Manchester United Thread

ThomasGOAL said:
Manchester United want the french player of Fulham Louis SAHA
Click to expand...

Wouldnt be suprised...

If we do get another striker it wont be the big name everyone expects as Ruud is the main man and Fergie doesnt really like playing with two strikers anymore (even though the clubs played that way for eons), so someone like Saha would be perfect and fits n with how the club do things, developing young talent.
 
LOL this was in the M.E.N the other day, man city's old ground is being demolished (they are building flats on the site, they are buliding flats everywhere in Manchester at the mo!!! :x )

Its a ground that United have enjoyed many good times at, not just the derbie wins there, but we clinched a double there in an FA Cup final replay, we've hosted big European nites there during WW2 when we had to play there due to OT getting bombed.

Infact we've had more success there than city have :mrgreen:

Anyway its being knocked down and guess who is demolishing the bitter blues spiritual home??

'IT'S ENOUGH to make any Manchester City fan see Red - their beloved Maine Road ground is being pulled down by a group of Manchester United fans. Demolition workers have moved in to strip away the last memories of the Blues' former home. Kevin Keegan's men moved to their new ground, the City of Manchester Stadium, at the start of the season after moving out of Moss Side.

Salford-based Connell Brothers are pulling down the stadium on behalf of Manchester city council to make way for redevelopment of the area. Workmen are removing the remaining fixtures and fittings before bulldozers move in for the 30-week demolition job.

This weekend United play host to City in this season's first derby match, with fans from both teams hoping they will have the bragging rights on Saturday night. Site foreman Neil Doherty, from Poynton, said "Most of the company are United fans so, as you can imagine, we didn't have much trouble finding enthusiastic workers - and lots of them are putting down their names for overtime."

Dave McConnell, a life-long Red from Burnage, said: "I was ecstatic when I heard we got this job - I've been giving my Blue mates loads of stick ever since. Now I hope we beat them in the derby so I can really rub it in."


You gotta love it!!
 
As we all know Rio's case is currently being turned over in Bolton.
It could carry on aslong as Friday but Rio has said that if the defense case does somehow fail that he just wants to take his punishment and doesnt want United to appeal.

Oh I didnt mention that this was due to him making sure he doesnt further jepordize his chances for playing in Euro 2004...

Showing your true colours there Rio.

Wont be long before he joins his mates at Chelsea.
 
Rio is OK, he is getting too much stick, true he shouldn`t have missed the drugs test, end of story, but he is a class defender and I will be GUTTED if we lose him to Chelski.
 
ninjabreakz said:
Rio is OK, he is getting too much stick, true he shouldn`t have missed the drugs test, end of story, but he is a class defender and I will be GUTTED if we lose him to Chelski.
Click to expand...

I wont be, they will pay top dollar for him, I'd rather have Wes Brown in my United team any day of the week.
 
Tester pays the price
Thursday, December 18, 2003

From the Guardian
Rio Ferdinand's doping case looks set to claim its first high-profile victim even before his two-day hearing begins at Bolton's Reebok Stadium today with Michele Verroken, the woman who oversaw the test missed by the £30m Manchester United and England defender, being forced to resign from UK Sport.

Verroken, UK Sport's head of ethics and anti-doping, looks certain to pay the price for Ferdinand's name becoming public, which has so angered the Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor that he has threatened to pull his members out of all tests with UK Sport.

Verroken was told at a meeting on Tuesday with Sue Campbell, the interim chair of UK Sport, that she has no future in her role with the agency that oversees the development of elite athletes and drug testing in British sport.

She is now on paid leave at home and John Scott, the director of international relations and major events, has filled her role temporarily.

Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, expressed his regret. "She's been the face of British anti-doping for a number of years," he said. "One thing she's always argued for is, if you have a doping agency, it has been independent. Otherwise there are obvious dangers."

It was Verroken to whom the drug testers reported Ferdinand's failure to turn up for the test at Manchester United's training ground at Carrington on September 23.'



SUN on Rio's case
Thursday, December 18, 2003

From the SUN
' THERE is no argument that Rio Ferdinand missed a drug test on September 23.

He was told he was required for a sample, walked out of Manchester United’s training ground without giving one and went shopping in the city centre.

Case closed, argue the anti-Rio brigade. Ban him for the maximum two years.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is their champion. The only thing Blatter has not advocated as a punishment for Rio is a public execution — but, hey, give him time.

Yet Blatter admits he does not know the circumstances. So is it not right and proper he should consider some of the evidence before shooting his mouth off?

Ferdinand says he “forgot” to take the test and once he realised made every effort to get it done.

As SunSport revealed, Ferdinand made contact with United at 2.02pm on the day in question and the testers did not leave until 2.27pm.

The UK Sport testers told him he was too late and they were not prepared to wait for him.

But, as we point out today, it would have taken Ferdinand 18 minutes, sticking to the rules of the road, to get back to the Carrington training base from where he was.

Why could they not wait? A player’s career was on the line here and they knew what the consequences would be. Or was it they just wanted to get a famous notch on an empty test tube?

There will be many arguments over the next two days about who said what to whom and when.

For instance, the testers did not make contact with Ferdinand themselves on arrival. They asked the United medical staff to do that.

The United doctor, Mike Stone, will be called to give evidence at the FA tribunal in Bolton today to explain how the breakdown in communication came about and what efforts were made to find Rio.

It could be argued it was the club’s fault Ferdinand walked out because they should have made sure he turned up.

This puts Maurice Watkins, the club solicitor and director, in a tricky position. He represents both United and Ferdinand and will advise defence QC Ron Thwaites.

They aim to get Ferdinand off a ban without the club being culpable.

Yet the FA rule book is unclear on who has what responsibilities during a random drug test.

It has been argued UK Sport guidelines are that, in the case of an unannounced drug swoop, a test should begin within an hour. But FA rules do not explain what the consequences are if it does not.

Only in the case of arranged tests does it say officials will wait for up to two hours beyond the time agreed before the FA are informed a test has been missed.

Ferdinand, 25, was never given a specific time for his test, so no one can say for certain by what time it should have been completed.

One of four United players summoned that day, Nicky Butt, went for lunch before taking his test.

Nowhere in FA rules does it say a player must remain on site before taking the test. FA executive director David Davies says the rulebook will be tightened but has virtually admitted Ferdinand did not break current regulations.

Ferdinand’s defence team have obtained a written statement from Manchester City’s Eyal Berkovic, a former West Ham team-mate of his, which states the player made every effort to get the test taken once he realised his mistake.

United boss Alex Ferguson will argue it was a simple case of forgetfulness while England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has written stating Ferdinand is a man of honesty.

The England defender is charged with ‘failure or refusal’ to take a test. The FA have a job on their hands proving refusal but Ferdinand’s team will find it equally hard to get him off ‘failure’.

The three-man commission hearing the case is led by FA councillor Barry Bright, the head of the FA disciplinary committee — and he can be a tough taskmaster.

But leading sports lawyer Simon Tracey said: “If Rio offered to come back and UK Sport said ‘don’t bother’ I think there are persuasive arguments to say that, regardless of the timings, he did not fail to take the test.”

Let battle commence.

Seems to me the FA havent got a fuckin clue!!

Also the FA are reportedly not happy at Svens glowing ref for the United defender.
 
I'm not going to comment on the case, merely point out that Rio is a columnist for the Sun and the testers vehemently deny receiving any phone call from Ferdinand.

The Sun is not exactly a trust worthy source to base your opinions on.
 
T Butcher fan said:
I'm not going to comment on the case, merely point out that Rio is a columnist for the Sun and the testers vehemently deny receiving any phone call from Ferdinand.

The Sun is not exactly a trust worthy source to base your opinions on.
Click to expand...

LOL Plus the editor is a big United fan.

Nah im not taking it as gospel but its obvious with the sacking of the tester and the various other factors involved (as in the that the FA doesnt have procedures in place) are gonna make it pretty dificult to determin that Rio did this on purpose.

Im scanning about for other reports in the media aswell to get a better feel for whats going on.
 
If anyone ever wondered why United supporters, (especially the Stretford End!!!! STAND UP) took this guy into our hearts straight away, read this....

"My current contract comes to an end on my 30th birthday, the 1st July 2006. I am happy to sign a new contract though. I will never, ever play for another English club. Once you have played for United, the rest don’t count anymore. All I want to do is spend as much time of my career at United as possible before I eventually return home and bring the curtain down on my career at PSV. I have already brought a house back in the area because I know I will eventually end up back home. I am not just here to pull a shirt on, I am here because I want to be part of this great club even when I have eventually walked away. I have never just wanted to be here, score goals and look at my bank account. I wanted to have a warm feeling for the club. I can’t just be cold and just think about the football business. If you want to become part of the history then you have to embrace history from the past.

When I came to United I made a point of knowing everything about the club. I felt it was important not to be ignorant and when people talked to me about past greats I knew who they were. When I came here I grabbed every book and video I could get my hands on and made sure I knew my stuff. To be a legend, to be part of history, you must know about the past. And to achieve success you must learn to love the club you're with. You can only love a club if you know everything there is to know about that club. Yes, I have done my homework and I have talked to the many people that matter."

Ive gotta admitt that ive been spoilt rotten as United supporter, the players ive seen wear The Shirt and the players ive seen come to play us read like a who's who of Football greats, but this guy is something else, Fergie took a massive risk but Ruuds repaid it ten-fold.

one word............ LEGEND


Also we are about to sign a young player from China:
Dalian Shide's general manager Lin Lefeng: "The transfer of Dong Fangzhuo will be fixed this week."

Dont know much about him tbh, but i'll find out what I can....
 
Vannizzlefashizzal said:
If anyone ever wondered why United supporters, (especially the Stretford End!!!! STAND UP) took this guy into our hearts straight away, read this....

"My current contract comes to an end on my 30th birthday, the 1st July 2006. I am happy to sign a new contract though. I will never, ever play for another English club. Once you have played for United, the rest don’t count anymore. All I want to do is spend as much time of my career at United as possible before I eventually return home and bring the curtain down on my career at PSV. I have already brought a house back in the area because I know I will eventually end up back home. I am not just here to pull a shirt on, I am here because I want to be part of this great club even when I have eventually walked away. I have never just wanted to be here, score goals and look at my bank account. I wanted to have a warm feeling for the club. I can’t just be cold and just think about the football business. If you want to become part of the history then you have to embrace history from the past.

When I came to United I made a point of knowing everything about the club. I felt it was important not to be ignorant and when people talked to me about past greats I knew who they were. When I came here I grabbed every book and video I could get my hands on and made sure I knew my stuff. To be a legend, to be part of history, you must know about the past. And to achieve success you must learn to love the club you're with. You can only love a club if you know everything there is to know about that club. Yes, I have done my homework and I have talked to the many people that matter."

Ive gotta admitt that ive been spoilt rotten as United supporter, the players ive seen wear The Shirt and the players ive seen come to play us read like a who's who of Football greats, but this guy is something else, Fergie took a massive risk but Ruuds repaid it ten-fold.

one word............ LEGEND


Also we are about to sign a young player from China:
Dalian Shide's general manager Lin Lefeng: "The transfer of Dong Fangzhuo will be fixed this week."

Dont know much about him tbh, but i'll find out what I can....
Click to expand...
yea, lets hope that he's worth every penny that we pay, because we all know that some players are just major disappointments (COUGH*RIO*COUGH) ;)

-azn
 
Ok, Rio's transfer fee may have been a bit high but hes paid a chunk of it off with the premiership title last season. We're not doing too bad defensively this season aswell are we and i seriously think he has shored up our defence ever since his arrival. Remember the season before Rio's arrival?
 
I`m sick of all the "Rio was a waste of money" rubbish, he does a great job at the back, United`s defence looks very stable with him and Silvestre as the centre-backs. He is a superb player who is still very young.
 
ninjabreakz said:
I`m sick of all the "Rio was a waste of money" rubbish, he does a great job at the back, United`s defence looks very stable with him and Silvestre as the centre-backs. He is a superb player who is still very young.
Click to expand...
sorry, a little misintepretation here :oops:: i meant to say rio wasnt worth 30 mill, thats all, but ninja, i like rio and johny oshea in the middle, and NOT quinton on the left, leave that for silvestre, then gary on the right, but in the USA tour, philip played phenomenal on the right, so you never know (also, gary didnt make that trip due to injury anyway, ah well)

-azn
 
Anyone know much about this kid from wimbledon we've signed, ? £200,000 up front , going up to one million depending on appearances etc. I know he's got a dodgy name though, > Lee Martin
 
Also rumoured to be signing a Chinese youngster for £3.5 million, think he'll be partnering their new Eastern Restaurant more than he'll be partnering Ruud. What a sham.


FD
 
Listen, Rio is a class player who has done well for you. But I feel that the FA may come done hard on him on his drugs case. Mainly because this is a landmark case and FIFA are putting pressure on the FA to give him a hefty ban. Its unfortunate for United but thats the way it is. I bet you have to buy a defender in the transfer window.
 
Butatista said:
Listen, Rio is a class player who has done well for you. But I feel that the FA may come done hard on him on his drugs case. Mainly because this is a landmark case and FIFA are putting pressure on the FA to give him a hefty ban. Its unfortunate for United but thats the way it is. I bet you have to buy a defender in the transfer window.
Click to expand...

He'll get 3 to 6 months.
 
T Butcher fan said:
Butatista said:
Listen, Rio is a class player who has done well for you. But I feel that the FA may come done hard on him on his drugs case. Mainly because this is a landmark case and FIFA are putting pressure on the FA to give him a hefty ban. Its unfortunate for United but thats the way it is. I bet you have to buy a defender in the transfer window.
Click to expand...

He'll get 3 to 6 months.
Click to expand...

I think I would agree with that, 6 months tops I reckon. Any longer and he could miss Euro 2004 and I can't see the FA doing that cos it would weaken the England squad.
 
Butatista said:
T Butcher fan said:
Butatista said:
Listen, Rio is a class player who has done well for you. But I feel that the FA may come done hard on him on his drugs case. Mainly because this is a landmark case and FIFA are putting pressure on the FA to give him a hefty ban. Its unfortunate for United but thats the way it is. I bet you have to buy a defender in the transfer window.
Click to expand...

He'll get 3 to 6 months.
Click to expand...

I think I would agree with that, 6 months tops I reckon. Any longer and he could miss Euro 2004 and I can't see the FA doing that cos it would weaken the England squad.
Click to expand...

They dropped him for the crucial Turkey game didn't they? Euro 2004 is a bigger prospect though.

I'm not a huge a fan of Ferdinand, although he is a good player. In terms of England, anyway, I'd rather see the Terry-Campbell parternship blossom. Personally, I rate them both over Ferdinand.

So, when/if Rio gets the ban, do people think Brown will fill the vacancy or will Ferguson buy another defender and put Brown on hold as back up in case of injuries?
 
ThomasGOAL said:
http://veepers01.budlight.com/service/RetrieveCard?id=8C52F1DA-3239-11D8-BDF9-E3635E514682
Click to expand...
HAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAAAAA.... they look the same!! :D:D:mrgreen:

-azn
 
F****** pathetic! Theyre just making an example out of him.
Ok, fair is fair he does deserve a ban but this is just taking the p***!
 
8 months!!!! FFS, the FA crumbled to bloody FIFA on this...cos they want Rio made a spectable....of how NOT to be a professional footballer, and what happens if you miss a drug's test,

The FA bottled it.......end of!!
 
Boro said:
T1000v2.0 said:
The FA bottled it.......end of!!
Click to expand...

No the FA bottling it would be giving him nothing but a fine
Click to expand...
ok, what he MEANT to say is... that whatever the situation, FFS 8 months eh? if mendieta or juninho got an 8 month ban i dont think you would say that... but oh well, cant live on just crying over spilt milk...

-azn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom