Bayern eager to continue hot steak at wintry CSKA

FC Bayern München are through to the last 16 and have injuries and snow to contend with, but a much improved PFC CSKA Moskva side are taking nothing for granted.

PFC CSKA Moskva coach Leonid Slutski describes FC Bayern München as "the best in the world" but insists neither that, nor his team's 3-0 defeat in Bavaria on matchday one, should hamper their pursuit of a UEFA Europa League spot.

The Russian side are much improved since the clubs' September meeting, surging up their domestic table, and face title holders already assured of a place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Heavy snowfall and a lack of kit – the bus transporting it was stuck in traffic – prevented Bayern training at the Arena Khimki on Tuesday and they could perhaps be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas. Not on Josep Guardiola's watch, though.

• Bayern and Manchester City FC have already booked round of 16 berths. The holders will advance as Group D winners if they better City's result against FC Viktoria Plzeň. CSKA will seal third and the UEFA Europa League slot if they better point-less Plzeň's result in England.

CSKA
Leonid Slutski, coach
I feel we can do a lot more than we did [against Bayern] on matchday one – I don't think that game will have much of an effect on the result here. Bayern have just won 3-0 in the league against last season's UEFA Champions League runners-up and at present they are the best side in the world.

Our aim is to give as good an account of ourselves as we can and play to the best of our ability. They will always make chances as they are able to create opportunities against any side in the world. We need to make sure we are better in attack, something that was lacking in the first match between the sides.

The snow won't have an effect as there is undersoil heating at the ground, so the testing weather conditions won't be a factor for either team.

Weekend result
Saturday: CSKA 1-0 FC Spartak Moskva(Doumbia 8)
Akinfeev; Mário Fernandes (Nababkin 86), Ignashevich, Schennikov, A Berezutski; Elm; Honda, Wernbloom, Tošić (Zuber 90), Milanov; Doumbia (Musa 77).

• Seydou Doumbia scored his seventh strike in five outings as CSKA claimed their fourth successive Premier-Liga win. They were 11 points adrift of leaders FC Zenit before embarking on that run – the gap is now down to three.

Team news
Mário Fernandes started on Saturday, his first appearance of the season following a knee problem. Slutski said it is "still undecided" if Doumbia will feature and it is "unlikely" that Alan Dzagoev will be able to make his first outing since mid-September. Aleksandrs Cauņa has also been sidelined since September with a broken toe.

Bayern
Josep Guardiola, coach
We must get used to the weather conditions quickly. It was a long flight, but you can say the same about CSKA when they played us in Munich. We must be fully focused as CSKA are a well-drilled, professional outfit. They have some very good players and are strong at the back and in attack. They are good at moving the ball forward quickly. It won't be easy, but I think we should win.

We have a number of injury problems and will be without a number of players but I will put out our best available team. I trust my players completely. Every game is different and it is impossible to repeat past performances. It won't be easy. We are already through to the knockout stages and there is a chance we may ease off. However, I don't want my players to do so.

I know about Zoran Tošić and Sergei Ignashevich, who I think are excellent players. Alan Dzagoev is a very good player, exceptional at reading the game and excellent at adapting to situations that he is presented with. If he is not able to play it will make our lives a lot easier. Seydou Doumbia scored in CSKA's last game against Spartak Moskva and he's a great player with an excellent eye for goal.

Weekend result
Saturday: Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern (Götze 66, Robben 85, Müller 87)
Neuer; Rafinha (Van Buyten 79), Boateng (Thiago Alcántara 64), Dante, Alaba; Lahm, Müller, Martínez, Kroos, Robben; Mandžukić (Götze 56).

• In a repeat of the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League final, Dortmund had early chances but fell behind when former Borussia midfielder Mario Götze struck. Manuel Neuer pulled off great saves from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus before Arjen Robben and Thomas Müller sealed the points on the counterattack.

Team news
Guardiola confirmed that Franck Ribéry, Mario Mandžukić, Claudio Pizarro and Xherdan Shaqiri are all out, while Bastian Schweinsteiger (ankle) is a long-term absentee. Thiago Alcántara, out since suffering ankle ligament damage on his first Bayern start on 24 August, came on as a substitute on Saturday.

Match fact
• Bayern can establish a UEFA Champions League record of ten consecutive victories by beating CSKA, having equalled FC Barcelona's 2002/03 feat of nine in a row when defeating Viktoria Plzeň last time out.

Bayern on a triple mission to Moscow

Cementing top spot in Group D is not the only goal at third-placed PFC CSKA Moskva for FC Bayern München, who have a couple of records in their sights too.

Group D leaders FC Bayern München visit third-placed PFC CSKA Moskva looking to achieve a trio of targets.

• Bayern can establish a new UEFA Champions League record of ten consecutive victories by beating CSKA, having equalled FC Barcelona's 2002/03 feat of nine in a row when defeating FC Viktoria Plzeň last time out.

• Josep Guardiola's reigning champions will also equal a club record for successive away wins in Europe if they prevail. Including three victories at the end of last term, Bayern have won five in a row on their travels – leaving them one short of the record set by their 1995/96 UEFA Cup-winning team.

• Bayern's third target in Moscow is to cement first place in Group D. Having already secured their passage to the last 16 for the sixth season running, they will tie up top spot if they better second-placed Manchester City FC's result against Plzeň.

• As for CSKA, successive defeats against City ended their hopes of reaching the last 16 but they will be looking for a positive result to boost their hopes of securing third place and entry into the UEFA Europa League – and also to avenge their 3-0 loss in Munich on matchday one.

Match background
• CSKA are hoping to complete a hat-trick of UEFA Champions League home victories over Bundesliga visitors having previously got the better of Hamburger SV – 1-0 in the 2006/07 group stage – and VfL Wolfsburg – 2-1 in the 2009/10 group stage. Igor Akinfeev, Sergei Ignashevich, Aleksei and Vasili Berezutski, Elvir Rahimić, Georgi Schennikov and Alan Dzagoev all played in that latter match on 25 November 2009, when Tomáš Necid and Miloš Krasić scored as CSKA came from behind to win.

• CSKA will have to improve on their recent efforts at the Arena Khimki in UEFA competition. Discounting their 3-2 win over Plzeň, which was played in St Petersburg, they went down 2-1 at home to City this season, lost to AIK in last term's UEFA Europa League play-offs and took just three points in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Bayern had never lost in Russia until a 4-0 defeat at FC Zenit in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup semi-finals. Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribéry all played that night, Ribéry having scored in the 1-1 first-leg draw.

• Claudio Pizarro hit both Bayern goals in a 2-2 draw at FC Spartak Moskva on 22 November 2006, in the group stage of the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League.

• Bayern's overall away record against Russian sides is W3 D3 L1. Their last win on Russian soil was a 3-1 success at Spartak in the 2001/02 first group stage.

Team ties
• Guardiola was in the Barcelona team who, as holders, were eliminated from the 1992/93 UEFA Champions League in the second round after a 3-2 home defeat by CSKA – a result that confirmed a 4-3 aggregate defeat and denied them a place in the group stage. The next season he featured in a 5-1 group stage victory at home against Spartak.

• Guardiola is still seeking a first victory in Russia having drawn twice away to FC Rubin Kazan with Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League group stage – 0-0 in 2009/10 and 1-1 in 2010/11.

• As coach of FC Moskva, Leonid Slutski was on the losing side to Hertha BSC Berlin in the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup, his team falling 2-0 at home after a 0-0 first-leg draw in Germany.

• Ribéry helped Olympique de Marseille win 2-1 at CSKA in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage.

• Arjen Robben scored the winning goal in Chelsea FC's 1-0 victory at CSKA in the 2004/05 group stage.

• Keisuke Honda scored Japan's equalising goal in a 2-2 friendly draw with the Netherlands on 16 November – a match in which Robben had earlier put the Dutch 2-0 up.

• During a loan spell with 1. FC Köln, Zoran Tošić appeared as a last-minute substitute in a 1-1 home Bundesliga draw with Bayern in March 2010.

• Jérôme Boateng made his international debut against a Russia side including Akinfeev, Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutski in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Moscow in October 2009. He was sent off for a second bookable offence after 69 minutes but Germany – also featuring Lahm and Schweinsteiger – still won 1-0. The latter pair had earlier played in Germany's 2-1 home victory over Russia in October 2008, lining up against Akinfeev, Ignashevich, Berezutski and Dzagoev.

• Rasmus Elm and Pontus Wernbloom helped Sweden earn the 2-1 home victory over David Alaba's Austria last month that secured their place in the 2014 World Cup qualifying play-offs at the Austrians' expense. Alaba had scored when Austria won their home fixture in June against a Sweden side including Elm.

• In the same qualifying section, Elm scored Sweden's added-time equaliser in Berlin when they fought back from 4-0 down to draw with Germany in October 2012. Wernbloom also featured for Sweden with Boateng, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer, Holger Badstuber, Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller and Mario Götze all playing for Germany.

• The same players, with the exception of Badstuber, met again on 15 October in Solna as Germany beat Sweden 5-3. Götze scored as Schweinsteiger earned his 100th cap.

• Xherdan Shaqiri and Steven Zuber have been team-mates at Under-19, U21 and full senior level for Switzerland. In his FC Basel 1893 days, meanwhile, Shaqiri played against Seydou Doumbia, then at BSC Young Boys.

• Doumbia scored for Ivory Coast in a 2-2 friendly draw in November 2009 with a Germany side including Boateng, Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Neuer.

• Daniel Van Buyten was in the Belgium team that eliminated Russia from the 2002 World Cup with a 3-2 win in their last group game.

Wayne Rooney : Public Enemy Number One ?

Wayne Rooney : Public Enemy Number One ?

“I saw my mate the other day
he said to me he saw the white pele
so I asked who is he
he goes by the name of wayne rooney
wayne rooney wayne rooney
he goes by the name of wayne rooney”

Started out as a teenage whiz kid and has now gone on to become thee golden boy of English Football. In the 2004-2005 season, Manchester United had broken the bank inorder to land England’s hottest property. It was the highest fee ever paid for a player under 20 years old and Rooney was still only 18 when he left Everton.

His debut arrived on a European night against Fenerbahce, a hatrick to announce his name on the big stage. Under Sir Alex Ferguson he had formed a devastating partnership alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Goals flowed and Wayne would soon become an icon for everyone and was always there when United needed him. In spite of Cristiano leaving us, Rooney played a significant role in the 2009-2010 season only to surrender the league on the last day to Chelsea. Many considered it could be his World Cup, but to everyone’s surprise it would become a disaster. After having his off-field issues he had questioned United’s ambitions in the transfer market and had issued a transfer request. This was indeed a shock, when he publicly questioned the club’s ambitions it was clearly visible that his time was finally coming to end at Old Trafford. Although, Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge of things and the problem would be solved and Rooney was given a massive pay hike. 

Lets fast forward to 2013 now, after the club having won their second tittle in three years. Rooney had yet again issued a transfer request and felt that the new signings put his position in jeopardy. Sir Alex confirming the issue on his last day that Rooney had asked for transfer although United would not let him go. You might wonder that Sir Alex would have never forgiven him for what he had done to the club in 2010, who had given a counter-attack that now leaves his position on the edge of a cliff and also just to let him know that who is the real BOSS. 

The Club are well aware now that with Robin Van Persie being the star man, Shinji Kagawa’s ability to dismantle teams and the rise of Danny Welbeck and Chicharito. Although the United management would consider him as an important player but certainly will not given in anymore. Bids had been launched from Chelsea and the Boss insisting that he is not for sale. Now selling him to our English rivals would certainly come back to bite us, Just like RVP letting arsenal know what it would be like. United know that very well and are in no desperate situation.

However, having an unhappy player inside the dressing room and with a new management in place, Moyes will certainly not accept that and Just like how Suarez owes the Liverpool fans for standing by him during tough times, Wayne Rooney needs to do that where the club and fans have always been as a backbone for him. He is 53 goals away from Sir Bobby Charlton,  Fans surely worship him, at the Theatre of Dreams but two transfer requests in three seasons have surely branded him as  ’The Villian’. If he is to leave United, he needs to sit down and realize what the fans, the club had done for him over the past 9 years by showering their love and affection for him.

Picture : Wayne Rooney after the Swansea Game.

Players like Stam, Ruud, Keane, Becks and Ronaldo have come and gone but United continued to have that self belief and had consistently gone on to win more and more trophies. David Moyes just needs to do that and remind them that No Player is bigger than the club. 

Thanks for your patience, 

Take Care and God Bless,

Angelo Hénriquez

Angelo Hénriquez

By now many of you would have heard of or seen Angelo Hénriquez play thanks to his goal for the United 1st team in Sweden. If you’ve seen the match, it was a simple goal that he scored, but the positioning for it, that is commendable. More so when you think about the time it had come (when we were losing 1-0). A pure striker’s goal, you could call it! 

This isn’t something new-for him or for people who have watched him previously. This lad joined us from La “U” last season and went on to have some time with the U21s before he left to Wigan on loan. Coming to the point, from what I have seen of him, he looks like a really good prospect for the future. His assets, according to me are his killer instinct in front of goal, his strength and his work rate. 
He works really hard for the team-holds the ball up field well, likes to get involved in the build up play. This aspect (getting involved in build up play and work rate) of his play is almost comparable to ex-United striker Carlós Tevez. When he signed for us, he was only 18. But he still did alright in his first season in England-he is strong as an ox for a lad of his age, mind! Now, quite a few have asked me who he reminds me the most of. I’d go for Ruud. His play has quite a few similarities to that of Ruud, but, what’s better in him is, unlike Ruud, he can play in a few positions on the pitch. If you haven’t seen the U-20 WC, The Chile coach pushed Gohan (yes, his nickname) wide to the right hand side to accommodate Castillo. He played the 1st match (around 60 minutes) while not fully fit without complaining and did well. Second match there, he bagged an assist while also getting into dangerous attacking positions and putting crosses in. When he did get a chance to play/drift centrally, he scored a good goal. This is what I like the most in him. He might drop back once in a while, he will work extremely hard in the build up play, he will keep running into channels all the time and cause problems for the defenders and when you give him the ball anywhere near the box, there’s a damn good chance of him finishing it-on EITHER foot!
(PS: He has the knack for scoring on his debuts, if you know what I mean-Chile NT, Chile “U” levels, Utd U21s, Utd first team). 

He’s 19 now and looks like the perfect time for him to start getting more 1st team action. There are 3 things that could be done:

1. Real Zaragoza confirmed interest in taking him on a season loan. He’s more than likely to get chances there and as we know, Liga Adelante isn’t the most physical of the leagues. (Not a big fan of this option). OR

2. Find a PL or a Championship club for him and send him on loan and monitor his progress there. Now this is my choice. Why? Because, he’s a player from South America and he needs to learn the culture and playing style of England and get settled ASAP because once he becomes a 1st team regular at United, there wont be many excuses. So, it’s better to loan him to an English club and monitor his progress than to do what happened to Kiko Macheda. OR

3. Make him stay with the U21s and let him fight for the 1st team spot. For now, even Will Keane isn’t fully back, so Angelo will start up front for the U21s. But the thing is, he’a quite good for that level already. If he has to stay at that level and keep waiting for the 1st team spot, it might be a futile move- especially because he already has RvP, Chicha, Welbz and Wazza ahead of him. 

So, keep an eye on this young Chiléan of ours because he’s quite close to making it and he definitely looks destined for big things!

Michael Carrick expects tough battle for title this season.

Michael Carrick expects tough battle for title this season.

"Potentially there could be between four and six teams involved right until January or February," Carrick said.

"Just after that is when it really gets sorted out. The pressure kicks in and the expectations change. It's how you deal with that.

"Two years ago, Tottenham were right in there, but they faded away a bit.

"Hopefully we'll be in with a shout at that time and are able to use our experience to see us through."

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla: 'David Moyes will have difficult start at Manchester United

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla: 'David Moyes will have difficult start at Manchester United

The Premier League champions have started a new era following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, who stepped down from his role after accumulating 38 trophies in 26 years at Old Trafford.


"The most radical change is at Manchester United because Ferguson has been there for so long," Cazorla told the official Arsenal Magazine.

"It will be a little difficult at the start for a new manager but I don't think it influences too much in terms of being an advantage for other teams. There are great managers at those clubs and I'm sure [the title race] will be just as difficult."

Blanc given task of replacing Ancelotti at PSG

Blanc given task of replacing Ancelotti at PSG

Laurent Blanc is Carlo Ancelotti's successor at Paris Saint-Germain FC, charged with "continuing the club's ascendency towards the summit of the European game".

Paris Saint-Germain FC have turned to former France coach Laurent Blanc following Carlo Ancelotti's departure for Real Madrid CF.

Ancelotti was unveiled as the man to replace José Mourinho in the Spanish capital on Tuesday lunchtime. PSG did not take long to confirm their own successor, securing the services of Blanc on a two-year deal. The ex-FC Girondins de Bordeaux boss will assume the reins on 1 July.

"The Paris Saint-Germain board has given Laurent Blanc the mission to build on last season and to continue the club's ascendency towards the summit of the European game," read a club statement. PSG won their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years last term and also reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, where they lost out to FC Barcelona.

Blanc enjoyed a decorated playing career before taking to the dugout, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000 with his country. He represented an illustrious band of clubs including FC Barcelona, Manchester United FC and FC Internazionale Milano, winning top-flight championships in England and France.

The 47-year-old enjoyed further success as a coach, steering Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 title in 2009. He subsequently took over the France national team and guided them to the last eight of UEFA EURO 2012. Blanc's new club will go straight into the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League group stage.

<-- THE NEW FRONTIER -->

THE NEW FRONTIER

It was 12 years ago that i watched my first Manchester United match. Little did i know back then that it would become such a big part of my life one day. What I saw was poetry in motion. For a 9-10 year old lad, it looked like some kind of magic. It was like a symphony was going on and it was being orchestrated by one man- SIR ALEX FERGUSON. In my 1st match I saw Scholes pick the ball in the centre of the pitch, spray across to Becks. You lot know the drill, don’t you? Becks as always got the ball past his man and into the box. Then there was Van the man. There’s only one winner in such a situation. I should say, I was lucky that my big brother made me watch this (back then, my folks wouldn’t allow me to watch TV as much as I’d have liked to. My bro and I secretly watched it at times though. ) anyway, THAT was enough for me to fall in love with the greatest club in the world.
Then, things didn’t go well and My hero- David Beckham left. I was heart broken to be honest. He was the reason i started watching or playing football in the first place. Anyway in the seasons that followed, we signed a not-so-popular but flashy lad called Cristiano and then a true Everton lad- Wayne Rooney. I didn’t watch much football back then, so i didn’t know anything about these two at that time. I couldn’t have been more bothered anyway as we still had Ruud.
As the years passed i started watching videos, documentaries and what not on United (thanks to my brother and my cousins. I noticed one thing.
It always looked like “One for all, all for one. ” there was a real sense of “family” and “togetherness” on and off the pitch. Viera messed with Gaz- Keano took care of the c*nt.
Also, There was always a man in the team around whom the rest of the team was built. I never got to watch King Eric or Captain Marvel, but have done enough homework to say that they were extremely important cogs in our wheel. Then it was Ruud.
Then with changing times, Sir Alex started rebuilding-ONCE AGAIN! He stared to build a team around Ronnie and Wazza. A fast counter-attacking approach. This didn’t go down too well with Ruud as he was a kind of player who liked to hold play up and bring others into play too. Sure, boss, as always was not hesitant and Ruud wanted to leave, he let him go.
It was a little difficult every time there was rebuilding at United, but our Sir Alex was a man with a plan. It always paid off in the end. We went on to win The PL and even the famous UCL by beating Chelsea. And after reaching another final and losing to Barça, we saw Ronnie leave too. Joined us a lad, left us as a man! Then once again the papers started printing shit. “United on the slide as Cristiano Departs.” No. They were wrong. Yet again. It has become a routine for them to write us off every time there was a change and it had become a routine for Sir Alex to prove them wrong. Then came the blue nose c*nts. They won the PL on goal difference on the last day of PL and yet again papers started running stories that there’s no coming back for United. Really? Do you fail to notice that we lost on goal difference with a squad that was in transition and was plagued with injuries? Anyway, fast forward one more year and who’s laughing now? Sir Alex’s United ran away with the title. Rubbed Citeh’s blue noses in the mud.
The man is a genius. Started off slowly, Killed the so called Invincibles, withstood and saw off the Russian Revolution, Knocked Pool off their fucking Perch and brought the blue moon down.
It was painful to hear the news of his retirement but hey! Life must go on! This is a new frontier. A new challenge. If he thinks Moyes is the right man for the job, then he sure as hell is. He gave us 26 yrs of his life. He couldn’t possibly do anything but the right thing for us. I have never met him and most probably never will, but Thank you, Sir Alex for being such a big part of my life.

Now, i cannot wait to see how this new chapter goes for Us under David Moyes. One Glaswegian departed, another Glaswegian took charge.
Over to you boss! Cast your own image, and All the best! Your Red Army is with you!

GLENN HODDLE: GARETH BALE SHOULD GO TO MANCHESTER UNITED

GLENN HODDLE: GARETH BALE SHOULD GO TO MANCHESTER UNITED

GARETH BALE has been told by Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle he would be better off joining Man United in a whopping £85million deal - rather than Real Madrid.

Tottenham superstar Bale is said to be a target for new Old Trafford boss David Moyes IF Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to return to the Theatre of Dreams.

And Hoddle believes Bale, 23, would favour a move to United - or even City - this summer, rather than make the switch to Spain.

Madrid are favourites to splash the cash for the Wales wizard.

But Hoddle has warned Bale he is too young to play abroad and if he wants to leave Spurs he should choose a Premier League big gun.

Hoddle said: "Personally, I don't think Gareth Bale wants to leave yet - unless it was to one of the Manchester clubs.

"He's had a new baby and I'm not sure if he's ready for a move abroad. You have to be settled off the pitch before you get your form on it."

ACE IN THE HOLE- SIR ALEX FERGUSON

The King of striker transfers offers us ‘dejavu’ every few years and that has never changed. It comes at a dire time of need but has always been Fergies ‘ACE IN THE HOLE’ .The most romantic club in history of football offers a lot to join this enigmatic franchise.

Recent years have proven to be difficult in the transfer market because of the exponential market value of players.

Gone are the days 1 million pounds being the record breaking deal in the days of Trevor Francis . The Ronaldo market rate of 80million(later to become a120 million deal including Ronaldo’s payment)  has made small clubs have a bargaining power like they never did before. Now an offer price below 20 million pounds is laughed off. But SIR ALEX FERGUSON has his own way of doing deals.

In the early 90’s Newcastle was beginning to emerge as contenders under Kevin Keegan. A juggernaut was scoring goals for fun on Tyneside and then…….

Andy Cole is signed for 7 million from Newcastle as soon as Ferguson’s sources heard about a rift between then Manger Keegan. Cole repayed the transfer fee by helping United overturn a 12 point deficit to win the League.

.Andy cole went on to becoming a success lifting trophy after trophy his best moment lifting that european title in 98-99 season while Newcastle’s Trophy cabinet remains bare.

When the league slipped from Fergie’s clutches in 92’  he turned to the Mercurial Frenchman called his ‘greatest signing ever’ ERIC CANTONA
 and the French man delivered back to back titles in the Newly formed PREMIER LEAGUE and he guided the upcoming youngsters who looked upto him as their Role model.

The Fiery Scot called it the Scot-French alliance. Never had a signing been as impactful as CANTONA. He was truly the KING of Old Trafford.

When Arsenal won the league twice in 3 seasons Fergie turned to another striker. A young face from Everton ‘Wayne Rooney’. Rooney was ambitious and wanted to play European football and Fergie granted him his wish of a debut. Wayne repayed fergie’s faith with a Hattrick at Old Trafford on his European Debut and the rest as they say………

Rooney and Ronaldo terrorized defences across the globe and 5 PL medals and a Champions League medal says it all.

In 2011-2012 season the Blue half of Manchester emerged as not only contenders but as Winners on the Final Day. A heart break for every United fan.

But Ferguson promised we will not lose another title on goal difference and he kept his word.It was Dejavu again Fergies gamble, it was an ‘ace in the hole’ yet again.

The World was shocked when the Robin Van Persie transfer finally took place. It was to the Red half of Manchester and it was all Alex Ferguson charm and the lure of Playing for Manchester United that he decided that he join United.

And did he deliver the title in style. He was a man posessed scoring goals for fun and leaving champions City behind clinching the Historic #20 Title.

#20 delivered by #20 RVP IRONIC!!!!

As Sir Alex vacates the Managerial seat he will always be known for these transfers that brought immediate success to the club and a smile to the fans.

HAIL….. SIR ALEX FERGUSON 

Best skills of Cristiano Ronaldo in flipbook by Etoilec1

Best skills of Cristiano Ronaldo in flipbook by Etoilec1

THE MANCHESTER UNITED MAFIA

Who is Sir Alex Ferguson? Despite the reams of newsprint and hours of TV and radio broadcasts dedicated to the Manchester United manager’s retirement, none of it has given me any deeper insight into the personality of the man. We hear over and again the jaw-dropping statistics about the trophies won, and the cliches – the hairdryer, the horses, one of the greatest managers of all time – but who can tell us anything really personal about Ferguson? If there is anyone out there, they are keeping quiet.

DAVID JAMES Said:

”I call it the Manchester United mafia, led by Sir Alex Fergu-don. In 25 years of professional football, a period in which I have played Ferguson’s teams on many occasions, I have never exchanged more than a hello and a nod with the man. Whereas a manager like José Mourinho will give you the time of day, Ferguson is unapproachable.

If there is a code of silence, Ferguson’s players are bound to it. Despite being friends with Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney, among others, I have never – ever – heard them say anything about Ferguson. All those hours of sitting around at England camps or on bus rides, and not once did any United players ever reveal anything to me about their team-mates, their dressing room or their manager. In an industry renowned for its gossip I find that extraordinary.

On one occasion I remember sitting with Phil Neville for a chinwag and, like a typical footballer, ranting about a team-mate of mine who I found annoying at the time. When I’d finished I expected Phil to reciprocate. But there was not a word. “What an absolute prick!” I thought, red-faced after pouring my heart out only for him to remain tight-lipped. But later I concluded that his approach was an exemplary – and clever – way to carry yourself through a career in football.

All the United players were the same, no one would ever say a bad thing about their team-mates. Even when the media reported chaos in the United dressing room – from the infamous pizza throwing to Becks’ cut above the eye after Ferguson kicked a boot at him – there were no comments from the United boys. There were plenty of questions, of course. But their answers were only ever vague, or meaningless.

It all contributed to that sense of separation: there were United players, and then there was the rest of us. And I have little doubt that it was Ferguson himself who encouraged that segregation. For it was Ferguson who was the first manager to ban opposition players from entering the home players’ lounge for a drink after a game. Until then post-match mingling had been a tradition. But while Ferguson famously enjoys a glass of red with rival managers at Old Trafford, he was quick to ensure there was no such socialising among his players. At the time the football fraternity was horrified. There was this feeling of “Just who do you think you are?” Little did we know.

At England camps United players kept themselves apart. They had a competitive ethos so extreme it was unlike anything we had ever come across. While a simple training drill of piggy-in-the-middle was usually understood as an exercise in which you worked together against the man in the middle, for United players it was an opportunity to catch each other out. I had never seen it played that way before. To talk about one individual player being competitive is unremarkable, but to apply the same label to generation after generation of players from one specific club is unheard of.

Everyone keeps asking whether David Moyes can control the United dressing room, but United players police themselves. Ferguson created an environment in which players would control each other, so that he didn’t have to. The presence of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes was significant. Two players who had won more trophies than anyone else meant that there were authority figures in the team, whom younger players dared not question.

And wow, were they professional. While the likes of Rio and Wazza are very funny, very loud characters, they are very serious about what they do. I should know, I’ve been on the receiving end of one of Rio’s tirades for some minuscule incident on the pitch. That’s the norm at United, where anyone who steps out of line or makes an error can expect a verbal battering from their team-mates. United players just have that intensity about them. Sure, we are all professionals, but I have not heard other players sit at the back of the bus after a game and analyse the match in the way that Rio or Rooney do.

There is no doubt: Ferguson is revered as the supreme leader. A man whom the other football managers appear to be in awe of as they phone him up for advice, confiding in him their insecurities. Anyone who has tried to take him on in football has been crushed – from players who got too big for their boots only to be shipped out in the next transfer window, to managers who attempted to beat him at his specialist subject: mind games. As Kevin Keegan once found out to his cost, it took a brave man to think he could outfox Sir Alex.

 If I can emulate anything close to what Moyes has achieved, a manager deemed great enough to fill Ferguson’s boots, I’ll be a happy man.”

The way United teams are reverred to be a team on and off the field are exemplary of the Ferguson way of running things.

We hail this man the GAFFER and this team and bid farewell to Sir Alex Ferguson and  Paul Scholes two names that have been synonymous with the footballing world for the past decades.

David Moyes will run this MAFIA from now on. We hope the success continues in his era too.

BREACH OF TRUST - JAAP STAM

He came at a time to United when the League title had just been snatched from the hands of Manchester United by Arsenal emerging as a force in English football. This towering centre Back stood 6ft 3” tall a frightening sight for the opposition. It was none other than the big Dutchman JAAP STAM.

He was the most expensive Dutch player at that time and the most expensive defender in history and Ferguson pounced at the opportunity in the summer of98’ to bring this CB to strengthen United’s back four for £10.6 million from PSV 

Call him good, call him great, call him United’s lucky charm.

He spent a meager 3 seasons at United where United won a hat-trick of Premier League’s, one FA CUP, 1 champions league. In his first season came the historic treble of 98-99 season. United also won the Intercontinental cuplater in 99’ with Stam at the Centre of United’s success.

This was a marriage made in heaven Jaap Stam had found a new home, United had found a new Backbone.

But this marriage soon turned ugly with Jaap Stam’s autobiography ‘Head to Head’ in the market wherein he criticized his fellow team-mates and Ferguson.Ferguson was furious about this and crossing Ferguson was not something anyone would look forward to for any player at United.

The defender was sold to Lazio in 2001 after alleging in his autobiography ‘Head to Head’ that Ferguson had approached him about joining Unitedwithout the permission of his previous club, PSV Eindhoven. He also made some unflattering comments about his team-mates.

Over the years the Ferguson’s bust ups have driven a few high profile names out of United but Stam was the only one Fergie showed any regret for. These high profile bust-ups included the likes of Kanchelskis, Ince, Beckham, Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

As Stam left for Lazio in the summer of 2001 United won the Premier League only once in 5 years which saw the days of Arsenal’s Invincible’s and the arrival of a certain Portugese ‘Special One’ to Chelsea. It took United more than 5 years to find a replacement in the form of Nemanja Vidic who restored the clubs success in terms of trophies after joining United in 2006. Meanwhile Stam joined AC MILAN and was at the losing end of 2005 UCL Final to Liverpool.

Alex Ferguson has since described the decision to sell Stam: “At the time he had just come back from an achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit. We got the offer from Lazio, £16.5m for a centre-back who was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. But in playing terms it was a mistake.”

It was a deal that cost both sides dear and remains to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s only regret.

Stam recently in June 2013 returned to Old Trafford for United Legendswearing the United shirt yet again as he was on the losing side of a 2-1 scoreline against Madrid Legends.

Robin van Persie Shows Off Freestyle Soccer Skills, Casts Spell on Little Kids (Video)

Robin van Persie Shows Off Freestyle Soccer Skills, Casts Spell on Little Kids (Video)

Van Persie takes some kids to school in the video below.

WELBECK TARGETS A BETTER GOAL RETURN:

WELBECK TARGETS A BETTER GOAL RETURN: 

"Overall, there have been improvements to my game and I have been more consistent but I've been playing on the wing, which has inhibited my ability to get into goalscoring positions. I've played up front for England, been away to tournaments and scored goals there, so I know once I get into those positions I will put the chances away.
I'm also aware that knowing how to play in different positions and developing in different areas of the pitch will only benefit me and the teams I play for.
I'm happy to help the team out and it doesn't really matter whether I'm playing on the wing or up front; I should have had a much better goal return."

Who is this player?

Who is this player?

Close Enough

Close Enough

Spain wary as Norway eye another surprise

Spain wary as Norway eye another surprise

Julen Lopetegui believes holders Spain will face their "hardest match" in the semi-final against a Norway side aiming to take "another big jump" according to coach Tor Ole Skullerud.

Norway coach Tor Ole Skullerud admitted that Spain were "big favourites" to win Saturday's UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-final in Netanya but is hopeful his team might be ready to take "another big jump" forward by upsetting the holders. His Spain counterpart, Julen Lopetegui, believes his team will face their toughest test yet against the Scandinavians.

Julen Lopetegui, Spain coach
For me, tomorrow will be the hardest match of the tournament. We're in the semi-finals of a European Championship and have the chance to get to the final, but so do Norway. We have as much respect for Norway as for Italy or any other team. They're a complete team in every aspect, they have great tactical discipline, and have been reinforced by four players from their national team.

They're the team who've had the most corners and one of the teams with the most shots on goal. They knocked out France [in the play-offs] and have beaten England. They have a lot of good players, who have experience with the full national team. They are players with different styles who combine well together. Their attacking play is very good and they defend with great intensity and real unity – they're a proper team.

[On starting with Rodrigo or Álvaro Morata] I've already decided in my mind who will start. We have the two options and we'll decide at each moment. Whichever of the two plays will do a fantastic job.

Group stage results
Spain 1-0 Russia (Morata 82)
Germany 0-1 Spain (Morata 86)
Spain 3-0 Netherlands (Morata 26, Isco 32, Álvaro Vázquez 90+1)

• Spain sealed a semi-final berth with a game to spare thanks to two late Álvaro Morata goals. The Real Madrid CF forward chalked up three goals in 70 minutes after coming off the bench against Russia and Germany and scoring a 26th-minute opener in the final Group B match against the Netherlands. Morata subsequently leads the race for the adidas Golden Boot award.

Team news
Lopetegui said he is hopeful midfielder Ignacio Camacho will recover from the ankle injury he suffered against the Netherlands. "He's got a chance of being fit and that's what we're working towards," said the coach, who otherwise has no injury doubts.

Tor Ole Skullerud, Norway coach
We have made several breakthroughs which have given us confidence and helped us build a strong squad. I feel very strongly that if we are to make another big jump it has to be tomorrow.

Spain are big favourites going into the game. They have played three good games so far, we have studied them and we are going to try to make a good game plan. We can be the big surprise of the tournament, maybe we already are. I have lots of good players and we have a fantastic mentality but you don't get much better than Spain – they're probably one of the best teams in the world at this level. It's a fantastic opportunity for us to see what we can do against the best.

We don't want only to defend but also to attack and give them as much trouble as we can with our own play – we'll try to interrupt their passing and moving, their rhythm. If we let them play all the time and can't get in tackles and win the ball then we're going to struggle. I am sure Spain will have more of the ball, but the problem is if we let them come too far up the pitch, let them play through and there's lots of movement in the last third of the pitch. It's not a problem to have less possession but we need to cause them trouble as well. Against England we were clinical, we did well on the counter but I want to keep the ball better than we did against them.

[On the 5-2 friendly loss to Spain in March] We had a poor game but our team was very different and we hadn't started our league back in Norway. I am sure we'll be closer to the level of Spain this time.

Group stage results
Israel 2-2 Norway (Biton 16pen, Turgeman 71; Pedersen 24, Singh 90+1)
England 1-3 Norway (Dawson 57pen; Semb Berge 15, Berget 34, Eikrem 52)
Norway 1-1 Italy (Strandberg 90pen; Bertolacci 90+4)

• The Scandinavian side needed a late Harmeet Singh equaliser to prise a point from hosts Israel in the opening game and moved to within a point of qualification with victory against England in Petah Tikva. A point against Italy in their final Group A game was enough to seal only Norway’s second U21 semi-final appearance.

Team news
Fredrik Semb Berge came through his first full training session on Thursday since the England game and Skullerud confirmed in his press conference he has a full squad to choose from. "We go into tomorrow with all 23 players ready to play," he said.

Match fact
Unbeaten in 24 competitive matches, a run which includes 22 wins, Spain are looking to win the U21 trophy for the fourth time after previous triumphs in 1986, 1998 and 2011.

Did you know?
Julen Lopetegui experienced Norwegian football as a player for Rayo Vallecano de Madrid in the 2000 UEFA Cup first round against Molde FK. The Spain coach played 90 minutes as the capital club triumphed 1-0 in Scandinavia but was an unused substitute in the return leg which finished 1-1.

All the news about my renewal with Real Madrid are false. C.Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo

All the news about my renewal with Real Madrid are false.

C.Ronaldo

Roma employ former Lille coach Garcia

Roma employ former Lille coach Garcia

Rudi Garcia – the man who, in 2011, guided LOSC Lille to their first Ligue 1 championship in 57 years – has been installed as AS Roma coach on a two-year contract.

AS Roma have appointed Rudi Garcia as their new coach on a two-year deal.

The Italian outfit moved for the 49-year-old, who left LOSC Lille last month, after deciding not to renew the contract of Aurelio Andreazzoli. Andreazzoli succeeded the sacked Zdeněk Zeman in February but could not secure European football next season for the capital club. Roma finished sixth in Serie A and lost to city rivals S.S. Lazio in the Coppa Italia final.

"We are happy and optimistic about the decision to hire Garcia," said Roma president James Pallotta. "He has already proved to be a winner and we like his football vision. We believe he fits perfectly into our blueprint for the future."

Garcia, the first Frenchman to occupy the Giallorossi dugout, took charge at Lille in 2008 and guided Les Dogues to the Ligue 1-Coupe de France double three years later. Like Roma, Lille ended the 2012/13 campaign in sixth position.