Dec 31
Who the f*** are Man United?
Champions of the world, that’s who.
I’m elated. Celebrated Rooney’s goal like a loon. There’s been a lot of cynicism towards the merits of this tournament, mostly from bitter rivals – who’d secretly love to have the chance to be there – but disappointingly from United fans as well. I don’t know whether it’s just snobbery or an insular parochial view to football in general, but it’s unjustified.
We can officially call ourselves the best team in the world, a feat no other English team have achieved. Sure you can prove yourself to be the best in your country, and the best in Europe, but can you really call yourself the best in the world when you haven’t proved yourself against the rest of the world, especially the best teams from the hot-bed of football brilliance that is South America?
David Gill made a good point that in 10/15 years, this trophy could be massive (no, not relegation zone Man City massive). And we’ve got our name on it. The dismissive attitude some English fans show to this trophy has parallels with English clubs and fans in the 1950’s who showed disdain for the European Cup when it started out. English clubs didn’t even contest the first couple – too much hassle, not prestigious enough, apparently. Real Madrid were cleaning up back then, perhaps benefiting from other club’s indifference to the competition, and every one of their titles won back then counts the same as one won today in the Champions League.
I saw at least one Quito player in tears at the final whistle, which shows you how much this means to them. But that shoulsn’t be a surprise to anyone who understands what this trophy means to the rest of the world, particularly South America. I remember one of Tim Vickery’s columns, where he explained how highly the competition is regarded in South America – their big chance to shine against Europe’s clubs. After winning the Copa Libertadores, the winning team will have immediately put that behind them and will be thinking ahead to ‘Mission Tokyo’ (as Vickery called it), to win the World title.
By contrast, the European (but particularly English) snobbery to this competition is unfortunate and unsavoury. But I’m hopeful things will change. Back when the European Cup was treated with similar cynicism, we were pioneers, being the first English club to both compete in and win the competition. Again, we’re blazing the trail for the rest of England’s clubs on the world stage. Champions of the world, and we’ll get a badge from FIFA to put on our shirts to prove it.
Come on United, let’s make sure we’re back there next year to defend our title.
Submitted by: David Elliott
This is a submission for the Red Rants Writing competition. To take part, click here.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Rooney Out For A Month
- Reads of the day
- Man Utd Blog 2007/2008 Home Kit
- West Ham v Man Utd: Live
- Porto it is then…
Tags: Red Rants Writing Competition
December 31st, 2008 at 12:44
Champions of England, Champions of Europe, Champions of the World. Happy New Year.
December 31st, 2008 at 13:19
what is dis!
December 31st, 2008 at 15:08
@ROOOOONEY: May be the topic is little contradictory.Any news on transfers? Is Tosic move expected to complete in January Window?
December 31st, 2008 at 15:12
just so people know, tevez and anderson went home and therefore were nowhere to be seen at middlesborough. and ronaldo may also be heading home and may come back for the chelsea game
December 31st, 2008 at 15:16
Good article mate, and I appreciate your writing style. I also agree with quite a few of your main thoughts. There is indeed a lot of snobbery which is mainly derived from the British Press, ironic bunch as they are, who infect the whole of fandom with their particulat brand of brainwashing. My main complaint though is, that this particular competition is not yet on a par with the Champions League, and I doubt it will ever be mate. So to cause it to be played in the middle of a season where we really could do without distractions from yet another competition, and where we are games behind and trailing the leading pack, I don’t like that. United won though, and I do like that, but sadly, I cannot see it ever being a competition held in the same esteem as the CL. Like you say though mate, who knows in the future.
Thank you anyway, I enjoyed your article mate – good read
.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:21
@Despicable: I think the least you can do is COMMENT on the topic of the article, as RR has asked for submissions for the writing competition. To make this thread into yet another Tosic or transfer debate, is not fair to the lad who put in the effort to write and submit an article for discussion.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:24
@Craig Mc: Ok i will take care of that, i just asked as all football news sites are blocked at my office.And by the way where can we post out submissions?
December 31st, 2008 at 15:28
@Despicable: Submissions? – do you mean for the writing comp mate?. I think there was an email addy for submissions in the last thread or one before. Email RR if you can’t find it
.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:28
This does Signify that the way people who are taking care of the club think, If we would have been thinking the same way as all others around, we mayn’t have been so ambitious and being at the the place where we are now. I think that;s what keeps us apart.
And i know people indulge in so many arguments here, but that’s because we all want to see our team win, But there is one difference and that is “Supporting the team we have” and “Supporting the way we think our team should play”, But any way these are things which keeps us all together.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:29
Oh and you could ask Grognard mate, I think he submitted an article for the comp
.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:29
@Craig Mc: Ok i will search.
December 31st, 2008 at 15:34
@Despicable: I agree with you about the ambition of the club Bro, and one thing about Fergie, he never belittles any competition the club play in. That wouldn’t be because of the money it brings into our coffers though – would it?
December 31st, 2008 at 15:34
andy and tevez went home during the middlesborough match, and ronaldo will also be going home and will come back in time for the chelsea match
December 31st, 2008 at 15:49
Fantastic article. I agree with the points made wholeheartedly
December 31st, 2008 at 16:35
To be honest, i dont think i”ll ever rank that competition higher competition than the PL or UCL. To me its more of a distraction. I didnt jump up and down when we won since i didnt feel the same sensation as the time we beat chelsea in the final(being a dramatic shoot out had nothing to do with it. Just the feeling of winning the champions league made me exited). Im sorry but that competition doesnt cut it for me
December 31st, 2008 at 17:08
its too positive for my taste , i think Grognard ruined me
December 31st, 2008 at 17:27
@Nelson: well as the article suggested and vickapedia stated the comp is highly regarded in South America.
So 2&2=4 and being the first and only English club winning the comp should cause some little Argentinians and Brazilians to wish to one day play for united instead of all of them having aspirations to play for fake Madrid.
December 31st, 2008 at 17:28
especially since they watched us win it with our current Latin flavor.
December 31st, 2008 at 17:38
What the hell happened to all the south american teams anyway. Where the hell were boca and river and santos, corinthians etc. Gotta say that apart from us the quality of teams in the competition was extremely poor though.
Gator, thats a good point, i know that for years the south americans value the competition very highly and teams from those countries do quite well in it, and maybe us winning it again will raise our profile over there even more, and with as you said a number of latin players in the team which is also good. But i do feel tho that if these players do have aspirations to play for madrid anyway then we should steer well clear of them. They must be crazy to want to go there. Managers changing every year, past it players and ones that were never good enough for them anyway, too big a squad then they can handle, ha who would want to go there. Just to sum them up at the minute they are extremely interested in pennant apparently and also valencia from wigan for £20million. I wonder if ronaldo wants to go there now?
December 31st, 2008 at 17:39
@ROOOOONEY:But it would be good to have some positive rants, to balance the negative ones. (All im suggesting is a balance, so we get more perspective)
December 31st, 2008 at 18:30
I agreed with the points in the article but like Nelson, I did not experience that feeling of elation at the final whistle that overwhelms me when we win against our rivals and bank 3 points or whatever the payoff is. Have you noticed how the list of teams we just don’t want to lose to is increasing? It used to be Citeh and Pool, and of course Leeds when they were playing in the same football planet as us, but now there’s Arse, chelski, Everton(due to Rooney’s perceived defection) and Spurs for the same reason. I guess you can all add indivdiually to the list for reasons personal to you. Having said that, I loved the enjoyment the squad got from winning that tournament and it seemed to provide an opportunity for solidarity that was vital for us with apparently marginalised players like Tevez, Nani ……. a real part of what was achieved. Winning is fun but pioneers have always led a lonely existence.
December 31st, 2008 at 18:32
@Matthew: that’s what i mean the guys that are now becoming available are already indoctrinated with the madrid shit.
So maby the young kids(5-10yr) that saw us win will avoid that horrible desire. And should desire to rule the world in red devil red!!
December 31st, 2008 at 18:34
@gator. We already advertised ourselves to south american footballers with players like anderson(who won the EPL and UCL), rafael, fabio and possebon. A while back we established a partneship with a brazilian club to help develop the two clubs’ youth systems. I only think that the reason south americans value this competition is that it provides them with a higher chance of meeting and possibly beating a european powerhouse than any other arrange such as the hard-to-come-by frendlies. If there were other competitions that could bring europe and south america then it would be less important. What i want to stress it that they value more beating united,bayern and barca than winning the trophy.feel free to disagree
December 31st, 2008 at 18:51
@Matthew: Mate they played Fluminese in the final, who had knocked out Boca Juniors in the semi finals. River plate went out in the second round and Santos in the quarterfinals. LDU Quito had an easy route to the final when compared to Fluminese but played really well in the final.
December 31st, 2008 at 18:58
These are some of the ways to make it popular:
1) Conduct it once in 2 years. There will be 2 teams from a continent and in case the same team has won it in those 2 years they can have a playoff between the runners up to decide the second team.
2) In case they want more teams they can include the winners of the cup competitions (UEFA cup, AFC cup etc)
3) This can be played like a World cup with round robin and knock out stages or only knock outs like in tennis.
December 31st, 2008 at 19:55
To take a tournament like this seriously the all important factor of time must be allowed to wield it’s magic. Only with time will so many of the other regions of the world improve their quality of football enough to be considered formidable and respected opponents by those from Europe and South America. Until then, one cannot get to excited over a week long tournament in an exotic locale that always pits Europe vs South America in the final. All the games before that final have yet to garner the attention or the excitement that one would expect from a highly competitive tournament where more than two teams have a great chance of winning.
I have always felt like dragging the previous champions of Europe from the middle of a highly stressful and fatiguing season and placing them into a tournament thousands of miles away was not just unreasonable, it was unfair. Not so much unfair to the team regarding the competition, but unfair to the European champions while they are in the middle of a domestic campaign trying to defend two or more titles. I mean it’s the following season and one is playing for the right to call themselves world champions over what happened last season.
My point is this. hold the bloody competition either just after the FA Cup final when the European teams have just completed their seasons, or hold it just before the season and make the tournament a better reason to train and get in shape than bloody exhibition matches in far off worlds that do nothing but fatigue a team before the season starts and add money to a team’s bank account. The latter may not be what teams want because playing exhibition games in far of places is a way for a team to generate a lot of extra money, exposure as well as strengthening their licensing arm. So lets settle on right after the FA Cup Final. Sure the team is exhausted and tired after a season but being European Champions means defending that honor in the same season you won your European honor therefore, it must be played right after the end of the season as the European Cup Final is also after the domestic campaigns fore most European nations end.
Now what to do to make the tournament more prestigious. Prestige comes with time and with the history of games that help define the tournament. Until the competition is structured in a manner where it is looked upon seriously and most of the competitors entered have a legitimate chance of winning, the tournament will struggle for respect in Europe. I mean how are Europeans supposed to accept a final as being a World Final when you have the the Champions of Europe playing some team name LDU Quito from Ecuador? Sure they may be champions of Europe but didn’t they just play like champions against United? They parked the bus and played like a group of cowards. If not for their best player they may never have had a shot at goal the entire game. That is not the kind of team or kind of attitude that needs to be present at a final between supposedly the two best teams in the world. I have complained mightily this season over the way United have played but at least we still attempt to attack and score goals. At no time have we ever parked the bus against anyone and hung on for dear life. In other words, we played like bloody worthy champions, not pretenders.
Attitudes towards football in general have to change to elevate this tournament to spectacle status. Games have to be entertaining because it is a world showcase. The Champions League is far from entertaining but it has been such an institution for decades that it can get away with murder over style. Why? Because when two teams of the caliber of Manchester United and Chelsea meet in the final, quality is truly on display even if the quality of the game itself is not the greatest. Reputations and accomplishments speak volumes. Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Inter, Port, Ajax, Celtic all teams that have won the tournament and have carried the moniker of champions of Europe over the history of that competition. These teams have reputations for great success and having had most of the greatest players in the world play for them. South America has had Santos, Fluminense, Boca, River Plate and a few others but over the past 30 years hardly any of them have boasted rosters that are comparable to those of their European rivals. Still, they are good enough to give any team a battle in a one off game to see who is champion of the world. I cannot say the same for those teams from the other regions of the world Australia’s, Japan’s, Africa’s the Middle East’s or China’s best teams do not put panic in the hearts of millions of Europeans and therefore, one cannot take a tournament seriously that has 8 teams of which 6 have very little if any chance of making the final. But will it always be like that? No. One day a minnow from Australia, or America or possibly Africa etc is going to muster up the courage as well as the ability to beat a European super power and make a name not only for itself, but for world football in general. Then and only then will this tournament start to garner attention and gain in respect. When the competition improves and the final is not a forgone conclusion. When European teams will feel nervous and cautious over the opponent they play. When having lost the previous season makes a European team highly determined to avenge the continent.
This will take time and patience. Twenty years ago nobody to teams from Asia and Africa seriously but as we have seen in the past several World Cups, teams like South Korea, Australia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria have become very very formidable opponents. And these nations will continue to improve. Not all of them will have strong domestic competitions but as long as their best players play in the best leagues in the world, their national setup will continue to grow and their sides will improve. Domestically, the improvements will be good enough to see a team from Egypt or Japan make a final and shock people. But it won’t happen right away and for England and other European countries to take this FIFA World Club Championship seriously, they need to humbled and even humiliated a few times. This will have the opposite effect around the world. It will elevate the confidence of other continents in the world and resonate the words “YES WE CAN” (Barack Obama 2008) so loudly that it will instigate a word football revolution that could mark the change of many things. Sure Europe will still be number one. It has the history, prestige and economics to field the best teams with the best players, but a lot of those players come from other regions of the world. And they will be sending a message that loudly vibrates throughout the planet that football is not an exclusive property of Europe and South America. Once that breakthrough is made, one can expect not only a tournament with drama, excitement and prestige, but a tournament where four or five teams have legitimate chances of holding the trophy high over their heads and where FIFA will start structuring the tournament in a manner that doesn’t make it look like a money grab and exhibition of their own incompetence. That will be truly a great time for world football.
December 31st, 2008 at 20:01
@Manchester United Fan: The Champions League already has the taint of too many undeserving teams in the competition. I don’t mean the champions of small nation but the second, third and fourth place finishers in major European leagues. These teams deserve nothing. They are not champions and are nothing more than unworthy pretenders in a tournament titled the “Champions League”. Give me a break. Now you want to have a World Club Championships with unworthy runners up and the UEFA Cup champions as well? Talk about digging in the sewer to find treasure.
Nope, the tournament should only include the champions of all the regions. A true championship of the world, no the travest of an unworthy team like Liverpool being lucky enough to be entered in a tournament it does not deserve to be in and to then get lucky enough or hot enough to win it. It poisons and lessens the value of actually being the champion of your individual domestic competition. It’s already a travesty and disgrace in Europe, lets keep it from spreading throughout the planet.
December 31st, 2008 at 20:07
@Grognard: I get your point however, I said that they can bring in those teams only if they wanted more teams. And I thought Bayern played in the UEFA cup last year. Now are they a mediocre team?
Just kidding there mate…
December 31st, 2008 at 20:23
@Manchester United Fan: Look at the history of Bayern Munich mate. I was talking historically. And they are the defending champions of Germany in this season’s competition which of course has them in the Champions League. I know you are kidding but I just wanted to make clear their historical significance and influence in European football.
December 31st, 2008 at 20:57
“Sir Alex Ferguson will consider allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Portugal to recharge his batteries before Manchester United’s Barclays Premier League showdown with Chelsea on January 11. Ronaldo has cut a snarling, fractious figure in recent weeks, having been involved in a series of altercations with opponents, but the idea of a short break is regarded at Old Trafford as a routine course of action from which the winger might benefit.”
You have got to be kidding me. Has it come to this? Honestly, have we been paying fucking children millions of pounds to play a sport where not only should they conduct themselves like men with maturity, but now we offer them baby soothers and send them to summer camp so that they can recharge their batteries. Send them home so that they can be breast fed by their mothers and and offered a lap to cry on and find their missing baby teeth.
What the Hell…. strike that. What the FUCK is going on at Old Trafford these days? It’s official now. All my concerns about Fergie have been exposed and proven to be correct. It is time for him to retire. Instead of being a manager and a disciplinarian figure for the team, he has become the loving and consulting grandfather figure that I suspected he was. A man who would rather hug his players and send them home for some of mother’s home cooking rather than kick their collective asses and use the hairdryer on them.
We poor fucking plebs pay millions of dollars a year collectively to this team so that they can develop and perform like mature footballers and men with character and pride. Not sniveling little babies that need to be treated with kid gloves and sent on vacations in the middle of a campaign when we are seven points in the rears to the leaders.
What is wrong with Alex Ferguson? Hell he doesn’t deserved to be called Sir after reading that little bit. Sir is for those who deserve it because they are men and because they are respected. How can I respect a man who in one year has allowed the inmates to take over the asylum?
Would he have sent Mark Hughes or Eric Cantona back to their mothers when they were in a slump of form or upset? Would he have sent Peter Schmeichel or Roy Keane back after one of them had a few too many temper tantrums? The answer is no. Did he send David Beckham home to Posh and tell him to regroup and wake up when he was out of focus and in poor form? No. Instead he took out the hairdryer, kicked a bloody boot at him and bloodied him while benching him for big games including the Champions League return match vs a then mighty Real Madrid team. There was no crying on his shoulder back then. These days he is sending Anderson, Tevez and Nani on holidays while also considering sending the Balon D’Or winner home to Portugal to “recharge his batteries”. BOLLOCKS!
I love Ronaldo but it is time Cristiano woke up and grew up and the only way to do that is stop coddling him like a child. Spoil him rotten and he will take advantage of that just like any other juvenile thinking girlyman. Ferguson has lost the dressing room so much that he has lowered himself to offering paid vacations to his foreign contingent just so that they think twice about bolting from the team at season’s end. Has it come to this? I might nor be a big fan of Jose Mourinho as a tactical manager but this team needs a man like him who will come in here, kick ass and take names. A man who will demand that players sacrifice for the team as a whole or go to Hell if they are all about themselves.
I have had a lot of love and respect for Ferguson for 19 of his 20 years in charge. The man is a legend and no man, not even I can challenge him on his accomplishments and greatness. But just like I was saying about players like Neville, Giggs and Scholes needing to know when it was time to hang up the boots, Ferguson needs to realize that the modern game is passing him by at warp speed. Yes just last year he took us to an historic double, barely. We won with ability but a lot of luck on the way. As far as I am concerned he looks tired and disinterested right now. He looks like he has mellowed well past the acceptable limits for a Prem manager and he needs to either step down, hire a Queiroz caliber #1 who can take a lot of the load off of him, or just plain retire.
This latest episode of sending players abroad for holidays in the middle of a heated campaign where we are trailing two teams is just the last straw. And now he wants to give poor little Ronaldo a time to recharge his batteries. I would think with millions of pounds he makes every year, Ronny could afford a package of long lasting Duracells from the local convenience store. He needs to grow up and act like a man and Fergie needs to allow that to happen by stopping his grandfatherly approach with him and stop treating him with kid gloves. If some harsh talk or discipline forces him to demand a move to Real or some other team, then so be it. Fergie cannot allow himself or his team to be held hostage by that kind of threat. I love the player but I would love my children enough to know when they need a good hard spanking on their backsides too. Enough already!
December 31st, 2008 at 21:14
@Grognard: Well Ronaldo may come back stronger both physically and mentally. He is definitely going to sit out the next match and since the Chelsea match is on the 11th, he should be here by the 6th or 7th and there is no way that he would not feature in that match. I guess instead of making him stay here, SAF has let him go home and come back rejuvenated.
December 31st, 2008 at 21:30
@Manchester United Fan: It’s about being a professional and being mature enough to handle pressure and the spotlight when it shine on you negatively. He is more than energetic and willing to smile and wink to the camera when things are going his way or when he accepts awards. But lets see what kind of makeup he has and what kind of statement he makes when he faces adversity both in his play and with the supporters and media. That is truer sign of his mental character and ethical standards.
We all feel burnt out from time to time and we all need vacations. And you know footballers get holidays to, but not in the middle of a season. It sends a negative message to all the players who don’t get to go home and see their loved ones during periods of stress. Those players have to suck it up and stay put. Stop with the double standards. All players on a team have to be treated equally.
It’s not as if I don’t have a little bit of understanding towards both Ronaldo as well as Fergie. Ronny is going through a tumultuous period in his career. Most of it has brought upon himself but still, I do understand. I understand that Fergie is looking at the broader picture and realizing that we still have half a season to go as well as the FA Cup matches to add to the already loaded schedule. Recharging and resting players is vital. But not this way.
The greatest solution to this mess is for England to finally wake up and have a winter Christmas break like Germany does but not for as long. Give the league and players three weeks off beginning the 20th of December and have them return to their teams by the 9th or 10th of January. It would be good for all parties involved and it would also give us supporters a chance to take a breather from the hectic pace and numerous games piled upon our already hectic schedules. The FA needs to be a little more humane to all concerned and less greedy about packing so many games into the Christmas period while Germany, Italy and Spain sleep and rest quietly. Common sense is the order of the day. To the FA and to all English teams, wake up and smell the coffee already.
December 31st, 2008 at 23:58
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NORWAY!!!
May 2009 be a Red and white year, full of happiness and joy, and goals reached and goals scored, full of trophies, exitement and eternal glory. Happy new year!!!
January 1st, 2009 at 0:10
Ill be back on this site on later today… hmm, 1. January 2009 that is.
Been away because of personal problems, family related. Coming back strong, full of confidence and joy, and I will hopefully bring laughter to your faces. 2008: The year of dreams. 2009: The year of eternal glory! Come on lads, happy new year and lets together make this year the best there has ever been. For United, ourselves and the people around us. Not gonna hold a new year speech here, but you get where Im going. 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
January 1st, 2009 at 0:20
@RedDevilEddy: still 2008 here in england! Hope your issues arnt too serious. Happy new year back, from dan, in england, where its 2008
January 1st, 2009 at 0:52
@RedDevilEddy: Happy New Year Eddy and all the best.
January 1st, 2009 at 0:54
Happy New Year to all and may 2009 bring us all joy, good health and prosperity. And may Manchester United bring home a Treble for us all to remember.
January 1st, 2009 at 0:55
Happy New Year all, hope this finds you all well and joyful.
Here’s to a cracking 2009!
Peas out x
January 1st, 2009 at 1:04
Happy new year ranters!!!
January 1st, 2009 at 1:36
@Grognard:
gorgnard this is not something new, i remember ronaldo was given a weeks break around same time in 2006-2007 season when he went to Dubai..
last year the whole team went to dubai for exhibition match….
The difference is this time he will miss carling cup and FA cup games…
This has been a routine at united, and i think its the right thing to do because i think ronaldo has played in almost all games since returning from the injury…and this break will benefit both the club and the player…
January 1st, 2009 at 1:57
@dan(u-ol): Nah, just me Grandma being very, very ill and my friend being in a ski accident. Not the best 3 days of my life!
First my Granda gets sent to a home, then 2 days later my friend broke his arm after falling pretty bad on the mountain. Been with him for the last 24 hours, before returning home today. Best holidays Ive had, ey? 
Well, he is recovering now and is ready for school in 1-2 weeks time, but he wont play football for a month or so. I was very emotional when Boro were playing us, as you may see from my really mad comments. lol. Heard that my Granda was very ill on monday and needed to move from where she lives, just 2 hours before kick off. Then I had to go up there to Trondheim to see if she was okey, and then had a bit of fun with skiing. Until my friend broke his arm only 3 hours in… Damn! Could have been a better end to the year. razz. But now I am looking forward to 2009, as I believe it will be a wonderful year full of everything we need. You have to remember that even a club with the statue of Manchester United needs to lose some games during the season so they dont get too cocky in their play and feel that they still have to work hard to get a win. Confidence is good, but cockyness aint so. Which we saw for the game against Liverpool or Zenit in September. I dont really think that we fought in those games, which was more dissapointing that the results. I will be back to commenting as soon as I wake up later today, because I have some interesting statements to make. On behalf of United that is. Cheers, and a ahppy new year to all commenters and everyone reading here at RedRants. For those people that only read RedRants, but dont commment I have one message: Dont be afraid, we wont bite. Please feel free to comment and state your opinions as everyone deserves to speak and say what they feel. Evey mind, every thought and every personality is vital, not only for this site, nor Manchester United, but the world in all.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:14
Okey, Im back. First some words about the holidays given to Anderson, Nani and Tevez. Anderson first:
Anderson was in the olymics when our season started. He hasnt got a break from football since summer 2007. Right after our Champions League final with Chelski, Andy got sent to China to train with the Brasil squad for the Olymics. He played football in one of the hottest places on earth during June, July and early August, then sent right to England to play against Pompey, away, just a little over 24 hours after coming back. Then comes September and October, when Carrick and then Scholes gets injures. He play a lot of our games, switching with Giggs for some times. Doesnt get a sigle rest. Then he play up to the standards of last seasons hights, and becomes a “that-time” regular in the side and play 6 games in 3 weeks, against Blackburn, Arsenal, Aalborg, QPR, Villa and Villareal. He hasnt had a rest for some time, so the least he deserves is a rest for CHRISTMAS with his famliy. For Christ sake, he is only 20! He is a kid, brasilian who doesnt see his family for long periods. They live in brasil, not in England. In England he lives with Ronaldo and Nani(at least neighbours) and doesnt have any relatives visiting. He deserves a break, and I bet he is gonna come back even stronger and more sharp.
Nani: Also a kid. 22 years of age, portugeez. Played in the Euros, he neither got the break he may have needed like Rio, Carrick, Rooney or Vidic. I dotn have any obvious reason for that, but from what I understand Fergie lets the foreign players up to age 22 leave around Christmas to see their family. Ronaldo did it up to last year, and so have other young players dont. Its only the last couple of seasons we have seen potugeez, brasiliand and argetinian youngsters join us, there for its hard for me to point out anyone else than Ronaldo. Heinze was 27, Veron 28, Kleberson wasnt even a regular on the bench so hard to say. But that is why Nani is away.
Tevez: He is 24 years old. Argentinian. If you dont remember he is a father. His celebrations against Birmingham, Newcastle and Spurs last January with the dummy proved that. He missed his family last year, but because we only had an injured Rooney and Saha for new years 2008, we only had Ronaldo and Tevez to choose from. So he couldnt travel. Now we have Berba, Rooney, Ronaldo and Welbeck. Manucho if nceccasary. He is a father and sees his kid only a few times during the year because they live in Argentina. Can you guys actually blame him for wanting a holiday around Christmas? Jeez, like footballers dont have a life outside the pitch!!! I am happy for him and I think the manager has done the right thing giving all three players a holiday with their families. Good move by Fergie and I am sure he knows what he is doing.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:30
Now, Ronaldo. I really have noticed that his frustration is getting to his head. Spurs, Stoke, Shitty and Boro prove that. But is it really frustrations on other players? Or is he just stupid? I believe neither. I noticed in the 7th minute against Boro that Ronaldo looked really tired, didnt have the stamina to go on a counter and passed it sideways to Fletch instead. We lost the ball, but thats another story. He looks incredibly tired. And who can blame him. In 2 weeks, he has play at least 70 minutes agaisnt Spurs, Osaka, LDQ, Stoke and Boro. Plus the travelling back and forward to Japan, which takes a lot out of you. He needs a rest and I really hope Fergie gives him a week off. We wont need him for Soton or Derby, but Chelski. And I dont want him to lose his head or play horribly, because even though his game might not be on top, the attention he gets from opposition players is so big its like having 2 more men on the pitch. I hope he goes to Dubai, or Portugal, or even Norway for that matter! As long as its not Madrid.
He clearlly needs to chill a little, have a little rest and not focus so much on the football. I think it will do him good if he doesnt play our next to games, or even isnt in Manchester. He is really good, and I still dont think he has fully recovered from the ankle injury. He hasnt got the time to! He has played at least 1 game each week since September, and when you are recovering from such a severe injury, and coming back so quickly, you should not be playing so often. It needs to be nutured, not forced. Unfortunately Fergies stubborness made him play Ronaldo for 8 games in 4 weeks recently, which is a discrace! A man who has been a manager for over 20 years, and at the top level, should not be doing that mistake. I will tell you that if this had been Rooney, or Rio, or Vidic, or even Beckham in his prime, Fergie would not have done this. There is either a big weakness in our side, or a big weakness in Fergies mind. I am 110% sure that if Ronaldo is given a rest for the next week, he will be fully back not doing any of these stupid things or missing those 200 percent chances. I am severly worried about our team, and Ronaldos, health and mentality if they dont start doing the right things. I still wonder how Park could miss that chance… Such things are not good for any persons confidence, and definately not for Park, who must be the least fan-favorite of the crowd. From what I have heard, it was groans when Parks name was read out load on the team sheet before the game against Boro. That is not good at all. I dont think Park is United quality, and I am not happy seeing him start all these games. But I dont think we, the fans, should fall down to Arsenals level and make our players sad(Eboue). Even Silly and Djeba-Djemba, the most useless players in Manchester Uniteds history, should be cheered by the crowd. We are fans and should support our team. Boo one player and you boo the whole team. Its called team spirit. Damn…
January 1st, 2009 at 2:51
@vikas: It’s one thing taking the team to Dubai for a holiday and entirely something different when you pick out specific players for special privileges. It’s not fair to the others and I for one would have supremely pissed off had I been one of the squad. What my seeing my family and having a rest is not important but it is for Girlyman? I don’t think so. It’s wrong and it sets up so much potential for dissension amongst the lads.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:54
@RedDevilEddy: Sorry mate but you are giving nothing but excuses for why they need a break. Fact is they are overpaid football millionaires. As far as I am concerned they can rest when the season is over or with the rest of the team. If you give holidays to a few, you have to do the same to the rest. This is a team not a serious of pyramid inspired class societies where some get privileges the others don’t. It’s bullshit and it’s wrong.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:58
I think it is good man management by Fergie. A lot of Latins are mommas boys and a week of mommas cooking could be just what they need to make them happy so they come back grateful to Fergie and eager to pay him back for his generosity. After all they are just boys and that applies especially to Ronaldo! The older guys have their own families living in Manchester with them and it is easier for them to spend time with family over the festive period. For them family is their wife and kids. For Ronnie, Ando, Nani etc family is still very much mummy and daddy.
My hope is if Ronaldo gets a week off he’ll come back refreshed and show the sort of form he was in last season because without Ronaldo’s goals we are going to struggle
January 1st, 2009 at 4:14
@RedDevilEddy: He plays in for 8 games in 4 weeks out of necessity due to the fact he has allowed this club to dig a major hole for itself with it’s indifferent, uninspiring and unproductive play. By continually useless formations and squads for games he has forced himself to over use his greatest assets, that being Ronaldo and Rooney.
Now Ronaldo is tired, fed up frustrated or just plain randy, I don’t know. What I do know is tha you give a player a game off, you don’t send to the continent to visit family and relatives while the other poor stiffs on the club have to toil away day after day listening to Fergie and Phelan spout their garbage in training. Double standards and paying favorites is the first signs of a team coming unglued. I’m sorry but I just don’t get this.
I can’t help but get the feeling that Fergie is worried about his Latin speaking contingent. I think he fears they may bolt for Spain or elsewhere due to either unhappiness of living in Northern England, not playing enough or not being given credit or rewarded when credit and more playing time is deserved. I hope Fergie doesn’t think that sending boys off for a week’s vacation is going to make them feel better about being benched over muppets like Park, overrated players like Fletcher or over the hill players like Giggs. I can understand Berbatov playing over Tevez but both Berba and Rooney need enough rest that would allow Tevez far more playing time and starts than he has received. Hell, I do a better job of managing the squad, keeping them interested, sharp, fit and involved playing Football Manager 09 than Fergie does in real life. Sure it’s a game but I don’t think it’s rocket science either. It’s all about having the guts to rest your best when indeed they should be rested. I ma not advocating rotating like Rafa but playing Berba and Rooney for three game sin a row and then resting one for Tevez one game and resting the other the following game gets Carlito two games in a row before he sits for three. And you mix it up depending on the fixtures and which games you want your “A” team play. As for Anderson and Nani. Frankly those boys have had so much rest this season being benched for inferior players that there is no way they should get a holiday. Send Park, Neville, Giggs and Fletcher for a vacation. Frankly they have played twice the amount of the others. It makes no sense at all and if I am Vidic, EVDS, Rio, Evra, Carrick and Rooney, I feel really pissed off about now.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:15
@colver: Yes lets advocate treating professional footballers and millionaires like mommas boys. Jeez!
You have got to be kidding me?
January 1st, 2009 at 5:21
In my opinion Ronaldo needs a break. He’s been talking himself in to the starting XI everytime SAF’s tried to bench him. I really think he needs a break.
January 1st, 2009 at 7:20
The whole idea of criticizing one player because he gets treated differently than another is like me feeding my dog steak and my wife feeding me hamburger. It just aint right!! hic…hic…
happy new year!!!!!.
January 1st, 2009 at 9:08
@Red Ranter: I agree. I think he needs a break to, but sending him to Portugal is not the answer. He should rest at home in Manchester and put up with the same stuff the rest of the team does. Fair is fair. At the end of May he can go wherever he wants and do what ever he wants and have two months to do it in.
January 1st, 2009 at 9:08
@Red Ranter: By the way RR, have yourself a very Happy New Year.
January 1st, 2009 at 11:24
Happy new year folks. On a rather not so happy not, tosic contract talks have broken down and thus arsenal and shitty are hovering around for his signature. All this from the daily express.it goes on to say that the same has happened to talk with ljajic
January 1st, 2009 at 11:30
I guess we are gonna suck on the left flank unless nani does a turn around and park becomes more creative. Question, are we broke?
January 1st, 2009 at 12:25
@Grognard: You have to remember that football players are also human beings. And some of our players are kids! We have Anderson, Possebon, Nani, Rafael and Fabio, all people below the age of 23. The youngest being 18. Remember that even though they are footballers, they are also humans. They dont see their family very often, and the least they deserve is to see them for Christmas. If you think of it for the sake for the football and the team, this is wrong. But if you think of it for the sake of the man that is the player and the team spirit, this is really clever and good. And they get something new to speak about on the training ground!
And I read this morning that either Rafael or Fabio is married, so they need to be with their family. We all know Ronaldos relatives lives with him in Manchester, and for people like Scholes, Rio, Rooney and Evans, for them to get some holidays is ridiculus. But their family doesnt live far away. Just an hour flight an youre there. But for Andy, Tevez and Possebon, their families live 10 hours away. And I dont think Fergie has the power to demand that their family come to Manchester! No, they go there and have a wonderfuk time. Just a tip for Anderson and Tevez: Careful with the turkey! 
January 1st, 2009 at 12:34
@Grognard: The difference between having a day off in Manchester and going for holidays on Madeira is quite big. For one: You dont see your family. 2: You dont get a rest from training. 3: You have to be in rainy Manchester instead of hot and warm Portugal. and 4th and last: You dont have to spend time with the people you see al year around. You see family relations, neighbours and possibly their friends. Instead of football players like Rooney and Tevez.
I for one wouldnt mind having those two for dinner, as they are big people. But for one that sees them almost every day during they year may think it appropriate to spend the holidays with family. Again, the team spirit maight be good in the end. We dont want our players to end up like Arsenal, Shitty or Chelski, bashing their friends(Gallas, Drogba and Petrov for a few). Think with your heart, not with you mind.
January 1st, 2009 at 12:59
Why dont we take our chances? THE question for Manchester United this season. Why dont we take our chances. From 26 chances per game we either score 1 or nothing. how is that possible? Good goalkeeping? Good defending? Bad attacking play? Well, we havent seen many “saves of the season” saves made by keepers. Except from the LDQ keeper and Gomes, they made some good ones. But Sorensen, Boro keeper, Hart, Friedel and Sunny keeper, none of them made any spectacular saves. And I wont say that its good defending when a team defending with 10 men concede 20 plus chances per game. And it cannot be bad attacking play when we make 20 chances per game, have most possesion, and most shots and most corners. So then what is it? Even Fergie has stated that the missing chances is becoming a worry to him. Is it in his hands? Shooting practice, heading practice, crossing, dribbling, corners, free-kicks, is that what needs to be practices? I really cant say because I am not on the training ground to see what they do. I am not an insider, neither do I know one. So what can I, form a fans point of view, think of this? I really think is it all about mirrormoves. I dunno if that is even a word, but I will try to explain what it is.
Against Shitty, Villa and Spurs, we got some chances. But the players see each other miss tons and tons of chances that should be goals. I can remember the open net against Shitty to start, goalie saved it because Giggs was blind, then Villa when Rooney blazed a shot from 5 yeards 999999 meters over goal. And against Spurs we saw a Ronaldo goal being turned down, Gomes making a wonder save from Giggs` free kick, Rios header going over and Tevez missing that sitter. Against Stoke we didnt get so many chances in the first half, but the ones we got we misses. But then came Boro, oh Boro, where Ronaldo missed 5 chances in the first half that should, and I repeat SHOULD, for the sake of Gods mercy be goals. When a player of Ronaldos statue misses so many chances it is not good for the team. Then came the second half when Park missed the easiest chance any United player will get this season. How he missed is beyond me. I think that our players miss so many chances because they never fully believe that they are gonna score on their chances. When they see Ronaldo miss so many big chances, or Turnbull making the great save from Wazzas volley, they might lose belief and start thinking “will we score today”. It more of a mental issue than fysical one. If we for once could score a goal before playing 30 minutes, I think we will see a goal feast. If only one player scores, the whole team will sharpen up and believe that they can score. But we score late. Stoke, LDQ, and Boro. We dont score before 70 minutes being played. That means that we have to shut up shop ion the last minutes. Boro: 70 minutes. LDQ: 76 minutes. Stoke: 83 minutes. That leaves very little time to score another goal if the opposition score. They can draw a game in a blink of an eye, and we decide not to attack. Its that easy.
We suffer in games because we dont score early. I mean, look at the results in games when we score in the first half: Osaka, 5-3, Blackburn, 5-3, Hull, 4-3, Stoke, 5-0, West Ham, 2-0. That is at least 2 goals each game. And because I found the result when doing maths to find out the average of how many goals it scred in those games shocking, I will say that too. 6 GOALS PER GAME!!! That is the average of how many goals its scored in a game where we score in the first half. Of cource we also have the 1-1 vs Everton, and the 1-0 vs Shitty, but I want to make my comments as positive as possible. So there you go. If the lads score in the first 45 minutes, we will see at least 6 goals scored.
Easy solution, difficult to do. Its not good for any player to see your friends miss chance after chance after chance after chance after chance after chance after chance. The phycoligics can point out that even humans, when they see another human being do something they do it themselves. Or when they feel sad the other will also feel sad. Feel tired and the other will feel tired. Jawn and the other will jawn. Maybe its also that if you miss a chance, another will also miss one. Dunno, Im just speaking to open your eyes. 
January 1st, 2009 at 13:00
Why dont we take our chances? THE question for Manchester United this season. Why dont we take our chances. From 26 chances per game we either score 1 or nothing. how is that possible? Good goalkeeping? Good defending? Bad attacking play? Well, we havent seen many “saves of the season” saves made by keepers. Except from the LDQ keeper and Gomes, they made some good ones. But Sorensen, Boro keeper, Hart, Friedel and Sunny keeper, none of them made any spectacular saves. And I wont say that its good defending when a team defending with 10 men concede 20 plus chances per game. And it cannot be bad attacking play when we make 20 chances per game, have most possesion, and most shots and most corners. So then what is it? Even Fergie has stated that the missing chances is becoming a worry to him. Is it in his hands? Shooting practice, heading practice, crossing, dribbling, corners, free-kicks, is that what needs to be practices? I really cant say because I am not on the training ground to see what they do. I am not an insider, neither do I know one. So what can I, form a fans point of view, think of this? I really think is it all about mirrormoves. I dunno if that is even a word, but I will try to explain what it is.
Against Shitty, Villa and Spurs, we got some chances. But the players see each other miss tons and tons of chances that should be goals. I can remember the open net against Shitty to start, goalie saved it because Giggs was blind, then Villa when Rooney blazed a shot from 5 yeards 999999 meters over goal. And against Spurs we saw a Ronaldo goal being turned down, Gomes making a wonder save from Giggs` free kick, Rios header going over and Tevez missing that sitter. Against Stoke we didnt get so many chances in the first half, but the ones we got we misses. But then came Boro, oh Boro, where Ronaldo missed 5 chances in the first half that should, and I repeat SHOULD, for the sake of Gods mercy be goals. When a player of Ronaldos statue misses so many chances it is not good for the team. Then came the second half when Park missed the easiest chance any United player will get this season. How he missed is beyond me. I think that our players miss so many chances because they never fully believe that they are gonna score on their chances. When they see Ronaldo miss so many big chances, or Turnbull making the great save from Wazzas volley, they might lose belief and start thinking “will we score today”. It more of a mental issue than fysical one. If we for once could score a goal before playing 30 minutes, I think we will see a goal feast. If only one player scores, the whole team will sharpen up and believe that they can score. But we score late. Stoke, LDQ, and Boro. We dont score before 70 minutes being played. That means that we have to shut up shop ion the last minutes. Boro: 70 minutes. LDQ: 76 minutes. Stoke: 83 minutes. That leaves very little time to score another goal if the opposition score. They can draw a game in a blink of an eye, and we decide not to attack. Its that easy.
We suffer in games because we dont score early. I mean, look at the results in games when we score in the first half: Osaka, 5-3, Blackburn, 5-3, Hull, 4-3, Stoke, 5-0, West Ham, 2-0. That is at least 2 goals each game. And because I found the result when doing maths to find out the average of how many goals it scred in those games shocking, I will say that too. 6 GOALS PER GAME!!! That is the average of how many goals its scored in a game where we score in the first half. Of cource we also have the 1-1 vs Everton, and the 1-0 vs Shitty, but I want to make my comments as positive as possible. So there you go. If the lads score in the first 45 minutes, we will see at least 6 goals scored.
Easy solution, difficult to do. Its not good for any player to see your friends miss chance after chance after chance after chance after chance after chance after chance. The phycoligics can point out that even humans, when they see another human being do something they do it themselves. Or when they feel sad the other will also feel sad. Feel tired and the other will feel tired. Jawn and the other will jawn. Maybe its also that if you miss a chance, another will also miss one. Dunno, Im just speaking to open your eyes. razz
January 1st, 2009 at 13:12
I seem to remember, in the treble season if I’m not mistaken, Fergie gave Schmeichel a winter holiday after a few clangers. So its nothing new.
January 1st, 2009 at 13:18
Can you guys actually believe that only 3 years ago Fletcher was preffered over Ronaldo on the right wing?!
Madness!!!
January 1st, 2009 at 13:55
HAPPPY new year people
lets hope united get 6 trophies this season
January 1st, 2009 at 14:14
I will be quite pissed if another club agrees to tosic terms and he turns out a star for them.just how much did tosic want for his weekly wages? I repeat my question, are united broke?
January 1st, 2009 at 14:18
@RedDevilEddy: I can answer your question in one Eddy mi man. We don’t take our chances, though we have many opportunities and wide open goals ones at that, because OUR one and only great striker if off form this season so far, and we have nobody else who can consistently get us the goals in each game played. Rooney is a player who gives us little spurts of goals, and then goes off for for spells. Tev is never going to be a prolific striker, and neither is Berba. We need another Ruud for consistency of scoring goals, but a Ruud type of striker WITH MORE SPEED. Will we get it, will we feck
. O well, here’s hoping for some kind of striker improvement in this New Year part of the season.
Grog, Fergie has for a long while now given our players a weeks leave here and there throughout a season, and that goes for each and every player. So no favouritism there.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:23
@colver: Couldn’t agree with you more Colver mi man
.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:23
Man i hope that all this about tosic is just crap because we are in dire need of a new left winger, not that my preference is tosic just any1 who can come in and play over park who in fairness is a bottom 10 club type player. We cant negotitate deals for shit. Whoever is in charge on the finance side of things needs to get shot. The deals now and in the past are always so complicated with us. The whole berba and tevz affair and further back ronaldinho and robben. We are so crap at buying and selling players. We take months to agree fees and wages with the players when other clubs do this in a matter of days. I can see us just settling with what we have rather then making an improved move for tosic. Then in the future when he is a good player we will end up paying £25million for him probably. Does any1 know who is in charge of this side of the club, is it the glazers? Whoever it is they need to leave cos they cant negotiate at all. If tosic really doesnt want to come then fine move on to some1 else, we must have more than 1 target surely. We were apparently linked with david silva in the summer so see if hes available, if not move on to some1 else again. My personal prefernce is ashley young despite how high his price tag would be. We however will probably settle for the 2nd rate park which seems to be the way our club is heading sometimes with fergie seeming to prefer heart over actual ability. If young is gonna cost £25mil then fine we pay it if we believe he is good enough to justify that price tag. I would just like to see just about any1 playing over park, jeez i would probably rather see kieran richardson over him. Just left wing for me is the only problem in the team and i feel seeing park the rest of the season will cost us trophies. Hes a hard worker but that doesnt mean hes good enough does it. I really do hope that fergie buys in this position in jan cos it could be a huge difference at the end of the season.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:27
@Grognard: I heard Nani got a break, because his arse is covered in splinters from having to wriggle about on the bench, or in the stands. His spine has stiffened with all the inactivity he suffers, and so he is off to Portuguese doctors and physios to heal his problems, and to expose spine and arse to some portuguese sunshine
. Go Little Man Nani.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:30
Personally I think Berbatov CAN be a prolific goalscorer. After all we were thinking of buying him as a replacement for RVN BEFORE Ronaldo was our goalscorer. Berbatov takes his chances better than anyone this season (including Ronaldo who is quite wasteful this season missing goals he’d have nailed last season). Problem is Berbatov probably takes the least shots. Hell Park takes more shots than Berbatov. Doesn’t that give you a clue what the real problem is?
Our tactics are off this season. We had two forwards, bought a striker but then tried to convert the striker into ANOTHER forward.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:31
@vikas: AAaaah a voice of reason – I agree Vikas, hopefully it will benefit player and club.
January 1st, 2009 at 14:59
To be honest alot of people on here are blaming the strikers poor shooting as to the reason why we havent scored alot this season, and to a degree this is true but i also feel that to be honest there is not enough creativity in the midfield that is giving them enough chances. People will disagree with me and say we had 25 chances against boro, and yes thats true but think of this for a minute, how many of those chances were in genuine goal scoring positions and not on the edge of the box at an impossible angle where some1 just thought i will have a crack here and its destined to miss but the keeper makes a save to clear the danger. My point with this is yes people can say we missed 25 chances there but i doubt all of those were good chances. Yes maybe a few of them were but i doubt all of those 25 chances should have been converted. When i have watched us, alot of chances have been more chances that have been on the edge of the box or there and around that some1 has just decided to have a crack at and its gone wide. I dont consider these genuine chances. I feel our midfield of carrick and fletcher doesnt create enough, how many chances do we create that is a genuine goal scoring chance. From what i have watched not enough genuine goal scoring chances. Against stoke for example, there was the long range scholes shot that was never gonna beat the keeper, a rooney header straight at the keeper and a few other half chances and thats it. The only shot we should have scored was the rooney header when he should have headed it either side of the keeper. Other people will say about the scholes shot, but that was just a 25 yarder struck relatively weakly for scholes that most keepers would have saved and therefore for me is not a clear cut chance. Maybe you can see what i mean now. So the point of my article and what im trying to say is that the midfield does not create enough clear cut chances for the strikers in my opinion. Watching barca they create at least 10 good chances a game, these kind of chances are in and around the box, 1 on 1s etc. These are genuine chnaces and we do not create enough of these. The amount of times we have genuine chances like this has gone down so much, in some games we are only creating about 2 or 3 good chances a game against poor opposition and at home. Maybe its not the strikers and infact its the pairing of fletcher and carrick tht is more of a problem. I truly believe that were ferguson to give a pairing of ando and carrick a go for a good few weeks then the strikers would be producing so much more because a pairng of these 2 in midfield would double the number of chances we create therefore meaning more goals. This is just my opinion tho.
January 1st, 2009 at 15:01
@Craig Mc: A player like Ruud, only with more speed? I can name 3 players in that category. First off, my favorite striker which is possible to buy. David Villa. Goalpoacher, long range shooter, header, vollyer, free-kick taker and speed monster.
The other player is probably just as good, just more expensive and harder to get. Samuel Etoo. We all know what he can do, and he was for sale on the “cheap” this summer. Why we didnt buy him, I dont know. But its proved out to be a big mistake.
The last person, Fernando Torres. Impossibly to buy of cource, because he is a scouser. But we all have to admire his quality and his goalscoring skills are remarkable.
January 1st, 2009 at 15:12
So, Arsenal are about to lose Fabregas and Adebayor this January/Summer.
Chelski will probably lose Drogba quite soon, because in the Chelski meeting for the transfer window all the players agreed that Drogba was bad for the team spirit in the dressing room.
And Liverpool have lost Steven Gerrard to prison, maybe Agger, Babel and Dossena will leave the club.
Aston Villa may lose Carew until March with a back injury, while Reo Coaker, Young and Shorey are being closely followed by Chelski, Man United and Real “Shit From” Madrid.
Blackburn Rovers may lose Santa Cruz and Christopher Samba during January because of both desire to leave the club.
Pompey striker Defoe is being watched by Tottenham, who are keen on signing both Defoe and Bellamy.
Manchesster Shitty are being linked with Kaka, Messi, Buffon, Fabregas, Etoo and David Villa. Robinho says all the players at Manchester Shitty are afraid they might lose their place in the team and get “fired”. Some “big” names are Richards, Sturridge, Hart, Elano and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Real Madrid have bought Lassana Diarra from Pompey and want to add more fire power to their strenght by signing Ashley Young from Aston Villa, Drogba from Chelsea and -who else- Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United.
Zoran Tosic and Ljiaic are possibly not joining United, the former because he doesnt agree the weekly wages, and the latter because he doesnt want to move with a countryman(ehh, Vidic?).
There are still worries for Manchester United because Carlos Tevez transfer is still notr agreed and been completed. More on that later…
All the (interesting) transfer news I found today. Enjoy!
January 1st, 2009 at 15:54
@Grognard: I have to strongly disagree with all of that Grognard. SAF has frequently given players holidays when he has felt they have been necessary. Ronaldo himself has had at least two breaks of this type since he joined the club. And what is he going to miss anyway? An FA Cup and League Cup game against lower sides who he would likely have been rested for anyway.
Infact one of the players you mentioned that would not have received such treatment benefited from the same treatment as Ronaldo. Peter Schmeicel was given two weeks off (missing a league game in the process) in January 1999 to take a holiday in the Caribbean to ‘recharge his batteries’. And he was a flaming Goalkeeper. A proper manager needs to know when to be a disciplinarian and when his players need an arm round the shoulders or a break. That is the true measure of a great man manager.
@RedDevilEddy: There were long standing concerns about the fitness of Eto’o, in particular an ongoing knee condition (as well as his temperament). The reason why Barcelona were willing to let him go relatively cheaply in the summer is probably the same reason why other clubs weren’t interested in buying him.
January 1st, 2009 at 16:02
@Matthew: David Gill and previously Peter Kenyon were in charge of transfer negotiations. I presume clearance to purchase a player is needed from the Glazers but they are not involved in any of the practicalities of the negotiations as far as I am aware.
I think a major part of the problem with our transfer negotiations is the way targets are identified and pursued. When SAF has a player in mind we rarely seem to deviate on the target. For example when he missed out on Hargreaves in 2006 there was no major rush or panic to buy another midfielder to fill the gap. Instead we waited and pursued Hargreaves for over a year to secure him. As a result, when United come calling other clubs know they can play hardball because SAF priority is getting the right player rather than the best deal. That is the price you pay for securing the players you want.
P.S. Can you break your posts up into paragraphs? It is very difficult to read such long blocks of texts
January 1st, 2009 at 16:06
Good article by our guest author. I agree entirely that we are too derisive to tournaments like this. One thing I would say though is that if Chelsea or the Dippers were involved I reckon most us would be happily running the tournament down
January 1st, 2009 at 16:07
I dont see fabregas leaving neither do i think utd will go for carew though he is a decent finisher.
January 1st, 2009 at 16:59
@Grognard: grognard i was talking about early 2007 when ronaldo alone was given one week off and he went to dubai during that time….
January 1st, 2009 at 17:11
@Grognard: FYI Grognard, among sporting continents in the world, the beautiful game is less developed in Asia and as such the reason why the tournament is always held a 1000 miles away. Few people from this continent have the chance to watch games from the big four leagues in Europe and later alone the Champions League. this tournament however gives young kids, the future of the game the chance to see and watch the flavour of the game, most of who happen to trade the game in europe. they learn and get motivated having met and seen these great players they take as idols, and trust me if you dont know the power of this, then you need some counselling.
As for the leave being granted to Ronaldo, its not the first time the gaffer is doing this. He’s done it with all the latino players we’ve had at OT only that this time we have many latinos than before and most of them are a hit that nothing happens to their lives off the pitch goes unnoticed. Tevez and Ando got the same leave and how come you didn’t raise dust, and as i talk the Twins are on their way. And not being like the Pagan europeans, who spread the news of the gospel and never follows it, the South Americans and Africans are believers and do value the christmas festive season of great importance.
So mate learn to live with it. Its not only your millions that are at use, people who need to have a get together with these lads do also inject in their share and probably more than you do @@@@@@@
January 1st, 2009 at 17:45
Grognard I agree they should man up but we have to deal with realities. These are young boys without any family ties in England (unlike other members of the squad who are married or English or at least European). Nani comes from Cape Verde. Ronaldo comes from Madeira. Anderson and Tevez and the twins South America. Hardly day trips! A bit of sunshine will do them some good as this English winter really sucks!
As for missing games our next match is a cup tie against Southampton. Let the old boys play that fixture and then add an injection of youth and Latin flair in the second half of the season for the games we need to win!
January 1st, 2009 at 17:51
@JB: Then I can understand it. But I think we would have been higher in the league if we had Etoo in the games against the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelski and Arsenal. Too bad, but Im happy he is doing well at Barca. Anything so those cunts from Madrid aint doin well.
January 1st, 2009 at 17:53
For those hating Chelski, loving United and enjoy watching overhead kick goals, watch this.
January 1st, 2009 at 18:19
Take a look at this if you havent already:
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/what-really-happened/
January 1st, 2009 at 18:25
jb, sorry mate will do my long comments in paragraphs in future and thanks for answering my question. I just feel tho that when it comes to buying and selling we are crap at it. We buy the players for too much and sell our players for too little. Why do our transfers have to be so complicated when other clubs do their business so easy. If this about tosics wage is true then i find it weird that we agreed a fee with the club and got all the work permit and that and still couldnt agree a wage with him. We really need some help in that department, someone who knows how to negotiate business dealings cos everything with us seems to be a slow painful process.
January 1st, 2009 at 18:45
@Matthew: its true, we’re crap at signing and selling players. i mean, selling silvestre was a good move, but selling him for under a mill?
January 1st, 2009 at 19:09
dan(u-ol), yep true was there any point of even selling him for so little, i think i heard it was less than half a million even, pathetic really.
Also just been hearing from a reliable serbian newspaper that apparently tosic and the other young kid, erm llajlac (sorry if its mis spelt, probably is), have agreed to move to us. Tosic will join in jan and the other guy will join in the summer. Its doing the rounds on a couple of sites now and is supposed to be a very reliable site, hope its true but i guess we will have to wait and see.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:14
@Matthew: b92 the site is called.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:19
@RedDevilEddy: You must take me for some inhuman bastard mate. I know they are human beings and I know they are young too but when I see soldiers risking their lives for months on end in Iraq and Afghanistan I don’t really feel that much sympathy for athletes being paid millions to kick a little ball around a field. There is no stress in that if you compare the two or if you compare the job with a poor stiff who goes out every day and works his ass off in a dead end job just so that he can barely put food on his family’s table. Far too much understanding and compassion is being given to individuals who in comparison to others who really work for a living and others who sacrifice their lives every day for their countries or even just their jobs.
I’m sorry but maybe I just don’t see the need to treat grown men playing a kids sport like children and or individuals suffering burnout or extreme fatigue. Give the players a break. Rotate properly and sit players down every so often to give them a change to recharge themselves. All of us poor stiffs are lucky if in an entire year we are granted two weeks for a vacation. Footballers get two months and a lot of money to play with. They are also offered all the amenities of luxury from both the club and from their own stuffed wallets to make their lives as stress free as humanly possible. So please spare me the sob story about them being young and human and needing a break. What they really need is dose of reality or perhaps an “It’s a Wonderful Life” moment where a ghost shows them what the lives of others less fortunate looks like. I say rest players properly and keep them fresh for a long season. But granting them leaves of absence while there is a season going on is wrong and sends the wrong message to their teammates who have to stick it out and endure and for the millions of supporters out there who have it a Hell of a lot harder, and who struggle to understand why Ronaldo needs a break from the “Hell” he’s being going through, when in reality he knows nothing about what true day to day Hell looks or smells like. Sorry but I’m not buying this bleeding heart stuff. Not when it comes to spoilt millionaires.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:30
@RedDevilEddy: BOO HOO HOO. They are rich enough to have their families flown in and stay in fucking mansions. My heart bleeds. Try coming home and telling your family that you lost your job to the recession and that you may not be able to pay the mortgage. Grab a sense of perspective mate. Think about it. You are defending spoilt millionaires who have chosen to ply their trade outside of their countries and far from their families for nothing more than fame and money. They want to play for the best because that’s where the fame and the money are, or they would stay in their native land and play for a smaller club for the love of the game and for the close proximity to their loved ones. So when a Cristiano Ronaldo or Fabiano and Rafael decide to leave for greener pastures, they need to know that with that comes a tremendous sacrifice. Like a young man who enlists in the US Army has to accept the fact he may be sent overseas and not see his loved ones for well over a year and who knows, maybe never again. That’s a sacrifice I respect and sympathize with.
Much is being made about my view on this and yet I am being made to seem heartless and stubborn. I’m not. I believe in giving players rest. Thats why we have a big squad for. ROTATE. But I also have played team sports and coached team sports long enough to know that when you grant special favors or furloughs to players, it creates dissension and friction within the team. It is vital to treat all your players fairly and the same. Your foreign contingent are rich beyond their wildest dreams. If they miss their families , flying them over for a stay is equivalent to you and I going out with a friend for a movie and a pizza. I am very aware of the damage that can be caused from favoritism and I worry that this trend with United will create a fracture in team chemistry and cause some to feel envy and jealousy. Yes I could be wrong but I am sure there are some who feel and think like I do. It’s not right, it’s not fair and it’s an attempt to appease players who have made their own bed, and who now need to man up and learn to lye in it.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:34
@dan(u-ol): He had one year left on his contract, was fairly injury prone over the last two years and is 30 plus. So there is probably why the transfer fee was so small. But I wouldn’t imagine the fee was the motivation to sell, rather the opportunity to clear £50k a week off the wage bill.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:54
@RedDevilEddy: Also, from another perspective, I am a paying supporter of the club. I pay through my yearly pay tv subscription to Setanta as well by buying merchandise licensed by the FA or Manchester United. As a paying supporter I bloody well demand that players are available for key matches against opponents as I pay to watch this team win, not take a month off to regenerate. Sounds selfish maybe but my wallet isn’t that thick these days and every penny I spend towards this team is out of love and loyalty because frankly, I am on disability benefits and the Government pay out poverty wages in that area. So forgive me if my heart does not bleed for overpaid pretty boys who feel burnout. Perhaps they should live everyday with a heart problem and a back problem and no money before they start crying over their lot in life.
I may sound angry and bitter but I just feel like I am personally being ripped off when Anderson, Tevez and Nani are allowed to hit the beach while we are trying to make up seven points in the standings. I am being ripped off when our best player is granted a leave due to the stress of playing footy and all that ravel to exotic Japan and also flying to France and having to dress up to accept the Balon D’Or. Oh my how stressful that must be. Too many of you are making my blood sugar rise with your sugary bleeding heart understanding for all this nonsense. The first sign when a supporter has lost perspective of things is when they themselves overlook their own hard life and demands and find compassion and understanding in those of others who have it way better than them. Sorry but I’m not there yet. And I honestly hope I never am. What I demand from footballers is good old fashioned work ethic and and to learn to take life’s little problems like men and not little boys. And I demand that Fergie start acting like a manager again and not a coddling old grandfather. Instill some discipline, pride and passion in this gang and start laying down the law before the inmates totally take over the asylum.
January 1st, 2009 at 19:57
@Craig Mc: HA! HA!
Good one Bro. Sounds like he needs good chiropractor and he may need a soft cushion to prevent from getting a bad case of roids too. 
January 1st, 2009 at 20:05
@Matthew: That’s a good point. We get a lot of chances but many are counting half chances as legitimate goal scoring opportunities or when a player comes very close to scoring from and area where the chances of a goal were slim or none. Clear cut chances are not as plentiful as some might think. Certainly against Sunderland and last week against Boro we got many many chances to score and screwed up instead. But not all games have been like that. Quite a few of our road games have gone 30 minutes before we had a decent chance. The lack of a brilliant and visionary central midfielder has hurt us greatly. I love an attacking midfielder that sees all the pitch, sprays the ball around but who also has the skill and finesse to make passes that crack open extreme defensive formations. Anderson when he has played has shown a willingness to try things and his long through balls are a joyful experience indeed, but he still hasn’t masteres the art of finesse. Also, midfielders who move up regularly and score goals would be nice. Carrick makes us much better when he moves up. He is slow footed but his skill makes up for that most of the time. The problem is he plays to far back and that does not allow him to do this well or often. If Hargo were playing next to him I am sure he would have more liberty and freedom to do this. Unfortunately this season Carrick is playing Hargo’s role of DMF. This has probably been the biggest problem with why our team has struggled.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:06
@RedDevilEddy: All are not available so why talk about them mate? Plus, we can’t afford any of them based on the Glazer’s penny pinching of late.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:06
dan(u-ol), yeah thats the one i think, do you know anything about it. Apparently it is supposed to be a reliable place but the amount of crap i hear about us and transfer dealings is unbelievable. Unfortunately im a bit gullible at times so i belive some of the transfer stories at times. Hopefully this is true tho and not just some crap.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:16
@JB: Fair enough JB but I just don’t agree. That doesn’t make me wrong. I see things from an entirely different perspective and unfortunately, I see things from the perspective of an outsider looking in. I don’t have all the information, but seeing as I am not being told what is going on, I have the right to question and disagree with those policies. My posts #87, 88 and 89 clearly convey my feelings on this subject if you take the time to read them. Perhaps I am being a little unreasonable but I just don’t believe it sends a proper message to the remaining players as well as to many supporters who have it a Hell of a lot harder and who don’t get a day to recharge their own batteries. I am just not a bleeding heart when it comes to millionaire athletes who have such incredible lifestyles and live in opulence and luxury.
If Fergie has done this in the past, fine. I still don’t like it and I don’t see the need for it. Rest the player, but vacations are taken after the season, not during. A simple solution to all this would be for the the FA to wake the Hell up and give a three week break for all teams around the Christmas and New Years period. Let everyone collectively take a break and recharge their batteries as well as the supporters. But as it is right now, if I was a player on the club, I would go all Vinny Jones on the manager for showing favoritism and preference to certain players.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:24
@JB: I agree. As well, I think the problem now is that Fergie can no longer use that tactic more than once a season due to the fact he no longer has the amount of money to play with. They almost lost Berbatov with their tactics this season. Thankfully unloading a number of high salaries freed up some cash and Berbatov’s desire to play for us helped us overcome City and others for his signature. It also helped in the fact that Hargo never wanted to leave Bayern for any other team but us. Fergie does have a talent for building loyalty amongst players he is pursuing. He talks them up in the media and makes them feel special and basically seduces them enough so that they dream of playing for him. This is a great tactic but too many of todays players are still mercenaries and their bottom line is the money. And from where I sit I think the team’s finances aren’t as healthy as they once were and I don’t think our future transfer budgets will be able to compete with Chelsea, City and the big Spanish and Italian clubs. Sure I could be wrong but I have also been reading thing here in North America about the Glazer’s empire beginning to show cracks. They took a major hit in the markets and in their other dealings 3 months ago. This worries me greatly.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:32
@Jay Jay: Everyone is telling me it’s not the first time Ferguson has granted vacations to players during the season. Fine, I get it, but that does not weaken my point, that being that is wrong and unfair to the other players as well as the PAYING supporters. There is a time for vacations. The end of May until the middle of July. 2 1/2 months to regenerate. I suppose it’s a bit tougher for the players at the World Cup, Copa or Euros but hey, you want to be a star on the world stage, you have to man up, take it and move on. They still get a full month and a half off after that. My God they are all young and healthy men. They don’t need holidays in December. They need a rest every so often and they need a good kick in the ass to wake them up if they are not giving their all. They are bloody professionals being paid to entertain us poor stiffs who don’t have the wealth and privileges in life that they do. And lets not forget that their careers run ten to fifteen years on the norm and then they retire as young men financially set for life. God have mercy, give me a break already. I am flabbergasted that all of you cannot see where I am coming from. I am defending all of you poor stiffs. JEEZ! You just don’t get it.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:34
@Jay Jay: I did raise dust about Anderson and Tevez. Go back and read my posts before you accuse me of picking on only one.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:44
@colver: Did you not read my posts fully mate? How about those examples I gave of others like soldiers who have tours of duty and who go off to far away lands to sacrifice their lives for long periods of time while being paid shitty wages. What about their needs? Do you think perhaps they need a vacation far more than a spoilt footballer? Oh they have needs and families. Boo Hoo Hoo! So do we all and none of have the means and the way to benefit all of them like these boys do. Are we so far removed form these class of individuals that we now start forgiving and tolerating their blatant lack of respect for all of us. I feel for the 50,000 plus paying supporters who go to OT to watch a game and find out that three of their best players are unavailable due to Christmas vacations. God what sad world we are living in and how much sadder it will get when the lower classes start ignoring the the abuses of spoilt aristocrats on our senses and on our wallets. What I may be paying into the coffers of United may be minuscule but frankly speaking, I want satisfaction and I pay to get my money’s worth. The few dollars I have are far more dear to me than what United thinks. By not fielding the best possible team during a very important time in the season, is inexcusable to me. But I also think of the Fletcher’s, Rio’s, Vidic’s and others who don’t get the same treatment. Are they not tired? Do they not need a vacation too? It’s bollocks mate and if you and the others don’t see it, that’s fine. I do and that’s all that concerns me at this point.
January 1st, 2009 at 20:45
@Grognard: This is a reply to all your thoughts about resting players and such. First of all, I dont think you are an inhuman bastard. Maybe heartless, but not inhuman.
Just kidding mate. When you say it from that perspective you are right to say that its stupid to give them a break. But I didnt see it that way. I saw it the way I wrote down I looked at it, and not more. Yeah, they have a wonderful life and better than many others. Spoilt billionares maybe, but also people. I have my own way at looking at players, and you have yours. Your way makes me never wanna watch footy again- 
– so therefor I will not look at it your way. Its depressing and a little worrying for me to think of it that way. Im not waying its wrong, but its not my mentality to look at things that way. Some people have it hard, and some people have it easy. Thats the way of life. We should not blame them(Andy, Tevez, Nani or Ronny) for people dying in war and dying on the street looking for food. They should live their own life and not think about these things. Thats why I dont blame them for wanting to spent holidays with their family. Maybe its wrong by me, but I feel so. Okey?
January 1st, 2009 at 20:47
@Matthew: We are looking at all this like outsiders. We have no way of knowing exactly what is going on or how they work their business. We just have to trust that they know what they are doing. An increasingly more and more difficult thing these days.
January 1st, 2009 at 21:02
@Grognard: To be fair there is no right or wrong answer for a debate of this type. But for me the proof is in the pudding. SAF has used these methods before, they appear to have been successful (as difficult as that is to judge accurately) and there has never been visible rancor caused amongst the other players. So, superficially at least, the policy has been a success in the past and therefore I have no concerns over its implementation now.
January 1st, 2009 at 21:06
@RedDevilEddy: I’m not blaming those players for the bad luck of others. All I am saying is that they do not need special privileges handed to them during the middle of a heated campaign when they already have very high standards of life, health and privilege. That’s not blaming them, that’s blaming a system that coddles them and treats them well above a common standard that the rest of us never see or experience.
If I depressed you I am sorry but you know the truth hurts. Avoiding it or ignoring it and trying to always be positive just masks the reality of what life hands us all. Manchester United is a professional football club that owes it’s success and survival to millions of poor stiffs like me and you. We pay those player’s high wages. Therefore I feel we should have some say on how things should be run within a certain degree of tolerance. No we don’t have the right to tell the coach what tactics to play or which players to field, but we do have a right to demand professionalism and proper work ethic from all. They get paid incredible ampounts of money to entertain and thrill us and I for one do not pay my small portion to watch three or four of them take extended holidays during a very key period in the season. They are not hurt and they are not little girls in need of mommy. They are grown men, being paid to play a kids sport professionally and for that, I want them to be as professional as I have been when i worked.
I never went to any of my employers and demanded a vacation other than the one I was already granted. Sick leave is different. Ronaldo, Tevez, Anderson and Nani are not sick. They are tired but then so are the rest of the players on the team and as for us all, we are sick and tired of watching this team play the whole season in sub par fashion and without the hunger and commitment of past teams. As a devoted fan I have the right to demand that players should be rested but not given leaves of absence while others have to stay and toil away.
Fergie is Fergie and because of that many of you feel I have no right to challenge the decisions he makes. What a bunch of programmed automatons. Unlike many of you I challenge authority and I don’t get intimidated or feel undeserving to criticize somebody above my social standing. If you look at things from a democratic and capitalist perspective, we pay Fergie’s wages, not the Glazer’s. And because of that we demand and deserve a little consideration. I for one may be in the extreme minority here, but I feel personally spit upon by Fergie’s decisions this season and these vacations are just the last straw. I am tired of supporting a team that has no respect for me. I don’t want players to have vacations in the middle of the season. Rest them yes, coddle them perhaps, but don’t grant them privileges that I feel are poisonous to the morale of the entire squad and also factors that could jeopardize the team’s season. Lets also not forget the extra jet lag these lads will feel flying to and from South America. Vacation or just added fatigue?
January 1st, 2009 at 21:08
@JB: Fair enough JB but frankly speaking, I do not recall any time in the past when he let four players go at the same time. It’s bad enough if you send one player away but to send four vital players away when we have five games in almost a very condensed period seems foolish and irresponsible. But you are correct, perhaps there is no right or wrong in this depending on multiple points of view.
January 1st, 2009 at 21:12
On a more positive note. Good news indeed, if we can trust it to be true.
“CRISTIANO RONALDO has dismissed fresh speculation linking him with Real Madrid.
The Manchester United ace came close to joining the Spanish giants last summer.
But Ronaldo insists he is happy with life at Old Trafford and has no intention of turning his back on boss Alex Ferguson.
The Portugal winger said: “There’s always speculation, not just about me, but about the future of players all around the world.
“People were speaking about me this summer but that was normal because of what I did during the season.
“What people are saying now is not true.
“Whoever says that I am joining Madrid is a liar because I am happy at the club, I want to stay here.
“I feel at home here. I feel very happy here.”
Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals in all competitions last term, added fuel to the fire during pre-season by claiming he would love to play for Real.
But the 23-year-old insists his desire to pull on the famous white shirt one day has not damaged his relationship with the United faithful.
He added: “I think the people don’t forget quickly what you do for the club.
“When I first arrived back at the stadium to play, I felt a little bit of pressure.
“But the fans were very good and this is why I feel the Manchester United supporters are amazing.
“I love the fans because they have been brilliant with me, not just this season but every season.
“Like I said before, I feel at home in Manchester.”
January 1st, 2009 at 21:21
@Grognard: its true, i saw the interview. dont really care to be honest
, he’s hardly showed the type of form to warrant a starting place has he?
January 1st, 2009 at 21:43
@Grognard:Saw it too Grog. You can never be sure with Ronaldo. i just hope he walks the walk and gives us more performances to remember.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:12
@Grognard: Hey, Im not saying that you are wrong. Cause I actually think that you are correct in your statement(s). Its just that I dont agree. But you have some valid points which are good and interesting. Certanly true too, in some aspects. I just dont agree, because I have a different view of it. Still, well written though.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:14
@Grognard: I still have doubts about his statement. Even though he seems happy, its difficult to say what is in his head after the summer and, lately, his poor performances. I just hope he finds his game and starts playnig well, until he eventually leaves.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:28
Grognard, personally i dont believe a word that comes out of his mouth to be honest, all that crap in the summer really hurt alot of the fans who supported him including myself, it felt like he threw everything in our faces and just didnt give a damn. Now i know that nothing that was ever proved came from his mouth, but his inibility to just come out and say that all the rumours were a lie put a huge amount of doubts into our heads. Now i dont wanna talk about all that summer crap too much because that is in the past now and we should be focusing on the present. But at the minute i see a man whose hunger has gone, a man who doesnt look happy and a man who would rather be elsewhere. Now i dont know, maybe im reading into this too much, maybe hes just pissed off being hacked down by scumbags who shouldnt be on the same pitch as him, i really dont know but that is just my opinion. He is saying these comments 2day and is saying it is up to God tomorrow, we just cannot really take much notice of his comments. The best thing that could happen to him would be for him to settle down, get a nice girlfriend and then maybe he wont be so selfish for himself. Not that we should have any interferring in his love life but you have gotta say that looking at rooney he is settled down and is less likely to get in trouble or get his head turned off the pitch is he.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:40
@Matthew: Might be because we’re Man United and prices go up once we’re involved hence leading to drawn- out negotiations? Ever thought about that?
About us, not creating chances, I’m stumped by that, considering there was an article in the telegraph that was talking about how we were the worst finishers in the league but created the most chances. I don’t think creativity is lacking at all
.@colver:How can Berbatov be a prolific scorer was he was never one at Spurs even whilst playing in his so- called ideal position? Because we wanted to buy him to replace RVN doesn’t mean United wanted a like-for-like replacement.
@Nelson:Question, we should we be made to pay over the odds(which is probably what his agents want) over a player that we know so little about? How much do you know about the 2 players besides clip, how do we even know they’re better than what we have now? It seems some people go into some kinda nervous over- drive immediately we are linked to XYZ.
@ROOOOONEY: You should go read rival message boards then, I’m sure you’ll get to see a lot of negativity that suits your taste.
@Grognard: The last part kinda blows away the notion people on here were suggesting that the evil, mean big- bullies that are United fans were partly to blame cus they don’t “love” him anymore.
@Grognard: Anderson or Tevez, I can’t remember which was for family issues, not a break and also we don’t actually know if they actually went on breaks, do we? Its all specualtion from United fans, Fergie only gave reasons for Anderson or Tevez, he never actually explained Nani’s absence and also the whole Ronaldo break thingy was from The Times, we don’t know if Fergie is actually gonna do that or not
.@Grognard: Well, so far I haven’t talked to every United supporter, but you’re the only one judging by the forums I’ve read who seems to have such an issue with it.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:49
@Matthew: Matthew mi man, I think your comments on Ronnie being selfish are really unfair. It was Fergie who was being selfish, in insisting Ronnie stay put, when the lad and his family wanted him to play for Madrid. Do you think that if United felt they wanted to get rid after all, that they would be any less selfish in getting rid. Doesn’t matter if a player is settled in a club or not, if clubs want to keep or sell, and sell is the optimum of many a club at the moment, that the clubs selling give a shit about whether a player is settled or not at the club, and feck they have to uproot there families yet again. So I have no sympathy because the clubs certainly don’t when they want rid. Like many a player has said, they are just pieces of meat sold off like cattle
.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:52
@dan(u-ol): Who the feck has shown the form Dan(u)ol among our players, it is just very convenient for United fans to blame everything on Ronnie at the moment. What hypocrites we can all be.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:54
@Grognard: Maybe he doesn’t consider these 4 players vital Grog, there’s no telling what is going on in Fergie’s head is there.
January 1st, 2009 at 22:59
@Grognard: It doesn’t worry me Grog, in fact it encourages me, because I know the wealthy oil countries wanted to buy from the Glazers last season and still do
. A club like United won’t be short of buyers if the Glazers are forced to sell.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:02
@Craig Mc: chill mate, where in my post did i “blame everything on ronnie” he hasn’t shown form to warrant a starting place, whats wrong with saying that?
January 1st, 2009 at 23:12
@RedDevilEddy: Torres goalscoring skills are remarkable??? Not when he’s playing against top defences like Man Utd’s
.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:13
@dan(u-ol): You say he has not warranted a starting place but I’m not sure what other player has merited a place infront of him. I can safely assume by previous comments that you don’t exactly rate Park and Giggs that highly and Nani has gone backwards since last season. Even when playing poorly, Ronaldo is still one of our most dangerous players and would almost always be worth a starting berth.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:16
@Matthew: How many of those chances were in genuine goal scoring positions???
. Try the blatantly obvious ones – Park misses x 2, Berba miss x 1 and Rooney miss x 1, top scorers should have put them away, but then are they top scorers – that is the question. I think NOT.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:32
@JB: so you’re saying he should start on merit rather on form?
he hasnt made anything happen for a while has he? his last goal if i remember correctly was stoke at home, then i dont think he has many, if any assists also.
The only reason i personally would start ronaldo is because of our lack of wingers, we only have 2 wings that can perform and the fact is they aren’t. we need more quality wingers, to rival for places so they know that their place in the team isnt guaranteed.
Im talking about the youngs, the silvas and the riberys. heck, right now, i wouldnt say no to valencia!
tosic cant come fast enough.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:39
@RedDevilEddy: Fair enough mate, but having a different viewpoint just means that you think I am wrong. Why would you agree with something yet oppose it? It makes no sense to me. Sorry. I respect your reasoning, I’m just not sure I understand it. And please don’t hide behind that I’m negative and you are positive stuff because that’s just a smokescreen. I am right and you know it. You just wish that I wasn’t. Hell, I wish that I wasn’t too. I have studied law, ethics and how they relate to professionalism and so my beliefs come highly tested and from a very informed perspective. Manchester United is running a circus right now, not a football team. As hard as it is for me to believe it, Fergie has lost his grip on reality as well as on the team. He has mellowed far too much for my liking and i for one want a disciplinarian and General running the show who has a plan, and the respect and fear of the players. Bring on Mourinho. Look at how Capello has instilled order among the National Team. Simply put, no more bullshit was being tolerated. You either play by his drum beat otr you go back home. Tolerating this stuff by Fergie is bad enough, but when fans who spend their time and money following this team start to tolerate, then I’m sorry but I am missing something here and I am losing touch with the rest of you. Since when do consecutive wrongs make a right?
January 1st, 2009 at 23:42
@RedDevilEddy: See now this just gets to me. The lad comes out and tells the world he is not leaving and that he is happy playing in Manchester and many start to doubt if what he is saying is sincere or genuine. We want to believe in him but we always think the worst of people and our own paranoia taints our vision of reality.
Then on the other hand, we fail to read anything into what I have been going on about all these vacations granted players. Nobody see anything wrong with these even though they go against so many principles of professionalism and proper club etiquette. We read conspiracy where we want but not where it really is.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:44
@Rd: Well perhaps then Fergie owes the legion of paying supporters a little bit of an explanation as to what is really going on then, doesn’t he?
“Well, so far I haven’t talked to every United supporter, but you’re the only one judging by the forums I’ve read who seems to have such an issue with it.” And I guess that makes me wrong then because I am not on the same wave length as the majority eh?
January 1st, 2009 at 23:51
@Grognard: i actually agree with eddy tbh. all players get this type of treatment from fergie. but it stands out more with the foreign players because they obviously have to go abroad. Whereas with the player from the UK, they can visit their family if in dire need to, and miss 1 or 2 training sessions, but risk being on the bench.
well, thats my 2cents worth, not that it means anything
January 1st, 2009 at 23:52
@Craig Mc: Yes but how low will we sink before a sale is made? Fergie will probably not be around and all of a sudden the team will start resembling Man Shitty by the time they are sold. By not buying players and improving the squad we are slowly letting the team deteriorate because we are not injecting much needed new blood and a fresher approach on to the team. Dad’s Army will slowly march to the seas, and dive off a pier. I really feel its time for a regime change. The present one has gone stale and is lacking life or any kind of energy. When you have owners that are broke, owe millions and have lost millions in investment capital, and then you have a manager who is getting on in years, who lacks the hunger and authority to make the team better and who above all lacks the financial support to improve the team, that speaks of decay and eventual death. This team needs to be sold to somebody with buckets load of cash ASAP.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:54
@JB: Ronaldo is the best player in the world and is in a bad slump. Dan is reacting from frustration I am sure because to not consider the best player worthy of starting makes no sense. Sometimes I wonder how easily all of us can turn on our own in times of adversity. I include myself in that. We supporters are a fickle lot at times.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:57
@dan(u-ol): The form of the likes of Young or Valencia has absolutely no bearing on whether Ronaldo deserves a first team place at Mancherster United or not. The fact is that of our other wingers (and alternatives like Fletcher outwide), no one is playing well enough to force him out of the team. Ergo he warrants a starting place.
January 1st, 2009 at 23:59
@dan(u-ol): He’s still head over heels better than anyone on the pitch. Perhaps his super human season of last has so corrupted your expectations of him that now you are expecting 42 goals every season from a winger? Be fair to him. He has suffered tremendous abuse this season, struggled to find his fitness after surgery and a long layoff and has struggled to find the respect and love of the fans over his poor judgment over the Summer. He is only human and he needs to be given the benefit of the doubt and a free pass. He has earned it. What he hasn’t earned is a holiday in Portugal. Not when the season is still going. That’s where I get mad. And that’s not his fault. But lets get off his back already. How ungrateful and forgetful are you mate? This guys is a footballing God playing for Manchester United. And now he is no better than a bench warmer in your eyes. Grab a dose of reality.
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:01
@dan(u-ol): Well I don’t recall Evra, Vidic, and other foreign players being granted that privilege. No, sorry that doesn’t work for me. No soup for you!
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:03
@Grognard: Right this is where you are baffling me. You are using the instances of SAF giving players holidays as evidence that he has lost touch and has gone soft. Yet it has been pointed out to you by a number of contributors that this has been a long term trend dating back as far as the treble year, where I presume you would concur, at that point, he was still a disciplinarian. So his behaviour in this regard has remained fairly consistent down the years. Based on that, how can it logically be used as evidence that has all of a sudden gone soft?
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:07
@JB: No one is playing well enough to put him out of the team OR you could say, he’s not playing well enough to warrant a starting place in the team. Should ronaldo play because no one else has ben good enough to displace him, or should he be dropped as he is not playing well.
like i said before, if we had more quality wingers, we wouldnt have this problem, because ronaldo would know he would HAVE to perform well enough to warrant a starting place, and he was off form, we had a quality winger to play instead of him, instead of park or fletcher.
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:09
@dan(u-ol): I’m sorry mate but your argument doesn’t hold any water. First of all, you say his form doesn’t merit a starting berth in the team. Well, despite Ronnie’s ‘poor’ form, he has so far performed better than all our other wingers combined and No, his last vital contribution wasn’t against stoke, it was at the Club world cup where he scored in our first match and provided the the assist for the match-winning goal in the final.
Then you change your argument to the only reason you would start him is because of our lack of wingers. That’s just like saying Ronnie won the Ballon d’Or because of a lack of proper candidates (something which I read from a bitter goal.com article).
He might be performing at the spectacular levels he did last year but he is still our best winger and one of our most dangerous players. Every player experiences a dip in form and i’m sure even those players you mentioned have had periods where they didn’t show up at all.. the difference is that even when Ronnie is in dire form, he still scores, assists or at least attracts two or more defenders to him, in the process, creating space for our other attackers.
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:15
@dan(u-ol): Simply put if no one else is good enough to replace him then Ronaldo should play. I fail to see where the logic is in dropping him for form reasons and replacing him with someone performing at a lower level.
We don’t have more quality wingers so the rest of it is a moot point. And I think you are in for a rude awakening if you think that Tosic is going to sign in January and suddenly start performing to a sufficient level to force him out of the team.
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:22
@Rd. Dont you ever equate my interest in players linked to united to some fucking nervous overdrive. Go back and read my two posts on the tosic issues again and see if it is on some kind of nervous overdrive.you really piss me off mate with that last statement
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:26
@dan(u-ol): btw, it seems like ur wish has come to fruition
The deal for the Serbian pair seem to be done and dusted.
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:51
@Grognard: Maybe I was kinda unclear about it. What I meant that I still stand by my word and still think I am right. But you bring up some valid points. You are correct in some of your many points, and I agree with some of them. But if I see the whole picture I still think Fergie is correct to do what he did. Capish?
January 2nd, 2009 at 0:54
@Gabriel: Finally some good news regarding Tos and Lij.
Been waiting for those news to break out for some time, as Park doesnt play the standard demanded from him.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:05
@Grognard: What Ronaldo did during the summer was as good as unforgivable. It was not a regualr summer of any means, it was the summer when we were supposed to celebrate to double. He ruined it all for us, and even though he scored 42 goals for us I just wanted to see him in pain and out of this club. It was wierd. One day I wanted him to stay, the other I wanted him to go and finally I just gave a fuck. He is a United player and now I dont put him over any player, unlike before. He was THE star last season, and before that, and he was put on a pedistal by most United supporters. He would have become a legend like Charlton, Giggs and Robson if he just would have kept his mouth shut. I dont blame him for wanting to move to Real. I cannot do that. Imagine one of us, United fans, playing for Barca. Then United say they want to buy, exaple, me. They say they want to buy me and it will be a dream for me. I would say that I always wanted to move to United and that it is a chance I cannot say no to. But I would be honest. Ronaldo played games with out emotions, in a very important time. I would forgive Ronaldo if he would come out straight and say “I want to move to Real”. He did that, but he also said things like “The white kit is nice”, “If they want to sign me they will” and the ever so fucking annoying “Only God knows”. “I am a United player today, but who knows tomorrow?” So frustrating that I just wanted to rip his head off and feed it to the crocodiles. I would personally fly to Austratlia to do such. But he was confusing, and disrespectful. He behaved in the worst possible manner. Feck him I said! But now, he is just an ordinary player. He is not more favorable than Rooney, Rio, Carrick or Brown. He is talented, but this season he has not played up to what was expected. Its January. I didnt expect him to have scored 20 goals at the moment, like last season. But his all around play has been very ordinary. When he gets an interview, I cant give a fuck more than if it had been Park talking. Can we trust Ronaldo? We can, but the question should rather be if we want to.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:08
Transfer news! The World Richest Club are about to buy a new player. A player that will help them out of relegation and in to the title. The player is….. Wayne Bridge! I am so scared!
Who is next? Pennant? Barton? Pogatetz? 
Biggest club my ass!!!
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:39
@dan(u-ol): He’s not on his own though in not showing form is he, the rest of our strikers are up there in the lacking of form too
. In other words, they have all been dishing up SHITE 
.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:47
Love reading the posts but would love it all even more if we could be shoulder to shoulder on the terraces.
Over the last weeks there seems to be quite a lot of consensus but differing viewpoints on certain topics. I wonder if allowing our Latin contingent to go home has something to do with CQ no longer being there to listen and understand them.
Grog, I agree with you on the need for firm discipline. Fergie has always seemed a master at cultivating a family atmosphere whilst commanding huge respect from his players. This seems increasingly difficult to maintain. Our world has a huge amount of its wealth in the hands of a few whilst millions starve without a home. Fergie was reared in a belt of Scotland where a crust was hard earned, which has also produced some of the finest football managers ever known. I don’t see that as a coincidence. His players have to be made aware that their first duty is to entertain. In times of recession, most in the crowd will allow players their salaries if they the fans know that they are valued.
Petulance, for example, is a no no and Fergie must instil in his players some old fashioned values, because they are missing. Children ape their idols, learn by imitation. I think Fergie is caught in the dilemna of having poorer players(be it be through a simple lack of skill or the inevitable effect of Father Time) that embody the values that he has always cherished, and essentially better players that are more complicated characters that actually have tantrums akin to the infamous 2 year old. Tevez is a conundrum as he has a high skill set and a tremendous attitude yet he has not been rewarded in the way poorer reliable players have been.
I’ve recently read very compliomentary comments from younger players about the way the older guard still train. Fergie needs to kick some young butts so that the older players are talking about the younger ones, recognising that same hunger.
As Grognard has said, a rotation of his strikers is obviously needed for lots of reasons( and I would include Wellbeck, and Manucho – if the bloke actually exists.) They must play with a majority of the first team, not all get pitched in together in the Carling Cup in what looks more like a reserve line up. Evans is benefitting hugely by partnering either Rio or Vidic and he is going to be one of the best defenders in the world.
I feel sad that Park’s name was groaned at recently because he should not be out there, other than as a squad player when others are unavailable. An entertainer the poor bloke most certainly is not. There is simmering unrest on this blog on team selection and use of substitutions and it has been building. It is bound to be expressed on match day. An individual groan may seem irrelevant, but 76 thousand can only have a negative effect. Perhaps Fergie is getting deaf too.
I’ve been married for 28 years, my wife left me for another man 2 years ago, the effect of which I cannot describe. She accused me on more than one occasion of loving Manchester United more than her. I hope that was inaccurate but I know which was more reliable. A similar passion for the team runs through so much of what is written on here. I don’t want your symapathy what i desperately want is to be treated to sparkling, high tempo footie that has goals to show for it. Happy new year pals.
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:12
Anybody know anything about Leeds supposed brilliant midfielder Fabian Delph?. According to the Sun, United have offered a 10 million package for the lad, 6 million up front, and rest according to future performances, medals etc. Apparently Fergie stepped in when Fulham came in to snatch him away from United interest, and to beat Fulham to the lad, Fergie has promised to allow Gibson and Possebon to go to Leeds on loan til the summer. Must want the lad desperately if true, because apparently he is excellent like young scholesy with an eye for goal, and artistic young offensive midfielder. So who knows?. We are always linked with someone, but with the mention loans etc, might be true.
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:41
@the three Rs: Really good post mate, I enjoyed reading it. Sorry to hear about your ex wife, but I know what it is like to be accused of putting UNited 1st. I have to very much agree with your points on values, your right about the minority swanning around with bundles of cash in bank and pocket, and the rest in much poverty. I was just talking to a friend about the irony of the fireworks massive display lighting up the sky in most Capital City’s for New Year, while the Gaza Strip skies were lit up with bombs and rockets going both ways between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. I still object though, that Hamas keeps having their rockets sail into Israel provoking all hell in response, and then OUR PRIME MINISTER decides to send 12 million of tax payers money to Hamas for relief. Relief my arse, we all know where that money will be spent by Hamas, more bombs and rockets, and terrorism. Why is it our responsibility to fund every bloody catastrophe going, when we are on the breadline ourselves. I mean why don’t the Muslim community, the Oil Rich Arab regimes fund their own, instead of crying to the West all the time, while they spend their millions on play toys like buying football clubs?. The mind bloody boggles. Anyway, didn’t mean to get all political, but these things do gall me.
I just hope United players start to hit some kind of form, because we have been AWFUL so far this season. It makes for quietness and boredom on the terraces, and freezing ones buns off in this freezing cold weather.
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:48
@Craig Mc: just read about it mate, although here it says it might go up to £12mil… about us lending ‘em our reserve midfielders, one is okay, but two is pushing it a bit. If we indeed do plan to rotate with regards to all the comps were in, we might need a little backup in that department. We will have Fletch, Cazza, Ando and Scholesy left if those two leave. If one of those four was unfortunately to get a nasty injury (esp the defensive ones), we might be a little short for cover.
With regards to the Delph kid, i’ve heard comparisons to the ’scouse-on-trial’ Stevie G. He’s been very impressive at leeds and is apparently the first name on the sheet. He is young and is benefiting from playing regular footy, I just hope the reserve outings he gets if and when he arrives doesn’t kill his mojo.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:24
@Gabriel: Gabriel, where did you hear about the 12 million thing?. If it’s true, I hardly believe Fergie will be paying that much money for him to play in our reserves. That would be foolish. I don’t think he would sign on that premise either. I would imagine he would be part of the 1st team set up. I hear that Arsenal and Chelsea were after him too, but if the reports are true, looks like Fergie might have got him. Leeds fans detest us enough, so this one will really cause mass hysteria. Fergie was saying that we were supposedly bringing back some of our players out on loan, have we any MF’s out there – I dont think we have, have we?.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:27
By the way Gabriel, what I wouldn’t give for Rossi to still be with us. He would have saved us so much money, I really couldn’t understand the Fergie decision on that lad – big mistake. Lunacy in my opinion.
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:59
@JB: No JB, I have been giving instance of Fergie going soft for the past three months but you have been away or not paying attention. Numerous examples of his managing or lack of that have baffled me. This vacation thing is yet just another one of the strikes against him.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:01
@RedDevilEddy: Not really, but I do respect your right to think differently mate. Lets just agree to disagree on this matter.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:17
@RedDevilEddy: You know Eddy, I just can’t win on this blog. During the Summer I was the loudest (and RR will verify this) anti Ronaldo voice on this blog. I wanted his head on stake and I wanted it mounted above my front door for all to see. I was famous for the saying “Ronaldo is dead to me”. I had such hate for him over what I saw as a major betrayal of the team, the fans and most of all, Fergie who mentored him and treated him like a son. Then the Euros ended and Ronaldo had some time to relax and reflect on his future and after his famous meeting with Fergie he came out and responded to everyone with what I personally felt sounded like a sincere and heart felt apology.
I am an old miserable bastard and I know when I read something or when I hear somebody whether they are sincere or not. I was and still am convinced that Ronaldo realized that he had made a severe error in judgment and that he was wrong. Sure he wanted to go but he didn’t want to go because he hated our club or fans. He just thought that he wanted to fulfill a dream of his and at the same time ensure that United would get proper financial compensation. He was guilty of being young and naive and Fergie put him straight. For me it was Fergie’s finest hour. Based on that, I should continue to have faith in Fergie but I feel he has grown too close to some of his players. So close that he has a hard time disciplining or sitting them down when they have played poorly or misbehaved. Too mellow that the team’s desire and discipline seems to have been compromised.
Ronaldo may be to blame for a lot of it but I do not believe he is the guilty party here. Somebody created or let the ego get so big and so out of control. How? Because he let him get away with too many antics and with murder for too many seasons. And he has let Rooney also get away with far too much without disciplining them. And now people hate Ronaldo or don’t trust a word that he says despite the fact that not one of us knows him and can honestly make a statement fore or against him and offer conclusive proof. We need to let Ronny be himself and get off his case. If and when he decides to bolt to another team, then you can let him have it. I for one would not begrudge him leaving for Spain this Summer because another two seasons playing in the slaughterhouse known as the EPL, and he will be crippled and a great career will come to an abrupt end. At this point I couldn’t blame him for wanting out. Every game is like tackling a minefield and having your own fans boo you. He deserves better and the fans and the game are systematically trying to sabotage him. Ronaldo even with his attitude and dives is a gift to football. And football thanks him by choking him, kicking him and crippling him. And then his own supporters are torn over whether to hug him or stab in the back. It sickens me. No Ronaldo doesn’t need a vacation of two weeks form this club. He needs a new club and country that would better appreciate him and treat him with more respect.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:18
@RedDevilEddy: Too bad Pogatetz isn’t a DMF because we could use an assassin with some bite.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:21
Craig I hear you about Rossi. It is crazy when you talk about buying unproven players like Delph and Tosic for 10 million when we quite happily offload players of the calibre of Pique and Rossi for less than that.
We have enough young players hoping to breakthrough but instead languishing on the bench (Anderson, Nani, Welbeck, Possebon, Gibson, Foster)….if Fergie does not think they are ready to be first teamers why bother getting another young and unproven player who Fergie will take the same view about? Lets use the 20 million to buy a quality winger and bench Park.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:27
@the three Rs: BRAVO! A beautiful post mate. I totally feel your pain and frustration and I also sympathize with the wife as mine did a similar thing a while back but only because I loved earning too much money for her to spend. I wish it had been over Man United. At least then I would have picked the club over her and felt better.
I love reading your highly intelligent comments on what Fergie needs to do with the club and with some of the players. An experienced eye can see this and it’s a pleasure to have someone who not only thinks like me on this issue but who has offered some great theories of his own.
It’s sad to see what has become of our great tradition of attacking and entertaining football. Bottom line is that money is to blame for the destruction of the beautiful game. Do whatever it takes to avoid losing in order to maximize the financial benefits. So the safest thing is to play a choking defensive style that cripples great teams and puts people to sleep. How I would love if all of us on this blog had a section of our own in the Stretford end and as a family of like minded individuals we cheered our team on to victory with heart and passion. Unfortunately we have to settle for this fine blog. It’s not always positive (and i quite often guilty of that) but it is heart felt and honest and above all, it’s inhabited by die hard Manchester United fans who frankly deserve better than what they have received so far this season. We truyly are a spoilt bunch aren’t we?
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:32
@Craig Mc: This is what it has come to I guess. Now Fergie is going to become Arsene Wenger but with out the eye or the patience of the Voyeur. Start buying players who are already stars but are under 25 and stop robbing baby carriages. Rob baby carriages when you are fifth or sixth, not when you are defending champion in the thick of the race. You owe it to your fans to improve the club immediately, not after you have retired. Leave that job for someone else. What about now?
I am very concerned with this new kiddie corp mentality of Fergie’s It’s like he is tired of managing veteran players with ego’s and needs. That is another reason why it might be time for him to call it a day. These are actions of an old and tired man. Sorry, just the way I feel.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:33
@Craig Mc: Your Prime Minister is a muppet. He should send that money to Old Trafford because the Glazer’s need it more to stop a leaky ship from sinking.
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:54
@Craig Mc: thats my point point! they have all been shite and none of them have played because they are showing good form, they’ve played because we have a lack of wingers to rival them for a starting place.
@JB, no, when tosic comes, he’ll displace park
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:57
given is considering his future. i say we get him with PIG heading the other way!
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:26
@dan(u-ol): No doubt! Given is a masterclass keeper, showed against Liverpool last week. If he is available at the price of £8 million or so, I would run to Newcastle and sign him personally. Hell, I would sell my houes and spend them on Given!
Just kidding, but he is a great keeper. He has shown it so many times in that past, against us and other. He kept the score at 1-1 at Old Trafford, he kept the score 5-1 against Liverpool and he kept the score 3-0 agaist Arsenal. I know, when you see those two last results you must think he aint any good, but Newcastl aint no team and Given saved them from conceding 10 or more. VDS is getting old, this may be his last year, and PIG sucks dockey kick and Foster is very young and hard to judge so I hope Fergie at least conciders buying Given. Send PIG the other way and pay 8 million and its the best buy we have done since Berbatov. 
Or Cantona, whatever.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:27
@Grognard: Yeah, it seems like the best solution. We can keep going on and on, and we know that we will not agree. So lets leave it to that.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:33
@Grognard: It seems that with Ronaldo it is very hard to decide. You either love him or hate him. I can tell you that in games like the one he played against Stoke(5-0) I luved him. I think “I am happy he stayed”. But in games like the one against Stoke away I though “I wish he had left”. Its hard to decide weather Im happy or not, beucase his performances have not been so great lately. Maybe the team would be better off without him, maybe not. If he had been playing great lately and had this inteview, I bet most fans would be happy about it. But because our teams, and his, performances have been “bad” we might not care as much. I am glad he stayed, and I think he is a great footballer but I still dunno if I cna trust him as a person. If he is at Manchester United come the start of August, I may trust him. I like him now, but I am not sure if I can trsut him. I need proof. I know he is at Manchester United, but I dont know if that is because if Fergie, Ronaldo, United or Real. I need more information!
Im njot saying that I wish him out, I just say that he is not the guy we all looked up to 1 year ago. So much have changed…
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:50
@Grognard: My sentiments exactly about Ronnie Grog – well said
.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:55
@colver: Yeah Colver, I can never understand like you about Rossi and Pique – these lads were class with a capital C. And now we are scraping the barrel with untested players in the prem. I don’t think Rossi or Pique ever let us down, in what pitifully few chances Fergie allowed them a game – sad to the extreme.
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:12
we have completed the signings of the 2 young serbs, it is official now.
please, please, please let this be the end of parks run in the team.
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:14
@Craig Mc: i could understand letting pique go, but rossi should have never go. He ha the potential to be one of the most lethal finishers in the world. Im just glad we have welbeck and campbell who also have similar traits.
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:18
we need to make up a chant now. we have 3 serbs, which i think is good. If you havent, you should look at some other serbian youth team players, some look real quality, but dont ask me their names lol.
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:34
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4733154,00.html
Yes, you can all sleep peacefully at night now lol. What does this mean for Nani and Park??
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:43
@dan(u-ol): But what should he have done??? According to Fergie himself, Rossi wanted regular games and not just appearances in Carling Cup matches or games that don’t matter, Fergie couldn’t offer him that because he wasn’t gonna displace anyone in the team and so he left. I do agree that he should have gone at a higher price though plus don’t we have a buy- back clause on him or something? I know no one ever uses it.
January 2nd, 2009 at 13:55
@Grognard: Just wanted to say this post reminds me of this:
“But once the dust has settled Keane will be forever remembered and adored, with the affection and respect of all Reds. As for Fergie, it’s too late. Too many errors of judgment, too many wrong decisions, too selfish and too greedy. Too bad, Alex. This latest balls-up will be added to the growing list of this old man’s mistakes.”
“Shocking but all brought on by 4-3-3/4-5-1 at the start of the campaign. Ferguson is an Old Trafford Legend who will forever be remembered for what he has done for our club… however the end of this season is the time to step down and let a modern day manager move our club forward.
But your record over the last four and a half seasons just isn’t good enough and RANT for one doesn’t believe it’s about to get any better. We love you Fergie, for your own sake please just go now”.
The above are snippets from a United blogger during our extremely short success drought after Abramaovic and his billions burst unto the English football scene, well 3years later and we all know what happened, don’t we?
January 2nd, 2009 at 14:22
F365 reporting we have finally signed the Serbian kids
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_4733087,00.html
January 2nd, 2009 at 15:18
We bagged the serbs.
http://www.redcafe.net/f6/weve-signed-zoran-tosic-adem-ljajic-230276/
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1710/manchester-united/2009/01/02/1037103/confirmed-zoran-tosic-and-adem-ljajic-sign-for-manchester-united
they dont come cheap though, reports are about 16 million.
next is fabien delph.
January 2nd, 2009 at 15:41
Zoran Tosic will get the number 14 shirt. Means he must be trown right into the first team… Ljiaic wont play for us until next season, because he is only 17. Ive never seen any of them play before, so its early for me to say wether this is good business or not. Im just glad we have go a new left winger!
Park is not good enough, Giggs is too old and Nani has lost the faith form Fergie. I doubt we will see Tosic before our game against Derby, the second leg of the semi final, but the faster he plays, the happier I will be. If Park gets more games, Im gonna get mad! 
I hear he is good on free-kicks. Very good if so, then we will have Ronaldo, Hargreaves and Tosic waiting to take them. Hargreaves offer placement, Ronaldo power and Tosic possibly swerve? Brings us something different, and we will se more of those surprise moments from free-kicks like Owens against Arse and Fulham last season. I welcome them both! Just one question for those who have seen them play. Is Tosic fast? I mean, faster than Park, kinds like Nani. I dont mean Ronaldo or Evra fast, but fast enough to run away from a middle-fast player. We need more of those, and I hope he is a good crosser. Cheers, and I hope they both do well.
January 2nd, 2009 at 15:45
I hope FIFA 09 get an update on players and create Tosic this month.
hi-hi, wonder what his speed, free-kick and crossing skills are? Nice way to find out of a player, eh.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:20
Thanks Grognard and Craig for your support, and Craig for your lucid comment on matters Middle East. The fact that the wastelands is in their hands makes it all the more interesting.
Grognard, I have experienced the same gamut of emotions in regard to Ronaldo as you articulated and in the same order. I see too the systematic foul play that he endures most weeks of his working life and fear for such an outstanding athlete, the like we possibly haven’t seen on a football field before. Top athletes gear their training to reaching a peak once a year, or maybe even further away. During last season he maintained incredible levels of consistency that we perhaps began to take for granted. An athlete cannot quickly return from injury, and certainly wouldn’t be expected to face the physical cheating that he does. I hope this latest pronouncement of his increases his popularity and he again enjoys his football with us. I think he has a fortitude that will allow him to take the battle to premiership defences, regardless of intimidation, (the best way to silence the bile from the opposition terraces) if he feels truly loved again. I, for one, fairly regularly visit youtube to listen to our fans singing Viva Ronaldo as they made their way through Moscow’s underground last May.
He brought us so much joy and he has improved so much in the Old Trafford family. He does not have a father anymore to counsel him and to guide him through such stardom. Becks got a long way but far more through his image than his real talent whereas Ronaldo entertains and wins games, lots of them – in conjunction with Rooney and Tevez it must be restated.
We do not have the lure of London or the sunshine of Madrid but we can bring a smile back on the young man’s face. There were flashes of it in Japan. I want to believe it will happen because Manchester United Football Club has no equal – and I admit to a degree of bias there.
ps Vidic the mentor for our new young Serbs and the TORMENTOR of opposing forwards. Clever move Fergie. Lots more please.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:44
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1710/manchester-united/2009/01/02/1037332/ferguson-no-more-deals-for-manchester-united
no more late christmas gifts guys.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:45
@Grognard: No, I am aware of other instances you have outlined of SAF going soft. I don’t agree with them but I don’t really want to get in what would no doubt be a heated argument about them. I just have difficulty with the reasoning behind linking player breaks to it since he has been doing it for years. But it is hardly worth arguing about.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:53
RedDevilEddy, You’re absolutely right about the importance of free kick variety. I feel too that the training ground should be spawning intelligent alternatives to the direct shot on goal. Just recently, I can’t remember which team, a very cleverly worked free kick came perilously close to unpicking our defence. Variations should be appearing constantly to keep the surprise element in play, yet a clever free kick is so rare as to be a museum exhibit. The technical proficiency of our highly paid elite players should allow pinpoint delivery to feet and the skill to move the ball to a predetermined position and player. The move you can produce on a FIFA game should be transferable to the training ground and then when perfected to the Old Trafford turf. Imagination, creativity, invention, practice = GOAL, unique goal at that.
Remember – Practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent – so be very careful what you practice.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:54
Thank God we sorted out that transfer for the serbian kids, hopefully now parks playing time will be restricted to squad appearances. Dont get me wrong i like the guy and every1 i know says he is an under rated player and that he is, infact i would have no problem starting him against chelsea soon and against higher calibre teams but against lower teams where they sit back him and also flethcer are not good enough. Hopefully tosic will be selected in these kinds of games.
It seems like the serbian kids are coming through now, there are a number of them that look promising from what i have seen. Maybe now we have tapped into this market we will see more coming in soon in the future instead of how we were before when we went for the portugeezers. Serbians are more likely to prefer the weather we have, more stronger and less likely to be diving around and getting pushed around too easily. As much as i like watching the south american countries, especially argentina, i gotta say that i cant stand seeing the diving and all that crap that comes with most of them. Hopefully the serbs will do great for us anyway.
January 2nd, 2009 at 16:54
@Craig Mc: The problem is likely two fold. Firstly Rossi liked to play in the hole and we had a glut of players like that at the time. If he had been a bit taller and faster he would likey have got more opportunities as he could of led the line. Secondly he wanted more first team football. Not much keeping him on the books if he isn’t happy.
@dan(u-ol): I have to say that Campbell and Welbeck are no where near Rossi’s standard in terms of finishing. Rossi was easily the finest finisher that the reserves has produced in many a year.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:04
@Rd: This is what gets me. I have been criticised before for advocating patience and giving SAF time to get it right. What would have happened if the club had acted hastily and sacked SAF after the defeat in Benfica, arguably the clubs darkest hour in the last decade? I doubt we would have had the huge success of the last two seasons to boast about.
The ‘old man’ as the blog puts it, has turned many a situation around in his long career. At some stage his powers will fade and his career will come to an end. We may be seeing signs of it this season, we may not. But I for one will not be writing an obituary for him yet.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:10
First things first, great article David. You write well and I agree with most of your points.
Secondly, regarding the Chelsea match I have a plea to issue to anyone who will be attending (I haven’t read the comments til now so apologies if this is way off topic or if it has been said already).
Many of you I know read the Republik of Mancunia blog, and so may have seen Scott’s idea about everyone bringing inflatable bananas, poking fun at John Terry. For those who haven’t read it, or would like the link to buy their own (5 foot 7!) inflatable banana, here is Scott’s article: http://therepublikofmancunia.com/banana-skins-for-terry/#comment-27143.
I think it’s a great idea, and it will only work as a statement if as many as possible of us do it. So please buy your banana! (Scott has managed to barter the price down slightly)
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:18
Just read some of the comments, the three Rs and Craig I thought your posts numbers 140 and 142 respectively were absolutely terrific, and I completely agree, and sympathise on the personal and political levels as well as the football ones (though I know this is a football blog, the point is about the players’ attitudes, so it’s all relevant!)
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:48
@SRAB: Thank you mate, sometimes we just need to say how things are in the MADNESS of todays world
.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:48
@dan(u-ol): Contrary to what many may think, United have not done well or been fair to most of the reserve stars over the years. Other than Rafael and Evans this season, United rarely if ever promote anyone from the reserves anymore. They leave them there to basically lose confidence or wait for a transfer. Occasionally they call somebody for a cameo like Richardson but never really give them a true and honest run to find themselves before they are loaned out or just sold.
Now we have some real talent down there like Possebon, Fabio, Cleverley, Gibson, Macheda Welbeck, Manucho and of course poor old Campbell toiling away at Spurs. I would favor blooding any of these players over playing Neville, Giggs and dare I say it………..YES, even Scholes. And if they are not seen as good enough, then sell them and use that money to find more Tosic’s out there. I’m all for keeping the farm system going strong but at some time soon, Fergie will also have to spend money on a proven and experienced player for the center of our midfield.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:56
I just read where Slaven Bilic is going to step down as Croatia manager in in November after the team’s World Cup qualifiers are over. This guy is a pretty decent and progressive coach and a great motivator. Keeping with the purchases from the country known as the former Yugoslavia, I would suggest a great idea would be for Fergie and United to hire him ASAP as Fergie’s #2, sack Phelan and have Bilic mentor under Fergie for 1 or 2 years before taking over for the Gaffer. He is fluent in English and I believe he also speaks Spanish too as I think I have read that somewhere, although I could be wrong there. If so, we have a manager who would have very little problem communicating with his team. Although I am not too sure what Serbo/Croatian relations are like these days. Just food for thought. I’d rather us get him than some other English club or Italian side.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:56
@JB: I know the lad wanted 1st team football, but I personally feel Jb that he is BETTER in the hole position just behind the forwards than those who are playing there. I say this because having watched him a lot with the reserves, he can spot a pass, and find excellent thru balls to put other strikers 1 on 1 with the GK
. Also he is one of the best we had in the box for sneaking goals, he was fast and he had a definate knack for scoring goals REGULARLY. i FELT VERY SAD TO LOSE HIM.
I want Fergie to at least give Manucho a full ist team game somewhere, otherwise how can we know whether he will make it or not. We have not been fair to the lad, and he does seem a bright spark in the reserve games.
January 2nd, 2009 at 17:57
@Rd: The party is coming to an end for Nani and it just means a little competition right now for Fergie’s dream child Park.
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:00
@Rd: True. At the time he left Rossi had not shown Fergie or any of us for that matter that he was good enough to play for the team. Going to Italy and then Spain gave him that opportunity to learn and grow which United could not afford to offer him due to their constant fight at the top of the standings. The best thing that has happened to Arsenal this season is that they are swiftly running themselves out of contention. Therefore, they will be given the time and chance to further develop their young players, which will pay major dividends for them in the future. We don’t have that luxury. We can only break in one, perhaps two at a time, and very carefully.
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:04
@Craig Mc: Better than Rooney? Particulary back in 2005/06, I really don’t think so to be fair.
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:23
New post up
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:44
@Rd: He is three years older and that much closer to 70. The Glazer’s as owners in a much more precarious place now than back then which can’t guarantee us to purchase experienced world class players at Fergie’s whim. Like now the team was in transition but never struggled to score goals like now, and above all, he never made as many questionable lineup changes like he does now. Are we still going to back him and say all will be well if we slip out of the Champions League too. There will come a time when it is obvious to all and hopefully Fergie, that the time is close. Hire a Slaven Bilic as #1 and mentor him for a season or two to take over and then retire. Retire gracefully rather than having management show him the door. He has created his own monster at OT. A commitment to excellence that he is now finding hard to keep up with. In my experience, very few legendary coaches or managers retire on a high and without a blemish to their record. Most of them coach well into a period when the game has passed them by. The NFL has had legendary coaches who have acheived everything in the game and have comaparable records to Fergie except for the fact that in football, you only play for one trophy a year, not five or six. Tom Landry, Don Shula and Chuck Knoll are examples of greats who hung on a bit too long and then all of a sudden, they began to lose. They could no longer motivate and inspire players from a new generation.
I’m afraid this may be happening to a small extent with Fergie. Sure it’s only a year since we won the Double but I still claim that it was more luck that won us the Double than out managing and out playing the opposition. What exactly did Fergie do last year? He beat AV Grant…..barely. WOW! Had he beaten Chelsea under Mourinho, perhaps then I would have been more impressed. He beat Wenger while the Voyeur was starting a rebuilding youth program. And as for Rafa, well he wasn’t much of a threat period. This year he faces the Gene Hackman and a newer more improved Rafa, as well as some very formidable opponents in Europe like Barca, Bayern, Juve and Inter. All these teams are playing well and have very solid managers running the show. No more free passes from AV Grant. This upcoming second half is a major test for Fergie. Hopefully he will pass with flying colors. Personally, I have serious doubts. Not if we have to struggle every game with a late second half goal to get points.
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:45
@john freakin’ o’shea: All I have to say is they better be damn good because with 16 million and another 4 or 5 we could have bagged a world star to help us at that position.
January 2nd, 2009 at 18:57
@RedDevilEddy: I’ve bought Tosic on my Football Manager 09 PC game and he hasn’t been to bad. Sure it’s just a pc game but if his skill and influence on a game is anywhere as close as to what it is in this game, we will have poached a winner. Great thing is he is also a master at free kicks, and corners. As for my season on Football Manager 09, I am 8-1-0 in the EPL and have won all w of my Champions League matches. Fortuately Berbatov is a much better hitman for me having netted 7 times so far in 11 starts. Ronaldo has been good but does not get many goals in open play. 4 penalties and two free kicks. Carrick has actually been poor for me and Anderson has been invisible I am sorry to say but Nani has been outstanding when I have played him. I also bought Marin who has been fairly good. Scholes has been good but Giggs has not. Neville is toiling away with the reserves and Park was sold to Spurs as my first order of business. My second order was to sell Neville and strip him of the captaincy. But nobody wanted him. Jee, I wonder why?
Rooney and Tevez have been good but unlike Fergie, I properly rotate all three forwards and I make sure they all stay sharp, hungry and content. Berbatov 8 goals, Rooney 7 and Tevez has 4. I do not play Rafael much because frankly, the game doesn’t rate him as high as he deserves. Next years version will, but so far, I’d say Wes Brown is my team MVP. Weird! Vidic is yellow card crazy and Rio has been average at best. Evra looks great but cannot cross (art immitating life) and Evans is a bit of a risk at present. Unfortunately, no game completed before the season begins can adequately predict how some reservists develop. What it can predict is how useless Giggs and Neville are and the fact that Anderson will never ever score a goal.
January 2nd, 2009 at 19:03
@the three Rs: I couldn’t agree more. I hope Ronny has a chance to relax and put all this garbage behind him. What I don’t think will go away though is the constant fouling and referees turning the other cheek. That’s an EPL problem and it’s a major one. Truthfully, I wonder in amazement when quality attacking players say they want to play in England. If I was one it would be off to Spain or Germany. I would want to have success playing in a league that doesn’t play so physically dirty and which doesn’t have the majority of the teams park the bus, making my job seemingly impossible. Money is great but the game in England is no longer fun to play, yet alone watch. Don’t you agree?
January 2nd, 2009 at 19:05
@JB: No problem JB. Like I said a while back, we probably don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things to do with footy, but I for one respect your opinions and well thought out arguments. On this one we cannot agree. Lets look forward to the next topic or so where we just might. Cheers!
January 2nd, 2009 at 19:09
@the three Rs: I sometimes wonder why this team does not study other great teams of the past. The Dutch National team of the 70’s were absolute masters and exhibited true genius in corner kick as well as free kicks. Hard shots, finesse, tricks, lobs, multiple player movements, they were all there. Study and learn from the past. Brazilian free kick films from the 70’s and early 80’s exist. The team needs to start adding some creative imagination in both free kicks and especially in their corners. Even with Beckham, we were a horrible outfit in converting corner kicks.
January 2nd, 2009 at 19:45
Grog, Bilic would be a clever appointment if he is enthused by the idea. He appears to have good management skills as well as an open mind where coaching is concerned. He has cut his teeth as boss but would not necessarily see it as a backward step to work alongside Fergie at such a huge club where a top position is going to be available in the nearish future. He appears a good motivator and communicates well. He respects opponents but has an offensive mindset.
I feel that we should be taking the fight to whoever we play. We have an outstanding defence that has that key component of speed in it and we have a number of players that can beat opponents as well as possessing good awareness of colleagues. The best coaches around the globe must drool at the thought of working with such a group of winners.
I would like us to win the Champions League by playing with the mindset we showed in the first half of the final, not with the football of the semis. I’m not sure Fergie can make that jump and needs someone alongside him that he confidently looks to for ideas and tactics.
We’re fairly dismissive of ME because of player selection and substitutions this season. We can see deficiencies he either cannot or can but does not enjoy the Fergie’s confidence to the extent that is needed. There are certain things he can clearly learn from being beside the boss, there are other aspects many of us feel he can not, but indeed should be taking the lead if he possesses that acumen.
It should be Fergie’s final glory to leave at the right time having facilitated a smooth takeover that ensures the attacking tenets of the club are intact and the desire to see our youth players given proper opportunity to prove their worth.
January 2nd, 2009 at 20:08
Grognard, why is there so much foul play in the EPL? Why can defence not be as much of an art form as attack? There is a place for the hard physical challenge, as men that is something we appreciate I believe, but equally there is the timing of that challenge, the jockeying of an opponent until that time is right, the vision to see an interception and so remove the need for a challenge.
A defender will not always succeed, a forward will not always get through, but mutual respect should be part of the whole process. Moore, Beckenbaur, Maldini, Baresi, Hanson, Walker, Buchan, Pallister, etc etc. I can even cope with the idea of a slippery player being double marked as long as referees don’t make it 3 against one.
However, a defence should not consist of 11 players. It has been like watching the siege of the Alamo this season with those poor, stouthearted men getting plaudits from journos who should be flagging up the death knell of entertainment and the arrival of a blood sport to replace what has been otlawed in our countryside.
That rugby tackle of John Terry’s was a disgrace to the spirit of sport and the rescinding of the red card the undermined official gave him was an act of disturbing complicity by the FA. What chance does the sport have?
January 2nd, 2009 at 20:11
Grognard, im a big slaven bilic fan and he really has done wonders for croatia, i wanted them to win the euro because it would raise bilic’s profile even more and maybe some of the top jobs would be available to him. I hear that he says that he will leave croatia at the end of the world cup in 2010 which is think is personally bad timing. I say this because this is probably the time when ferguson will retire and i dont feel that bilic will have the creditentials to take over at that date. Had he left croatia at the end of the euro 08 then maybe we could have approached him and had him as our assistant and possible future boss. This is what i wanted in the new assistant role when it became available and why i was so disappointed when the job was given to phelan. I was looking forward to us getting a genuine world class person who could then maybe take over when ferguson retired. I was hoping for a michael laudrup, laurent blanc, that sporting lisbon fella, and as outsiders yes a bilic and cantona. The only problem is would bilic swap the job of managing his national team to taking the assistants role with us? I dont know, probably not. So it looks like we will miss the chance of getting him i guess, but i would have any1 over that idiot phelan.