Manchester United

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noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:07:00 +0000

Best's European Cup medal sells for $247,000

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

How long have you been searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right? Sometimes it can seem like you’re never going to find them—if they even exist at all! There are so many horror stories about dating and how the dating world is really just full of sleazy people looking to “get one over” on you. These scary stories make many people feel like they really don’t even care if they DO meet that special someone.

CHESTER, England (AP) — The medal awarded to Manchester United great George Best when the team won the 1968 European Cup has been sold at auction for $247,200.

British auctioneer Bonhams sold 13 medals earned by the Northern Ireland international for a total of $317,000 on Wednesday. It had estimated the value of the European Cup medal at $142,600 to $190,200.

Best scored in Manchester United's 4-1 extra-time win over Benfica at Wembley.

He died at 59 in 2005 following decades of alcoholism. His sister will receive the proceeds of the medal sale.

Battling Baggies upset Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

West Bromwich Albion caused another upset on Saturday, when they left Old Trafford with a share of the spoils after coming back from 2-0 down.

It looked as though Manchester United would cruise to a home win when Javier Hernandez and Nani gave them a 2-0 half-time lead after a fairly comfortable first half.

However, the Baggies, who won at Arsenal last month, never gave up the fight, and earned a well deserved draw thanks to a Patrice Evra own-goal and a Somen Tchoyi gift.

“We never give up and that's my philosophy to be honest," said coach Roberto Di Matteo. "I don't want them to give up. I want my players to fight."

Much of the talk after the game once again surrounded Wayne Rooney, who was left on the bench by the Reds and only saw the last twenty minutes of action.

Sir Alex Ferguson was in no mood to discuss the England international after the game, but he made no secret of his disappointment following a fifth draw of the season.

“The only criticism of the first half is that we didn't finish them off," he told MUTV. "It's very frustrating. It's not a defining result but we can't keep doing that. We were frustrated with that."http://makemoneyforfree.fastprofitpages.com/?id=putrapnghttp://makemoneyforfree.fastprofitpages.com/?id=putrapng

Sir Alex Ferguson refuses to blame Edwin van der Sar as Manchester United draw with West Bromwich Albion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was once again left to rue dropped points after the Red Devils were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.

Strikes by Javier Hernandez and Nani gave United a two goal lead in the match but they were pegged back by a Patrice Evra own goal before Somen Tchoyi equalised.

Ferguson left Wayne Rooney on the bench for the start of the match but it was at the other end of the pitch where fingers may be pointed after Edwin van der Sar dropped Chris Brunt’s cross allowing Tchoyi to snatch the draw.

However, speaking to BBC Sport after the game the Scot refused to blame the Dutchman for the result and insisted he had forgiven his goalkeeper already.

"You just have to forgive him [Edwin van der Sar] that,” said Ferguson.

“It is an unbelievable career he has had.”

Yet Sir Alex was less forgiving of the rest of his team and stated that his side should have collected all three points, insisting his players had thrown the game away.

“We have given the game away. We should have been four, maybe five, up at half-time,” he said.

“We really need to start putting our foot down when it comes to killing teams off.”

The United boss also spoke to the club's official website and revealed that midfielder Ryan Giggs looks to have suffered a reccurrence of a hamstring injury that he suffered at Bolton Wanderers in September.

“The loss of Ryan as a wide player was a big one for us,” said Sir Alex.

“He’s done his hamstring again. He got it against Bolton but he’d trained all week.

"He’d been doing very well, but it’s gone again and maybe we need to give him a longer recovery.

“We had a problem with Ryan coming off, we maybe didn’t have enough cover in the wide positions. Bebe had picked up a knock. He’s OK, but we decided to leave him out.”

The draw with West Brom is the third time this season the Red Devils have let slip a lead, having also being held when ahead by both Everton and Fulham.

Real Madrid, Barcelona & Manchester City on alert as Wayne Rooney refuses to negotiate new contract with Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:07:00 +0000

Do you consider yourself a crafty person? Do you spend countless hours of your free time working on craft projects that only YOU get to enjoy? While there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting tons of time into something you love, you should really ask yourself a simple question: wouldn’t this time—and my craft—be so much greater if it could bring in some extra cash?

Wayne Rooney is thought to have told Manchester United that he does not wish to sign a new contract at Old Trafford.

The forward has had a difficult relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson in recent times, as he openly rubbished the 68-year-old's comments concerning an ankle injury.

It has also been reported that this may have led to the forward starting from the bench during the club's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

Now The Guardian claims that the differences between the manager and the striker have prompted the England international not to proceed with negotiations over a new contract, telling them he has no intention of signing a new deal.

Only recently United came out pouring cold water on speculation that the forward could leave the club, but it is thought that the current situation could see the club having no choice but to sell the player.

With less than two years left to run on Rooney's contract, there has been a fair amount of speculation that he could be sold for a fee believed to be in the region of £50 million.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been reported to be interested, whereas there has also been some speculation concerning a shock move to rivals Manchester City.

Danish keeper confirms Manchester United interes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

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Danish goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard has confirmed that Manchester United are interested in signing him.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has sent his goalkeeping coach Eric Steele to watch Lindegaard on a number of occasions and now the stopper, who plays for Norwegian side Aalesunds, has revealed the Red Devils are keen on signing him.

The 26-year-old said: "There are a lot of rumours in the press about the clubs interested in me, but some of them are actually quite accurate. And yes, it is Manchester United.

"I know there is interest from United, it is not just coming from the press."

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noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

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I just got my hands on Manchester United’s annual report for 2009-10. Since the Glazer family is being hammered in the press for the club’s high debt, net loss of 83.6 million pounds and difficulty selling out Old Trafford this season, I thought it would be worthwhile to check out some numbers to see just how scary the situation is for the Red Devils. Upshot: the club is pretty solid financially, thanks mainly to an 8% year over year increase in operating income (ebitda), to 98.6 million pounds. Also on the plus side were a more than doubling of net current assets, to 769 million pounds and a debt-to-equity ratio that actually improved to 0.7 from 1.1 the previous year. The bad news? Earnings before interest and taxes fell 70%, to 27.3 million pounds, 15 million pounds short of interest expenses (before exceptional items). So while the Glazer family is not in immanent danger of losing Manchester United the way Tom Hicks and George Gillett lost Liverpool, they do not have a lot of breathing room. For insurance, Manchester United has a 75 million pound line of credit it has yet to tap, and more important is playing well (currently in third place in Barclays Premier League), which bodes will for end of year finances.

Manchester United registers record loss of 83.6 million pounds

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Figures released by Manchester United have revealed that the club has registered a loss of 83.6 million pounds in the year to July.

The tumble was down to costs related to managing the club’s mammoth debts.

The club was left with a further 65 million pound bill for re-arranging loans.

Experts have said that without the Glazer family debts, the Old Trafford outfit would have made a profit.

Wes Brown Faces Manchester United Exit After Screaming Row With Sir Alex Ferguson

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Manchester United defender Wes Brown’s days at Old Trafford may be numbered after a screaming row with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The injury-prone defender was involved in a bust-up with the Scot during the club’s North America pre-season tour and has yet to start a league game this season. Brown voiced his frustration at spending time on the sidelines this season although he maintained that he has always had to deal with the situation from time to time.

Brown had apparently been told by Ferguson that he would not be allowed to join the rest of the players on a night out during the tour but the defender decided to try his luck and demanded to have his way. Ferguson was described as “incandescent” and the two got involved in a startling row.

Brown has only started two games for United this season – in place of Rafael for the Champions League tie against Rangers as well as a the Carling Cup third round tie with Scunthorpe.

A further blow was dealt when he was made to travel with the rest of the squad for the European tie with Valencia but failed to make the match-day squad.

Brown is one game short of 200 Premier League starts for United but could never be given the chance to reach that milestone now by Ferguson, as the Scot continues to show who’s boss at Old Trafford.

And with the defender now the wrong side of 30 as well as having just one and a half years left on his current contract, Sunderland could be keen to step in.

Asked if he was frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities this season despite being fit and still presenting a better option at the back compared to Jonny Evans, Brown said: “Yeah, a little bit. But I’ve always had to deal with that situation throughout my career.

“It’s something I’ve learned to handle. We’ve got lots of good players in defensive positions.

“I have to keep training hard and, when I do get a chance, play well.

“There’s no point sulking and letting it get to you.

“It might be difficult but you have to remember that everyone wants to play every week. Unfortunately, that can’t happen.”

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson targets Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to replace Edwin van der Sar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:34:00 +0000

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has lined up Schalke’s German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to replace current number one Edwin van der Sar.

The veteran Dutch goalkeeper celebrates his 40th birthday at the end of October and with Neuer being 24, it is believed Ferguson sees the German as the first-choice successor between the posts at Old Trafford.

However, the Daily Mail reports a fee in the region of £10 million will be required if the United boss wants to obtain Neuer from his current employers, Bundesliga side Schalke, despite approaching the last year of his contract.

And the high valuation has deterred United from making a bid for the goalkeeper, who starred for Germany in the World Cup in South Africa and played a vital role in the controversial game against England in the last 32.

The goalkeeper was accused of helping to con the referee after Frank Lampard’s shot appeared to cross the line but was not given.

Nevertheless, Neuer has revealed his Champions League ambitions and concedes his hometown team, Schalke, are in danger of not delivering that goal.

"I am not comfortable with the current situation at Schalke," Neuer told Kicker.

"I hope we can turn the corner and get back on track. My contract runs until 2012 and I have always made it clear that I would play this season for Schalke."

Earlier this week, United’s goalkeeping coach Eric Steele also revealed Van der Sar has made plans to retire but the former Dutch stopper has refused to rule out changing his mind.

"I do not yet know whether I will stop or continue after this season," Van der Sar toldsport-promotion.nl.

"Only in the course of this season will I think about it. For now I keep my focus on United."

NEXT FIXTURES

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:32:00 +0000

Sat 16 Oct, Premier League
Manchester UnitedvWest Bromwich Albion
Wed 20 Oct, Champions League
Manchester UnitedvBursaspor
Sun 24 Oct, Premier League
Stoke CityvManchester United

The Rooney Files: An Interview with Wayne Rooney

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:19:00 +0000

In an exclusive extract from the Manchester United Opus, an 850-page testament to the world's most famous football club, Wayne Rooney reveals how street games made him the player he is today

Carrington, 9.30am, and Wayne Rooney strolls down the stairs to reception. He has got flip flops on his feet and a mug of tea in his hands. Training starts late today, at quarter to 11, but Rooney has been here since just after nine. "Hiya Waaayne!" sings Cath on the front desk. "Two seconds mate," Rooney tells me and smiles. When he is ready we sit down. I'm surprised he is so relaxed. This is Wayne Rooney. He is not supposed to he comfortable with interviews, at expressing himself without a ball at his toes. But Rooney turns out to be few things people imagine. He is friendly.
He is forthright. He is funny, with an easy laugh and Scouse way of drawing you into the joke.
And he is down to earth, unbelievably so given the hype, given his fame.
He begins talking. His square jaw, dusted with stubble, makes him look 30, he grimaces. He has cheery, boyish eyes that render him about 13 when he laughs. He laughs more than he grimaces. If Rooney is one thing, here at United, here in his life, it is happy. He has an embarrassing secret that he doesn't mind sharing, with a giggle.

And football? Well, he loves football. Loves it so much the infatuation the rest of us have seems no more than a crush. Here is someone who after making his England debut, even after storming the gates of superstardom at Euro 2004, was still going home, grabbing his ball, and going for a knockabout in the street. "I did it until leaving Everton," he smiles. "When I finished training I'd come home and go put with mates. Coleen's were usually with me, so I'd end up kicking around with them. I'm sure if I was there now and somebody gave me a ball I'd do the same.' What if there was a ball in this very room? "I'd have to kick it, yeah!" Rooney almost looks under the table to check. "All the players at United will tell you if they pass me the ball before training starts and there's a goal around they know they won't get it back. There's no better feeling in the world than when you go out on the football pitch and play. I can't explain it," he says. "It's brilliant. Even when the ball comes out at training I get the same buzz." Everton coaches laugh about how when Rooney was in their academy, he would rush out of school at bell-time and go straight to the practice ground. He'd be there at 4pm; sessions didn't start until 5.50pm. "Yeah." he grins “I’m still like that now. 1 get here [Carrington] dead early, maybe an hour before training starts ... I just want to keep practising and learn more."

I always try to watch games I've played in. Like any job you’ve got to improve your performance

CROXTETH, Liverpool. Behind Rooney's old house is a fenced-off area, the back part untidy grass, the front a Tarmac strip flecked with broken glass. There's open ground beside it with more grass and a car-free lane. This is it, English football's most significant centre of excellence in 20 years, Rooney’s breeding ground.
"I played football constantly," he says. "Some days when I got home from school I wouldn't even take my uniform off. I went through three or four uniforms a year. My mum would tell you. I had rips in my pants and scuffs on my shoes all the time. "I'd play in the street and I was lucky because behind the house we had a little five-a-side pitch. Tarmac, it was, properly marked out and everything. It belonged to a youth club. I used to climb over our back fence and I'd be there all the time, with my brothers, my cousins or mates. There were no goalposts but an opening with wire behind to stop the ball. If there was no one around I'd go on my own. "I'd be in there for two hours. I'd just shoot, even with no one in goals. And I'd go and fetch the ball and shoot in the other t goal. I'd stay until I felt sick. Then I'd go home and eat"

"Uncle Richie ran the boxing club. His brother Graham was a schoolboy champion, his father and cousins excelled in the ring. Roonev was also handv they say."I didn't have much style, I just used to love throwing punches," he laughs. "Once Everton found out they put a stop to it because they didn't want me burnt out. His whorl of sport was giddying. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for three hours from 5pm he went to the boxing club and at other times he would play table tennis and snooker at the youth club across the road. And that was before he had even begun sating his football habit. He would come out of the boxing club and play football into the night, "even when I didn't have any energy left". At school. he daydreamed about football in class. "I used to miss lessons to play… if I wasn't a football player I don't know what I'd have done to be honest. At the start I think I was good at football through my fitness more than anything. I used to be able to run for ages and because of that I could play more and keep practising more than others, and in games my fitness gave me confidence because I knew I wouldn't tire. Boxing made me fill out and if a defender was there I could always use my body to get out of a situation although I always I preferred to find space, even when I was I small: the more space you have, the more time you'll get on the ball, that's obvious."

Rooney brings thrills out seldom frills on the pitch. When he picks up the ball he goes for goal. Simple. Some players like to think they are direct but him? His purpose is as uncomplicated as that of a bullet leaving a gun. "My uncle used to get me to stand still and see how many keepy-ups I could do but I'd get bored. You're not going to keep the ball up during the game are you? Or stand there doing tricks …”

On his competitive home England debut, Rooney brought the Stadium of Light to its feet by lobbing the ball up and juggling it on the run to get clear of a posse of Turkey defenders. "Only because they were marking me and I had to," he smiles.

OLD TRAFFORD, an autumn evening, the best debut in history. Rooney has not played for 14 weeks since breaking his foot at Euro 2004, and never for Manchester United since being signed for £27m. He is hounded by hype and dogged by stories in the tabloid press. The last time Fenerbahce were in town they destroyed United's 40-year unbeaten home record in Europe. What does Rooney do? Machineguns three goals past the Turks in the opening 54 minutes of his United career, beauties the lot, rat-tat-tat. He shrugs when I mention it: all in a day's work. "I don't see where coaching comes into it, he's got a natural instinct for the game," says Ferguson.

The first time Rooney wowed a United crowd was playing against United for Everton under-10s. "It was an eight-a-side game with small goals, yet Wayne executed this overhead kick that flew in the net. There were a lot of people watching but the place went silent," says Ray Hall, Everton's academy manager. "Someone, Wayne's dad, I think, started clapping. Suddenly everyone, the United parents included, was applauding."

It is not, however, goals that set Rooney apart, or skills, but decisions. He always seems to have more of them open to him than others. He makes them more quickly. He is likelier to be right. Can he relate to players with less game intelligence? He is embarrassed "Ehm," he laughs nervously, "I don't know, really. It's just the way I see things and the way I play.' He lets instinct do the work. lt's like when you were younger and had homework after school. Your mum and dad were telling you to do it, but if you went out and played football you'd forget about it. When you play, you switch off and I think you've got to do that if you want to play well.

"You can't be playing football and thinking about what you're going to do afterwards or what you did the day before. You're best when you're on the pitch and you're not even thinking about football, if it doesn't sound too silly. The best things are the ones which just happen. When you think you just over-complicate it: when the ball comes you just have to do what your body does, what feels right." We talk through a goal he set up for Cristiano Ronaldo against Bolton. He played the pass to Ronaldo's feet without having to look where his colleague stood. How does work? "I get the ball, say 30 yards out, and look round and see Ronaldo's on that side. Ruud [van Nistelrooy] is inside me ... and I'll always have that picture in my head. Then, when I'm running through I know from five seconds earlier that if Ronaldo's there, and defenders are coming towards me, it means Ronaldo might be free, so I've just it hit across the goal and luckyily enough he was there.

'When I was at Everton the coaches used to go on about having a picture in your head. They'd teach you to look round, “ see the game, they'd say, play the way you see. Before I get the ball I always try and I see where people are and that tells me if I need to take the ball and pass it quick or whatever." Team play is natural to him. "If you're somewhere you'd score five times out of 10 and someone else is in a seven or eight out of 10 position, you give them the ball. That's the way I've always seen it. He is a self-analyst. “I always try and watch videos of myself, every game I've played in. Like every job you've got to study your performance and see where you can do better. I'm quite hard on myself. There's been some games, for instance against Blackburn [in the semi-final first leg of the 2005-06 Carling Cup] where I got man of the match and I don't know how. I walked in and didn't even want to pick up the champagne. I felt embarrassed."

What does he watch for? "I try and remember what I was thinking during the game, what I was going to do with the ball, then on telly I can see what I could've done differently." How often is he happy with his performance? “Never.”

Some players hate being spectators. Not Rooney. "I'll watch any game that's on telly, whether it's non-League or Premiership ... though I can't watch Italian football, it's too boring. I was a ball boy at Everton for three years and a mascot sometimes and my uncle took me to games at Goodison Park. I loved watching the forward and midfield players.” This brings us to his embarrassing secret. His boyhood idol? "I'd probably say…” giggles come. "Anders Limpar." Never. "Ehhm, he played for Everton and he used to shoot and dribble more than Duncan [Ferguson]."

CITY OF MANCHESTER STADIUM, a derby day. How do you beat talent like Rooney's? You don't. But you can make him beat himself. Forty-five minutes into the game, United are losing and their star player has been riled by a series of tackles from City's flinty young right-back Stephen Jordan. Steve Bennett, the referee has let it go without sanction. Rooney has had enough. After Jordan catches him with his studs and Bennett waves play on, Rooney chases the official, sock down and, shin-guard off to display the welts on his leg. He is booked for complaining. Coming in at half-time he punches and kicks a swing door leading to the dressing room — and confronts Bennett in the tunnel.

The newspapers love it: "Rooney rage!" His "temper problem". It is said Rooney "loses it" when he can't impose his will on opponents, or referees offend him. But watch him closely: when his blood boils isn't the ignition point usually a moment when he becomes annoyed with his own performance? "You're probably right," he agrees. "When I give the ball away and the other team goes and scores I blame myself. It does my head in. If I lose the ball I have to try and win it back as soon as possible ... and when things aren't going right in your game you get frustrated, every player does.”

In the derby he would have been having an off day? "Yeah, although in that game I asked the ref four times to protect me. The week before I'd been kicked a lot at Blackburn. All I said — four times — was ‘'Ref, will you please protect me?' And I got stamped on four times. My foot was black and blue and my knee was all over the place. I tried to talk to the ref but, you know how refs are these days, he wouldn't even look at me.

"I just want to play football and sometimes I get angry, sometimes I don't. I try and hold myself back and think for a minute, then react after that. I'm getting better at taking a deep breath. I try not to get involved because it can affect my performance."

For someone who savours every moment on the football field, being banished must be the worst possible thing to happen. "Definitely, it's horrible when you get sent off and I hope I never get sent off again." He feels, nevertheless, his "temper problem" is a media construction. There was a point, early in his career, when he had been booked more often than he had scored for Everton but his first 75 United games brought 14 yellow cards and one red (at Villareal). Hardly wild-man stuff.

"Everything I do gets blown up, whether I do good or bad things in a match, it's always the highlights. It's not as if I'm getting booked every week. But I'm used to it now and I don't take much notice of what's written or said. A lot of the people who talk about me don't really know the game, to be honest. One time they're saying this and the next time they're' saying that. You just blank it. With the media, my agent was good with me at an early stage. He told me what was going I happen and got me on the front foot."

GOODISON PARK, an autumn afternoon. It is five days from Rooney's 17th birthday in 2002 and he scores his first Premiership" goal — screamed into David Seaman's top corner - against Arsenal, the champions. Doesn't he ever get nervous? "Yeah, before every match. Every player gets nervous in the dressing room and in the tunnel when you're waiting to go out. But once you're playing the nerves go away." What's his pre-match routine? "Eh, I don't know why, but even before training I'll never put my socks on where I’m sitting. I'll always go to someone else's seat. I put on my strip and then I've got to move to do the socks. I don't know if the other players notice. They stand up and when they come back I'm sitting in their seat." Some players spend their last pre-match moments in silence, getting focused. "Nah. In the dressing room before the game me and Ronaldo always start joking and messing around, just to relax, you know, and take the pressure away." He seems confident in every game. "Yeah. Every game I go into I think I'm going to win and score. Ask anyone. Everything I play — if it's the computer, snooker, whatever — I'm always 100% confident I'll win, even if I've never played it before. People might say that sounds big-headed, and you don't always win of course, but I think I'm positive and take that into everything I do."

CARRINGTON, a summer's afternoon. It's 2020 and Rooney is cleaning out his locker after half a lifetime at United. The testimonial the night before was bittersweet. The last 16 years, for United fans, have been unmissable.

He says he wants to be remembered not for what he does as an individual but what the teams he plays for win. And "I want win the lot. Every tournament, every cup, every game. I came to United to win and nothing's changed." It wasn’t a difficult decision to say yes to United in August 2004. "If you look at the records it's a massive club, the trophies it's won over the last 15 years are unbelievable. I wanted to be part of it. As soon as I was aware United were interested I said to my agent, ‘That’s the only club I want to sign for’.”

Sir Bobby Charlton sees similarities between Rooney and Duncan Edwards. Ferguson thinks Rooney, of all the prodigies he has worked with, is the best. Shaking his head with an affectionate laugh, Ryan Giggs remarks that Rooney is the only footballer he's ever seen more confident on the pitch than Eric Cantona.

“I've learnt a little bit about United's history. There's always little things around the training ground about Bobby Charlton and so on and I've seen videos of Bobby, Best and Law”, Rooney says. They were brilliant players. When you see someone like Bobby still working at Old Trafford, that’s really good.” What has Ferguson taught him? "He's instilled a winning mentality in me. He's made me aware how much this club wants to win. I always wanted to win anyway but he's taken it that step further." Has he ever had the hairdryer? "Not really. I'm not really sure what the hairdryer is ... he's been brilliant with me. He's a great manager, a great person. What he's won over the years is frightening and I'm just happy to be part of one of his teams. His door is always open. He's told me many times that if I ever need anything, just call him.”

One of the Carrington staff pops their head round the door. It's training time. Rooney's wanted in the gym. "Okay mate?" he asks. More than okay.

He is off. He can almost feel it. Before long he'll once more be caressing a football with his insteps and feeling the sweet violence of putting his foot through a ball and making it hurtle towards a goal. And every time he does these things he absorbs a little more about his craft, the immensity of his talent expands a little further.

"I want to make the most of what I've got," he muses. "I want to be the best I can be. If you've got something there's no point wasting it, throwing it away. You should try and build on it and make it better. Only Wayne Rooney thinks you can improve on Wayne Rooney.

The Alex Ferguson Story

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Making of a Legend

There are cattle pens behind one end at Station Park, Forfar. It is to the Nou Camp, Barcelona, what an ox-plough is to a Bentley. Locals with long memories will sympathise with the brutalised people of Munich, though. A quarter of a century ago, in a Scottish League Cup first-round tie, their club were mugged while clutching victory. In the away dugout the 34-year-old Alex Ferguson announced himself, in his managerial debut.

Ferguson wanted to impose his principles right away at East Stirlingshire, Falkirk's tiny second club. "Stand up, be counted, demonstrate your desire." he told his players before the kick-off. At half-time they returned to the dressing room 3-0 down, unable to look their new boss in the eye. "Already he terrified us," said Bobby McCulley, the team's then 22-year-old forward. "l'd never been afraid of anyone before but he was a frightening person from the start.

The tirade never came. Ferguson told his men they had been smashing and the scoreline did not reflect their play. "And another thing - you can win the game." he said. "He was right in that we had been unlucky, but we thought he was mad." said McCulley.
The germ planted, however, Shire clawed back to draw 3-3. They went through in the replay.

Players and officials still enter through a far gate, and have to walk across the pitch to get to the dressing rooms at Firs Park. When Ferguson arrived, having finished his playing career at Ayr United, the club had just finished bottom in the Scottish League. His wages were £40 a week, the board had freed all but eight players, and those he had, "Stuckie" "The Flyer", "Simmy" and "Big Seldom" (Peter Dunne, who seldom played) sounded like members of a pub team. Five months on, Shire were third in the league and crowds had doubled to 1,200. Not for the last time the head-hunters came calling and Ferguson departed abruptly for St Mirren.

With uncanny symmetry, Munich figured at the outset of Ferguson's managerial career. It was there, while at the 1974 World Cup, that Ally MacLeod, the Ayr manager, bumped into a Shire director and mentioned he had a player in his reserves desperate to get into coaching. Willie Muirhead, the club's chairman, set up an interview and was bowled over by Ferguson's "manner and confidence, sincerity and knowledge". The appointment surprised few of the instructors at the SFA training centre at Largs, where Ferguson, having already acquired his coaching badges, had the previous season taken a refresher course.

"For a player to come back for extra study once they'd qualified was unprecedented," said Jimmy Bonthrone, an instructor and then manager of Aberdeen. "1 decided to offer Alex the assistant's post at Pittodrie, but he got sent off against us playing for Falkirk for fighting with Willie Young and I changed my mind."

Muirhead promised Ferguson a £2,000 transfer budget and went on holiday, asking to be contacted about any signings. A few days later Ferguson telephoned his hotel and reported he had bought a player, inside-forward Billy Hulston. "How much?" Muirhead asked. Ferguson replied: "Two thousand." The entire kitty blown.

Hulston was a catch, a 28-year-old who had spent his career in the top division with Clyde and Airdrie. He had discussed terms with Stenhousemuir but, after Ferguson sent an 11th-hour telegram, he consented to meet the manager. "After speaking for half-an-hour I knew I wanted to sign, but I asked to be allowed to phone Alex Smith, the Stenhousemuir manager, to tell him our deal was off," Hulston said. "Fergie was having none of that. He said he wanted my signature right then and added, 'If it's more money you want, I'11 give you £50 out of my own pocket.' He took out his wallet and put the notes on the table. He was such a strong character, so positive. He decided what he wanted and got it."

The remainder of Ferguson's squad came on free transfers, or were young players being given their chance. "He brought through a couple of teenagers who didn't have a lot of skill but would run all day for him." Hulston said. "I'd think, 'What's he doing playing them?' Yet he knew that a youngster who had the legs to keep going for 90 minutes was a player he had the use of for the whole game."

When Ferguson attempted to kick-start a proper youth policy, he was frustrated by a lack of ambition. He bussed in a group of schoolboys from Glasgow for trials only for the board to refuse to meet the cost of the travel, £40, because they had not been consulted. Ferguson pulled the money - his week's wages - from his own pocket and hurled it on the table, vowing to resign, and was only dissuaded after much peace-making by Muirhead the next day.

Discipline was a hallmark. Striker Jim Meakin was denied permission to attend a wedding which fell on a matchday, went, and was banned for four weeks, even though he was the secretary's son-in-law. Gordon Simpson, a centre-half who wore Shire's armband, like subsequent Ferguson captains, was a man in his own image. Simpson was troubled by a cartilage in his knee which would pop out during games and every time it did, he would grimace and push it back in. "I led by example and complained a lot to referees, both of which he liked," Simpson said. "If we differed. I said so, but calling a spade a spade was always okay with him."

Simpson was the one player Ferguson wouldn't go up against during training games. "He always joined in and would have us playing in the dark until his team won. He was ferocious, elbowing and kicking." McCulley said. "We'd say to each other, 'Just let him score and we can all go home', but it didn't work because if we weren't trying, he knew.

"He owned a pub in Glasgow called Shaw's Bar and I used to go in after he'd moved to St Mirren. I'd find Fergie inside playing dominoes with all the old men and slammin pieces down deadly serious trying to win.
"At Shire, everything focused towards his goals. Time didn't matter to him, he never wore a watch. If he wanted something done, he'd stay as late as it took, or come in early." Said Hulston: "Training was always sharp and enjoyable. He was always right in the middle of things, unlike many bosses back then, who just sat in their office." Shire reached their zenith in a cup derby with Falkirk, were on their way to becoming Second Division champions. Ferguson begged his board for money to take his side out to dinner on the eve of the tie and, knowing Falkirk would be at the Claddens Hotel, booked the same place. As Falkirk sat down to eat, he took his players past the window, laughing and joking. "The Falkirk boys thought, 'What are those guys doing? They can't afford to come here.'" McCulley recalled. "Fergie stood pointing, 'Look at him, he's never a player. And him, he doesn't know how lucky he is to be eating there for free.'"

Ferguson also convinced his squad in the build-up that the town's press were favouring Falkirk and identified that little-known blight within world football, anti-East Stirlingshire bias. In his team talk he told forward Ian Browning not to try to round the Falkirk goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation, because he was susceptible if vou shot early. "He spent an hour identifying all their weaknesses." said Simpson. "So and so lacked pace, that guy's only got one foot, this player is weak in the tackle. We went out there believing we were by far the better team." Shire won the game 2-0, Browning duly getting the first, put through and scoring before the goalkeeper could advance.

Shire never did gain the promotion Ferguson had set them on course for, although - surprise, surprise - St Mirren did under their new manager.
"He was only there five months, but he shaped people," said McCulley, who later became Shire manager himself. Hulston, now living in Australia and hoping to meet his old manager when Manchester United tour the country, found it incredible, watching the European Cup final, "to think I'm connected to all that".
Simpson set a Firs Park appearances record and retired in 1980, the year Ferguson won his first Scottish title with Aberdeen. "We were disappointed when he left because we felt we were at the start of something," he said. "But I don't think he'd have got where he is today if he'd stayed with the Shire."

Old Trafford

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:12:00 +0000

These pages are designed by a bunch of football fans - some of whom live in Manchester and others who visit the city on a regular basis - to help you get the max out of your next visit to Old Trafford, Manchester.
We explain the best ways to get tickets to see matches and main-events at Old Trafford, plus the best hotel deals available near Old Trafford (and where to book them on-line), as well as the best restaurants near Old Trafford and city centre Manchester, depending on which type of food or cuisine you fancy.
We also cover a short list of 'MUST-DO' things for you to consider whilst you are in the Old Trafford/Manchester area.
Also included is travel advice to and from Old Trafford, Manchester by tram, bus, train and car (with car parking advice) as well as comprehensive maps of Old Trafford.
You can also find a schedule of all up-and-coming events at Old Trafford over the coming months on these pages.
And finally, if you're having problems getting tickets to Manchester United games, click Manchester United tickets for best advice from a bunch of experienced fans who sometimes have exactly the same problem...

The History of Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:06:00 +0000

Manchester United are arguably the best club in the world, but this multi-million pound club started as Newton Heath L&YR F.C. in 1878, as the works team for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Health.

They played on a small, dilapidated field on North Road, near the future site of the Manchester Piccadilly railway station for fifteen years, and then in 1983 they moved to play on Bank Street in a nearby town called Clayton. In 1902 this ground was closed as Manchester United were nearly kicked out of the football league due to debts of two thousand and five hundred pounds, but thankfully just before the club could be shut down they received a large investment from J.H.Davies, the managing director of Manchester breweries.

Manchester United's first major signing was of Charlie Roberts of Grimsby Town for £750 in April 1904, they believe that this signing helped Manchester United to third in the very next season. In the 1905-1906 season Manchester United were finally promoted to the First Division, where two years later they emerged as champions for the very first time.

On the 19th of February Manchester United played their first game in the still standing Old Trafford stadium, their first game was looking an ease, beating Liverpool 3-0 at half time only to lose 4-3, they went on that season to win no silver wear, and in the next ten years the club started declining in the ranks until 1922 when they were relegated back down to Division Two.

Three seasons before world war two, Manchester United were promoted, then relegated, then promoted once again, providing them with a spot in division one once the war was finally over.

In the season of 1956-57, Manchester United became the first season to compete in the European Cup, and it was in this competition that Manchester United recorded their biggest win to date, beating a Belgium team 10-0 before being knocked out in the semi finals by Real Madrid.

Tragedy struck the next season as a plane crash killed 8 of Manchester United's players on a trip to the Germany for a European match. Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan where the players killed that day, these players will never be forgotten.

In the early 70's Manchester United changed the badge to the badge we know off today. Soon after that, in 1986, the introduction of Sir Alex Ferguson was happening as he took over the manager's position.

Sir Alex Ferguson didn't have much success at Manchester united until the year of 1998 where his team secured the best season in the history of English Football, completing the treble of the Premier League, the FA cup and the Champions League.

Manchester United seemed ordinary until the season of 2006-07 when they won the Premier League, scraping past Chelsea. This gave Manchester United and their young guns of Rooney and Ronaldo confidence to rule the scenes in the next season as Manchester United completed the double, winning the Premier League and the European Cup.

Cleverley set for Old Trafford recall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:04:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he could recall Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley from his loan spell at Wigan Athletic in January.

GettyImages

Tom Cleverley: Man United youngsters has had loan spells at Watford and Wigan

Cleverley, 21, moved to the DW Stadium on a season-long loan in August but Ferguson believes he may be ready to challenge for a spot in the United team this season.

Ferguson told Inside United: "We'll probably bring Tom back in January. Tom's going to be a great footballer, I really like him.

"I've heard the fans are starting to talk about Tom, and I think they're right to do that because he could very well be the next top player to come through the ranks."

Cleverley had been expected to stay at Old Trafford this season but Ferguson had a change of heart because of the competition for places.

The United boss continued: "I felt it could be hard to give him enough football. I think five or six months on loan could really help him. He'll benefit from first-team football in the Premier League."

Cleverley, who has previously enjoyed successful loan spells with Leicester and Watford, has been limited to one Wigan appearance so far because of a knee injury.

Trophy Cabinet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:51:00 +0000

Premier League: Champions: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08. (Runners-Up: 1994-95, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2005-06)

Football League Division 1: Champions: 1907-08, 1910-11, 1951-52, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1966-67. (Runners-Up: 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1950-51, 1958-59, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1979-80, 1987-88, 1991-92)

Division 2: Champions: 1935-36, 1974-75. (Runners-Up: 1896-97, 1905-06, 1924-25, 1937-38)

FA Cup: Winners: 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004. (Runners-Up: 1957, 1958, 1976, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2007).

Football League Cup: Winners: 1992, 2006 (Runners-Up: 1983, 1991, 1994, 2003).

European Cup: Winners: 1968, 1999.

European Cup Winners' Cup: Winners: 1991

Super Cup: Winners: 1991. (Runners-Up: 1999)

Inter-Continental Cup: Winners: 1999. (Runners-Up: 1968)

MANCHESTER UNITED

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:41:00 +0000

Founded: 1878
Address: Old Trafford, Manchester England
Phone: 0161.86.88.000
Fax: 0161.86.88.804
Email: enquiries@manutd.co.uk
Official URL: http://www.manutd.com
Chairman: Joel Glazer
Club Director: David Gill
Club History
Manchester United roared back to form last season to reclaim the Premier League title they had last won in 2002-03. It might have been a Double but Chelsea beat them in a forgettable FA Cup final, while AC Milan outsmarted them in the semi-final of the Champions League - but only after United had eclipsed AS Roma in the quarters with a breathtaking 7-1 victory in the second leg at Old Trafford. That was United at their very best, and if they only scaled such heights occasionally they were certainly good enough on a consistent basis to sweep to their ninth Premier League title. It was also the ninth title for the seemingly evergreen Sir Alex Ferguson. The managerial succession at Old Trafford will have to be addressed some time, but Ferguson shows no inclination to call it a day just yet. Indeed, he was looking ahead the moment the season ended, bringing in Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson almost immediately, then adding Carlos Tevez when the issue of the Argentine's registration was finally resolved later in the summer. The new signings underlined that United are serious about defending their title. Ferguson knows they will need to be because their challengers are all stronger this season. A sluggish start to the 2007-08 campaign was not what the manager had planned, but there is every reason to believe United will be formidable adversaries again this season. Their latest title triumph ended a relatively barren spell in which "only" the FA Cup in 2004 and League Cup in 2006 were lifted. That was regarded as something of a trophy drought at Old Trafford. So United began the 2006-07 campaign desperate to be crowned Premiership champions again - and as always the Champions League was also high on their list of priorities. First Arsenal, and then more ominously Chelsea had knocked United off their pedestal, and the club's takeover by the Glazers changed the boardroom landscape. Ferguson had brought the club unprecedented success, but was under growing pressure to sustain it - something that became harder after Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge and the likes of Roy Keane,David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy left Old Trafford. Against that background, United's 2007 title triumph was one of Ferguson's finest achievements. It owed much to the goals of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the brightest talents around.. It is a near-certainty that United will be in contention for all the major honours again this season. But this glamorous club's origins were somewhat more humble. In 1878, the dining room committee of the carriage and waggon works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company formed Newton Heath L and YR Cricket and Football Club. They won the Manchester Cup in 1886 and in 1892 were elected to Division 1 of the Football League as Newton Heath. After North Road the club played at a ground on Bank Street, Clayton. But they struggled, especially after relegation in 1894, and by 1902 attendances had fallen to as low as 500 while debts had risen to Â£2,000. Just as Ardwick went bust in 1894 to be re-born immediately as Manchester City, Newton Heath went into liquidation in 1902 - only to be rescued by wealthy brewer John H. Davies, who converted the Heathens into Manchester United. The ambitious Davies took the massive risk, at the time, of buying a site five miles from Clayton, close to the Old Trafford cricket ground. Old Trafford officially opened on 19 February 1910. Liverpool were the visitors (and had the poor taste to win 4-3), but the obvious potential of a ground with an 80,000 capacity aroused jealousy of "Moneybags United", as they were quickly labelled. However, between the two world wars, United"s fortunes waned. They were relegated from the first Division in 1931, and only 3,500 turned up for their opening Second Division game. By Christmas 1931 the banks were prepared to pull the plug on United. Bankruptcy was only avoided by the intervention of another wealthy businessman, James Gibson. He paid off United's £30,000 debts, but the team continued to struggle and in 1934 only narrowly avoided relegation to the Third Division. Although the club"s return to the First Division in 1936 was only brief, bigger problems loomed. The stadium"s proximity to Trafford Park docks made it a prime target for German air raids when War broke out. In March 1941, bombs destroyed the Main Stand, dressing rooms and offices, as well as the United Road terrace and cover. United gratefully accepted City"s offer to share Maine Road, and were exiled from a forlorn-looking Old Trafford for the next eight years. Homeless and debt-ridden by the end of the War, United were saved this time by a run of success on the pitch - masterminded by former City star and now United manager Matt Busby. They returned to Old Trafford in August 1949. The first of Busby"s three great sides won the FA Cup in 1948 and the League championship in 1952, as well as finishing runners-up in the League four times in five seasons. When that ageing team broke up, Busby turned to youth with dazzling success. His Busby Babes might well have become England"s greatest ever club side. They won the League championship in 1956 and retained it in 1957 (when they unluckily lost the FA Cup Final), and in 1956-57 pioneered British entry into the European Cup, against the short-sighted wishes of the Football League. They reached the semi-finals at the first attempt, and had just reached the same stage the following season, by virtue of of 3-3 draw with Red Star Belgrade, when tragedy struck on 6 February 1958. The plane bringing the United party back from Yugoslavia touched down at Munich to refuel. In appalling weather conditions - a blizzard was blowing - the pilots attempted to get the plane home rather than stop over for a night. Attempting to take off from the icy runway for the third time, the plane was unable to get enough height and hit a house. Twenty-three of the passengers were killed, including eight of the legendary Busby Babes: Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, Eddie Colman, Billy Whelan, Tommy Taylor, David Pegg and Geoff Bent. Busby himself was critically injured, while Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower were unable to play again. Four survivors - Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes, Harry Gregg and Dennis Viollet - played for United in the FA Cup Final defeat against Bolton three months later, after a makeshift squad had reached the Wembley showpiece on a tide of national emotion. Busby then set about building another great side. By the mid-1960s, he"d succeeded. Charlton and Foulkes were links with the Babes, and with the addition of stars such as Denis Law and George Best, plus Pat Crerand, Nobby Stiles, Tony Dunne and Shay Brennan, United won the League title in 1965 and again in 1967. They were back in the European Cup, and in 1968 - ten years after Munich -Busby's dream was realised when United beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley in extra-time. That was the high-point of Busby"s reign, and from then until the early 1970s the club fell into a slow decline, exacerbated when Busby, who stepped down as team manager, proved virtually irreplaceable. The unthinkable happened in 1973-74: United were relegated. Under Tommy Docherty, though, they bounced back within a season. Docherty"s exciting side reached successive FA Cup finals, winning the second, but he was promptly sacked for non-football reasons. With arch-rivals Liverpool now dominating English football, United endured a frusting decade in the 1980s, FA Cup victories failing to compensate for an inability to win the League. Alex Ferguson was appointed manager in succession to Ron Atkinsion in November 1986, and he too struggled to find the right formula at first. But FA Cup success in 1990 was followed by European Cup Winners" Cup victory in 1991, a near-miss in 1992 and then, in the inaugural season of the Premier League, the elusive title. It marked the start of a remarkable hegemony over English football by United that spanned the 1990s and continued into the new century. Ferguson"s sides - inspired and embellished by the likes of Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince, Denis Irwin, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - have won nine of the 15 Premiership titles so far contested. They've also won three domestic Doubles including, in 1999, an unprecedented Treble of Premiership, FA Cup and European Cup. Between 1997 and 2004, Arsenal emerged as United"s most consistent rivals, the two clubs sharing the title in alternate seasons during the last four of those campaigns. But then Chelsea became the team to beat. United are almost always a potent force and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Indeed, their remarkable success had made them world football's wealthiest club until Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea. United remain a marketing giant with the capacity to generate huge revenues around the world. Their financial muscle was flexed in the summer of 2007 when, as newly-crowned champions, they were the Premier League's biggest spenders, laying out more than £50 million on new players to help them stay on top