he wasn’t sure what he was going to get or whether they would work out. The difference is that when he bought them, he wasn’t worried about spending the money. Now he has to because the ownership will not give him the funds he needs to go out and do his usual buying and speculating. All of a sudden he can’t take a chance on a player. He’s had to alter his game plan and shopping list because his wallet isn’t as thick and as durable as it used to be. The Fergie of yesteryear never gave a second thought about a player fitting his side. He’d buy him and if he was wrong for the team he would sell him at a small loss. Really, I’m surprised nobody can see this because the warning signs for a troubled business with no cash outlay is staring us all right in the face. This is not my old Manchester United. The sooner this team is sold to a winner and out of the hands of pretenders, the better off we all will be. Say what you want about Abramovich, if his manager wants money for Kaka, money he shall get. Honestly, I get more and more depressed when I think about. Sorry for being such a downer to all of you. I just can’t help it. It’s how I honestly feel. Man Utd is going to break my heart this year off the field and I think on as well. It’s just looking that way and that killer schedule is not going to help. You can all put my feelings and theories down until you are blue in the face, but from where I sit I find hard for any of you to not examine my solid examples of evidence that paint a particular picture that shows me to be right. Seriously.
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I think United are in no rush to resign tevez because as previously stated he has a 2 year loan. And i think Fergie wants to have all the cash available if and when he decideds to plunge into the transfer market.
and the Ronaldo video was absolute quality. It almost brought a tear to my eye, and reminded me why I loved him so much. I know alot of you think he burned his bridges but I am not so sure. as a fan I have nothing to base my opinions on except for what I read from the English press. So I have no way of knowing what is fact or fiction. He vary well may have burned his bridges, but only time will tell.
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@Krishnan: The three clubs from what I have read are Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.
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@ManUtd Fan: I couldn’t care less if he sucks apples for Brazil and stinks the joint out. As long as he comes back in one piece and not knackered.
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@Grognard: I think you have a valid argument up until you say “Really, I’m surprised nobody can see this because the warning signs for a troubled business with no cash outlay is staring us all right in the face.” as far as I can tell as a Business United is very healthy. yes there is debt, but as of right now club earnings are having no problems servicing the debt. I do agree with you on that something in the background is slowing ferguson in the transfer market. IMO The glazers have told fergie to spend if he has to, but if at all possible avoid huge gambles. The success of our club both on and off the pitch means that we dont pay “fair prices” for players. because of that, and the fact that are current team is League and European champions, I think fergie is having a tough time justifying the need of a 15-30 million pound striker to the naive Glazers. I agree with most of you in that we need to buy this summer, it was painfully obvious when players like rooney and ronaldo were out last season.
I would love to see a top rated striker come in(villa,eto’o,Berbatov) but I would settle for a Huntelar or Santa Cruz. I also think we need to address the RB position. Wes Brown stepped up admirably but he to me, is the not the right man for the first XI job. I want either Ramos, Micah Richards or Lahm.
I know I am dreaming a little bit but this is what I would like to see, not what i expect. I think we have the money, but the Glazers dont want to spend.
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@johnsom33: Fair enough, but if he comes out publicly and requests a move to Real but is forced to play out this season, how will you feel towards him then? For me he is dead and has more than burned his bridges. He’s flown an airplane filled with my heart and soul as a passenger straight into the side of a mountain. I’d call it more than burning bridges with me. He could go out and score 40 goals again this year and he will be dead to me. The only chance he has of bringing life and love back into my heart when he is concerned, is if he signs a long term personal commitment deal with United stating that he will definitely not ask for a move. Then I will forgive, but I still won’t forget. He has treated United and all there supporters and especially the ones that adored him the most of all, like total shit. It is nothing short of a horrible betrayal. I feel like Michael Corleone and he’s my Fredo. I think I’m going to suggest a quiet boat ride in the near future for my little Madeira Bambino. Can anybody say Big Pussy (reference to the Sopranos)?
I now think he deserves a lot of that same abuse and ignorance back. His statement that we will forgive as soon as he scores a goal smells of such arrogance and total disrespect for us all that it makes me sick to the stomach. We’re all just a bunch of stupid and fickle idiot s that all we need from him is to swing a few shiny objects in front of us and we will bow to his greatness. He can go fuck himself. Man Utd fans should act like the Roman Mob of Ancient Rome. They had the power over whether a gladiator lived or died by which way they pointed their thumbs. And right now my thumb is pointing way down for Citizen Ronaldo. Where is Maximus and his sword when I need him most?
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Is there gonna be any press conference before the match on August 12th? Maybe a journo could raise the question on our lack of activity in the transfer market…and no i’ve not been groggified cus i know Fergie said one player and we’ll still have like a month and half till the transfer season closes. Though i might be worried if we don’t sign anyone at the end of July.
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Is there gonna be any press conference before the match on July 12th? Maybe a journo could raise the question on our lack of activity in the transfer market…and no i’ve not been groggified cus i know Fergie said one player and we’ll still have like a month and half till the transfer season closes. Though i might be worried if we don’t sign anyone at the end of July.
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*Sorry double post
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End of Euros +10 and all is quiet…
I think I’m gonna have a heart attack!
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@Grognard: Grognard I read that Zenit’s talks with Barcelona have ended coz Barcelona were not ready to offer more than 15 mill euros and it looks like Zenit want something like 30 mill euros.
And also now you’ve started to sound like you want Utd to buy like Chelsea. Abramovich can throw money like that but we can’t because we are being run like a proper business. Chelsea buy players for the sake of it. When SAF wanted to strengthen his squad he was always given money. Next comes Fergie’s failure in the transfer market…. as you’ve mentioned his last mistake was probably Forlan….. But nearly all his signings after that have been carefully chosen and have clearly been a success look at Rio, Rooney, Vidic, evra, nani, tevez, anderson, hargreaves and ronaldo. And there’s no need for panic yet. As for as Huntelaar I believe Ajax are looking for a higher price and that is why this is taking longer than expected. Ramos rates Berbatov really higher and only if he can find someone to fill his boots can let him go.
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@Nino: Hey Nino, you can’t steal my gig. That was my line.
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@Krishnan: No I don’t want us to be like Chelsea but I do believe the team should be spending anywhere between 25 to 40 million a year to fill gaps or problems caused by players leaving, retiring or slowing down. That’s not to say that I am not envious of a team that has an owner who will do anything it takes to win. That’s why I love the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and especially the New York Yankees. Our team is one of the top 5 teams in the world and we should be acting like it and acting like pretenders. I like teams that demand wins and owners who love to win so much they will do anything to avoid losing. I want an owner whose first priority is Manchester United, not his business interests in the States. I want an owner who isn’t buying United as a tax shelter or as a hobby horse. I want an owner who will get his hands dirty and put a dent in his wallet by spending his own money if it’s necessary to make the team better. What I want is someone other than the Glazer’s. This might sound wrong to some but the game is a gamble when it comes to signing player. I have no problem taking chances on players. It’s not my money and I really am not concerned about it because the people who own this team are supposedly billionaires. So my heart bleeds when it comes to their bloody debt. Stop playing and using United like a mop and start dishing out a transfer kitty that reflects the size and success of our team, not West Ham or Wigan.
Also a team with money doesn’t need to wait until August to sign player it wants. Why risk it by allowing somebody else to swoop in and steal him from you?
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@Grognard: love your passion for our club, i second some of your opinions esp re: the glazers/ronaldo. That said, Grog you need to tap back into that feeling of belief we had last season. No one has died, we have the same team that beat nearly everyone else last season, we are Champions of Europe and England,
we have up coming talent, and we’ve still to sign another player. Plus its not all roses for our main challengers. Trust in Fergie, BELIEVE 
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Grognard:
I think that for the Olympics, players under 23 fall under the same rules that apply for other international games. If their clubs refuse to release them, the player gets suspended. The three players that are over 23 can be held at the club without consequences (other than pissing off a national coach, but who cares). Manchester can’t refuse to release Anderson, Barcelona can’t refuse to release Messi. The players themselves can refuse to go, but forcing a player to decide between club and country usually isn’t a very good idea..
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@Grognard: we don’t need to spend 25-40m every year and especially not this one. We have the best team in Europe ffs. I’ve accepted that Ronnie will probably stay and I’m willing to give him a chance to prove himself to us. I respect your stance on him (partly because I was the same a few weeks ago but he appears to have gotten as fed up with the lies coming out of Madrid as everyone else). Anyway, 25-40m ever season is just stupid money to be paying when you have a squad like ours. Look at our team. The only place that we have a (slight) shortage of quality is in the back up for 2 of the best strikers in the world and maybe backup on the wings. We have a good young squad that won’t need any major changes to it for 3 or 4 years at least let alone 40m worth of changes. One player is all we need for this season and we might not even need that if Campbell/manucho/ Saha steps up to the plate so what is the god damn rush that everyone is in to sign the current flavour of the day?
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also the Glazers have provided money whenever SAF has asked for it just look at the amount they gave last season. We’ve spent a hell of a lot more than Arsenal and a slight bit more than Pool in the last few seasons and our debt is bigger than both of theirs combined so I’m grateful to the Glazers for that and they have proven to me that they are good owners (just look at Liverpool whose owners were welcomed and ours who were protested against upon arrival and tell me who you’d prefer)
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@phoenix red: Thanks for the advice. I do trust in Fergie but I have no trust whatsoever in our owners and I think they are handcuffing Fergie. With that said, patience is not one of my strong points and I need to acquire some here. But what has always been one of my strong points is old fashioned intuition and gut instinct. And they are both reading red alert this pre-season.
Honestly, I am not like this every off season. On the contrary, I am very upbeat and very hopeful because like you have said, in Fergie we trust. But this year there seems to be a cloud forming over OT and that debt we are carrying is I believe, beginning to take it’s toll out on the ownership as well as the team. I cannot remember an off season in recent memory where we were so quiet and where we allowed so much negativity and distress to affect the club and it’s supporters. Ronaldo should be strung up for what he has done to all of us. It’s nothing short of slow torture. Instead of players coming in we hear about players wanting to leave, players being released or Fergie trying to sell players. On top of that, all our competitors seem very busy trying to improve their squads and the schedule makers have done an outstanding job of doing their best to ensure we don’t repeat as champions. Really, other than all that everything is just fine.
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For all the success last year, I often had the feeling that ours was a team that hadn’t quite happened yet. IMO there is huge potential for growth and improvement within the current squad – and when they start to really fire it will be fabulous. Only worry is that the Ronaldo fiasco will derail the momentum and positive mindset – Captain Rio needs to take care of this. Clearly a striker must be had.
Favourite game all year? Home to Roma. That was a squad victory and my compatriot, Hargreaves, was brilliant. I think we have yet to see the best from Hargeaves. I also think Rooney will have a banner year – he is such a maniacal competitor that this Ronaldo crap will make him mental. 20 goals minimum. No cause for alarm, we have a deep squad.
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Could it be that this is the transfer window where the owners are trying to break the “Player Power” monopoly that has escalated over the past seasons.
I don’t see any huge deals right now and I don’t see any of the “Euro 2008 All Stars” signing with anybody. Who would imagine that Euro 2008 + 9 days and Arshavin, Villa, and even our very own??? CR7 havn’t made the slightest of a shuffle.
I’m sure the big showcase was the ideal platform for them all to vendor their skills and, boy, some of them sure did, but nary a taker has come forth to this point. Bids have been rejected back and fro – “you ask too much”, “we are not interested in selling” is all I hear. Adebayeur’s game with Le Arse is all about his contract. He wants more wages that his contract states – and he is leveraging them to comply with his demands. I would wonder how many of the other, under-contract, big names being bandied about in the press are doing the same to inflate their, already, stratospheric pay checks.
For the GM’s and managers I would think this is really old hat. They have put up with this for years now – and now they are putting their collective corporate foot down. After negotiating and re-negotiating their top players wages to appease their sophmoric insecurities, I would be sure they are fully sick and tired of it all!!
Berbatov, Huntaleer, and Benzema are all in SAF’s radar – they would all probably be flattered to play for the “Champions of all things Relevant” -but why?, if I have heard things right, has SAF not brokered a bid, as yet, for any of them
It was not that he was on holiday, or lazy or whatever – he simply realises that to pay way over market value for them and to pay way over market value wages to them is not the way to build a team. If we buy Benzema (eg) for 30m plus pay him 120k a week for 5 years then those figures are calculable. If he turns round after 2 seasons – and because of 25 goals per – he demands us to double his salary or demand a transfer to a team that does – then – it’s poor risk strategy to aquire him in the first place.
I believe SAF’s strategy has encompassed these thoughts for some years now. Last seasons acquisitions were not star-studded (although Hargo was a big name) and the mid-season signings of Vidac and Evra (the prior season) left me, for one, less than over elated. We didn’t get the big signing – but we are the most successful club in Britain for the past two years – hands down!!
SAF’s commitment to achievement will always, and inevitably, lead us to make the right decisions for the club. With this in mind I say to hell with all you nay saying bastards.
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@Red Rich: Tevez was a huge signing, for me.
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@Liam: I’m sorry but I just cannot agree with you on any of that. Check the past ten years of United’s pre season buying. I believe they have averaged in and around that barring a year or two. We are not as strong as you seem to think we are. Yes we won the Double last year but by the skin of our teeths and with a whole lot og luck and a fairly injury free season to boot.
In a perfect world we need not one but two strikers. People can forget selling me on Saha because for me he is garbage personified. We need a major #1 striker and we need a versatile but dependable and very young #4 striker. We need backup at LMF/LW as Giggs is definitely on his last legs and Nani will be taking over soon. You don’t look for that player after his retirement, you find him before so that nobody spikes up the price on you. Whether we need an attacking midfielder depends on the club’s plans for the future and whether those plans include Ronaldo or not. I f they don’t, we need one badly. There is no winger on the planet short of Messi who can replace Ronaldo and be the creator of goals as well as score them at that prolific rate. AMF’s are much better at that. We need to find Scholes long term replacement. Yes it may be Anderson but I don’t think so personally. The lad has too many holes in his game to be called another Scholes.
For me he is Makelele with some distribution talent, nothing more. We ned a finesse oriented player who has the talent and skill set of Scholes who can play back far enough yet have a great influence in our buildup. We need a Pirlo style player. I’m willing to wait that one out a bit as I think Scholes has another two years left in him and Anderson may show great improvement this year. Carrick is good but for me, he isn’t the answer. Hargreaves is untouchable and so I don’t even mention him here other than to say I love him to pieces. We also need to look at RB. I personally have no problem with Wes Brown but if we are to become more dynamic and less predictable in our offensive play and buildup, we have to balance things out between left and right. Evra is so much more influential in our play than Brown is. Yes he has done a fine job defensively but still, is it no the responsibility of the club to try to get even better if possible. For me he is the ultimate secret weapon as a sub as he can play RB or CB with great efficiency. But I would prefer and Alves or Lahm in his place. It looks like Silvestre is staying but I still think we need to find a true and very quick and mobile backup for Evra. A young player with potential. And finally, EVDS is on his very last legs. Is Foster the man for us? I have doubts. Next off season we need to address that problem and see if he truly is the answer or is he another Mark Bosnic?
So as you can see, from my perspective, not all is wonderful with United. Feel free to disagree but know this, very little will dissuade me from my feelings on this because I do believe I am right and I feel that I know and respect the game well enough to be a pretty good judge of these things as well as of talent. Everybody is different in these matters and we obviously can’t all see eye to eye. Actually, Iam very much like Fergie. I never stand pat and I am always looking for ways to get better. Him standing pat has more to do with ownership I feel than it does with what he believes we need to do to improve. Ronaldo’s future with us will have much to do with what happens in the near future.
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@Liam: That was yesterday. How does the old saying go? What have you done for me lately? Their debt is causing them major stress this year unlike last year because of the fall of the markets and increase in interest rates. The American dollar has also dived mightily this past year. Many factors and reasons for them to do an about face.
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@T.o. Red: You’re absolutely right. I was wrong to omit him from our signings. He still wasn’t the Kaka or Ronaldinho that everyone salivated after though
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http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/07/08/how_will_ferguson_manage_witho.html
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If some one have doubts of what we are missing in our striker dept. –> Striker….Sadly i have to agree with Groggy that he is not gonna come back and do these again!!!
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@Red Rich: You could have a valid point there. Somehow something needs to be done to stop the idiotic escalation and demands by player agencies. The next big step is for a team like United to stand firm and teach a team like Real Madrid a lesson which will reverberate throughout the footballing world and force other teams to also stand pat and to refuse to be bullied into selling players. I’m not advocating left wing socialism in the game but this fascist right wing extremism that teams like Madrid are operating under needs to be destroyed like the Third Reich was. A combined effort by everyone in football and with Man Utd leading the the pack by example. Sorry Fergie, no more tapping up players like Hargo, Carrick, Rio etc. We need to clean up our act too. Fortunately, our antics have never been as terrible or as sleazy as Madrid’s. And finally, players need to be held accountable for the contracts they sign. Enough already. Living in North America, I find the uselessness of footy contracts comical and incredibly frustrating. That kind of nonsense just doesn’t happen here.
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@Grognard: Yeah, but it really is the big, rich clubs like R.Madrid and United that their antics are aimed at. I think United is on board lets see over the next few days whether Madrid gets its shit together.
BTW also NA based. Different here aint it !!
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@Red Rich: It is different in North America because there are stricter league rules to deal with in most sports and because these leagues and their rules generally don’t have to be put into effect outside the two countries. Rich teams are rich but they can only go after a player through trade or if he is a free agent. They can’t tamper. Sometimes it happens but it’s not an epidemic like soccer. No, there are measures and enforcement in professional leagues here that protect teams from the Real Madrid’s. Of course, perhaps the New York Yankees may be a slight exception to the rule.
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@Grognard: “He’s flown an airplane filled with my heart and soul as a passenger straight into the side of a mountain” haha thats pure quality, I had to laugh at that.
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For me Blanc is the man we want if Quieroz leaves. He’s played abroad, so will help us develop our continental style. He has some knowledge of the French league which will be great because it is a huge talent pool much better than the Portuguese league. He might also make it easier for us to attract Benzema in the future.
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@colver: I agree. He also lets not forget played for United and although he was well past his best, apparently Fergie had great praise for the man as a player and as a thinker. From what I have read they got along very well. I’m not generally big on the French or the French League but I think it would be wiser to have someone who has connections there than in Spanish or Portuguese countries. We will always stand a chance at losing players from those countries to the big teams in Spain. But with a French #2, we can start looking closely at not just French players but Africans as well as many of them come from French speaking regions. It’s what has been Wenger strength over the years. So my vote is in for Blanc too.
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“Yes it may be Anderson but I don’t think so personally. The lad has too many holes in his game to be called another Scholes.
For me he is Makelele with some distribution talent, nothing more.”
Painful to read your opinions of Anderson. Did you not watch him while playing for Porto in the Champions League? Or not do some research of him in his Gremio days? Did you fail to read how surprised and shocked pretty much all Brazilian footballers/managers were to see him playing a more defensive role for United last season (and doing it admirably for one so young)? Have you forgotten how he had both Gerrard and Fabregas, two of the “worlds finest midfielders” in his back pocket when we played Liverpool/Arsenal? Holes in his game? I don’t remember Scholes playing as assuredly at 18/19.
He has so much more to offer and I can’t wait for him to show you and everyone else what he’s made of. He IS Scholes replacement, he might not have identical qualities, but let’s face it, Scholesy is a one-off and we’re unlikely to see another of his style for a long time.
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A poser for all the Grognified guys out there:
a. United finished a poor second behind chelsea in 05/06 season, handing them the trophy much before the final day. over the summer, we lost RVN and got only carrick. chelsea meanwhile added shevchenko and ballack to their squad. both the teams had almost equal trouble with injuries over the season. we won the league very comfortably with chelsea handing us the trophy much beofre the last day.
b. 07/08 season: chelsea added literally no one to the asquad, while we addeed 4 new faces. chelsea had more trouble than us, with their manager gone, new manager not seeming good enough, african vup of nations and lots more injuries than us. still they did much better in challanging us than in the 06/07 season, in the same way that we challanged them much better in the 06/07 season than the 05/06 season.
I see a pattern emerging here, indicating that unless you have lot of departures over the summer, and do not have adequate over for each position, there is not need to invest heavily.
Too many new additions would require more time settling in, effecting at least the start of the season, as seen last time around.
So, SAF is as usual right in saying we need only one player, who in my opinion is a striker, since we have all other positions well covered till next season when scholes and giggs retire.
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