manchester united Category
Manchester United football club news, Manchester United transfers, Premier League
Cool Cats & Red Devils – brilliant photographs of British football fans in the 1970s
Iain S P Reid’s fantastic photos of British football fans in the 1970s are going to be in our new book. You can back Cool Cats & Red Devils at the Kickstarter. Please do – it’s a great project and 15% of all profits from both the prints and the book go to Melanoma UK.
Rewards are cool – with a choice of any of these great, very high-quality prints.
Cool Cats & Red Devils – the book.
Posted: 10th, July 2021 | In: Books, Key Posts, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United: 16 years of Glazer greed boils over
Did you see the Manchester United fans on the Old Trafford pitch before their club’s match with Liverpool and think, ‘Finally!’ After 16 years of ownership by distant, greedy venture capitalists, United supporters were seizing the chance afforded them by The European Super League debacle to demand ‘Go!” It feels like now or never for fans to get rid of the Glazer family. Just as it’s time for Arsenal fans to rid themselves of the no less greedy, remote and abysmal Kroenke clan and Liverpool to get shot of John W Henry. The ESL proved that mistrust of money-obsessed American owners is well placed. Getting the match called off makes the money-men take note. What’s the Premier League without TV?
It wasn’t all good. Far from it. There was violence after fans had left the stadium. One policeman’s face was slashed with a broken bottle. “Those in the stadium were evicted by officers but outside on the forecourt hostility grew with bottles and barriers being thrown at officers and horses,” Greater Manchester police said in a statement. “Two officers have been injured, with one officer being attacked with a bottle and sustaining a significant slash wound to his face, requiring emergency hospital treatment.” There is no excuse for any of that.
Manchester United said “criminal damage” caused by protesters breaking into the ground, and “violence towards” staff, other fans and officers were now a police matter. “The club has no desire to see peaceful protestors punished, but will work with the police to identify those involved in criminal activity, and will also issue its own sanctions to any season-ticket holder or member identified, per the published sanctions policy,” the club said in a statement.
But the protest and the forces driving evens was sound. Not that the greedy, entitled Premier League is listening, offering the pathetic reaction that “fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification”. But no-one’s been listening to fans on Twitter. Now they’re protesting and around the ground, they are.
Lead image: Manchester United supporters demonstrate against a possible takeover of the club by American businessman Malcolm Glazer prior to their English Premiership match against Arsenal at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, in this Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004 file photo.
Posted: 4th, May 2021 | In: manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
The European Super League is a FTSE for Football – bring it on!
On the telly, the latest Tory housing minister and a Labour MP whose name escapes everyone are lamenting the new European Super League, a new tournament featuring most of the continent’s richest football clubs. The politicians harp on about “grass roots football”, the fans being the game’s true lifeblood and the joy of a less fancied side doing well.
You might roll your eyes. Governments support a made-for-TV Premier League, open football to foreign owners, suck up to repressive regimes, tell fans to sit down and shut up, big up globalisation and then are aghast and outraged that the game develops into a European Super League – a FTSE for football. From bubble matches, to all-seater stadia and the policing of language, governments have tried and tested new methods of control on football supporters.
Football fans are portrayed as race rioters-in-waiting. You can kick racism and sectarianism out of football, wear your rainbow laces and elevate the women’s game, but show me a black editor on a national newspaper title, a border down the Irish Sea and the figures on domestic violence and we’ll see who really matters.
Lead image: Sheffield F.C. (here pictured in 1857, the year of its foundation) is the oldest surviving association football club in the world.
Posted: 19th, April 2021 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Key Posts, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, News, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Spurs Balls: Manchester United’s Paul Pogba rattles Jose Mourinho
Spurs manager Jose Mourinho says he “couldn’t care less” about what Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba says about him. Mourinho cares so little about it that he’s told the media how little he cares.
Mourinho managed Pogba a t United before he was sacked in 2018. Pogba opined that current United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “wouldn’t go against the players” like former manager Jose Mourinho.
“I would like to say that I couldn’t care less with what he says,” says Mourinho. “I am not interested at all.”
As George Carlin put it: No comment is still a comment.”
Posted: 17th, April 2021 | In: manchester united, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Talking Balls: Lamela the Spurs hero as Manchester United are robbed
Manchester United 1 – Spurs 6. To reuse a quote by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, one he used to dismiss the potency and threat of his side’s opposition: “Lads, it’s Spurs.” In this post, we’ll take a look at reporting on the match. With United trailing 2-1, United’s Anthony Martial was sent off in the 29th minute after an off-the-ball incident involving Erik Lamela.
The Manchester Evening Post says the incident “saw the Spurs player drop to the deck despite having instigated the altercation himself”. The altercation says Lemala aim an elbow at Martial, who responded with a tetchy brush of Lemala’s next. Lemala went down in stages. He then got up and sank to the floor again. To many observers it was an egregious act of playacting.
The Spurs website reports the mater thus:
Then came the sending-off incident in the 28th minute, Martial raising his hands into the face of Lamela and the referee awarded a straight red card to the United man.
No word on any altercation, of what went before.
Posted: 5th, October 2020 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire called ‘unsportsmanlike’ by Greek prosecutor
Harry Maguire, the Manchester United, has been found guilty in a Greek court of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult. United say he will remain their captain. Maguire says he’s innocent and will appeal the sentence of 21 months, 10 days in prison, suspended for three years. What was a minor incident on a Greek island is all over the news because Maguire is famous. And for that reason Greek lawyer Dr Ioannis Paradissis is invited to address the nation via BBC Radio 4. The prosecutor representing Maguire’s apparent victims tells the Today Programme:
“…[my clients] told me they are still waiting for an apology and they haven’t heard any and this is what I find quite shocking and quite unsportsmanlike, because fair play means when I’ve done something wrong, I apologise.”
It’s personal, no? Maguire might well be a berk, but when the prosecutor goes on the radio and alludes to the famous face’s job as playing some part in the incident, things look a bit odd, unfair even. Why should Maguire be “sportsmanlike” in a criminal court? It’s not sport. He’s not contesting the ref’s decision. He’s appealing a serious criminal conviction.
Posted: 26th, August 2020 | In: manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Pogba to stay at Manchester United as Real Madrid run out of cash
On becoming the world’s costliest footballer in 2016, Paul Pogba told us “the time is right to go back to Old Trafford”. Pogba left Manchester United in 2012 for £1.5m, flourished at Juventus and rejoined the Premier League club for £89m. Four years on and which club got the better side of the deal is plain to all but the deliberate controversialist.
The huge fee surpassed the sum Real Madrid paid for Gareth Bale. The Welshman is pretty much surplus to requirements at Real and keen to tell the club where they rank in his affections – remember his banner: ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In That Order’. But Madrid fans would be hard-pressed to claim Bale has not been worth the money. Bale’s breathtaking overhead volley in the 2018 Champions’ League final was the stuff of dreams. When and where he scored it elevates the goal and the player to the greats. Now to Pogba…
Can you recall a moment when the Frenchman starred in a big match? Unveiled at United in a glitzy marketing-led promo video, a red devil marked into his hair, Pogba’s best moment in a United shirt was signing the contract that marked his return.
His current deal haas two years left to run, if United trigger a 12-month option next year,. Rather than waving at Real Madrid, Mina Raiola, the player’s agent, has told Sky Italia that his client will be staying at Manchester United. “Pogba is staying at Manchester United and I think they want to extend his contract,” said Raiola. “He is at the centre of an important project, they will not accept any bid for him this summer.”
In short: In light of the Pandemic, Real Madrid cannot afford Pogba. So let’s see if United will panic and keep their overrated player at the club at all costs.
Posted: 25th, August 2020 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester Untied captain Harry Maguire ‘threw a swing’ in Mykonos
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been spending part of his summer hols in a police station on the Greek island of Syros. United say Maguire is “fully co-operating with the Greek authorities” following an “alleged incident” on the neighbouring island of Mykonos. The Greek authorities claim Maguire was one of “three foreigners” arrested after an altercation with police officers.
The Sun says Maguire reports the allegation that on “a boozy break” to a “flash” resort, Maguire “punched a cop and tried to bribe officers in a bust-up in Mykonos”.
We hear from Mykonos Police spokesman Petros Vassilakis:
“All of the three were arrested but during the effort to do so, the other two, including the football player, got violent also. They threw down at least two policemen, hit them with their fists and kicked them.
“I can’t tell you what they were telling us. All English swear words against the authorities and against the work of the police.”
The Mail’s report has the Greek police spokesman talking about swings and roundabouts:
Maguire is to appear before a local prosecutor Saturday morning at 11.00am. Maguire’s lawyer said he denies all wrongdoing.
Posted: 21st, August 2020 | In: manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Gareth Bale back to Spurs (not Manchester United) and Gabriel to Arsenal (soon)
Arsenal are “closer than ever” to agreeing a deal with Lille’s Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes, 22, says the BBC. The source for this story is L’Equipe. The website offers no source for its information, stating only that the “southpaw and the Gunners have never been so close to an agreement, which is due in the coming hours.’ How may hours is unspecified. and that’s just as well for the Sun which is playing both sides of the story.
On the blue bit of North London, Spurs are looking to re-sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, says the BBC.
Or as the Manchester Evening News put it on March 8 2019:
Gareth Bale has reportedly bought a house in Manchester and agreed personal terms with Manchester United ahead of a potential transfer this summer.
And in May 2018 the Daily Express told us of a bold “claim” – presented as an SEO-friendly fact:
And as the sun out it in January 2020:
Bale has not agree to rejoin Spurs. He also hasn’t agreed to join Manchester United, Liverpool or Yeovil. Yet.
Posted: 20th, August 2020 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, manchester united, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Transfer Balls: Jadon Shancho to Manchester United for £50m, £108m and a moving weekly wage
Jadon Sancho will not join Manchester United this summer, says the BBC. He will remain a Borussia Dortmund player. The German club’s sporting director Michael Zorc tells everyone: “We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season. The decision is final. I think that answers all our questions.”
Or as the papers put it: the deal is on! But how much is the transfer fee? And how much will Sancho earn at Manchester United? The papers have all the facts:
Such are the facts.
Posted: 10th, August 2020 | In: manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Aubameyang and Ceballos to stay at Arsenal: Sancho will walk to Manchester United
Let’s kick off this morning look at football transfer news in the media with the BBC’s ‘Gossip’ page. The State broadcaster’s headline is clear: “Transfer rumours: Sancho, Costa, Jimenez, Ceballos, Harrison, Aubameyang.” Before the rumours the fact: the name of Arsenal’s stellar striker, Aubameyang, appears in the headline only.
The striker is nearing the final year of his current Arsenal deal. Will be stay on? He’s 31 and looking for a three-year deal. He’ll get it. But the stories of any departure and interest from Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester City and more will keep the clicks coming. Why does the BBC need to do this? The BBC website hurts local news sites and now seems to want to take the traffic from football blogs and clickbait farms. The BBC is funded by a tax. Is this value for money? An attempt to be all things to all people?
The newspapers need clicks. Traffic is up but ad revenues are down. The Mirror says Borussia Dortmund’s England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, “may” have to instigate a move to Manchester United. Or he may not. The Star syas because Arsenal’s Brazilian defender David Luiz, 33, was terrific against Manchester City in the Gunners’ 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win, manager Mikel Arteta “could” decide not to try to sign a brilliant, young, fast, reliable and strong centre half. Or he coild wait a few moments, look on as Luiz makes a hash of a routine clearance and realise he should buy urgently.
Oh, and Dani Ceballos wants to stay at the club. The Spaniard is playing lovely football in the sun. But British football is mostly played under rain and cloud, conditions in which Ceballos has shone less brightly. Buyer beware.
Posted: 20th, July 2020 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Partey wants Arsenal move, agrees terms but prefers Manchester United
In today’s look at the twilight world of football reporting, the BBC says Arsenal are in the box seat to sign Atlético de Madrid’s Ghanian midfielder Thomas Partey. Is he turned on by the change to play with Musatfi and Xhaka and hang out with Gunnersaurus? Not quite and not all. The Gunners have offered to triply Partey’s wage, says AS. The Express says Arsenal want to pay the £45m transfer in instalments. The Sun says Partey is “ready to come” to Arsenal. The Mirror says his is a “massive boost” to Arsenal. The Express says Partey “wants to play for Arsenal”.
And then the news gets shaky. The web is full of news that Partey has and has not agreed personal terms with Arsenal. TeamTalk says: “Thomas Partey has told Atletico Madrid he wants to leave this summer and that his preference is to sign for Manchester United”. “Arsenal target Thomas Partey prefers Man Utd transfer,” says the Express – the same paper that says he dreams of playing for Arsenal.
Does the player know what he wants? JJ Sport, the agency representing the player, posted on Instagram a picture of Partey alongside the words “pick his club” and the colours of Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. How long before he kisses the badge at one of those clubs remains to be seen.
Posted: 4th, July 2020 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Fantastic photographs of Manchester United and Manchester City fans in the 1970s
Iain S.P. Reid’s brilliant photographs of football fans in Manchester in the late 1970s are being shared. People are coming forward to say ‘That’s me in the picture’. And that’s great. A book of Iain’s pictures will feature your names and your stories. So please spread the word. We really want to hear if you or someone you know is in Iain’s pictures of Manchester United and Manchester City fans enjoying the carnival of match day.
As part of the project we’ve also got prints of many of the photos at the Flashbak Art Prints Shop.
See lots more of Ian’s photos on Facebook.
Posted: 30th, June 2020 | In: Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Fabulous Photographs and Art Prints of Manchester United and Manchester City Football Fans 1976-1977
Thanks to the Flashbak art prints shop for showing us these brilliant photographs of football fans in Manchester in the late 1970s. They were taken by Iain S. P. Reid in 1976 and 1977. The photographs zoom in on Manchester derby games between Manchester United and Manchester City. Plans are for the photographs and the stories around them to appear in a book. So i you are in any of the photographs or know someone was is, please get in touch.
Sadly Iain passed away in November 2000. He was cremated at Hazelhead Crematorium, Aberdeen on the 8th November 2000. The mourners were so many that some had to stand outside…. A testament to his life. He was much loved by many. His photographs are arguably the best images of British football culture in the 1970s. More from the Manchester series are being posted on Iain’s Facebook Page.
15% of all profits from prints and the book go to the charity Melanoma UK.
You can buy the art prints here.
Please follow Iain’s Facebook Page for more of these great photos.
All images are the copyright the Estate of Iain S. P. Reid and must not be used without permission.
Posted: 2nd, June 2020 | In: Key Posts, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Liverpool finish first but don’t win Premier League title; Leicester, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United qualify for Champions League; Wolves, Sheffield United and Arsenal get Europa League
The Dutch have cancelled their domestic football season. And it’s bad news for Liverpool and very good news for Norwich and other teams facing relegation from the Premier League. There will no champion of the Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top league. There will be no relegations. One option was to take an average of points scored so far and add them to games still to play. But that would have made no difference to the teams qualifying for the Champions League and Europa league, respectively. In the Premier League, it would – and it means Arsenal (currently in 9th spot) qualifying for the Europa League ahead of Spurs (8th).
Manchester City’s (2nd) ban from the European competition means Manchester United (5th) take their place in the Champions League, where they will be in the mix with Leicester City (3rd) and Chelsea (4th).
It is the most likely scenario. Already all football in England below the three divisions that make up the National League has ended and all results expunged.
It’s time for the upper tiers to follow suit and present a clear path ahead. The Dutch have set the agenda – and it’s the right one.
Posted: 24th, April 2020 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, News, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Manchester United plan to use coronavirus to get players on the cheap
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems like a decent bloke. But today the Mail tells us that the Manchester United manager has promised to behave with all the morals of, well, Spurs. “Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warns rivals that Manchester United will ‘exploit’ the coronavirus mayhem to poach top stars when football returns, with Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish firmly in his sights,” says the Mail. In times of crisis the richest clean up. The story beings:
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is confident Manchester United can ‘exploit’ the mayhem caused by coronavirus to secure their summer transfer targets. The United manager believes some clubs need to offload players after taking a financial hit during the crisis and it could work in their favour.
Here’s what he told Sky Sports (which might like to refund their customers a few quid owing to the lack of football):
“Football is going to get back to normality at one point, and it’s very important we’re ready when that happens. We want to be the best at everything, and of course now is a chance to spend more time, you discuss players, discuss plans, we’ve evaluated what we need, of course with the coaching staff we’ve looked at games, evaluated games, discussing on video calls like this.” Asked whether United can exploit the market when football returns, Solskjaer said: “Then, the market, who knows how the market is going to react to this? Who knows which clubs need to sell players? There might be just a situation there where you can exploit, and I know that we at Man United, we are one of the biggest, and financially well off. I’m sure we are capable, when we get back to normality, that we can do the business that we want to.”
Charming. So much for the ‘football family’. Manchester United is just another big business driven by greed.
Posted: 8th, April 2020 | In: manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Rashford puts together a decent and dependable plan to get Jadon Sancho to Manchester United
England striker Marcus Rashford says he is “desperate” to play with Borussia Dortmund’s English forward Jadon Sancho, 20, at Manchester United next season. So says the BBC. The source for news of Rashford’s desperation is the Sun, which conjures the absurd headline: “Marcus Rashford desperate for Man Utd transfer target Jadon Sancho to form dream trio with him and Anthony Martial.” Apparently Rashford made a “plea” to play with Sancho.
What did Rashford actually say? Well, a fan asked him if he’d like to play with Sancho. Rashford answered:
“It would be good, Sancho’s a great player and he’s like a new generation player. It’s definitely exciting to watch him become the player he’s become. Hopefully we can all play together, that would be good. He plays off the cuff, he’s creative and imaginative, these are the things you need to be world class.”
The BBC and Sun’s stories are utter balls, then. Much like the earlier message about what Rashford told the Manchester United management. The Irish Independent claims Rashford told Solskjaer that Sancho is “decent, dependable and very much likes the idea of what the manager has been putting together”.
More utter balls as the papers try to keep their desperate organs alive every day…
Posted: 2nd, April 2020 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Jadon Sancho to Liverpool or Manchester United says clickbait insider
Sky Sports says its reporter Kaveh Solhekol has the inside line” on Jadon Sancho’s future. Sky tweets: “@SkyKaveh has the inside line on Jadon Sancho’s future.” And the future is linking him with move to Liverpool. So what is the ‘inside line” from “The Insider”?
It is difficult to say where Jadon Sancho will be playing next season because so many clubs want him…
But The Insider knows:
Manchester United are confident they can get Sancho in the summer…
Bayern Munich would love to keep him in the Bundesliga…
…I was a betting man my money would be on Liverpool.
The inside line is that the insider doesn’t know where Sancho will be playing next season, but if he does leave Dortmund it will be very possibly for a big club with lots of money. You heard it here second, folks. And you can read it all over Google, too, where the thoughts of a man who doesn’t know are big news:
Such are the facts…
Posted: 21st, February 2020 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, News, Sports | Comment
Manchester United takes on the Sun – Liverpool fans nod
Loathed in Liverpool for its reporting on the Hillsborough disaster which saw 96 Liverpool fans lose their lives, could the Sun be about to lose Manchester, too? Manchester United have accused the Sun of receiving advanced notice of last month’s attack on the house of the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. “A smoke bomb and fireworks” were thrown towards his home and there were chants that he was “going to die”, reported the Sun. They were “disgusting scenes”.
United allege the Presence of a reporter “both encouraged and rewarded the perpetrators”. Manchester United think the Sun had advanced notice of the attack. Say United:
“The Club believes that the Sun newspaper had received advance notice of the intended attack, which included criminal damage and intent to intimidate, and that the journalist was present as it happened. The quality of the images accompanying the story indicate that a photographer was also present.”
Incredible stuff.
Posted: 7th, February 2020 | In: manchester united, Sports, Tabloids | Comment
Transfer Balls: Edinson Cavani agree Atletico and Inter Milan deals but wants Manchester City amid Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester United interest
Manchester United and Spurs fans excited by news that injury-prone, 33-year-old Edinson Cavani is thinking go leaving Paris St Germain before his contract runs out in the summer can know that he’s already signed for any number of clubs over the past few seasons. According to media, the striker has agreed to join or has been linked with the following:
Atletico Madrid – Cavani agree three-year deal – Daily Mail, December 2019 (also Daily Star, 90 Minutes)
Inter Milan – Cavani agrees three-year-deal – Sports Mole, August 2019
Chelsea – “Edinson Cavani to Chelsea latest” – Football London, January 19, 2020
Arsenal & Manchester United – “Arsenal and Man Utd submit offers to sign Edinson Cavani” – The Metro, January 2020
Barcelona – “Barcelona are looking at the free agent market with PSG’s Edinson Cavani joining Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham players on their transfer radar” – Daily Express, December 2019
Juventus – “GLASS OF CAVA Cavani lined up for stunning Juventus free” – The Sun, October 2019
Manchester City – “PSG star Edinson Cavani wants to join Manchester City” – Daily Mail, October 2017
Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid – “Edinson Cavani may join Manchester United, Juventus or Real Madrid as PSG give up on him” – Daily Mail, February 2016
Such are the facts…
Posted: 17th, January 2020 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports, Spurs, Tabloids | Comment
Transfer Balls: Jadon Sancho ‘joins’ Liverpool, ‘likely’ to join Manchester United and some stuff about Chelsea
The Mirror tells readers that Manchester United are “confident” of signing Borussia Dortmund’s England winger Jadon Sancho, 19, this coming January. Number of facts to support this story: none.
Indeed, the Sun says Sancho is “more likely” to join Liverpool. Number of facts to support the news: none. “Jadon Sancho ‘more likely to join Liverpool’ than transfer rivals Man Utd and Chelsea,” says the Sun. Who says the words “more likely”? Er, the Sun.
talkSport muses: “Jadon Sancho to Chelsea?” It doesn’t know. It has no idea. But the broadcaster’s man in the don’t-know will bash out a few words on maybe and maybe not. So maybe Chelsea.
“Jadon Sancho makes Liverpool and Man Utd transfer decision,” says the Express. He does? No. But if he has done, no-one’s telling. Utter tosh.
But hold on a moment. The Liverpool Echo has a scoop. It says Sancho joined them in January – next January! “This is what happened when we ‘signed’ Jadon Sancho for Liverpool in January,” reports the paper. And readers get to read about a football game that guesses about stuff – much like the Press.
Posted: 13th, December 2019 | In: Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United: Solskjaer’s ‘Cultural reboot’ and other tosh
Don’t panic, Manchester United fans. News is that you’ll have Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the wheel for some time to come. The Norwegian, once sacked by Cardiff City, has been reassured that his future at United is safe, even if his side are murdered when they play their next match, which is against Liverpool.
Reports point to Solskjaer being given time to push the huge marketing machine that used to be football club into the big time. And in the new year the owners will give him four news players to polish the manager’s “cultural reboot”.
What does it all mean? Henry Winter tells Times readers:
The recruitment of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace for £50 million was an extensive process, with United looking at hundreds of right backs around the world, taking input from their 32 scouts in more than 30 countries, with data on each player being analysed by 15 people.
And then after employing scores of experts to check out “hundreds’ of right backs, United bought for £50m the Crystal Palace right back who everyone was talking about because the Englishman had made third highest number of tackles in the Premier League.
Never mind the plodding football, just marvel at the mind-boggling science…
Posted: 10th, October 2019 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Alexis Sanchez has ‘no regrets’ at leaving Arsenal for £500,000-a-week at Manchester United
Funnily enough, Alexis Sanchez has not regrets about leaving Arsenal – wages: £100,000-a-week – for Manchester United – wages: £500,000-a-week.
“I’m very happy I went to Manchester United,” Sanchez tells the BBC as he moved to Inter Milan on loan. “I’ve always said that. It’s the club that’s won the most in England. When I went to Arsenal it was fantastic – I was happy there – but United were growing at the time, they were buying players to win something. I wanted to join them and win everything. I don’t regret going there.”
Sanchez went for the money. And who can blame him for that? The wage is gargantuan. Sanchez scored 80 goals in 166 matches for Arsenal; he scored 5 in 45 for United – 2 goals in 27 matches last season. Never let them tell you that money doesn’t change people. In 2017, Sanchez was a nominee for the Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Players of the Year award. In 2018, he was spending time with his private jet. And that piano:
It’s easy to label Sanchez a flop. He wasn’t. He won big. The failure lies with the decision makers who thought him worth the money.
Posted: 3rd, September 2019 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United and Leeds great Eric Cantona’s UEFA awards speech in full
Eric Cantona was invited to say a few words before the 2019-20 Champions League draw in Monaco. That speech in full:
“As flies to wanton boys we are for the gods, they kill us for their sport.
“Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal.
“Only accidents, crimes, wars, will still kill us but unfortunately, crimes, wars, will multiply.
“I love football. Thank you.”
And now for the classified results: Barking 1 – Braintree…
Posted: 29th, August 2019 | In: Celebrities, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United sign Mario Mandzukic and keep Pogba; Liverpool in for Adrian
Manchester United will pay £6.2m-a-year for Mario Mandzukic, 33, says the Mail. Juventus want a fee of £15m for the Croatia international – which may be included in a bigger swap deal involving United’s 26-year-old Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. Napoli also want the striker. Sources for the Mail’s story: none. It sounds like bunkum. Why would united want the ageing Croat?
Better news for United is that Real Madrid have finally made a decision on Pogba: they don’t want him. Spanish papers say to get the ambulatory marketing machine they would need to sell Bale, James and Mariano. They can’t. Real did offer James plus a lot of cash for Pogba. United rejected the deal. So Real will move for Ajax’s 22-year-old Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek.
Liverpool are to replace Simon Mingolet with former West Ham goalkeeper Adrian. Mingolet joined Club Bruges for £6m.
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Posted: 5th, August 2019 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
