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
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Moscow is my heaven (272)
@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.
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@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?
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@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.
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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.”
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@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?
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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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.
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@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.
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@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
.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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?
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@RedDevilEddy: Torres goalscoring skills are remarkable??? Not when he’s playing against top defences like Man Utd’s
.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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?
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@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.
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@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?
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@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
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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!
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@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?
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@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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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
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@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.
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@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?
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@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.
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@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.
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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!!!
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@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 
.
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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.
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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.
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@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.
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@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.
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@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?.
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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.
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@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.
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@RedDevilEddy: Not really, but I do respect your right to think differently mate. Lets just agree to disagree on this matter.
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@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.
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@RedDevilEddy: Too bad Pogatetz isn’t a DMF because we could use an assassin with some bite.
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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.
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