Manchester United VIII - King of Europe/Double Champions!!!

[legiz]

i think ronny is a 反骨仔 ,
he is too arrogant and forgot that is SAF that groom him for what he is today

 

[melvin]

Ronaldo: I'll miss 12 weeks

Cristiano Ronaldo expects to miss three months of action after undergoing ankle surgery.

The Portuguese winger insists the early stages of his rehabilitation are going well, but claims it will still be early October before he is back playing.

"It's confirmed I'll be out of action for up to 12 weeks but recovery is going well," Ronaldo told reporters in Portugal. "I must focus on my recovery. I'll be training with a ball in two months."

Ronaldo's timescale has not been verified by club medical staff. As per last week's statement, his progress will be reviewed by a specialist after one month, and a return date will be estimated then.

Whatever that date is, it seems almost certain that the winger will miss United's early-season games - including tricky trips to Liverpool and Chelsea.

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Aberdeen V UNITED at 10pm, anyone know the outcome of this game?:devil:

 

[melvin]

Ronaldo should see out his contract - Pele

Pele today joined in the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga debate by insisting the Portugal international should see out his contract with Manchester United.

And the Brazil legend also suggested that Sepp Blatter's view that there is 'modern slavery' in the game was wide of the mark.

Earlier this week the FIFA president was asked about Ronaldo's current situation and he replied that players who are tied to long-term contracts were treated like slaves. Ronaldo later said he agreed with Blatter's comments.

Pele, speaking ahead of a charity football match at Stoke's Britannia Stadium in aid of the Gordon Banks Foundation, said: 'You are a slave if you work without a contract or you don't get paid.

'If you have a contract then in any job you have to finish the contract. I think that when he finishes his contract, then he should be free to go wherever he wants to go.'

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Queiroz: I'll always be a fan
11/07/2008 19:15

Carlos Queiroz issued this statement after United agreed in principle to release him from his contract:

"It is with a very heavy heart that today I leave the greatest football club in the world after five fantastic years. This has been a special period in my life both personally and professionally. I have been so lucky to have had the opportunity to work in first class facilities with a staff team who are at the top of their profession.

"Our players on and off the pitch make the difference and to them also I owe a great deal of gratitude for their hard work, professionalism and most of all their performances. I feel we have in place the basis for the next generation to follow in the tradition of such world class players as Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best.

"Of course our success as a family is based on strong leadership and in The Glazer Family, The Board, David Gill and not least of all Sir Alex Ferguson we have the support and skills to stay at the top. To Sir Alex, I thank him for his faith in me and his knowledge, spirit and desire from which I will take strength and have confidence in my new role.

"I will forever be a fan and admirer of the club and also thankful that I had the opportunity to be part of such a great institution, a vast organisation but with a unique feeling of family and community. This leads me finally to our fans - local, national and international. I thank them for their fantastic support and encouragement in my time at the club, always there when we need them to support us both home and away in huge numbers.

"In conclusion I wish everyone at our club, continued success in the years to come and to continue to enjoy a brand of exciting, attractive and winning football, admired and respected the world over."

Round up by Carlos Queiroz

:devil:

 

[melvin]

No rush for new assistant
12/07/2008 14:09

Sir Alex Ferguson will take his time before deciding who to appoint as his new assistant manager.

Carlos Queiroz's departure to take over the Portuguese national team has left a hole in the Reds' backroom staff ahead of the new season, but the United manager will not panic in his hunt for a new assistant.

When asked if the search for a replacement had already begun, Sir Alex told MUTV: "Not really, we’ll just take our time as we normally do. We’ll wait and see how things unfold."

Queiroz admitted he left Old Trafford 'with heavy heart' after a trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford, and Sir Alex was quick to pay tribute to the tactician's impact behind the scenes.

"It’s disappointing but nationalities come into it in terms of him being an emotionally fervent Portuguese man, and the attraction being too big," said Sir Alex.

"It’s disappointing but he did a great job for us and that’s why he’ll be remembered. He’s gone with our best wishes. He did a terrific job for us and a lot of the innovations we’ve had over the last few years are down to Carlos."

Round up by Steve Bartram

:devil:

 

[jeagga]

Aberdeen V UNITED at 10pm, anyone know the outcome of this game?:devil:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=554909&sec=england&cc=4716

 

[melvin]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=554909&sec=england&cc=4716

Thanks! A 2-0 win:devil:

 

[afbug]

That shows how greedy and fragile this fella is no matter how best he is; you got high pay up front and many more years of job security ahead, people don't sign contract for fun or else what's the point :dunno:

That Fifa guy must be a RM fan, MU should sets a 100 million pound take it or leave it price tag; RM LLBP got to match if they means biz, if not shut the **** up :lovegrin:

In coming year, Fergie should play Nani more frequent and bench this SOTB, use him sparingly to signal no one is indispensable in a championship winning team :thumbsup:

Petition to oust the Fifa moron:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1411473.ece

Blatter is anti England and English clubs. When Eng failed to qualify for Euro, he said its better that they dun. When Man Utd wins CL, he wanna implement 6+5 rule and even use Man Utd as excuse that its possible and Man Utd did it with 6 Eng players.

Now even Pele also thinks he is talking crap!

I rather Man Utd take the cash and sell him but if they wanna make a point and teach Ronaldo a lesson by benching him, I dun mind too. :devil:

Ronaldo, just like DB, RVN etc are just like any other player. He alone dun make the team and Man Utd can do without him, just like when RVN left.

 

[Zaknafein]

honestly speaking Ronaldo worth alot in the long run,
no amt of transfer fees is high enough to get him over.

hes got fast feet, yes.
but he lacks a thing that differentiate good from great players, passion
and he has too much ego for his own good. i dun see him improving much in later parts of his career.

right from the start, he seems to care more about himself than about soccer and the team.
the same with nani.

give me ryan giggs over ronaldo anytime.

 

[legiz]

hes got fast feet, yes.
but he lacks a thing that differentiate good from great players, passion
and he has too much ego for his own good. i dun see him improving much in later parts of his career.

right from the start, he seems to care more about himself than about soccer and the team.
the same with nani.

give me ryan giggs over ronaldo anytime.

well , ryan giggs is over , cant compare cos is diff era.
Ronaldo scored 40+ goals last season as a winger, u got to give him this right? he is still the most entertaining player on the planet right now

 

[melvin]

Blatter is anti England and English clubs. When Eng failed to qualify for Euro, he said its better that they dun. When Man Utd wins CL, he wanna implement 6+5 rule and even use Man Utd as excuse that its possible and Man Utd did it with 6 Eng players.

Now even Pele also thinks he is talking crap!

I rather Man Utd take the cash and sell him but if they wanna make a point and teach Ronaldo a lesson by benching him, I dun mind too. :devil:

Ronaldo, just like DB, RVN etc are just like any other player. He alone dun make the team and Man Utd can do without him, just like when RVN left.

Blatter is together with RM lei... he is their honorary member!:devil:

 

[melvin]

Ole makes a winning start
12/07/2008 17:23

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a winning start to life as a manager as the Reds' Reserves posted a 3-1 victory at Burscough on Saturday.

Goals from Tom Cleverley, Febian Brandy and Rodrigo Possebon gave United victory despite some good pressure from the hosts, who pulled a late goal back through David Brookes.

It took just seven minutes for Cleverley to notch the first goal of the Solskjaer regime, turning smartly and firing home from 15 yards.

Although the hosts rallied well, Brandy doubled the Reds' advantage just before the interval when he fired past Burscough keeper Ian Lowe.

Fifteen minutes after the interval, Possebon put the game to bed with a stunning goal. Picking the ball up 25 yards from goal, the Brazilian midfielder smashed a superb dipping effort into the corner of the goal.

Although the Reds dominated the remainder of the game, Brookes had the final say when he slipped the ball under Ron-Robert Zieler to salvage some rewards for the hosts' spirited performance.

The Reserves' next outing is on Saturday, 19 July, when the Reds travel to near-neighbours Altrincham.

Round up by Steve Bartram

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Berbatov agent speaks out
12/07/2008 20:27

Dimitar Berbatov's agent has told the Bulgarian media that he is convinced United are interested in signing the Tottenham striker.

Reports in the British tabloids on Saturday suggested that United had made an official bid for the 27-year-old forward, after months of stories linking the Bulgarian with a move to Old Trafford.

When asked about the speculation in an interview with Bulgarian radio station Darik, agent Emil Danchev did little to dampen the speculation.

"I know for certain Manchester United have shown interest in signing Dimitar Berbatov," said Danchev. "But I'm not entitled to make any more comments."

Sir Alex Ferguson revealed earlier in July that he is aiming to delve into the transfer market for at least new one face this summer, and is 'looking at one or two things.'

Round up by Steve Bartram

:devil:

 

[afbug]

Blatter is together with RM lei... he is their honorary member!:devil:

No wonder he said those things! Now he kenna blasted by ppl liao. :bsmilie:

 

[afbug]

Aiya this Ronaldo saga is too draggy. Just get rid of him la. I'm sure Man Utd can still win without him.

But this season will be real tough. No one has defended the CL title and winning 3 EPL titles in a row is not easy.

 

[melvin]

Papers: Berbatov braced
16/07/2008 08:31

Berbatov confident of making dream move
Dimitar Berbatov is determined Tottenham’s hard-line stance over a proposed move to Manchester United will not wreck his dream of Champions League football next season. United have not agreed a fee with Spurs and have not raised last week’s initial £20m bid. But despite insistence form Tottenham that a new approach is not welcome, Berbatov has told those close to him that he expects to be a United player come the close of the transfer window. Sir Alex Ferguson is prepared to play a waiting game for Berbatov, given the Bulgaria striker is his only major transfer target of the summer. Sources at United confirmed there is no prospect of Berbatov joining them on their tour of South Africa and Nigeria, but negotiations will gather pace upon their return in a fortnight’s time.
Simon Cass, Daily Mail

An article in the Daily Telegraph claims Spurs are digging in their heels over Berbatov. The London club was quick to deny reports that a deal was close to being struck yesterday, insisting that they had no intention of letting the Bulgarian join United.

The Daily Mirror claims Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to jettison some of his emerging young United stars including Fraizer Campbell, Jonny Evans, Lee Martin, Danny Simpson, Chris Eagles, Darron Gibson, Sam Hewson, Danny Welbeck and Ben Amos. Some will go out on loan, while others will be given permanent transfers.

In other news, Ryan Giggs has been awarded an honorary degree for his contribution to sport and charitable causes. Giggs was made a master of arts by the University of Salford in a ceremony at the Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays.

Round up by Gemma Thompson

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Local honour for Ryan

Ryan Giggs has added yet another accolade to his already bulging collection after being awarded an honorary degree by the University of Salford.

United's record appearance-maker, who grew up in Swinton, was made a Master of Arts for his contribution to sport and his unstinting charity work. As an ambassador for UNICEF, he regularly campaigns for children who have been made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2007 for his services to football.

Giggs was officially presented with his latest award at a ceremony at the Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays on Tuesday.

"When I started my career as a professional footballer I didn’t envisage that one day I’d be made Master of Arts. So I’m really pleased to accept this degree," said the 33-year-old. "I grew up in Salford and it’s been a big part of my life for 30 years, so it’s great to be a part of Salford University now.”

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Salford, Professor Michael Harloe added: “We're delighted to present this degree to Ryan. It's not only his great achievements on the pitch which deserve recognition, but his valuable charity work with developing countries.”

:devil:

 

[melvin]

Dawn of a new era for Ole

Football may have just emerged from its summer hiatus, but for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer there's been little rest. A new role as United Reserves manager, coaching courses at Lilleshall, the birth of his third child - Elijah - and further planning towards his testimonial in August...

I take it you could call the last few weeks ‘hectic’?
[Puffs his cheeks] A little! I had a coaching course at Lilleshall, got the Reserves job, had a baby… so it’s quite busy at the moment. I might get one Friday night off, if Di Law (from Ole’s testimonial committee) lets me! I’m not complaining. I wanted the coaching course, the Reserves job, this testimonial – and, of course, the baby – so you have to be prepared to work for them.

Are you looking forward to your testimonial?
The thing I’m thinking about most is whether I’m going to last and do myself justice on the pitch. I’m a bit worried about that, but it’ll be a good day for my family. I’ve spoken to Roy [Keane] about his testimonial and he said it’s a great family day, so from that aspect I can’t wait.

How is your knee these days?
Not good! It’ll be OK for 20 minutes with a little bit of help. But I’ve not played football since I’ve retired, so it’s hard keeping fit. You have to be on the bike every day, which is not the most exciting thing to do, and it’s hard work. Not being able to play football is something you come to terms with gradually, though, and I’m lucky to have a job at such a great club to get me through it.

You’ve got genuine hero status among United fans, are you looking forward to saying goodbye, as a player at least?
That’s the main thing that I’m looking forward to, and I hope everyone has a good day. I’d like to think everyone will have a day they can remember, particularly with the Premier League and Champions League trophies being there. I’ve been part of testimonials before and they’ve all been great occasions – hopefully this won’t be any different. Don’t forget, the fans have a great team to celebrate after last season’s achievements as well. It’s not only a player, there’s also a great team to pay tribute to.

And the fans can help a good cause with some of the proceeds going to UNICEF…
I always say football is the most important thing that is not important in life. As a footballer, you can create memories and happiness. If you build a school you can help change lives.

Are you looking forward to your new role as Reserves boss, and what sort of manager are you – are you a hard task master?
I believe that you have to be because what was good enough for me when I was 18 or 19 isn’t good enough for them nowadays. I’ve learned so much about what I should have done when I was that age subsequently. I think you need to push them a bit, but the boys want to be pushed as well. It’s not a doddle being a professional footballer, so I think they’ll have to shed their fair share of sweat. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a great challenge.

Have you worked with the Reserves before?
I did a few sessions last year and some with the youth team. I asked Choccy (Brian McClair) sometimes if I could have the Reserves to work with, to challenge myself because when you’re doing coaching courses, you don’t want to go in cold. I’ve enjoyed that and now they’re my responsibility, so that’s a better challenge as well.

Have you had advice from anyone?
I’ve spoken to Choccy, and Rene [Meulensteen] has been my mentor for years now. I’ve learned a lot from him on how to run teams and how to coach. We talk while we’re at Carrington and on the phone even during holidays. We have similar views on football and philosophy, which is nice.

You have three pre-season friendlies, then a Lancashire Senior Cup final against Liverpool to look forward to – is that pressure?
I have much to look forward to. Obviously a final is a big game for any young player, but when it’s against Liverpool it’s more special. But getting the team to the final is Choccy’s achievement so maybe he should take over for that game. I’ll ask him what he wants to do. The Reserves did well in the cups last year. They know now that every game against these teams is a shop window for them, either for the Gaffer to see or for other managers maybe to have them on loan. They’re just at a great stage in their careers and I’m really looking forward to working with them all.

Tickets for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s testimonial against Espanyol on Saturday 2 August are now available on general sale. Prices start at £20, with 50% concessions available to under-16s and over-65s.

Busy busy man!:devil:

 

[melvin]

United: The Invincibles?
16/07/2008 09:12

We know Sir Alex Ferguson's side are good – and getting better all the time – but can the Reds go unbeaten in the league during 2008/09?

Arsenal did it in 2003/04, so why can't United match the feat this time around? If you agree, Betfred, the club's betting partner, is offering handsome odds of 50/1.

It’s just one of several eye-catching markets on offer this summer.

Possibly the best bet sees bookmaker Fred Done offer punters odds of 7/4 that Sir Alex will beat all his old players who come to Old Trafford as managers. That means United need to register home wins against Manchester City (Mark Hughes), Blackburn Rovers (Paul Ince), Wigan Athletic (Steve Bruce) and Sunderland (Roy Keane).

We also think United doing the double over Liverpool again is good value at 7/2, while it’s 5/1 to hear Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan utter his famous “I'll love it” words during his post-match interview at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season.

You might also want to analyse the Reds’ record against the big guns in recent seasons to take advantage of Betfred’s special United v the rest of the top four market.

How many wins will Sir Alex register in the six meetings with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in 2008/09? It’s 16/1 for six out of six, 7/4 for four out of six and 12/1 for just a solitary victory.

All these markets and more are available at www.manutd.com/bet.


Round up by Nick Coppack

:devil: