Click for hundreds of RED
Websites / Swap shop / Meet other United Fans and more!
|
 |
E-mail: barry@www.red11.org Updated
Daily
Compiled by 
Barry
J. Leeming Digest Prgram
by 
William
McArthur Canada
Theatre Of Dreams Banner's by
Sam Hayward Download the digest program here!
The
Devil's Advocate "REDitorial"
commentary by Alex Paylor "RED
sky at night UNITED delight!"
www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Mon Apr 19 GMT+00:00 1999
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. It's life, but not as we know it Personal Report from RED KELLY
2. Oh Teddy, Teddy Personal Report by OUR SALFORD LASS
3. Hugh McIlvanney talks to Fergie - Sunday Times
4. Ferguson set for massive new deal ««
5. Sunday Times report United extend lead with easy 3-0 victory
6. Brilliant take on Edwards
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Mon 19th April 1999:
19/4/1958:
Billy Meredith died in Manchester . One of the brilliant wingers of his day,
Meredith made his United debut against Aston Villa in January 1907, and won League
Championship medals in 1908 and 1911, and an FA Cup Winners medal in 1909,
having already scored the winner for Manchester City in the 1904 Final. He totalled
332 appearances and 35 goals between 1907-21, and played 48 caps for Wales in
the period 1895-1920. After rejoining City in 1921 he returned to Old Trafford
as Coach in 1931.
19/4/1958:
United's Bobby Charlton scores on his International debut as England win
4-0 against Scotland at Hampden Park.
19/4/1975: United clinch the 2nd Division Championship with a 2-2 draw at Notts County
watched by 17,320. Brian Greenhoff and Stewart Houston scored. Team was:
Stepney, Forysth, Houston, Greenhoff, James, Buchan, Coppell, McIlroy, Pearson,
Macari, Daly.
*********************
Barry Daily Comment:
So Chelsea only managed a draw today and we stay top!
[Arse play at home to Wimmledon tonight]
This week sees a match so BIG on wednesday that the importance
cannot be measured! Good luck to REDS all over the world.
Everyone who wants the goal in Real Time Video 300k now thanks to RED CAFE!
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/texts/report98/domestic/arse-fa2.htm
FA Cup Semi Final Replay
14 April 1999
Manchester United 2:1 Arsenal
Villa Park
Download Ryan Giggs Goal! (Real Video: 300K)
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/real/giggs-goal.ra
Thanks to the Theatre of Dreams
Important European Cup Ticket Info: (thanks to Mike)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
UEFA Champions League final tickets information
The following has appeared on the UEFA website regarding tickets for the
final. Subject to the minor matter of beating Juventus next week, this is of
particular interest to supporters outside England, since applications will
not be accepted from the countries of competing clubs.
UEFA Champions League final tickets information
UEFA Champions League Final
Venue Camp Nou (Estadi FC Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain
Date Wednesday 26 May 1999
Kick-Off 20.45 CET (19.45 GMT)
Apart from ticket orders from supporters residing in the countries of the two
finalist clubs - Manchester United FC (England) or Juventus FC (Italy) and
Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine) or FC Bayern München (Germany) - which, for security
reasons, must be submitted to the clubs concerned, ticket orders for the
general public irrespective of their country of residence can be ordered
through the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (Spanish Football Federation).
Ticket Order Methods: Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)
Post Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)
Alberto Bosch, 13
E-29014 MADRID
Spain
Telephone ++34-91-369 5045
++34-91-369 4771
++34-91-369 4129
Fax ++34-91-429 8428
E-Mail rfef@tsai.es
Closing Date Thursday 29 April 1999
No supporter may purchase more than four tickets, subject to availability.
Tickets are for personal use only, and must not be resold or used for
commercial purposes. The Real Federación Española de Fútbol (Spanish Football
Federation) may reject or reduce any ticket order considered to be
unwarranted.
Tickets
Prices Pesetas
Category 1 14,000 Ptas
Category 2 10,000 Ptas
Category 3 7,000 Ptas
Category 4 4,500 Ptas
Written confirmation - by fax or mail - will be forwarded on receipt of an
order for tickets for this match, and the amount for the total price of the
tickets will be transferred to the Banco Popular Español.
Account Number: 0075-0591-17-0600300602
Banco Popular Español, Agencia 51, Calle Ruiz de Alarcón 25, E-28014 MADRID
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MANCHESTER UNITED STATS v ALL teams on the Web
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats.htm
Previous News:
BSKYB Takeover news/pics at http://www.red11.org/mufc/bskyb.htm
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Peter Schmeichel's last Season at United!
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
Next games:
ALL Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
If you would like ALL the final fixtures for
UNITED/Arse/Chelsea then go to http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899.htm
Next Games:
Today! Sheff Wed (H) 15.00 PL
21 European Cup Semi Juventus (A) 19.45 CL
25 Leeds (A) 11.30 {am} UK PL Live Sky Sports UK
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
*** RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 18/04/99 ***
Chelsea 2-2 Leicester City 34,535
*** CONDENSED LEAGUE TABLE AS AT 18/04/99 ***
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
---------------------------------------------------------
1 Manchester United 32 19 10 3 72 32 40 67
2 Chelsea 33 17 13 3 49 26 23 64
3 Arsenal 32 17 12 3 43 13 30 63
4 Leeds United 33 16 11 6 53 29 24 59
5 Aston Villa 34 14 10 10 45 39 6 52
6 West Ham United 34 14 9 11 39 41 -2 51
7 Middlesbrough 34 12 14 8 46 42 4 50
8 Derby County 33 12 11 10 37 41 -4 47
9 Liverpool 32 12 8 12 57 42 15 44
10 Tottenham Hotspur 32 10 13 9 36 37 -1 43
11 Newcastle United 33 11 9 13 44 48 -4 42
12 Wimbledon 33 10 11 12 37 50 -13 41
13 Leicester City 32 9 13 10 34 41 -7 40
14 Sheffield Wednesday 33 11 5 17 38 39 -1 38
15 Everton 34 9 10 15 31 41 -10 37
16 Coventry City 34 10 7 17 35 47 -12 37
17 Charlton Athletic 33 7 11 15 35 44 -9 32
18 Blackburn Rovers 33 7 11 15 35 46 -11 32
19 Southampton 34 8 7 19 31 63 -32 31
20 Nottingham Forest 34 4 9 21 30 66 -36 21
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 21/03/99 ***
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/08/98 Leicester City Home D 2-2 11 55,052
22/08/98 West Ham United Away D 0-0 11 26,039
09/09/98 Charlton Athletic Home W 4-1 9 55,147
12/09/98 Coventry City Home W 2-0 5 55,193
20/09/98 Arsenal Away L 0-3 10 38,142
24/09/98 Liverpool Home W 2-0 3 55,181
03/10/98 Southampton Away W 3-0 2 15,251
17/10/98 Wimbledon Home W 5-1 2 55,265
24/10/98 Derby County Away D 1-1 2 30,867
31/10/98 Everton Away W 4-1 2 40,079
08/11/98 Newcastle United Home D 0-0 3 55,174
14/11/98 Blackburn Rovers Home W 3-2 2 55,198
21/11/98 Sheffield Wednesday Away L 1-3 2 39,475
29/11/98 Leeds United Home W 3-2 2 55,172
05/12/98 Aston Villa Away D 1-1 2 39,241
12/12/98 Tottenham Hotspur Away D 2-2 1 36,079
16/12/98 Chelsea Home D 1-1 2 55,159
19/12/98 Middlesbrough Home L 2-3 3 55,152
26/12/98 Nottingham Forest Home W 3-0 3 55,216
29/12/98 Chelsea Away D 0-0 3 34,741
10/01/99 West Ham United Home W 4-1 3 55,180
16/01/99 Leicester City Away W 6-2 2 22,091
31/01/99 Charlton Athletic Away W 1-0 1 20,043
03/02/99 Derby County Home W 1-0 1 55,174
06/02/99 Nottingham Forest Away W 8-1 1 30,025
17/02/99 Arsenal Home D 1-1 1 55,171
20/02/99 Coventry City Away W 1-0 1 22,596
27/02/99 Southampton Home W 2-1 1 55,316
13/03/99 Newcastle United Away W 2-1 1 36,500
21/03/99 Everton Home W 3-1 1 55,182
03/04/99 Wimbledon Away D 1-1 1 26,121
17/04/99 Sheffield Wednesday Home W 3-0 1 55,270
*** TEAM RESULTS SUMMARY - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 17/04/99 ***
P Won Drawn Lost For Against Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home 17 12 (71%) 4 (24%) 1 (6%) 41 (2.4) 16 (0.9) 40 (2.4)
Away 15 7 (47%) 6 (40%) 2 (13%) 31 (2.1) 16 (1.1) 27 (1.8)
Total 32 19 (59%) 10 (31%) 3 (9%) 72 (2.3) 32 (1.0) 67 (2.1)
Averages per game in (brackets)
*** TEAM STATISTICS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 17/04/99 ***
AVERAGE HOME ATTENDANCE: 55,188
HIGHEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 27/02/99 - Southampton (55,316)
LOWEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 15/08/98 - Leicester City (55,052)
BEST WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)
BEST HOME WIN: 17/10/98 - Wimbledon (5-1)
HEAVIEST HOME DEFEAT: 19/12/98 - Middlesbrough (2-3)
BEST AWAY WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST AWAY DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)
*****
Champions League:
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Man United 6 2 4 0 20 11 10
Barcelona 6 2 2 2 11 9 8
Brondby 6 1 0 5 4 18 3
Dec 9 Brøndby 0-2 Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
******
CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS
Manchester Utd 2 v 0 Inter Milan
Real Madrid 1 v 1 Dynamo Kiev
Juventus 2 v 1 Olympiakos
Bayern Munich 2 v 0 Kaiserslautern
**DYNAMO KIEV 2 v 0 REAL MADRID (Agg:3-1)
FC KAISERSLAUTERN 0 v 4 **BAYERN MUNICH (Agg:0-6)
INTERNAZIONALE FC 1 v 1 **MANCHESTER UNITED (Agg:1-3)
OLYMPIAKOS 1 v 1 **JUVENTUS (Agg:2-3)
Semi Final 2nd legs to be played 21st April
Manchester United v Juventus [1-1]
Bayern Munchen v Dynamo Kiev [3-3]
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: It's life, but not as we know it Personal Report from RED KELLY
I feel I'm in a time warp at the moment. All the talk yesterday was about
Wednesday. But why worry about Wednesday I thought, we'll worry about
Wednesday on Wednesday.
"No not Wednesday - Wednesday."
"What next Wednesday?"
"No, last Wednesday."
Didn't the Beatles sing about eight days a week? Did they know there were
three Wednesdays in eight days then? For god's sake my mind's out of
control. "Are we talking about last Wednesday, today or next Wednesday?" In
fact we were talking about all three, but taking one game at a time!
Notwithstanding the confusion over which Wednesday, the time warp factor
has come into play due to the timelessness of last Wednesday - OK, the semi
final replay and the amount of times this season that we have witnessed
epic games. I have since watched the midweek game on TV and cannot think of
another like it ever in all my years of supporting United. I asked Hal in
the pub yesterday about it and he said the same. And for one who has seen
some great games in his lifetime which spans many more years than mine,
then it must have been something very special indeed. I know I will never
forget being there and neither will anyone else I have spoken to.
We parked at the Throstles yesterday as Dr Mark, the self-christened
Harbinger of Doom, said that last time he and the sausageman parked there
they got away easy - but more of that later. A couple of pints and a chat
was followed by a swift walk down to OT. I hadn't realised that the time
was already 2.45 when we left and that the pub was already almost empty.
It's usually at least a fifteen minute walk to the ground but we set off at
a pace, but when Druncan stopped off at the shop to pick up a couple more
cans the Harbinger and I decided to run ahead. That Dr Mark can shift, it
took me all my time to keep up with him as he jinked his way through White
City, but as we reached Chester Road and the rest of the last minute
pubbers we still had nearly ten minutes to go before kick-off.
So in the realisation that anything after midweek was going to be a
comedown I made my way up to my usual seat in K Stand. All we really wanted
was an easy game as preparation for Turin, but recently Sheffield Wednesday
have had the indian sign over us so we were more than a little
apprehensive. However it seems at the moment that whoever is on the pitch
wearing a red shirt will play well enough to walk into most any other team
in the Premier League.
It doesn't seem to matter who plays up front, they are going to score
goals. So with our own SAS we assaulted the Wednesday goal, overcame the
obstacles and scored three.
The atmosphere was good at Old Trafford for once and with the Wizard giving
us his commendation before the game we felt on top of the world. At least
he doesn't thing we are the worst supporters in the Premier League then!
After another impeccably observed minute's silence for the Hillsborough
victims the game kicked off with Wednesday playing some slick football and
Carbone going close a couple of times with viciously dipping volleys.
He was dancing around all over the place showing a full range of flicks and
that was just his hair. He was a walking Vosene advert, but as the rain
fell the bounce went out of his hairstyle and out of Wednesday altogether.
Our midfield Rockweilers soon got a grip which released the forwards and
gradually the initial Wednesday exuberance was negated by Manchester steel.
Blommers got the ball out on the left (or the right as we looked at it) and
launched it into orbit. When it finally came down it had ice on but Keano
warmed it up with a pull-back to Teddy who flicked on and there was Ole to
volley past Sirnicek. We were happy and relieved as the Wednesday heads
dropped.
From that moment on United could have taken half the team off and they
would still have won and we amused ourselves by taunting Tango and his
buddies over in the corner. You'd have thought that daft bastard would have
succumbed to wearing his shirt by now. No sense no feeling I suppose! How
could it be any other way with that nauseating bloody band playing the same
old tune over and over and over again. They should be banned from every
football ground as it's almost impossible to get an atmosphere going with
that mind numbing sound echoing in your ears. Don't they get fed up with it
or are they just plain stupid?
It was fast turning into the perfect game sandwiched between the two semis.
With Sheringham scoring his 250th senior goal and Scholesy adding a third
at the start of the second half Fergie made changes. I'm glad Sheringham
scored. He seems to have suffered a change of attitude recently which has
seen a resurgence in his play and another option for the Wizard. His
relationship with Ole seems to have blossomed into a very productive
partnership which would be the envy of many other teams.
We seem to have an embarrassment of riches in every department right now
which gives me confidence for the testing time ahead. Last season we
couldn't have said that, but this season is different - very different.
Even when Keane and Stam went off it made no difference and it gave
Superstar and Jonathan Greening another run out. We will be without the
Norwegians next Sunday at Helland Road so we may just need David May.
We left Old Trafford satisfied yesterday. We hadn't seen a classic, but
there were no moans from those of us who realised the importance of,
firstly the three points and secondly the ease in which they were attained.
Back in the Throstles we had a quick refresher before the journey home.
Out in the carpark at the back there were two young kids playing football
so Dr Mark and I asked if we could join in for a couple of minutes. OK, so
they were only about nine years old and thought I was seven foot tall, but
at that moment we were mentally the same age. A few one-two's later and the
ball nestled in the back of the imaginary net but it was time to go as it
was getting late and a home-made curry beckoned.
This was the moment when the Harbinger's prediction of an easy getaway from
the Throstles was going to come true. Sadly it all went horribly wrong!
Every way we went, every turn we took we were confronted by huge traffic
jams. Something was obviously going on. The way to Chorlton was blocked,
down at the Quandrant was the same. On to Chester Road - the same. So we
went back to Old Trafford which was still thronged with people no doubt
waiting for the players to emerge and eventually we found ourselves on our
normal route out but by this time 606 was about to start.
To top it all the traffic on the M6 was extremely slow and full of scouse
cars returning south. Never let it be said that United are the only team
who block motorways with supporters - the scousers have their fair share.
So now we await the next chapter and the final Wednesday in eight days.
What has fate got in store for us this time? I can only hope we are still
in the same time warp by the end of the season - I'm beginning to enjoy it
immensely.
Copyright RED KELLY 1999
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: Oh Teddy, Teddy Personal Report by OUR SALFORD LASS
The day started on a train full of catatonic Sheffield Wednesday supporters
who had made the mistake of taking the scenic route into Manchester.
Instead of getting the express (40 minutes and one stop at Stockport), they
had boarded the stopping train - which takes in every small village in the
Northern Peak district. By the time they reached our station they had been
travelling on this old, rickety train (built circa 1880) for 1 hour and 10
minutes, and they still had 30 minutes to go! By the time they arrived in
Manchester all fight had been knocked out of them and looking at their team
a couple of hours later, I did wonder if they too had travelled the scenic
route!
Once on board the bus to the Throstle's Nest in Piccadilly, we were joined
by two Wednesday supporters who had obviously never been to Manchester
before. Asking the driver if the bus went to Old Trafford, he ignored
their scarves, shirts and hats and asked which part of Old Trafford they
wanted. The football ground, they said. With an evil glint in his eye, he
took their money and didn't bother to tell them that we turned off before
*the* Old Trafford and that only 10 feet away from them were buses that
would take them to the top of Sir Matt Busby Way. As we pulled away from
the bus stop, the dim pair finally noticed the tram station a couple of
feet away, full of United fans, and one said "I wonder if that goes to the
ground?" Perhaps they should have brought their woolly girlfriends along
to help them find their way around the metropolis? Since I am a nice
person (no comments please!), I usually give assistance to people on buses
- but on this occasion, of course, the people needing the help were
opposition football supporters (and from Yorkshire at that!), so I kept
quiet. Of course I knew that they would not really be inconvenienced as
they would still end up within walking distance of Old Trafford. As we
neared Seymour Grove, however, my conscience began to trouble me as they
showed no signs of getting off the bus - obviously waiting to arrive right
outside the ground. We turned down Seymour Grove and I didn't know what to
do - did I just get off the Nest and smile as they disappear off towards
Chorlton, or did I tell them to where to get off? I mean, these weren't
Leeds fans or anything like that, and I had asked the way in Sheffield
earlier this season! Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of
view) a woman at the back piped up and off they went. Oh, the decisions we
have to make!
Arriving at the Throstles Nest I found Pete and Hal already in residence
and we were then joined by Nick, Duncan, Mark and Dr Mark. Of course, all
the talk was about last Wednesday's game, and Nick and I sat miserably
contemplating having gone to the wrong leg! We arrived in the ground just
in time for the heavens to open. Hailstones the size of golf balls
descended on our heads (a bit of an exaggeration I know, but it was pretty
miserable all the same) as we shivered and tried to keep dry for most of
the first half. Before the game started we had an impeccably kept one
minute's silence in memory of the fans killed at Hillsborough. I found it
focused my mind to have Sheffield Wednesday fans join us in this. After
the silence, the microphone was given to Alex Ferguson - he thanked the
fans for their help on Wednesday night and also asked us to provide more of
the same for the game today. Sorry Alex, but the crowd that comes to OT
these days, just isn't up to it - but more of that later. We had a cheer
for Ryan and Peter, and then the game started, and with it the bloody
Sheffield Wednesday band! No wonder Wednesday only has a small away
following, it must drive em bloody potty!
The Wednesday side started brightly enough, and had an early chance at goal
from Carbonne which was saved by Raimond, but that soon faded as the
effects of their tour of the Peak District began to be felt. After the
first 20 minutes, they were absolutely awful and our lads were able to gain
an easy victory without having to get out of second gear. Butt, Keane and
Scholes ran the midfield, Wes and Jaap (with his collar up and looking
invincible!) mopped up anything that did get through and Ole and Teddy up
front were constantly threatening the Wednesday goal in front of us. As
the son-and-heir said, if Yorke and Cole need a rest - no problem, just
replace them with another excellent pair of strikers who seem to also be
developing an almost telepathic understanding. The pressure on the goal in
front of us was constant. Scholes was brought down just outside the box
and we got a free kick. Without Becks to take it, there were plenty of
volunteers to take the free kick (including Stam who had to be pulled away
by Gary Neville - muttering darkly!). Teddy took it and would have scored
had it not been for a fine save from their keeper. Then Teddy just hit
wide with a header and Scholes had a header saved. Finally, Keane put the
ball across the area, Teddy managed somehow to get the ball to Ole with a
fine overhead kick and Ole got the first. Cue a chorus of "Ole, Ole, Ole,
Ole" and rather muted celebrations, both on and off the pitch. Soon
afterwards Butt was put through with only the keeper to beat, but couldn't
quite get to the ball. Then Ole returned the favour as he crossed the ball
into the box and Teddy scored with a wonderful glancing header. "Oh,
Teddy Teddy."
So they went in 2-0 up at half-time. At the start of the second half,
Raimond came down our end to a chorus of "Oh van de Gouw". We didn't have
to wait long for the third goal. In the box at the other end, Keane got
the ball to Teddy who laid it off at just the right pace for Scholes to put
the ball in the net. The game was now over as a contest (not that it ever
really started) and it was time for further changes to rest players in
preparation for Wednesday night. Stam came off to a standing ovation and
was replaced by David May - much to the delight of East Stand - "David May,
superstar". Keane came off and was replaced with Greening (and May got the
captain's armband) and later in the half, Blomqvist was replaced by Irwin
(nice to see Denis recovered from injury). The rest of the second half was
a practice match and whilst not being the most exciting game in the world,
it made a nice change to be able to relax, give the nerves a rest and allow
the nails to grow back a bit!
Off the pitch, the Old Trafford crowd continued its descent into apathy.
At the beginning of the first half, it wasn't too bad - the hailstorm
brought everyone to their feet which helped and East Stand was happy
singing Wembley songs and "We shall not be moved", as well as chanting for
Keane and Giggs. Up to our left, the small band of Wednesday fans were
noisily singing along to their band and Tango Man was (as usual) spotted
shirtless in the middle of their section. We sang "You can stick your
f***ing band up your arse", "Monday, Tuesday, who the f*** are Wednesday?"
and "Monday, Tuesday, I prefer a Friday." But as the half wore on, despite
Fergie's pleas, the noise died down until it was only in patches that any
singing was heard. It perked up a bit after each goal (surprise,
surprise!), but for most of the first half we were out-sung by a few
hundred Wednesday fans who took great delight in telling us "You're
supposed to be at home." The second half was even worse, with even the
Wednesday band going quiet for large parts of it (thank Eric!). By ten
minutes before the end, Old Trafford was half-empty as they left from all
parts of the ground in their thousands. At this point, the atmosphere in
our little bit actually improved as those left sang "We are the Scoreboard,
the Scoreboard Paddock" and "Scoreboard barmy army".
So why was the atmosphere so bad again - despite Fergie's plea before the
game and despite us going 4 points clear with only 6 games to go (a
situation that would have had the whole stadium ecstatic a few years ago)?
Spoilt supporters who have had too much success? A gentrified support that
just doesn't know how to let itself go and sing and shout? Both of these
are true, I'm sure. But also, certainly in our part of the ground, there
were hundreds of fans who were behaving like they had never been to a
football match before (is this the way that the club is dealing with the
East Lower "problem" fans - can't get them to sit down, so infiltrate them
with the fans the club wants in the stadium?). We are in the fourth row
from the front, the three rows in front of us is filled with day tickets.
Some games they are full of traditional fans - who sing and shout and get
behind the team. But more often than not, they are full of "fans" who
stare at you when you try to start a chant, giggle when they hear a swear
word, and sit there in silence with less emotion than they would show at
the opera! Yesterday, we even had a couple snogging in front of us!! It
would be funny if it weren't so bloody tragic!
Anyway, back to pleasanter matters and the performances on the pitch. It's
hard to pick a man of the match. From the defenders, through the midfield,
to the strikers, there wasn't a bad performance (apart from Blomqvist's
crosses on occasions). After every game, I don't think Stam can get any
better and yet every game, he does - with his collar up, he was commanding
the back line as Eric used to command the forward line. Wes made a couple
of mistakes, but overall he had an excellent game. Keane and Butt were a
brick wall in midfield - Butt's renaissance continues, with his tackling in
particular bettered nowhere. And the relationship between Teddy and Ole
gets better every game. So its a difficult choice today but for me, there
is only one real choice and that is Teddy Sheringham (yes folks, I did say
Teddy Sheringham!). We were talking about Teddy in the pub before the game
and all agreed that we were delighted to at last be seeing Teddy doing so
well. Despite my frustrations with him in the past, I have always hoped he
would do well (and have been impressed by his attitude over recent months).
He not only scored one goal, but was involved in all three and his
distribution and passing were excellent. I sang "Oh Teddy Teddy" with
genuine warmth yesterday, and I believe that was true for the rest of the
stadium too.
Once the game was over, it was back to Piccadilly and onto the slow train
home - again filled with Wednesday supporters, although not as many as
coming in - obviously some of them had decided to go
for the faster, but less scenic option!
So it's back to the nail biting and the shredded nerves in the build-up to
Wednesday's game. Have a good (and safe) trip those of you who are going,
and sing up nice and loud for us as well.
Linda
Copyright © 1999 by OUR SALFORD LASS. All rights reserved.
Not to be reproduced without permission of the author
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: Hugh McIlvanney talks to Fergie - Sunday Times
Run at defenders, Alex Ferguson told Ryan Giggs two days before that goal.
There were measured words behind the extravagant deeds that killed off
Arsenal in the FA Cup. In the two days between the drawn semi-final at
Villa Park last Sunday and the unforgettable replay on Wednesday night,
Alex Ferguson punctuated Manchester United's training sessions with some of
the most concentrated talking he has done this season. In keeping with his
belief that motivation is best aimed with a sniper's precision at
individuals, rather than delivered in random shotgun blasts, he backed up
his general address to the first-team squad by having one-to-one
conversations with two players. They happened to be Ryan Giggs and David
Beckham, the men who scored the goals that sent United through to another
Wembley final.
Ferguson would be brusquely dismissive of any attempt to use that fact to
enlarge his share of the credit for the stirring performance in midweek. At
such times, his pride in his players is almost that of a fan. He marvels at
how wonderful they can be. The boyish joy that shone from his 57-year-old
face as he jinked across the pitch to the dressing rooms at the end of
Wednesday evening's drama did not suggest somebody calculating personal kudos.
When we spoke afterwards about the miraculously sustained run that left
four of Arsenal's international players in abject pursuit and set Giggs up
for the thunderous finish which settled the tie, Ferguson said without
reservation that the historic moment was created by abilities the Welshman
had brought to Old Trafford as a schoolboy, not anything he had learned
there. "The part of Ryan Giggs that made that goal is something I could
never have put into him," he said. "It is uncoachable. What we saw was the
ultimate expression of the incredible natural gifts he has always had since
the day he came to us as a 13-year-old."
All that is obviously true but it leaves out much of the background to
Giggs's glorious destruction of the Cup-holders. For a while the winger's
commendable efforts to improve his all-round game - to work on his passing,
on variation of movement and on integrating himself into team-play - have
seemed to blur his focus on his greatest value, which is the terror he can
induce in defenders by running directly at them. When he fails to grant
proper respect to the fierce pace, beautiful balance and intricate,
two-footed control at speed that lift him beyond the standards of any wide
attacker in the country other than David Ginola, Giggs risks obscuring his
innate brilliance, clouding it with hints of ordinariness. There was
evidence of that last Sunday, when he tried too frequently to gain
penetration by chipping the ball forward instead of bringing it down and
seeking to hit that surging stride which can unnerve the stoutest
opposition. If the skills that produced a wonder goal cannot be coached,
the urge to apply them can certainly be encouraged, and that is where
man-management came in.
Ferguson has a high regard for Giggs, not only as a footballer but as
someone who has always been strong-minded and shows an impressively mature
sense of himself at 25. So the care the manager invariably takes in
tailoring his approach to suit the specifics of a player's character and
circumstances was particularly marked when they met in private at the Cliff
training ground on Monday. The intimate exchange was one of several
arranged around last weekend. "Sometimes the most vital element of
management is just talking to the players and finding out how they are
feeling," Ferguson told me. "Often they don't want to admit that they are
playing badly or that there is anything bothering them. But I have been so
long with these lads that they have a degree of trust in me and they will
open up and let me get things out of them. They know that if I call them
into my office it is important. I don't waste their time or mine on mundane
matters. There is no tittle-tattle. Nor do I believe in bombarding them
with the motivational stuff all the time. If you don't ration your
interventions, what you say evaporates, has no effect. They must realise
that when you talk to them man-to-man there is a purpose to it.
"Just before the first of the two semi-final matches, I had chats with Gary
Neville and Paul Scholes. They, like the others who had gone off to join
England for the Poland international, had come back a bit flat. They were
flying when they left us but there was a difference when they returned. I
asked Paul if the publicity surrounding his hat-trick for England had
affected him but he said that was not the case.
"He was more concerned about having missed a few chances for us. He loves
to score and he is such an honest boy that he felt guilty about not
producing the goal-scoring form for me that had made him a hero with
England. I emphasised how much he was still giving Manchester United with
the positives in his game - his passing and tackling and excellent
positional play. I thought, by the way, that he did a marvellous job for us
when I put him on as a substitute in the replay. You could see his mental
attitude was that we could win the game, even with 10 men. When I discussed
with Gary the aftermath of being with England, a recognisable problem
emerged. The lads didn't like being cooped up in a hotel room for four or
five days. But that's unavoidable when a team have to be prepared for
important internationals.
"There's no easy solution. I'm sure Kevin Keegan will be interested in the
issue if he takes the national manager's job on a long-term basis. As a
highly experienced international player himself, he knows exactly what is
involved. Maybe more could be done to keep their minds active. That is
something I have been addressing here at the club as the demands of all the
life-or-death fixtures crowded into the last phase of the season take their
toll. I have been telling our players they must combine resting their
bodies with keeping their minds stimulated. In an age when so much is done
for them, and their wages afford them so much leisure time, there is a
danger that they will just vegetate between the bursts of intense action.
They have proved recently that their legs are capable of standing the
strain all right. But if they allow mental staleness to creep in, that will
communicate itself to the legs and they will feel wearier than they really
are."
He was dealing with less general, more individual concerns when he had his
meetings with Beckham and Giggs. "That David has coped so well with the
pressures piled on him since last summer's World Cup is down to his own
courage," said Ferguson. "But he still needs to have someone to talk to,
especially someone who can stress the priorities of his football career.
Just as magnificent stamina is a huge asset for him on the field, so his
determination to practise and improve his technique has always underpinned
the quality of his play. He wants to be the best at what he does and we all
love to see that in a player. But it is possible for people who are driven
to excel to mistake over-elaboration for an increase in their contribution.
David, in his eagerness to have a crucial impact on a game, can
occasionally over-elaborate. He has abilities that set him apart from every
other player in Britain. Nobody else strikes the ball as well. The range
and accuracy of his delivery, whether he is shooting, passing or putting
over crosses, provide us with a weapon that is liable to win any match. In
essence, my message to him was that he is at his deadliest when
concentrating on the simple application of these tremendous skills.
"With Ryan, in contrast, my advice was that he should always be trying to
do the difficult things. If he does not make frequent attempts to do
something apparently undoable, he is not being true to himself. There will
be plenty of times when the effort fails but when it succeeds the best
opposition the game can offer will be helpless. He took the breath away
from Bobby Charlton and me when we first saw him a dozen years ago and he
is capable of doing it every time he is at full surge. Of course, I am glad
he has worked on acquiring a more rounded game but he must never forget how
exceptional he is.
"Talking to him on Monday, I told him he was the forward that defenders in
the Premiership least wanted to face because of what happened when he ran
at them. I urged him to do that whenever he had a glimpse of an
opportunity. How could anybody foresee what he did in the second half of
extra-time? When he set off on that gallop, we were hanging on for dear
life and hoping it would come down to penalties. It would be madness to say
I ever dreamt he could give us that ecstatic climax. All I did before the
match was try to plant in Ryan's head the belief that he is entitled to be
far more ambitious than 999 footballers out of a thousand. With his talent,
he has an absolute right to attempt feats of extravagant brilliance on the
field."
As Giggs hobbled out of Villa Park on crutches, it appeared that United's
triumph had been achieved at severe cost. But, rather than a dreaded
Achilles tendon injury, he had sustained fairly minor damage to a bone at
the back of his ankle. He has decent propects of playing against Juventus
in Turin on Wednesday night. Another miracle there would not come amiss. At
least he and we are entitled to entertain the possibility.
hugh.mcilvanney@sunday-times.co.uk
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: Ferguson set for massive new deal ««
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is set to be offered a new deal that
will make him the highest paid manager in the Premiership, according to Old
Trafford chairman Martin Edwards.
Edwards has said that the board will offer Fergie the new contract during
the close season and that it will be the most lucrative ever presented to a
manager in the English game.
"If and when Alex signs a new contract he will be the highest paid manager
in the Premiership," Edwards confirmed.
"He is on considerably more than any figure I have read in newspapers."
Ferguson, the former Aberdeen and Scotland manager, is the longest serving
manager in the top flight and has been at Old Trafford since 1986.
--------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS - Sunday 18 April 1999
UNITED OFFER BIG-MONEY DEAL TO FERGUSON
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson will be offered the most lucrative
contract ever put before a manager in English soccer manager, according to
Old Trafford chairman Martin Edwards.
The United board will present the take-it-or-leave-it deal to Ferguson in
the close season in attempt to persuade him to extend his 12-year tenure at
Old Trafford.
"If and when Alex signs a new contract this summer he will be the highest
paid manager in the Premiership. When he signed his contract three years
ago we said we would review it before it ended and have always tried to
renegotiate contracts when they have a year to run," Edwards said.
"We always made it clear to Alex we would discuss it at the end of the season.
"It is also fair to say people don't know what Alex is paid. I see figures
quoted in the newspapers and I have yet to see an accurate one. In fact he
is on considerably more than any figure I have read, but there will be a
limit and Alex will sign it or he won't. I can assure everyone that it
won't be through a lack of effort on our part if he doesn't."
Edwards repeated his warning that because of a combined £44million
investment in raising the capacity at Old Trafford and building a new
training ground a tight rein would be kept on transfer spending next season.
The chairman also fears that the decision not to allow BSkyB to take
control of United will affect the valuation of leading clubs, including his
own.
But he played down claims that a popular protest from the Supporters United
Against Murdoch group had blocked the Sky takeover.
"I really can't believe the fans understand. They thought - and still do -
that whoever comes in for Manchester United we can just say 'no'. But we
have a much wider duty.
"They see the decision as a victory but it might well have been arrived at
without any input from them. There were other media companies against it,
other parties who wanted it blocked. Whether it was the supporters who
swung it, we will never know. Our supporters don't like the idea of a
conglomerate or major company owning the football club. I think we got more
criticism here because it was Rupert Murdoch. It would be interesting to
see the reaction of supporters if someone again tries to buy the club."
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: Sunday Times report United extend lead with easy 3-0 victory
Ian Hawkey at Old Trafford
Manchester United 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0 ALL QUIET on all three fronts for
Manchester United. Conserving their energies ahead of their date with
Juventus in Turin, and catching their breath after the stirring FA Cup
semi-final against Arsenal, United made clean, calculated work of Sheffield
Wednesday, extending their lead in the Premiership to four points. If it
were all as easy as yesterday, the treble would be a doddle.
There were goals for each of the understudy front men, and a part in all of
them for Teddy Sheringham, who may not be too bold in thinking he has a
role to play in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
Sheringham's awareness gave a United team without most of their regulars a
fulcrum and a balance, albeit against opponents bereft of ambition.
Sheffield Wednesday's heads had dropped long before Paul Scholes struck
United's third goal just after the hour, and their form of late makes their
concern about the drop a genuine one.
Alex Ferguson, United's manager, knew the third goal had done the job,
withdrawing Roy Keane and Jaap Stam immediately, so that they could begin
their preparations for the formidable task in Italy. Ferguson's juggling of
his squad members does not always work so smoothly, but when he can both
rest his superstars and take heart from the form of his substitutes, such
as Sheringham and Scholes, it is reassuring in otherwise testing times.
Martin Edwards, the United chairman, chose yesterday to make known the
boundaries of his budget now that the club are not to be taken over by
BSkyB. The transfer kitty was not "a bottomless pit", he said, and the
big-money additions to the squad this summer may be limited simply to
replacing the departing Peter Schmeichel.
Ferguson would like to add one or two more. "With the restructured
Champions League next year, you are going to need a lot of players," he
said. "The demands will be enormous." He had not yet discussed Edwards's
concerns with the chairman.
Besides, this performance encouraged Ferguson's belief in the depth and
spread of the present United. Their win here was completed with an XI eight
short of the established, full-strength line-up, and they are unbeaten in
24 matches.
Schmeichel and Ryan Giggs were out because of injuries collected in the
stirring FA Cup replay three days before; the rest of the selection had a
radical look. Neither Andy Cole, who expects to recover from his ankle
injury by Wednesday, nor Dwight Yorke made the starting XI: 47 goals
between them in the first seven months of the season, but none in the past
five weeks. Assuming they pair up again against Juventus - 11 of their
goals have come in the Champions League - Cole will have had 10 days of
rest and recuperation. Yorke began on the bench, alongside David Beckham
and Denis Irwin.
"Yorke and Cole have been fantastic, but there can come a flattening-out
period," Ferguson explained, "and with players like Solskjaer and
Sheringham waiting in the wings, it would be foolish not to use them. It
was very difficult to leave Sheringham out of the team for the first tie
against Arsenal after doing so well against Juventus. I appreciated what he
did that night and was able to indicate my appreciation for the Arsenal
replay." The mutual appreciation extended here.
Ferguson, indeed, was in an appreciative mood all round and took the
unusual step of addressing the crowd before the kick-off to thank them for
their support at Villa Park. "I felt some supporters would have come here
to admire what we had done the other day," Ferguson said.
The admiration yesterday was of a different sort. So short of suspense or
bite was most of this match that Neale Barry, the referee, had as little to
do as United's goalkeeper, Raimond van der Gouw. United might as well have
begun on auto-pilot, except that where Keane's measured passes to his right
would normally pick out Beckham, here they sought fruition from the
industrious Gary Neville. And where Beckham would usually volunteer for a
free kick such as the one Scholes earned just outside the penalty area,
Sheringham sized up the chance well enough to send Pavel Srnicek scrambling
to his left to paw the effort clear.
It was one of three good saves made by the Wednesday goalkeeper within the
opening half-hour. "Srnicek kept the score down," said Danny Wilson, the
Wednesday manager. "We didn't force the issue."
Certainly, United's wannabes would have been happy with the manner of their
opener, Scholes, Blomqvist, Sheringham and Solskjaer combining to give the
Norwegian the sort of chance he seldom sniffs at. Scholes fed the ball
right to left, Blomqvist switched it back to Keane and Sheringham, with his
back to his partner, resourcefully hooked it on to Solskjaer, who finished
from eight yards out.
A minute later, Solskjaer might have repeated the trick, Srnicek saving a
low snap shot. By half-time, the two strikers had established a fluent
understanding, United breaking through Sheringham, and Solskjaer crossing
for the England man to glance number two expertly into the far corner.
Two-nil at the interval, then, and one-way traffic. Wednesday, at
full-strength but now defeated in five of their past six matches, lived on
scraps of possession, threatening only through Benito Carbone's curling,
dipping drive after 15 minutes. Van der Gouw, deputising for Schmeichel,
responded well to tip it over.
United could quicken, or kill, the tempo much as they pleased once
Sheringham created number three, feeding Scholes, who efficiently beat the
advancing goalkeeper. Scholes, too, had a good afternoon and could afford
to start thinking of Turin long before the final whistle blew. His manager
had already made enquiries to discover that Juventus won 3-1 at Lazio, his
only bad news of the day. "We'll have to heighten our game on Wednesday,"
Ferguson said.
Manchester United - The Legend - http://manunited.net
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Subject: Brilliant take on Edwards
What price European glory now? by Martin Samuel
Had Michael Knighton been able to locate a wad of money slightly slimmer
than that handed over for a new centre-half at Old Trafford last summer, it
could all have been so different.
Carlisle United might not now be stampeding towards the Conference, for
starters.
And Martin Edwards' share of the thwarted £623 million BSkyB bonanza would
have been less than the going rate for a rusty satellite dish.
Because he would have sold the richest club in the world to a passing
juggler for ten million quid a decade ago.
Edwards might talk about his dream and how it has been denied by spiteful
fans and the Monopolies Commission. But that gem from history is the reality.
In the recent memory of all but pre-teen supporters, he priced Manchester
United at slightly less than Jaap Stam. And got away with it.
If Knighton could have located the readies, Edwards' status would be that
of football's answer to the A&R man at Decca records who rejected The
Beatles on the grounds guitar bands were a thing of the past.
As we approach the end of the century, a journalist might have knocked on
the door of his Cheshire home.
"Hello, Mr. Edwards. I'm from The Express. We're doing a feature on the
biggest wally of the Millennium. I've already spoken to that bloke from
Decca and Gerald Ratner and if I could have five minutes of your time I'd
only be left with the fella who bought the Hitler diaries to do."
The film 'How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying' could have been
made for Edwards, whose greatest talent was in employing people to realise
a potential he clearly did not see.
And yet, this weekend, he has reinvented himself in interview - as the
visionary, the captain of industry, the man who sits at Old Trafford
plotting and planning his brilliant strategies, as opposed to a settler who
finds gold on his land, waiting for the first stranger to hit town with an
idea and a bankable cheque.
He had a dream, apparently, that with Rupert Murdoch's millions Manchester
United could be the best, most successful team in the land (he obviously
wasn't concentrating when they won the Double twice without Murdoch's help
a few years back - you know how distracting life can be in the world of
high finance).
He didn't know exactly how much BSkyB were to put in, but it was going to
be, like, a lot. But now these nasty old fans have stirred the Monopolies
Commission up and the whole thing is ruined and just for that no-one can
have any players except a replacement for Peter Schmeichel all summer.
Edwards didn't exactly stamp his little foot and lisp 'tho there!' at the
end of his speech but he might as well have.
Indeed, considering the childish tone of the whole outburst it wouldn't
have surprised if he'd concluded the whole thing with the words: "And do
you know something else? The goalkeeper we buy is going to be rubbish!
"We'll get him from Nottingham Forest or Ecuador or somewhere like that.
And he'll smell funny and keep llamas in the penalty box and have to keep
going home to see his mum. Just because you wouldn't let Sky buy my club.
See how you like it then."
Yet the fans Edwards dislikes so much may have enabled him to stumble into
even more money by accident.
During the delayed takeover bid, Manchester United's share price rose above
that offered by Sky and accepted by the board.
The club was worth even more than Edwards had sold it for - some City
analysts believe closer to a billion pounds, though a generally accepted
figure is around £800m.
It seems the chairman could have been, quite literally, selling Manchester
United short again - as he did at the weekend with an announcement that can
only drive a wedge between himself and the most important figure at Old
Trafford, manager Alex Ferguson.
When Ferguson is eventually dragged from his office at the training ground
shortly before his 90th birthday, he will be able to drive past Old
Trafford on his way to the retirement home and say to himself: "I built that."
Because while Edwards claims the reason for spending restrictions on the
field is a £44m ground improvement programme off it, he neglects to accept
the only reason 67,000 people want to come to see Manchester United is the
success given them by a remarkable manager, who, if he finds himself
short-changed in the summer, has every right to wonder if he might not be
better appreciated elsewhere.
There is little doubt that without Ferguson's knowledge of the shortcomings
of his squad last season and the investment to act on it, there would be no
treble campaign this season.
Ferguson replaced Gary Pallister with Jaap Stam, selected Dwight Yorke as
the perfect foil for Andy Cole and, most importantly, brought in Jesper
Blomqvist as cover for the injury-prone Ryan Giggs.
The Swede has started 17 games for United this season - 12 Premiership,
three Champions League, two FA Cup - and United have lost once and scored
42 goals in that sequence.
He has come on as sub on eight further occasions and, without him, United
would have very real problems going into Wednesday's game in Turin with
Giggs still a doubt.
He cost, in terms of the richest club in the world, small change - one
third of Yorke's transfer fee, yet the treble might not be on without him.
Now, on the other side of the pitch, Blomqvist II is needed. David
Beckham's fitness levels might be the envy of all, but so were Roy Keane's
until he got himself crocked in September and missed an entire season.
Suppose Beckham had similar misfortune - or just a niggling hamstring.
Where is his cover? And it is that sort of minor, yet vital, deal that
Edwards, in a fit of pique, claims Ferguson will be denied.
Not by him, of course. Oh no. Perish the thought. He had a dream, remember.
And in that dream he - well, actually, someone else - gave Ferguson all he
desired and United ruled planet football.
So it's not Martin who has caused this cash crisis in La-La Land. It's you.
The punters. The ones who turn up every week and pay money. Who sit on the
M6 watching 40 quid's-worth of petrol burn away en route to Southampton.
Who have helped create one of the most rapidly expanding business empires
in the world. Who mill around the megastore on the off-chance a new duvet
cover is on the market.
You callous lot. How inconsiderate. Keep your noses out in future or we'll
buy someone from City. We're not joking. Now leave us alone. Can't you see
Martin Edwards has got a business to run?
Phil Neville talks about Italy and the team
Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/sound/99/990418phil_nev.ra
|
To receive this Daily News by email each day: |
|
Subscribe / Unsubscribe |
|
|
|
- OR - |
|
By
E-mail |
Other RED Mail Lists:
"MUFC + Premier
STATS" after matches:
Subscribe/Unsubscribe e-mail to:
Mufcstats-subscribe@onelist.com
- Subscribe's to the list
Mufcstats-unsubscribe@onelist.com
- Unsubscribe
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/Mufcstats
"REDitorial Mail
List"
Subscribe/Unsubscribe e-mail to:
red_devils_advocate-subscribe@onelist.com
- Subscribe's
to the list
red_devils_advocate-unsubscribe@onelist.com
- Unsubscribe
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/red_devils_advocate
To debate ALL subjects about Manchester United Football
Club we at Simplenet recommend:
The "RED-DEVILS MAIL LIST" all subscription
requests to: <RedDevils-subscribe@onelist.com
>
+ "THE INTERNATIONAL
MANCHESTER
UNITED MAILING LIST" <listserv@listserv.indiana.edu>
Write the command: sub mufc (your_name)
Webmaster e-mail: barry@www.red11.org
Singalong
Calypso available here: mp3
If ever they are playing in your town
You must get to that football ground
Take a lesson come to see
Football taught by Matt Busby
Manchester, Manchester United
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes
They deserve to be knighted
"RED HOT" News-wire
NOW!
Manchester United FC: Theatre Of
Dreams Website Index:
Results News
WhosWho Archive
Pics Statistics
Reserves Squad
Trophy's History
Munich Webring
Editorial Guestbook
+ Read
AlexFerguson Beckham Berg Blomqvist Butt Clegg Cruyff Cole Giggs
Irwin Johnsen Keane
May NevilleG
NevilleP Schmeichel Scholes Sheringham
Solskjaer Stam Yorke
Fast Search this Website www.red11.org:
