Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

nicklauski · 06-03-2010 01:38AM

Fergie not a happy camper with Rooney, from the guardian, via epltalk.

Manchester United's increased reliance on Wayne Rooney after Michael Owen was ruled out for the season has led to Sir Alex Ferguson clashing with the Premier League's leading scorer. Ferguson, reeling from the news that Owen needs an operation, was incensed that Rooney defied him by not pulling out of England's midweek defeat of Egypt and has made his feelings plain to the player, accusing him of being irresponsible and jeopardising United's chances of silverware.
Ferguson had been led to believe Rooney would withdraw because of a knee injury that has troubled him for several weeks. Instead, the forward played 86 minutes of the 3-1 win, whereas Chelsea's Frank Lampard was replaced at half-time. Rooney's knee has swollen, making him doubtful for United's game at Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow, and it is a measure of Ferguson's irritation that he abandoned his usual policy of never criticising players in public.
"I was disappointed with Wayne," Ferguson said. "He didn't come off, I couldn't believe it, and now he's a doubt. We're going to have to assess him because he played virtually the full game for England, which I am disappointed about. Playing at Wembley on that kind of pitch for almost an hour [in the Carling Cup final] on Sunday, and then almost the full 90 minutes on Wednesday, it's far too much. Wayne is exhausted."
A long-term critic of international friendlies, Ferguson went on to describe the pitch as "a ploughed field" and blamed the surface for Owen suffering the injury that has brought his season to a juddering halt. When Rooney reported back for training Ferguson reminded him that United should be his top priority and demanded to know why the player had not signalled to the England manager, Fabio Capello, that he wanted to be substituted.
"There were changes made and I thought Rooney would be one of them," Ferguson said. "It's disappointing. I don't blame Fabio at all, but don't forget he [Rooney] was not supposed to be playing at all. That's what Wayne told us on Sunday because he was feeling his knee. Then all of a sudden you press get hold of him, and people put an arm round his shoulder with England, and he wants to play. He went into the game with an injury and I don't think he should have played but his own enthusiasm has caused it. He can't say no, that's his problem."
With 28 goals already, it is obvious why Ferguson is desperate to protect Rooney, particularly as Owen's absence limits the club's attacking options, with Federico Macheda having regressed since last season and Daniel Welbeck on loan at Preston North End. Dimitar Berbatov's form has been erratic and Ferguson confirmed the Bulgarian may need an operation at the end of the season due to a knee problem. Mame Biram Diouf is new to English football after signing from Molde in January.
Owen damaged his hamstring in the Carling Cup final and what was thought to be a slight pull is actually a full tear, meaning the 30-year-old will undergo surgery on Monday. Ferguson described it as a "terrible blow", one that ends any hope the former England player had of being recalled by Capello for the World Cup.
"Unfortunately the specialist says I will miss the end of the season," Owen said. "I have loved every minute of my first campaign with Manchester United and have already enjoyed some memorable moments. I am determined to come back at the start of next season in peak condition."
Owen's misfortune increases the scrutiny on the Wembley pitch and Ferguson was unsparing in his criticisms. "I thought a horse show had been on it. Do you remember when Arsenal played Swindon back in the 1960s in the League Cup final? It wasn't as bad as that [on Sunday] but it reminded me of a ploughed field. I couldn't believe that the players had come through it. It was end to end and it does take it out of you."
That last line was delivered, more forcibly, when he spoke to Rooney. "It's hard to quell people with his kind of enthusiasm because it's a restless energy," Ferguson continued. "That's his problem. He can't sit down, he can't sit still, he's always on the move. Even in hotels I watch him and he's moving from one table to another.When we're away in Europe, he's walking about, he's always on the go all the time. He's got a restless energy which you don't want to take away from him, but age does some good things for you. Eventually you say to yourself, 'I can't be bothered with all this running about all the time', and you take a rest."

UnitedIrishman · 06-03-2010 01:38AM

Sometimes you need a player to come along and provide a bit of magic. Eric did that.

I laugh when people, who obviously don't rate his influence on United, ask how many goals did he score as a striker. He wasn't an out and out striker. Eric was the playmaker and the goals he created out of nothing were worth their weight in gold.

It's no coincidence either that the year we lost him to the suspension, we lost the title. And also lost the title the year after he left too as Fergie began life without him.

Peyton Manning · 06-03-2010 02:28AM

Tomorrows "The Sun" front page...

What an absolute toerag of a tabloid. Hope this turns out to be false, and that it was his wife or something. Evra always seems like a religious family guy, so doesnt seem right. We need him at the top of his game.

mayordenis · 06-03-2010 02:38AM

Archimedez wrote: »

What an absolute toerag of a tabloid.

I think you'll find that's one thing we can all agree on.

CR 7 · 06-03-2010 02:44AM

Archimedez wrote: »

Tomorrows "The Sun" front page...

What an absolute toerag of a tabloid. Hope this turns out to be false, and that it was his wife or something. Evra always seems like a religious family guy, so doesnt seem right. We need him at the top of his game.

Wow, what a scandal this is, a french man kisses a woman on the cheek, and simon cowell rates himself in bed. Top quality reporting/editing. :rolleyes:

kryogen · 06-03-2010 02:50AM

Hope for PR sake its not anything devious with Evra, other then that i couldnt give a toss, not like its a teammates missus or ex sure!

he can do what he likes in his private life as long as it doesnt damage the club imo

he doesnt seem the type though so id be surprised if it was true, just kinda flavour of the month topic and with JT allegedly putting out quite a bit of hush money to keep his stories out of the paper, **** rags like that have to find something to print

and as i said, footballers cheating is the flavour of the month

pistolpetes11 · 06-03-2010 02:52AM

Archimedez wrote: »

Tomorrows "The Sun" front page...

What an absolute toerag of a tabloid. Hope this turns out to be false, and that it was his wife or something. Evra always seems like a religious family guy, so doesnt seem right. We need him at the top of his game.

Did not hear to many complaints when it was JT and AC getting caught out by this paper !

I tell you one thing , I would not usually buy such a crap paper but thank you Archimedez that will make a great read for me tomorrow !

Hopefully this will take some of the heat off JT now , I had a feeling it would not be long before another gobsh1te got caught out !

d22ontour · 06-03-2010 02:54AM

kryogen wrote: »

Cantona was a catalyst for the success

90 fa cup 91 ecwc, 92 we bottled it when push cam to shove.

kryogen wrote: »

he was hugely instrumental both with his performances and how he lifted everyone around him

how can anyone not see that?

He inspired a team that won 3 trophies but failed at the league into winners ????

kryogen wrote: »

our season, up to when we signed him hadnt been going great, Fergie was under a bit of pressure again and we hadnt scored a goal in our last 4 league games

This is bull****e, we were in the mix and were regarded as favorites fyi.

kryogen wrote: »

Cantona was the missing piece in the jigsaw, the gamble that paid off big time

When fans actually believe this notion is when i take their opionions to be nothing more than sheep...

kryogen wrote: »

Of course there were other big players, but to minimalise Erics contribution is just silly

You kinda failed with the dick slurping there by saying he actually influenced our history.

Am more disappointed that the few United fans opinions i actually liked were fulll of shiz....

redout · 06-03-2010 03:04AM

Reports Essien is out for the rest of the season.

The Chelsea squad are dropping like flies!

Cole
Cech
Bosingwa
Essien

Peyton Manning · 06-03-2010 03:05AM

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

I tell you one thing , I would not usually buy such a crap paper but thank you Archimedez that will make a great read for me tomorrow !

Says a lot about The Sun's demographic to be honest.

CR 7 · 06-03-2010 03:07AM

Archimedez wrote: »

Says a lot about The Sun's demographic to be honest.

Degag · 06-03-2010 03:10AM

PHB wrote: »

We have money for transfers. Nobody denies this. Nobody sensible anyway..

You know how we are getting the money? We are borrowing.

So lets put this clearly. We are borrowing money to buy players. We are increasing out debt, to buy players.

Is this a good strategy? Is anyone dumb enough to think that this is a good strategy long term?

It's a short term strategy. The Glazers need Fergie on side. They have effectively bought him off with a good transfer kitty. If they didn't give him that, he'd probably start complaining or leave which would be the one thing that would get a large number of non-informed United fans complaining properly.

Not sure about this at all. We may be on the same page in a way but there is no doubt that even if the club has to borrow for transfers, it is a good policy. The amount of money that the Champions League generates means that falling out of the top 4 would be a disaster, therefore any transfer spend to insure we stayed in it would be totally justified. I agree that it should be a short term policy, but it has to be done if needed.

Also, i'll throw this out there: Do the Glazers really give much of a siht about Fergie?

pistolpetes11 · 06-03-2010 03:13AM

Archimedez wrote: »

Says a lot about The Sun's demographic to be honest.

Someone buying it to have a laugh at Evra if you say so.......

At least I have not brought my moral high horse with me.

Regarding injuries to the Chelsea squad Redout , it is looking terrible news for us (good news for Man U)

If Essien is gone for the season that is a massive massive blow,

Cole's position is covered as is Boswinga's and Cech will be back in two or so weeks.

The Essien injury could be a game changer for us , we simply dont have anyone good enough to cover him.

There are a lot youngsters but I doubt CA would let any of them step up at the business stage of the season and it will more than likely mean seeing more of the german twat.

redout · 06-03-2010 03:18AM

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Regarding injuries to the Chelsea squad Redout , it is looking terrible news for us (good news for Man U)

If Essien is gone for the season that is a massive massive blow,

Cole's position is covered as is Boswinga's and Cech will be back in two or so weeks.

The Essien injury could be a game changer for us , we simply dont have anyone good enough to cover him.

There are a lot youngsters but I doubt CA would let any of them step up at the business stage of the season and it will more than likely mean seeing more of the german twat.

Aye, he is without doubt the most important of all those injured.

The fcuked up thing is that this is a setback from the injury he picked up at the African cup and not with Chelsea!

UnitedIrishman · 06-03-2010 03:26AM

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Did not hear to many complaints when it was JT and AC getting caught out by this paper !

I tell you one thing , I would not usually buy such a crap paper but thank you Archimedez that will make a great read for me tomorrow !

Hopefully this will take some of the heat off JT now , I had a feeling it would not be long before another gobsh1te got caught out !

Lol.

A) They're polar opposites in terms of situations.

I hope Evra rinsed her because I really don't care what he does in his private life. For all we know, him and his wife could be swingers or have an open relationship. *SUN EXCLUSIVE!!!*

C) I love how you say you wouldn't buy such a crap paper... it's fools that look at the front page and say "oh I have to see this" that are the typical Sun reader.

To be honest, the quicker that rag burns and so-called journalists like Shaun and Neil Custis are out of jobs, the better. And that's nothing to do with the Evra story.

kryogen · 06-03-2010 03:35AM

d22ontour wrote: »

90 fa cup 91 ecwc, 92 we bottled it when push cam to shove.

so we were lacking something then yes
He inspired a team that won 3 trophies but failed at the league into winners ????

yes now your starting to see
This is bull****e, we were in the mix and were regarded as favorites fyi.

Bull****? check your facts there pal
When fans actually believe this notion is when i take their opionions to be nothing more than sheep...

when people fail to see the influence Cantona had on the club i see them as stupid
You kinda failed with the dick slurping there by saying he actually influenced our history.

thats another stupid comment, how can he not have influenced our history ffs

Am more disappointed that the few United fans opinions i actually liked were fulll of shiz....

i can only speak for myself when i say, i will not be able to sleep tonight because of your disappointment in me

d22ontour wrote: »

i seriously hope you are on a wind up, or possibly John Giles

hmmm, not sure what went wrong with the quoting there

kryogen · 06-03-2010 03:41AM

Actually one word of advice D22, as a fellow fan, stop drinking, and be careful not to step over the line, you are fliritng with personal abuse in your quoted post above

pistolpetes11 · 06-03-2010 04:10AM

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

Lol.

A) They're polar opposites in terms of situations.

I hope Evra rinsed her because I really don't care what he does in his private life. For all we know, him and his wife could be swingers or have an open relationship. *SUN EXCLUSIVE!!!*

C) I love how you say you wouldn't buy such a crap paper... it's fools that look at the front page and say "oh I have to see this" that are the typical Sun reader.

To be honest, the quicker that rag burns and so-called journalists like Shaun and Neil Custis are out of jobs, the better. And that's nothing to do with the Evra story.

MY post was more so related to a post I made the other day , plus a bit of jest , after all the stick us chelsea faithful are after having to take over the clowns JT and AC this evra story could prove to be a well earned break from the media tabloid monster .

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Get out of it , its old news now.

I can imagine you at home with a issue of OK magazine reading up to see if Cheryl is ok after what has happened to her too !

Sick to death with it now , and I personally feel it has ruined what could of been an epic year for the club , but even if we do win something some folk will only want to remember it for the Terry story .

Lets face it, a lot of footballers have skeletons in there closets but this story is well and truly done .

I hope you all remember your moral high horses when a story breaks about a player from your club :P

This was posted on Wednesday I think .

anonymous_joe · 06-03-2010 04:18AM

I wouldn't care much about the Ashley Cole thing, or this. Plenty of men cheat on their girlfriends and wives. I'd imagine footballers do it more often than most.

The Terry issue was different because of whom he had an affair with, not that he had one.

So Evra sleeps aroumd, whatever. So long as he's still defending for us I'm happy.

kryogen · 06-03-2010 04:21AM

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

MY post was more so related to a post I made the other day , plus a bit of jest , after all the stick us chelsea faithful are after having to take over the clowns JT and AC this evra story could prove to be a well earned break from the media tabloid monster .

This was posted on Wednesday I think .

since its in the Sun it probably is a load of ****e, but if it isnt im with you, couldnt give a toss about what they do in their private lives

that includes AC, but JT crossed a line so he is an exception and deserves the ****storm he got. has there ever been a positive news story about him though

kryogen · 06-03-2010 04:40AM

Michael Owen still has a future according to Fergie

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7377657/Michael-Owen-still-has-a-future-with-Manchester-United-says-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html

Michael Owen still has a future with Manchester United, says Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Michael Owen has not played his last game for Manchester United after revealing the forward will undergo hamstring surgery on Monday that will end his season.

By Mark Ogden
Published: 10:30PM GMT 05 Mar 2010

Winning finale: Michael Owen, who scored the equaliser against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final, will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury Photo: PA
Owen has been told he will not play again this season after a visit to a London specialist on Thursday confirmed that the hamstring injury sustained during last Sunday's Carling Cup final victory against Aston Villa was more serious than initially thought.

The blow has not only extinguished Owen's flickering hopes of a place in England's World Cup squad. The 30 year-old's unavailability also creates a headache for Ferguson, who now has just two senior forwards – Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov – for a campaign that could run until the Champions League final on May 22.

Ferguson said: "Michael will be here next season, absolutely. His training performances have been terrific, he's been good in the dressing room and every game he came on for us he made a chance.

"He is an important player for us. He was always a threat in terms of movement in the last third of the field, creating chances and in some cases doing very well for us.

"But he is out for the rest of the season because his injury is more serious than we thought. He'll have an operation on Monday morning. It's a terrible blow for the lad and disappointing for us too. I think the heavy pitch at Wembley made some contribution to the injury, but it's really just bad luck."

Owen's goal in the Carling Cup final win against Villa highlighted his value to Ferguson's team and the United manager admits he would have had more opportunities but for the form of Rooney.

Ferguson said: "I know I've maybe not used him as much as I should have, but that's had a lot to do with Rooney's form and us choosing to play with one striker a lot of the time. Michael has been unfortunate with that, but he's made a great contribution and we recognise that."

Owen said: "Unfortunately, the specialist says I will miss the end of the season.

"I have loved every minute of my first campaign with United and have already enjoyed some memorable moments. I am determined to come back at the start of next season in peak condition."

Ferguson, who admitted that Berbatov was playing with a knee problem that may require surgery in the summer, revealed that Owen Hargreaves was due to play in the reserves next week – after almost two years on the sidelines.

He said: "Hargreaves has shown this week that's he's almost ready to play again and I've got him pencilled in for a reserve game on Thursday."

kryogen · 06-03-2010 04:42AM

And a blog article on Hargo and his (possible) return

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/mar/05/owen-hargreaves-manchester-united-england

Is Owen Hargreaves finally ready to return for Manchester United?He has not played for 18 months but Old Trafford's forgotten man is keen to prove he is not an expensive mistake

Owen Hargreaves feared he may never play again after suffering from chronic knee trouble. Photograph: Adam Davy/Empics

As Michael Owen left Wembley last Sunday he was happily oblivious that the nagging pain at the back of his leg was about to bring his season to a juddering halt. Some of the other Manchester United players had already stuffed their Carling Cup winner's medals into their pockets but his was draped round his neck and he still smiled even when it was put to him that he never seemed to have much luck when the England manager, Fabio Capello, was watching. Owen pointed out it had been a virtually injury-free season and reflected "there are a lot worse off than me".

He was referring to Owen Hargreaves, the forgotten man of Old Trafford, last seen on a football pitch in September 2008 shortly before travelling to Colorado to see a specialist who would tell him it looked like a bomb had gone off behind his kneecaps. Richard Steadman has been repairing sportsmen's knees for 35 years and told Hargreaves he had never seen so much erosion. "It was a dark day, hard to take," Hargreaves said recently. "This was coming from a guy who was 72 years old and had seen a lot of knees."

Hargreaves was suffering from chronic patellar tendonitis, so bad that it seems almost inconceivable the medical examinations when he signed from Bayern Munich 13 months earlier allowed the £18m transfer to go ahead. He has spent the past 18 months trying to save his career from becoming an insurance claim and now, finally, there is what Sir Alex Ferguson described today as "light at the end of the tunnel". United's reserves take on Manchester City's on Thursday and, on the day the club announced Owen would miss the rest of the season because his torn hamstring needed surgery, it emerged that a fit-again Hargreaves will be in the squad for his comeback match. "He has shown for the first time that he is almost ready to play again," Ferguson said.

The venue will be Moss Lane, the home of Altrincham, with Ferguson planning to be among the crowd in the Carole Nash Stand – a far cry from the drama when Milan visit Old Trafford in the Champions League on Wednesday – yet an occasion that might still give Hargreaves more butterflies than any of the European nights that have decorated his career. He was 27 when he last played. He is 29 now and there have been genuine concerns behind the scenes that he might never be able to play again.

The people closest to Hargreaves say it has been a psychological battle as well as a physical one. Inevitably, there will be those who prophesise that he might have a late shout of grabbing a World Cup place but, at Old Trafford, they say that is wildly over-ambitious. At this stage, they will just be happy if Hargreaves can prove he is still capable of playing at the highest level and not be in discomfort after every single match.

Patellar tendonitis, or "jumper's knee," is an over-use injury, one that typically starts as a dull ache but can gradually increase over a period of time and, in Hargreaves's case, there was stiffness, grinding and swelling. The condition became so extreme he was unable to drive for three days after his last match, a 1-1 draw against Chelsea. "I probably shouldn't have played," he has said. "Something was very wrong. As an athlete, you think you are invincible. You don't think something of this magnitude will ever happen."

It is an episode that does not reflect well on United's medical staff. "I obviously had the problem when I came to Manchester United from Germany in 2007 and we tried to manage it," Hargreaves said recently. "But part of the problem for me was my competitiveness. I was new to United and they had spent a lot of time, energy and money getting me from Bayern Munich. I wanted to do well. I came with symptoms [of tendonitis] but everyone said, 'Don't worry, it will go', so I always tried to be available. But playing on it made it worse."

He had operations on both knees and the first part of his rehabilitation was spent in the United States and Canada. He returned to England in September and was included in the squad United issued to Uefa for the Champions League's opening group phase. Slowly, though, it has become apparent that the man who would realistically have gone to this summer's World Cup as England's right-back has needed longer to cope.

"His recovery has been slow, it has to be said," Ferguson has admitted. "It's a year-and-a-half now. It's slow and I can't put a time on it."

The last 16 teams in the Champions League had to update their squad lists for Uefa last month and, when United submitted theirs, Hargreaves's name was conspicuous by its absence, replaced by Ritchie de Laet. It led to speculation in one newspaper that Hargreaves might be finished, having started 25 games for United at nearly £1m each. Now, as one Owen contemplates the end of his season, another is finally looking forward to the start of his.

Pro. F · 06-03-2010 05:48AM

nicklauski wrote: »

Fergie not a happy camper with Rooney, from the guardian, via epltalk.

...

"I was disappointed with Wayne," Ferguson said. "He didn't come off, I couldn't believe it, and now he's a doubt. We're going to have to assess him because he played virtually the full game for England, which I am disappointed about. Playing at Wembley on that kind of pitch for almost an hour [in the Carling Cup final] on Sunday, and then almost the full 90 minutes on Wednesday, it's far too much. Wayne is exhausted."

Ferguson is such an insufferable hypocrite at times. He played Rooney for an hour on Sunday when he knew Rooney already had a knee problem and then he's giving out about Rooney playing for his country. Fergie knew the international was coming up and he knew that Rooney had the right and the desire to play in it. He could have tried to accomodate this but he didn't.

I have a massive respect and fondness for Fergie for all the success he's brought to the club but, really, he should get over himself and accept that players are going to play for their country as well.

goddevil · 06-03-2010 09:12AM

Pro. F wrote: »

he should get over himself and accept that players are going to play for their country as well.

Play in a pointless friendly at a horrible Wembley pitch at the risk on injuring yourself during the most critical time of the season? No sir, i do not think that Fergie should accept that.

CHD · 06-03-2010 09:33AM

United are smelly

Peyton Manning · 06-03-2010 10:24AM

We smell of nothing but WIN!

....and Nani's knockoff deodorant.

But mostly win.

CHD · 06-03-2010 10:30AM

I retract that. United smell very nice.

Peyton Manning · 06-03-2010 10:35AM

To be fair, and he's a top bloke and all, but Wayne Rooney doesn't strike me as someone who smells very nice. I dunno, its just the impression I've always had. I should probably try and smell him at some stage just to make sure, but until Im proved wrong, I reckon he has an iffy pong about him.

CHD · 06-03-2010 10:39AM

Archimedez wrote: »

To be fair, and he's a top bloke and all, but Wayne Rooney doesn't strike me as someone who smells very nice. I dunno, its just the impression I've always had. I should probably try and smell him at some stage just to make sure, but until Im proved wrong, I reckon he has an iffy pong about him.

TBF the lad, no matter what the pong, smells of win.

Spud83 · 06-03-2010 11:00AM

Pro. F wrote: »

Ferguson is such an insufferable hypocrite at times. He played Rooney for an hour on Sunday when he knew Rooney already had a knee problem and then he's giving out about Rooney playing for his country. Fergie knew the international was coming up and he knew that Rooney had the right and the desire to play in it. He could have tried to accomodate this but he didn't.

I have a massive respect and fondness for Fergie for all the success he's brought to the club but, really, he should get over himself and accept that players are going to play for their country as well.

What a load of twaddle. You do know Rooney didn't start the match? You do know he only came when we suffered an injury? Is that not trying to "accommodate" the international game.

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