Post: #151

Ronaldo was the best player at the 1998 World Cup, the whole final thing really overshadowed how good he was in that tournament, Zidane was nowhere near as good, he just scored 2 goals in the final.

Looks like Howard Webb is going to be the new player manager referee of Manchester United

Post: #152

It's official old red nose is retiring at the end of the season.

I say Jose will take over.

Post: #153

Say what you want about him, he's been incredible. The English game will miss him, what an absolutely remarkable achievement to have managed that club for as long as he did. It deserves it's own thread to be honest.

Post: #154

I wonder if this has anything to do with operation Yew Tree? Every other pensioner in the lime light seems to have been taken in for questioning.

Post: #155

Pretty sure it's gonna be Moyes under the thumb of SAF, who will overshadow him. I don't see Moyes working out really, he's too grumpy. Mourinho will go for another tour at Chelsea. Moyes was talking up Martinez last year, so Martinez zo Everton (which might work out for the Blues?).

Also, thank fuck Wigan blowing it yesterday. My beloved Toon should still be in the prem next year.

Post: #156

(05-08-2013 05:00 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  I wonder if this has anything to do with operation Yew Tree? Every other pensioner in the lime light seems to have been taken in for questioning.

Yeah lets see hahaha

Post: #157

I wanted Mourinho, but really, if I'm honest, Moyes is a far more 'United' option. He ticks the boxes and will happily work there whilst Fergie is in the boardroom, whereas Mourinho, whilst he would never say it, would prefer that not to be the case. Plus he's a short-term guy whereas Moyes has shown he can stay in one job for a while.

On talksport they were listing how many managers have been at certain clubs and comparing it to SAF. I can't remember the actual figures, but it was like 18 at Inter, 20 at Madrid, 17 at X, 19 at Y etc. Absolutely amazing, I'm gonna miss the guy.

Even if you hate him, if you're an England fan he supplied a lot of great players to the team, and the United squad even now has more English players than the other big sides.

Post: #158

It's gonna be interesting to see how some of your players perform now without Ferguson. I imagine he was the reason he got the most out of some of the players that aren't actually that good, but giving 100% made them perform well.

Moyes is VERY defensive minded. If I was a United fan, I'd worry if you were getting him.

Post: #159

(05-08-2013 11:05 AM)MattC Wrote:  It's gonna be interesting to see how some of your players perform now without Ferguson. I imagine he was the reason he got the most out of some of the players that aren't actually that good, but giving 100% made them perform well.

Moyes is VERY defensive minded. If I was a United fan, I'd worry if you were getting him.

Apparently Rooney wanted to go to Munich: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/t...ey-1874722

Perhaps having his old boss back will encourage him to stay? I don't mind if he goes, as I've mentioned previously. I want to know how all this is going to affect the so called 'big signings' were were going to be making. Or was all that just a smokescreen to hide all this coming out? I mean, the draw of Man U is huge, but are players going to be AS enthused about playing for Moyes as they would have been for SAF?

One thing I will say about Moyes, is that like Mourinho and Fergie, almost everyone who's played for him says really good things about him.

Post: #160

I'd love Rooney at Liverpool, I really would. I don't think he's been utilised properly at United for the past few years but having Gerrard playing behind Rooney would be boss. It's never gonna happen but ah well.

I can't see players like Lewandowski wanting to sign now that Ferguson is retiring. With him you're pretty much guaranteed success which is a massive lure to players, but now there's a question mark over what direction the club is going to go in. Moyes hasn't got a great track record. You can point to limited funds and whatever else but he's been there for over 10 years and not won a single trophy. Why would the top club in England want to hire that person? I also have the same reservations for Brendan Rodgers given his lack of credentials.

Top clubs are for top managers. Moyes isn't a top manager, so good for us if you get him.

Post: #161

As a manager - Di Canio was asked about that a couple of years ago. And he said he would kill any of his players, if they did the same thing!

Post: #162

Shame Real Madrid didn't make it to the finals!

Post: #163

I read this in a comments section earlier, what an awesome tribute. It was about SAF giving a lecture to Harvard Business School students about management.

Quote:Most people don't realise the extraordinary thing Ferguson has done.

Stop for a second, take off your tribal glasses, and look again.

For nigh on 30 years this man has run a worldwide multinational organisation. When he arrived, it was a failing domestic company that had seen no success/profit to speak of for 30 years.

He combed through its history and current operating practices and then started to institute changes in everything, from top to bottom. Underperforming staff were sacked, and failing methodologies changed.

Over 30 years he built the organisation into something that is admired worldwide, and constantly brings success. He renews the way the organisation works, at the same time keeping it at or near the top.

In that time competitors have changed their CEO so many times that he has an oxford Dictionary sized book containing the names of those he has outlasted.

He has never stood still with his old methodology, constantly looking to renew himself, his tactics and team.

His disciples are found all over the world. Top managers the world over speak of him as the number one manager of all time, because they understand and marvel at what he has done.

Increasingly the world outside of his chosen field now recognises him as a world leader in business and management.

Sit back and ask yourself why one of the top 3 educational establishments in the world asked this man to come and lecture to their top business students. This wasn't Moss Side Elementary, this was HARVARD.

Like him or loathe him, one simply has to marvel at the outstanding and enduring brilliance of the man. Aged 70 and still leading the pack...

...when he's gone, the hole left in football will be earth sized, and we will never see his like again.

He is a genius that most don't want to recognise because they're too tribal to think straight....

Post: #164

Moyesy Woyesy hahahahahahaha

Post: #165

Could it be argues that the bulk of Fergie's success is because he lucked out on the best generation of youth players that England has ever produced. That is like having your youth coach handing you a cheque for 150 million pounds.

I really respect Fergie - but no team has ever had such a great crop of players drop into their laps for free.

Post: #166

Little remembered fact. Alex Ferguson was dropped in at the last second to manage Scotland during the 1986 World Cup finals. After Jock Stein suddenly died.

Post: #167

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Post: #168

(05-08-2013 03:39 PM)cardguy Wrote:  Could it be argues that the bulk of Fergie's success is because he lucked out on the best generation of youth players that England has ever produced. That is like having your youth coach handing you a cheque for 150 million pounds.

I really respect Fergie - but no team has ever had such a great crop of players drop into their laps for free.

I know alot is made of the youth signings but to be honest I think they were over-rated. The only player that was decent was Scholes and Giggs had some good years, I am sure I am going to get flack for this.
Fergie did well in signing talent like Cantona, who is a genius and retired much too soon. I was a big fan also of Cole, Yorke and Solsjkaer.
Rooney is done also, he runs around alot like a headless chicken and has not delivered for club and country in awhile.
If I were a Utd fan I would be concerned for the future.

Post: #169

As a Liverpool fan today has felt like I've died and went to heaven.

Post: #170

To El Mech,

We're discussing a man who is huge, HUGE... Globally, maybe not to Americans, as usual, but everywhere else.

You're a masterful troll my friend.

(05-08-2013 04:25 PM)Idlenations Wrote:  As a Liverpool fan today has felt like I've died and went to heaven.

Don't worry, SAF has built an infrastructure that ensures United will be just fine. Moyes will just continue the work, rather than revolutionise anything. It's a really sad day for most football fans under 30, or at least it should be, as a continuous figure will be gone, but nevertheless, United will be fine.

Post: #171

(05-08-2013 11:28 AM)MattC Wrote:  I'd love Rooney at Liverpool, I really would. I don't think he's been utilised properly at United for the past few years but having Gerrard playing behind Rooney would be boss. It's never gonna happen but ah well.

I can't see players like Lewandowski wanting to sign now that Ferguson is retiring. With him you're pretty much guaranteed success which is a massive lure to players, but now there's a question mark over what direction the club is going to go in. Moyes hasn't got a great track record. You can point to limited funds and whatever else but he's been there for over 10 years and not won a single trophy. Why would the top club in England want to hire that person? I also have the same reservations for Brendan Rodgers given his lack of credentials.

Top clubs are for top managers. Moyes isn't a top manager, so good for us if you get him.

To stay employed at a PL club for 10 years you have to be a good manager, and Utd will have done their homework. They know a lot more about the currently available options and Moyes' talents and suitability for the club than we do. Alex will have likely been the biggest influence on his appointment as well. You're not going to get a smoother transition than Ferguson to Moyes.

I wouldn't hire Brendan Rogers to manage my 5-a-side team.

Post: #172

(05-08-2013 03:55 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

(05-08-2013 03:39 PM)cardguy Wrote:  Could it be argues that the bulk of Fergie's success is because he lucked out on the best generation of youth players that England has ever produced. That is like having your youth coach handing you a cheque for 150 million pounds.

I really respect Fergie - but no team has ever had such a great crop of players drop into their laps for free.

I know alot is made of the youth signings but to be honest I think they were over-rated. The only player that was decent was Scholes and Giggs had some good years, I am sure I am going to get flack for this.
Fergie did well in signing talent like Cantona, who is a genius and retired much too soon. I was a big fan also of Cole, Yorke and Solsjkaer.
Rooney is done also, he runs around alot like a headless chicken and has not delivered for club and country in awhile.
If I were a Utd fan I would be concerned for the future.

I agree about Cantona - he set the template for Man U.

As for Rooney. Why doesn't any of his managers tell him to keep his position up front instead of chasing the ball back into defense?

Post: #173

^

I think Rooney has massively under-performed, regardless of goal stats. He isn't dedicated to the cause, hence his friction with Ferguson. I do however, admire his tracking back, as it shows his desire to win. He's also been deployed as a midfielder, basically, recently. That said, he'll be gone this summer, almost no doubt now about it.

Post: #174

I used to get so annoyed at Rooney tracking back. Particularly for England. But now I don't care. Still - you want your best strikers - up front at all times. Even if you are losing - so they can provide an outlet for the defense.

I care less now since I finally realised that any team can win a tournament - just through the vagaries of luck once they get into the semi-finals. So - once you are in the final 4 - it is pretty arbitrary who wins.

One day England will win a tournament (fuck - remember when our shitty out-of-form team very nearly beat Italy to get into the semi's during the last European campaign?) and it won't mean we are suddenly a good team. Look at Denmark (winners) in 92, The Czech Republic in 96 (finalists) and Greece (winners) in 2000.

Anything can happen from the semi-finals onwards. If the tournament was played again immediately after it is over - you would get a different winner over 50% of the time.

Post: #175

Yeah but the problem is that England should be blowing away the opposition, not struggling against mediocre teams. I mean look at the qualifying for the World Cup, that is not even locked up yet.
The Euro championship was an embarrassment, we allowed Sweden to get two goals and if it weren't for Walcott coming on as a sub they would have lost that game.

Where will Rooney go? Who would sign him for those wages?
Forwards aren't meant to track back and cover in defense, he has rightly been benched for better players like RVP.