Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who has scored six goals in the season so far, has said that he is satisfied with his overall performance in the Premiere League, and is looking to improve his performance further.
Rooney has been handling much of the goal scoring responsibilities after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
“Right [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Ferguson’
Wayne Rooney says he’s on a roll
September 26th, 2009 |
No Comments
Live text – Premier League
August 16th, 2009 |
No Comments
GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
606: DEBATEYour thoughts on the action
To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)
By Chris Bevan
From anon at Old Trafford on 81111: "Big changes at Old Trafford for the new season. Popcorn is on offer, and also giant chocolate buttons. "
1257: I don’t need to tell Arsenal or Everton fans who the big winners and losers were on Saturday but one statistic that stood out was the number of away wins – out of eight games, Chelsea and Stoke were the only home teams to collect three points. Can you see Birmingham and Liverpool winning on their travels today too It’s a big ask for both of them…1255: TEAMS Manchester United v Birmingham City
Man Utd: Foster, Fabio Da Silva, O’Shea, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney. Subs: Kuszczak, Brown, Owen, Anderson, Giggs, Gibson, De Laet.
Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal, Larsson, Ferguson, Carsley, Fahey, McFadden, Jerome. Subs: Maik Taylor, O’Connor, Phillips, Benitez, McSheffrey, Parnaby, O’Shea.From Sukh at Old Trafford on 81111: "Good atmosphere here in the stands – everyone looking forward to the first game of the season in the Premier League. My prediction – 3-0 to Utd!"
From Webby on 606:"Newcastle and Reading both drew with Man Utd at Old Trafford on the opening day in previous seasons… needless to say we all know what happened then to those clubs…Birmingham beware the draw."
1249: Some early team news from Old Trafford – Rio Ferdinand, who was already doubtful because of a back injury, has been ruled out by a calf injury sustained in training. John O’Shea will captain Manchester United in his absence and partner Jonny Evans in the centre of defence. Full line-ups to follow.1246 I’m expecting plenty of chat from you lot too of course. Get involved on606,via text on 81111 or, if you’re feeling adventurous, give me a tweet onTwitter.Basically, you’ve got no excuse for not getting in touch.
1243: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on his side’s bid to become the first side to win the Premier League four years on the trot: "We have more experience because of winning the titles but it doesn’t make that much difference in terms of the competition we are going to get into. To win four in a row would be fantastic. But this is a difficult league to win and, rather than look to May, I am looking at Sunday."
1240: By the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend you check out‘the goal that wasn’t’ in Crystal Palace’s defeat by Bristol City on Saturday. If you’re in the UK and have got access to iPlayer then you can watch it now. If you have seen it, you can kind of see why Eagles boss Neil Warnock is a teeny bit aggrieved, can’t youBBC Sport’s Phil McNulty:"Off to White Hart Lane soon. Will Liverpool justify my prediction that they will be Premier League champions Tough start."
1236: If you’re a Birmingham fan then your confidence ahead of the new campaign is hardly likely to have been boosted by thecomments of your manager Alex McLeish this week.Bemoaning the lack of funds to strengthen his squad, the Scot said: "We are not equipped for the Premier League as things stand now. If this team is to stay up, we need more quality. We still need at least three more players."From We all agree, Manchester United are Magic! on 606:"The Champions are finally here. Now witness the magic that is Manchester United."
1234: Reigning champions Manchester United join the party today, kicking off the defence of their title against newly-promoted Birmingham at 1330 BST. That match is followed by a humdinger at White Hart Lane between Tottenham and Liverpool at 1600 BST – not a bad way to test the Reds’ title credentials that…1232 BST: Blimey, yesterday was a bit of a cracker wasn’t it And I’ve got good news – the opening weekend of the 2009/10 Premier League is not over yet…
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
The History of Mixed Martial Arts(MMA)
August 4th, 2009 |
No Comments
Mixed Martial Arts is a unique fighting sports which brings togather all forms of combat like kickboxing,Brazilian ju-jitsu, judo and karate. pamkration is a fighting sports in the ancient greek period . in ancient time warrors were worship their god and faught on the stage. sometime they were faught without weapons. Ultimate Fighting Championship(UFC) is [...]
Football honours Sir Bobby Robson
August 1st, 2009 |
No Comments
Leading figures from football have paid tribute to Sir Bobby Robson after his death at the age of 76 following a long battle with cancer.
Robson was a renowned and revered figure in football and led England to the World Cup semi-finals at Italia 90, where his side were agonisingly beaten on penalties by West Germany.
As a player, the wing-half had spells at Fulham and West Brom, while also winning 20 England caps.
He successfully moved into management, taking charge at Fulham, Ipswich, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona and Newcastle in his coaching career.
Here, the football fraternity leads the tributes to Robson.
FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAIN BRYAN ROBSON
"He called me his Captain Marvel and it stuck for the rest of my playing career. It made me very proud but it was only typical of the respect he earned from myself and the rest of the dressing room.
"I have never come across anybody with such a passion for football. We had a tremendous personal relationship as manager and skipper.
"Any criticism he had of a player was kept very private and publicly he gave all of us his total backing.
"We stayed pretty close even towards the end and, along with many other friends, I enjoyed his company in Portugal playing in his Golf Classic. He will be missed by everybody who knew him."
MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER SIR ALEX FERGUSON
"I was never too big or proud to ask him for advice which he gave freely and unconditionally. And I’m sure I am speaking for a lot of people when I say that.
"In my 23 years working in England there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. I mourn the passing of a great friend, a wonderful individual, a tremendous football man and somebody with passion and knowledge of the game that was unsurpassed.
"His character was hewn out of the coal face, developed by the Durham mining background that he came from. His parents instilled in him the discipline and standards which forged the character of a genuinely colossal human being. He added his own qualities to that which then he passed on to his sons.
"The strength and courage he showed over the past couple of years when battling against his fifth bout of cancer was indescribable. Always a smile, always a friendly word with never a mention of his own problems.
"The world, not just the football world, will miss him. Let’s hope it won’t be long before another like him turns up because we could never get enough of them."
SCOTLAND MANAGER GEORGE BURLEY
"It was a big decision for me and my parents to make such a long journey at that age," said Burley, who played under Robson after leaving his home in Ayrshire to join Ipswich as a 15-year-old.
"But Sir Bobby was like a father to me, taking a personal interest in me right from the start, always checking whether I was happy. His support and enthusiasm was the perfect cure for homesickness and helped my career to get off the ground and thrive.
"I’ll never forget when in 1973, the day before we played Manchester United at Old Trafford, he took me to one side and told me I would be making my first-team debut. I was 17 and the player I had to mark just happened to be George Best.
"My parents came down from Scotland to watch the game and I remember him getting off the team bus and presenting them with two directors’ box tickets. We lost 3-0 but Sir Bobby was magnificent, telling me how well I’d played. It did wonders for my confidence.
"I went on to play over 500 games for Ipswich in a side that drew inspiration from its manager. From 1972 we qualified for European competitions nine out of 10 years which was remarkable considering the size of our squad and our standing as a small-town club.
"That was all down to his man-management, tactics and judgement. No finer example of that was when, after we won the FA Cup, he sold Brian Talbot to Arsenal for £450,000 and spent less than that to bring in that fabulous Dutch pair Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen.
"I could not possibly get my head round how my career would have gone had it not been for Sir Bobby Robson. I owe him everything and I only hope I can be guided by the example he showed me."
ENGLAND MANAGER FABIO CAPELLO
"Sir Bobby was a wonderful man, a real gentleman. I remember very well the times I managed my teams against him.
"The first time being when Bobby was manager of Barcelona and I was in my first season with Real Madrid. Later, when he was Newcastle manager and I was with Roma we faced each other – as opponents, but always friends.
"Of course, I recall Bobby as a manager with Ipswich, but more so with England. To manage the national team for so long was a remarkable achievement, and we all remember how close he came to leading England to the World Cup Final in Italy.
"He went on to enjoy success with PSV Eindhoven, Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona before returning to ‘home’ with Newcastle.
"Earlier this year I spent some time with Bobby when he opened the new cancer treatment centre, for which he worked so hard to raise funds. He was a fantastic man, and loved by so many people. His spirit and courage was incredible. To fight cancer so many times really showed the strength of the man.
"All the time we spoke over a cup of coffee with his close family, his passion for football shone through.
"He loved the game and was extremely proud of his country and the North East region.
"I also recall the tribute dinner the LMA [League Managers' Association] hosted for Bobby when he wasn’t planning to say more than a few words. In the end he stayed on the stage for a very long time, telling story after story, much to everyone’s amusement.
"It’s extremely sad that Sir Bobby has lost his final fight against cancer, but he will never be forgotten. He really was a great man."
FORMER NEWCASTLE CHAIRMAN FREDDY SHEPHERD
"It’s very sad, especially on Tyneside. The whole of Tyneside will be grieving. Sir Bobby Robson was a great man and will be sorely missed.
"I worked with him for five years every day. He was certainly the best manager I ever worked with at Newcastle. He never put me under pressure and always tried to see my side.
"He wouldn’t put up with fools and didn’t take any nonsense. He came across as a very kind guy but underneath was very tough. He thought about football 24 hours a day and he would ring me at all hours of the day and never stopped thinking about football."
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT PRINCE WILLIAM
"I am deeply saddened to hear about Sir Bobby Robson’s death.
"His contribution to English football as a player, manager and superb ambassador for our national game has been immense.
"He will be sadly missed by football fans everywhere, and I am thinking about his family at this difficult time."
PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN
"I was extremely saddened to hear of the death of Sir Bobby Robson. I had the privilege of meeting Bobby on many occasions. He epitomised everything that is great about football in this country.
"His passion, patriotism, dedication and professionalism knew no equal during his time both as a player and a manager.
"His remarkable achievements as manager of Ipswich Town and then of England are among the most distinguished in English football history, and he was able to replicate that extraordinary success during his time at PSV Eindhoven, Porto and Barcelona.
"Over the past few years, he fought cancer with his characteristic tenacity and good humour.
"He will be sorely missed – not only in Newcastle and Ipswich, both of whom he served with such devotion, but by all sports fans in our country. My sincere condolences go to his wife Elsie and his family."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Nathan Gardels: Niall Ferguson: Is U.S.-China Economic Marriage on the Rocks?
July 27th, 2009 |
No Comments
As the G-2 “strategic dialogue” between the U.S. and China gets underway in Washington, I talked
with economic historian Niall Ferguson on relations between the two countries.
Man City a small club – Ferguson
July 26th, 2009 |
No Comments
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester City "are a small club with a small mentality".
The Scot is unimpressed by City signing Carlos Tevez when the Argentine left Old Trafford at the end of last season.
A city-centre billboard appeared soon after, saying "Carlos Tevez, welcome to Manchester" under a sky-blue graphic.
"It’s City isn’t it They’re a small club with a small mentality. All they can talk about is Manchester United; they can’t get away from it," he said.
"They think taking Carlos Tevez away from Manchester United is a triumph. It is poor stuff."
Manchester City have spent heavily in recent weeks, with Emmanuel Adebayor signing from Arsenal for about £25m, midfielder Barry coming from Aston Villa for £12m, Paraguayan frontman Santa Cruz costing £18m from Blackburn, and Tevez arriving for £25m.
Ferguson, who was speaking on the Premier League champions’ pre-season tour in China, claimed that Adebayor had attempted to sign for Manchester United before committing to City.
"When someone offers you that kind of money, it is a big attraction," said Ferguson. "That is the reason they have gone there.
"At the last minute, from what I can gather, either Emmanuel Adebayor or his agent phoned us after they had agreed a deal with City and then did the same with Chelsea. He was desperate to get to either Chelsea or us."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Adebayor was ‘desperate’ not to join
July 25th, 2009 |
No Comments
• Ferguson says Adebayor offered himself to Manchester United
• ‘[City] are a small club with a small mentality,’ adds Scot
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that Manchester City’s latest signing Emmanuel Adebayor was “desperate” to join Manchester United or Chelsea instead, and contacted both clubs even after he had agreed his £25m move to Eastlands.
Speaking to The Observer, the Manchester United manager – who also dismissed City as “a small club with a small mentality” – said the striker tried to engineer an alternative move away from Arsenal even as the transfer to City was being finalised.
“At the last minute, from what I can gather, either Emmanuel Adebayor or his agent phoned us after they had agreed a deal with City and then did the same with Chelsea. He was desperate to get to either Chelsea or us.”
Ferguson, speaking in Malaysia during United’s pre-season tour of the Far East, claimed that Adebayor’s move, and those of other high-profile players who have joined City this summer, was motivated by money, not ambition: “When someone offers you that kind of money, it’s a big attraction to people nowadays. That is the reason they have gone there.”
The 25-year-old said that “silverware and trophies” were behind his decision to join Mark Hughes’s side, but Ferguson does not think City will challenge, saying signing the likes of Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and Gareth Barry may be the sum total of their success this season.
“Do you know what City’s biggest triumph is? It’s getting those players there. I don’t know if they will do anything with them,” he said. “It is not easy to get into that top four so the biggest success of all is to just get the players there.
“There will be three teams to beat. Ourselves, Liverpool and Chelsea will be very close together… The one who has the challenge this season is Arsène. He doesn’t have the money and how he uses the £25m from Adebayor will be very, very interesting,” he said of the Arsenal manager.
Continuing his attack on City, Ferguson also suggested that Hughes has focused too much on attack in his spending spree.
“For all the buying they have done, they still have to pick a team with balance. That won’t be easy for Mark. What’s he got, 10 strikers? So if he picks a squad to go to Chelsea he has to leave seven behind, or five at least.”
One of those strikers is Carlos Tevez, whose move to the blue half of Manchester prompted City to erect a billboard sporting an image of the Argentinian with the message “Welcome to Manchester” – a stunt Ferguson dismissed as typical of the club’s mentality.
“It’s City isn’t it? They are a small club with a small mentality,” he said. “All they can talk about is Manchester United, they can’t get away from it… They think taking Carlos Tevez away from Manchester United is a triumph. It is poor stuff.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Roy Hargrove Big Band Album
July 24th, 2009 |
No Comments
Roy Hargrove Releases Emergence – His First Big Band Album – On August 25
 Roy Hargrove |
Acclaimed trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Roy Hargrove realizes a lifelong dream with the August 25 release of Emergence, his first big band album. Nineteen pieces strong, Hargrove’s ensemble is a vibrant and versatile group, tackling a wide range of material and styles with equal doses of precision and passion.
“Financially speaking, this is probably the worst thing I could ever do,” Hargrove said. “But it is something that needs to be done, spiritually and musically speaking.”
The seeds of Emergence were planted in 1995, when Hargrove first formed a big band for a New York jazz festival. His big band concept grew as he led the evolving group through a series of regular gigs at the Jazz Gallery, a not-for-profit performance space in lower Manhattan – which proved an invaluable for both Hargrove and the musicians who participated.
Since his own emergence in the late ’80s, Hargrove has proved to be an adventurous and wide-ranging artist, proudly immersed in the jazz tradition and yet continually striking out for new terrain. Among his groups include the straight-ahead, hard-bop Roy Hargrove Quintet and Crisol, an Afro-Cuban ensemble that won a Grammy in 1998 for Best Latin Jazz Performance with its album Habana. With the funk-oriented RH Factor, Hargrove released the 2003 album Hard Groove, featuring guest appearances by R&B superstars Erykah Badu, Common and D’Angelo. His last album, 2008′s quintet session Earfood, was featured in dozens of year-end Top 10 lists.
Hargrove’s big band, which cites the large bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Maynard Ferguson and Gerald Wilson as key influences, has already been showcased at the Hollywood Bowl and SummerStage in New York’s Central Park. Stylistically, the music ranges from furious swingers to majestic ballads to rollicking Latin jams.
Currently, Roy Hargrove does not have any tour dates.
Ferguson: Tevez is not worth £25m
July 21st, 2009 |
No Comments
• ‘We made offer but never heard back from Kia Joorabchian’
• Manchester United manager admits striker was hero to fans
Sir Alex Ferguson tonight said the reason Carlos Tevez was no longer at Old Trafford was that the striker was not worth the £25m fee his adviser, Kia Joorabchian, had been demanding. The split between the Argentina striker and his former manager has been bitter, with Tevez accusing Ferguson and the club of refusing to speak to him about extending his two-year loan, which expired last month.
“We made contact with Carlos,” Ferguson retorted. “We sent him texts and spoke to him when he was in Argentina. Our chief executive, David Gill, made an offer to Kia Joorabchian and we spoke to Tevez before we played Inter Milan [in March] and told him we had spoken to Kia but we never heard back.
“In my opinion, I don’t think he was worth £25m. He was popular with the supporters. The fans quite rightly have their heroes and I was happy to go along with the deal as long as it was the right one but, quite simply, he is not worth £25m.”
• Digger: City spree just a present from Abu Dhabi
• Ferguson: Owen may only play every 10 days
• Owen on target again in repeat friendly win
That Tevez has gone from the world champions to a side that finished ninth in the Premier League is, say sources at United, proof that money is the main motivating force for those players who have joined Manchester City. However despite an outlay of £200m under the manager, Mark Hughes, Ferguson doubts City will achieve their aim of breaking into the Champions League positions.
“Well, you just name their best team and then ask where it would go and you would have to say that they would struggle to get into the top four. It is understandable they should go for John Terry, given the money they have got. They have made their intentions known, so if I were in City’s shoes with all that money, I would have a go at doing that myself. He has the experience and he is captain of England.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Man City not a threat – Ferguson
July 21st, 2009 |
No Comments
Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed local rivals Manchester City as a major threat to Manchester United’s Premier League title this season.
City manager Mark Hughes has this summer spent millions on building a squad to break into the top four.
But United boss Ferguson said: "It won’t be easy for them to win anything, even with the players they have bought.
"I can’t look at them as our main competitors. Liverpool and Chelsea are our main competitors."
Emmanuel Adebayor is City’s latest addition to a squad which that includes Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz and former United favourite Carlos Tevez.
606: DEBATEGive your thoughts on Sir Alex Ferguson’s comments
Striker Adebayor signed from Arsenal for about £25m, midfielder Barry was bought from Aston Villa for £12m and City paid Blackburn about £18m for Paraguay international Santa Cruz.
Hughes is keen to bring in Chelsea captain John Terry, while an approach for Joleon Lescott has already been rejected.
But Ferguson believes the only place their rivals can challenge his side is in the battle for headlines.
Speaking from his side’s tour in Malaysia, he added: "We are being challenged for the back pages.
"Manchester City are getting all the back page stories and they will hold that position for the rest of the season because there is a lot of interest in what they have done and a lot of speculation about whether it is going to work.
"They have bought a lot of high profile players but they have 10 strikers.
"That is a hell of a lot. I have not spoken to all the managers but the one or two I have are saying ‘Who are they going to leave out’"
"How does he (Hughes) pick a team We are all interested."
City’s spending has been second only to Real Madrid this summer – following the high-profile signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Kaka.
But Ferguson sees definite differences between the way the money is used at both clubs.
"Real Madrid are different to Manchester City," he said.
"They have an unusual culture of not really bothering about money because they can use their name to write off debt. No Spanish bank will ever close them down.
"Manchester City’s culture is about cash. It is about having money and using it."
Ferguson also believes Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could find this coming season a struggle, having sold their star striker to City.
He said: "Arsenal have the biggest job to do because they have sold Adebayor and don’t seem to have the money the rest have got.
"How Arsene develops his team will be his biggest test.
"The one thing we know about Arsenal is that they will play some of the best football you will see and they will create chances.
"They could easily re-establish themselves and challenge for the league again."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Swine flu school closures urged
July 20th, 2009 |
No Comments
Leading experts say closures may need to be ‘prolonged’ in order to be effective
Closing schools for long periods could reduce the spread of swine flu, ease its burden on hospitals and potentially limit the number of deaths it causes, two leading experts argue today.
The fact that children are more infectious and more vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, resulting in it spreading among them at great speed, means that prolonged closure of schools is necessary, according to Dr Simon Cauchemez and Prof Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London.
The government may need to rethink its existing policy of schools staying open during the pandemic before the UK’s 30,000 primary and secondary schools return from their summer holidays, if swine flu has become more severe by then, warn Cauchemez and Ferguson, who work in Imperial College’s department of infectious disease epidemiology.
The two experts do not specify how long any closure should last but say that it may need to be “prolonged” in order to be effective, and recommend that “it would seem sensible for all countries to at least have plans for reactive closure”.
Around 20 schools in Britain where pupils contracted swine flu were shut in May at the start of the pandemic in an effort to stop it spreading.
But that attempted containment was abandoned when the numbers of people affected rose rapidly. More than 60% of the cases of swine flu so far have been in young people aged 18 or younger, with incidence highest among five- to 15-year-olds.
Writing in the August issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the authors say: “It is … hoped that closure of schools during the pandemic might break the chains of transmission, with the following potential benefits: reducing the total number of cases; slowing the epidemic to give more time for vaccine production; and reducing the incidence of cases at the peak of the epidemic, limiting both the stress on healthcare systems and peak absenteeism in the general population, and thus increasing community cohesion”.
Experience of school closures in other countries during previous flu epidemics in other countries shows that the tactic brings benefits, they say. In Israel in 2000, for example, teachers went on strike during a flu outbreak. When they did fewer people went to see their doctor or hospital emergency department and fewer patients were diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection or viral infections. But when the strike ended and schools opened again, infections resumed rising.
Similarly, a study of school holidays in France between 1984 and 2006 shows that school holidays prevent about one in six cases of flu and suggests that a policy of proactively closing schools as a preventative measure could cut the number of people getting infected by between 13% and 17% and by between 38% and 45% during the peak of the outbreak.
They also say that study of the 1918 flu outbreak in America and Australian cities indicate that shutting schools, in tandem with closing churches and improved hygiene, could have reduce the death toll by between 10% and 30%, and as much as 50% in some cities at the height of the outbreak.
However, the authors also point out that school closures have massive side effects. A 12-week closure would cost between one and six% of GDP, according to UK and American studies. And as many as 30% of the entire NHS workforce may need to be off to look after children. In addition, the question of how children who are off school should mix with each other is “a key uncertainty”.
Headteacher leaders have been calling for teachers to be among the first to be vaccinated along with healthcare workers to prevent the forced widespread closure of schools due to lack of staff.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Man U signs up Senegalese striker Diouf
July 18th, 2009 |
No Comments
Manchester United has signed up Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf, scuppering Arsenal’s chances of recruiting him.
The 21-year-old ace will be in Manchester next week for a medical but then loaned back to Norwegian club Molde before returning to England permanently in January.
According to The Sun, Old Trafford manager Fergie revealed the signing at a [...]
Chris Weigant: The JusticeBot 9000
July 16th, 2009 |
No Comments
A Farce, In One Act [The curtains open on the following scene: a dark laboratory in an undisclosed location. Two scientists, with “GOP Labs” on…
Tevez hits back at Ferguson claim
July 14th, 2009 |
No Comments
Manchester City’s new signing Carlos Tevez insists Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson did not contact him to try to keep him at Old Trafford.
Ferguson claims he offered the 25-year-old a deal in March to turn his two-year loan move, which expired this summer, into a permanent switch.
United’s boss also said he texted and phoned the Argentine without response.
"I was there for two years and Sir Alex never called or sent any text messages in that time," said the striker.
"The only time he talked to me was after a match against Roma to discuss a situation of playing for Argentina.
"It doesn’t seem that this is the way to treat a player in two years at the club. It doesn’t seem there is a line of communication."
PHIL MCNULTY’S BLOG"Is he better than what City currently have Can they afford him Yes, and most emphatically yes."
Tevez had moved to United on a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2007 after a stint at West Ham.
A £25.5m fee had been agreed at the time if United wanted to buy the player from his advisors, who owned his economic rights, and make the move permanent.
Tevez believed he was kept waiting too long for a deal to materialise and, in the meantime, was unhappy at his treatment by the Old Trafford outfit as well as his lack of first-team opportunities.
The two eventually parted company when Tevez rejected a five-year contract from United earlier this summer in favour of a move to local rivals Manchester City.
But Ferguson said on Monday: "I half expected Tevez would be going a long time back.
"I think he maybe did a deal around January because I spoke to him and gave him an offer on the night we played Inter Milan (in March) and he never came back to me.
"I phoned him on holiday and he never got back to me and I texted him twice and he never got back to me then either, so obviously he had made his mind up a long time ago.
"He was a good player and did well for us. But he obviously assessed the situation and wanted to go somewhere else."
Tevez denied any suggestion a deal had been agreed with City in January 2009 as he praised the United supporters for their backing of him.
The Argentine built up a good rapport with United’s fans as he helped the club to the 2008 and 2009 Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League trophy as well as last season’s Carling Cup.
And Tevez added: "The fact I did not stay at United was not because of the fans.
"They must understand a part of my heart will always be with them. They were always extremely supportive, even when I wasn’t playing."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Owen handed United No 7 shirt
July 13th, 2009 |
No Comments
• Ferguson gives new striker Ronaldo’s shirt number
• Owen will line up alongside Rooney and Berbatov
Sir Alex Ferguson has handed Michael Owen the prized Manchester United No7 shirt. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United striker will take over Cristiano Ronaldo’s shirt and his place in an attacking line-up containing Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.
The United youngsters Daniel Welbeck and Federico Macheda will both be given a chance to prove they are worthy of the accolades that have been bestowed on them. “They are both young players – but young players with ability always get a chance here,” said Ferguson.
The United manager confirmed he made a bid for Karim Benzema, only to be rebuffed by the Lyon forward, who instead became part of Real Madrid’s extraordinary spending spree.
With a world record £80m burning a hole in his pocket following the sale of Ronaldo, United had the funds to compete. But Ferguson refuses to be drawn into a bidding war for any player beyond the level he thinks is acceptable. He has already recruited Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan in addition to Owen.
“There are some amazing numbers being talked about, not all of them realistic,” Ferguson said. “It is very difficult to get value now. In a way we benefited through the sale of Cristiano, although that figure was non-negotiable.
“But I feel we have a good squad, which meant there was no need for knee-jerk reactions. We asked about Benzema and we had a value for him. Lyon have done well because they got €42m [£36.3m] but I think we took a sensible view.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Ferguson rules out more signings
July 13th, 2009 |
No Comments
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he will not make any further signings during the summer.
United have brought in Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Bordeaux’s Gabriel Obertan to replace departed forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.
Ferguson revealed he had bid for Karim Benzema, who joined Real Madrid, but insisted he had no further targets.
"It is the end of our business," he said. "Stories about who we are supposed to be getting – forget it."
United pocketed £80m from Ronaldo’s world record transfer to Real Madrid and the Old Trafford club had been expected to spend a sizeable proportion of the funds on new players.
Among those to be linked with a move to the Premier League champions are Brazilian forward Douglas Costa, French playmaker Franck Ribery, and Spain striker David Villa.
But Ferguson feels the market is now over-inflated and he does not want to pay over the odds for players.
Real Madrid, for example, have spent in excess of £170m this summer in capturing Kaka from AC Milan, Benzema from Lyon and Ronaldo.
606: DEBATE"We can now forget about signing fantasy players and focus on our squad for the season"
Dean_Machine89
And Ferguson added: "There are some amazing numbers being talked about, not all of them realistic. It is very difficult to get value now.
"In a way we benefited through the sale of Cristiano, although that figure was non-negotiable.
"But I feel we have a good squad, which meant there was no need for knee-jerk reactions.
"We asked about Benzema and we had a value for him. Lyon have done well because they got 42m euros but I think we took a sensible view."
Instead, Valencia has arrived from Wigan, 20-year-old winger Obertan has been recruited and Owen was signed on a free transfer after his contract with Newcastle expired.
And the England striker has been handed the number seven shirt – the shirt vacated by Ronaldo.
Owen will add extra experience to an attack that still boasts plenty of established talent in Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, plus youngsters Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda.
"There is no question that Michael will score a lot of goals for us"
Sir Alex Ferguson
Ferguson hinted that Welbeck and Macheda, who scored vital goals at the end of last season, will be given opportunities to play their part.
"They are both young players – but young players with ability always get a chance here," added Ferguson.
Owen, meanwhile, has vowed to recapture his best form and show he will be an important part of the United team.
"I am hungry to do well and if this challenge doesn’t create a hunger and put a spring in your step and a smile on your face then nothing will," he said.
"I honestly believe I can still do well in a top team like Manchester United."
Ferguson praised the desire of Owen to prove his critics wrong and is confident the 28-year-old can rediscover the scoring touch that made him one of Europe’s most feared strikers.
"His experience is vital and with Michael you will see the experience he will give us in the penalty box," commented Ferguson.
"There is no question that he will score a lot of goals for us and he has been great for years and years.
"You always have to be aware of him in the last third."</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Man Utd move for ‘new Ronaldinho’
July 13th, 2009 |
No Comments
• Ferguson targets 18-year-old tipped as ‘new Ronaldinho’
• United offer financial package of £7m plus add-ons
Manchester United have re-established formal contact with the Brazilian club Gremio about trying to reach a compromise over a fee for Douglas Costa, the talented 18-year-old who has been hailed as “the new Ronaldinho” in his country.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, rates Costa as the brightest young talent currently playing in South America but the Premier League champions could not convince Gremio to allow him out on loan when negotiations began earlier this summer and believe the deal can happen only if the Porto Alegre club drastically lower their valuation.
Gremio have severe financial issues and are acutely aware that selling their most prized young asset could be the answer to those problems. With that in mind, they have informed prospective buyers they want £21m. United regard that as excessive for a player who has not yet played 20 senior games but they are hoping Gremio’s position is negotiable and have put together a financial package, with an initial outlay of £7m, plus a series of success-related add-ons if the player lives up to the promise that has brought him to the attention of Ferguson via John Calvert-Toulmin, the club’s principal scout in Brazil.
The transfer hinges on whether a compromise can be agreed and United are hoping the influential deal-maker Chris Nathaniel can help to convince Gremio that they risk getting nothing at all if they continue to play hardball. Nathaniel, whose extensive list of clients includes Rio Ferdinand and Robinho, is prominently involved with Costa and has spent the last few days in Brazil, in the process holding extensive talks with Gremio’s hierarchy.
• United striker Macheda robbed in his home
• The Rumour Mill: All the latest transfer gossip
• Terry in Chelsea talks as Man City prepare bid
Manchester City are also aware of Costa’s burgeoning reputation but they, too, regard Gremio’s demands as exorbitant and would rather pay significant transfer fees for established players. United’s policy is different, targeting players below the age of 25 if large sums are involved, and Costa fits into their transfer strategy as a young, talented footballer whose value should feasibly go up in future years, just as happened with Cristiano Ronaldo, who was 18 when he signed from Sporting Lisbon.
Costa, a Brazil under-20 international, has other admirers in Spain and Italy but has indicated he would like to move to England and become United’s fourth signing of their summer, following Luis Antonio Valencia, Michael Owen and Gabriel Obertan to Old Trafford.
Carlos Alberto, Brazil’s outspoken World Cup-winning captain in 1970, recently accused United of “raping Brazilian football” and urged Fifa to intervene to prevent the country’s best young players from being lured away by Europe’s leading clubs.
United, however, are proud of their expansive operation in South America, having plucked three Brazilian players – Rafael and Fabio da Silva plus Rodrigo Possebon – from relative obscurity in the past two years.
Costa, who joined Gremio at the age of 11 and is contracted to the club until February 2013, helped Brazil to victory in the South American Youth Championship in January and February, scoring three goals in the process, but United’s interest in the player dates back more than a year before that. Gremio is the club where Ronaldinho made his breakthrough and Costa has obvious similarities in terms of his ability to run with the ball and beat opponents from his favoured role between midfield and attack, as well as being a free-kick specialist.
Any deal would be dependent on the player receiving a work permit but United have never had significant problems obtaining the necessary paperwork in the past.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds