The old Man Utd Thread

[dizogg]

Yeah it was a very clever response. Play into the fears of the fans. It's like chess.

I STILL don't believe he'll go.

On another note this kind of stuff really brings out the muppets. Someone told me that their mate worked at City's training ground and that Rooney had been there all morning.

And you and the fans would be happy to cheer him on if he does stay?

(Don't mention Gerrard lol!)

[spork]

No mention of the squad for tonight?

Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Macheda, Park.

Subs: Amos, Neville, Berbatov, Hernandez, O'Shea, Obertan, Bebe.

Macheda up front on his own? Hopefully Bebe can get a lengthy run out and hopefully we will do better than when we played Rangers..

[phresh]

The lack of ambition card is the only card Rooney had left to play. It's hardly clever and completely transparent.

Yup, I said he would say exactly that when speaking to my sister yesterday. He (or his PR guys) know it's the only response that might give him some respite.

[exwhyzed]

I think in the long run I would respect him more if he came out and said "It's about the money" or "I need to get out of England", rather than trying to put it on the club.

[Baz]

It was yesterday I called Ferguson duplicitous, yet you know what, I think there's more truth in his statement than Rooneys. It doesn't add up for me, the club would have told him they were going to sign players be that the case or not. I'd like to know who the fuck he thinks he is anyway, he's there to play and not try and do the managers job.

Actually I think both Fergie and Rooney (and everyone else with a brain) realise the club is in a financial mess and money is not there to strengthen satisfactorily under the current ownership - Fergie is unwilling to rock the ship though in what are his final few years at the club and is happy to toe the company line. Can't blame Rooney for seeing and stating what we all see and know. If anyone is being duplicitous it's old bacon face, but maybe he felt as manager it's his job not to speak out. Certainly it's questionable it'd do the club any good for their manager to admit the true position they're in unless in doing so he can force a full scale regime change.

[Baz]

I still don't beleive he will go, it's Rooney/Rooney's agent playing hardball about a new contract and United/Fergie playing him at his own game.

Fergie passes it on to Rooney, Rooney passes it on to the Glazers, Glazers might try to pass it back on to Fergie but will fail because everyone hates them. Well played Wayne('s PR guy), well played.

The lack of ambition card is the only card Rooney had left to play. It's hardly clever and completely transparent.

Yup, I said he would say exactly that when speaking to my sister yesterday. He (or his PR guys) know it's the only response that might give him some respite.

All so naive. Gonna take a change of ownership for Rooney to stay in my opinion. Guess we'll find out in the next 4-10 months!

[footle]

Calling the manager a liar (twice) is a good PR move? Having his people leak stories a good thing, timing his statement to be released a few hours before a Champions League game wise?

The manager said he was told the player wanted to go in August but wasn't given a reason. The player has said this never happened, that he only said it last week and did give a reason.

The player said that *he* had a chat with Gill last week and gave a reason. The manager said that Rooney's agent had told Gill that the player wanted to go in August and didn't give a reason. The two aren't contradictory.

[phresh]

'Who's a whore now Rooney'

[exwhyzed]

All so naive. Gonna take a change of ownership for Rooney to stay in my opinion. Guess we'll find out in the next 4-10 months!

Everyone knows that club has been financially shit for ages. That doesn't explain a sudden change of heart between March and August.

[Baz]

Everyone knows that club has been financially shit for ages. That doesn't explain a sudden change of heart between March and August.

So Fergie has been duplicitous when saying money is there to strengthen if he wants? I would imagine they've been saying the same things to Rooney for some time but the reality became clear by the end of the last transfer window when after seeking assurances about the club's transfer activity, they ended up with the Little Pea, Smalling and Sad Eyes Bebe instead of 1 or 2 established stars which might have been expected (and were certainly needed) after the departures of Tevez and Ronaldo the previous year.

I'd say all of this is pretty clear and I don't understand why any fans wouldn't understand it! Anyone who's paying attention anyway.

[Guest]

Fuck, I think my glory hunting mentality must be rubbing off!

I think English football is in a right state these days. Long gone are the days where it was a more level playing field and it was about the game.

I'm not saying United haven't played their part in turning into a Capitalist's dream, but it's now escalated out of control.

Why should the fans show any loyalty when we get nothing in return. We're getting shafted off the owners, the manager and chief exec are lying through their teeth and the players are only interested in who can add another zero to their already ridiculously over-inflated wages.

I agree in some sentiment to hat Rooney's said in his statement (although I question that's his real motive). Where is the ambition? How can there be any ambition in building a good team when both Chelsea and City (and Blackburn) are proving that if you throw enough money at it, you can win whatever you like.

I suppose this was the way it'd inevitably turn out, but I want to get off. I've had enough.

[Baz]

Fuck, I think my glory hunting mentality must be rubbing off!

I think English football is in a right state these days. Long gone are the days where it was a more level playing field and it was about the game.

I'm not saying United haven't played their part in turning into a Capitalist's dream, but it's now escalated out of control.

Why should the fans show any loyalty when we get nothing in return. We're getting shafted off the owners, the manager and chief exec are lying through their teeth and the players are only interested in who can add another zero to their already ridiculously over-inflated wages.

I agree in some sentiment to hat Rooney's said in his statement (although I question that's his real motive). Where is the ambition? How can there be any ambition in building a good team when both Chelsea and City (and Blackburn) are proving that if you throw enough money at it, you can win whatever you like.

I suppose this was the way it'd inevitably turn out, but I want to get off. I've had enough.

Lol if you're being serious Jon you're a funny fucker and I bet the few decent Man United fans in here are ashamed of you.

[exwhyzed]

So Fergie has been duplicitous when saying money is there to strengthen if he wants?

Yes.

[Guest]

Lol if you're being serious Jon you're a funny fucker and I bet the few decent Man United fans in here are ashamed of you.

I am being serious. I'm fucking tired of the shit. Why would anyone be ashamed of me anyway Baz? Aren't I entitled to my opinion?

[Baz]

Yes.

So why don't you believe Rooney when he says the club's lack of ambition is the reason he wants out? £80m for Ronaldo but not signing Tevez because at £25m he wasn't worth it and no replacements for Scholes and Giggs (or a top DM) this summer just gone.. it's all pretty clear to me.

[Baz]

I am being serious. I'm fucking tired of the shit. Why would anyone be ashamed of me anyway Baz? Aren't I entitled to my opinion?

Yes you're entitled to your opinion! Just I would be ashamed of you if I was a Man United fan, that's all. I'm not of course so loving all this.

[phresh]

All so naive. Gonna take a change of ownership for Rooney to stay in my opinion. Guess we'll find out in the next 4-10 months!

Coming off the back of his best ever season with no players leaving and his awful form for England it just doesn't add up.

I still think that if Ferguson wanted to sign a player in the £20+ million bracket then the money would be there, the Glazers might not be helping the situation but they sure as hell know that commercial viability, which is where the club is rapidly improving it's income, relies on it's success and being able to attract/keep top players. We'll find out by the end of the next two transfer windows just how much money is available.

[oli]

So why don't you believe Rooney when he says the club's lack of ambition is the reason he wants out? £80m for Ronaldo but not signing Tevez because at £25m he wasn't worth it and no replacements for Scholes and Giggs (or a top DM) this summer just gone.. it's all pretty clear to me.

Nani was signed to replace Giggs in the long term, and when Ronaldo left we signed Valencia as a replacement for him. Valencia has done brilliantly since he joined and played a huge role in Rooney's 34 goal season. For me he's been a great replacement and the best we could have hoped for, there was no one to replace Ronaldo other than Messi.

I know club doesn't have the financial clout to compete with City or Madrid but it's not totally flat broke. If money was so scarce it's unlikely that SAF would splash £7 million on an entirely unknown player?

[Guest]

Yes you're entitled to your opinion! Just I would be ashamed of you if I was a Man United fan, that's all. I'm not of course so loving all this.

Go on then, why would you be ashamed of me if you were a United supporter?

I always moan about us. I guess it some kind of personal reverse psychology that helps me get through the shit times! But I do increasingly see us becoming weaker and weaker with no sign of improvement, which is to the contrary of what's coming out of the club. It's frustrating the shit out of me.

[exwhyzed]

How many big name players have we even signed the past few years? Veron?

It's complete bollocks.

[Guest]

True. But 'football' has changed. I really think the club needs a new approach if it's going to keep up.

[Guest]

So what about this game tonight? We're winning, but only 1-0 against Bursaspor.

Is anyone watching it? Are we shit?

[Majora]

It's rubbish. I know the likes of Berbatov aren't playing but it's not a good advert for life post-Rooney, Giggs and Scholes.

[sith]

ZZZZZZZ

[phresh]

It was a typical CL group game against poor opposition. Dull as dishwater but another 3 points from the last 3 games and we've qualified.

[Mr Do 71]

Yeah it was only 1 - 0, but that was vital experience for our youngsters.

[sith]

Obertan can fuck off. Not good enough for Wolves never mind Man Utd.

[Guest]

Fergie's post match interview was pretty funny! Although he did say they were going to put the Rooney matter to be tomorrow, whatever that means.

[Liamness]

Fletch and Anderson were actually pretty great. They got the ball out from their feet quickly, and usually did something positive with it. They put in tackles, and upon winning the ball instantly looked to burst into space, or distribute the ball forwards. Carrick on the other hand was very anonymous, both in defence and attack. Park was mostly a mess but put in the dogwork, Macheda is still far from the finished article, and Nani was excellent in spells (as per usual). It's not worth commenting on the defence, as Buraspor did not threaten during the whole game.

Hernandez was his usual lively self when he came on, which seemed to help Macheda out a bit, but Obertan was quite useless. He didn't seem to want to go on a run with the ball, and try to beat players. He didn't even seem interested in holding the ball up and picking a pass. He took zero responsibility for creating chances, basically.

[Poppalarge]

Fergie's post match interview was pretty funny! Although he did say they were going to put the Rooney matter to be tomorrow, whatever that means.

He's going to announce that Rooney won't be playing for United again.