The Manchester United Thread

[Tutankhamun]

Shit game but nice to win.

Here's some Fergie articles to read:

Manchester United glory won't end when I leave - Sir Alex Ferguson

But Ferguson believes it won’t be long before United produce another a string of talent to compare with David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers.

“It was not a one-off,” he said. “It is going to happen again. You can’t think that a club like Manchester United could have just one cycle of players as good as that.

“We always keep chasing the dream that you get a bunch like that again. You have to.”

Manchester Evening News

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North Stand renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand at Old Trafford

The North Stand at Old Trafford has been renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand in honour of the manager's 25 years at Manchester United.

Chief Executive David Gill made the announcement before kick-off in the Sunderland game.

Ferguson, who has won 37 trophies in his time at United, thanked fans for their support.

As the stadium stood to applaud the 69-year-old, the covers were taken off the new sign bearing the words Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, before the United boss addressed the fans and declared his pride at working for "the best club in the world".

Manchester Evening News

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson laying foundations for the next 25 years of success

What should worry his rivals is that Ferguson sounds far from finished. He is working hard on the next generation, on the next 25 years.

The Telegraph

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United to swoop for PSV starlet
Belgian youth international set for Old Trafford

Skysports.com understands that Manchester United are set to seal a deal for PSV Eindhoven starlet Andreas Pereira.

The 15-year-old is regarded as one of the finest players for his age in Europe, and it is understood almost every major club has been tracking him.

The Brazilian-born youngster moved to Belgium as a child, and was snapped up by PSV from local side K.V.S.K. United.

Now he has progressed through the youth ranks, and is a Belgian youth international.

His progress has not gone unnoticed and now United look like winning the race for his signature.

As well as fending off all their major rivals in England - United have beaten Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich to his signature as they were all reportedly keen on signing Pereira.

Pereira himself lists United as his favourite club and that his career highlight so far was playing in Manchester United's own youth tournament the Premier Cup.

Sky Sports

[santinomarella]

Coleen Rooney's bonfire for tonight.

[LC77]

Another poor performance but it's the 3 points which matter most to you lot now!

But going back to the performance, United look a bit lethargic, making hard work of it all. I don't think they've mentally recovered from the mauling yet.

Results prior to the City game were hiding poor performances, so you can put yer todger away City have not broken United.

[R3D D3V!L]

Coleen Rooney's bonfire for tonight.

Haha, nie.

[Tutankhamun]

ManUtd.com has video up from the SAF celebrations: http://t.co/Nb94e0Qt

Epic.

[dc89]

Results prior to the City game were hiding poor performances, so you can put yer huge todger away City have not broken United.

:O

[Sub-stance1]

A great win for City and N-Castle today. United better watch out for them too.

[Tutankhamun]

Sir Alex Ferguson 'emotional' after Old Trafford honour

It is the first time in the stadium's 101-year history a stand has been named after an individual, while a statue of Ferguson will also be erected outside, hopefully in time for the start of next season.

He said of the moment when the sign was unveiled: "I was really emotional. I couldn't believe it. I didn't expect that. I have to thank the club, it's fantastic of them to do that.

"I'm really proud of this moment. Mike Phelan knew about it but never told me, so he's sacked! I had absolutely no idea."

Manchester Evening News

Such an amazing, and fitting, tribute.

[manutdfan]

Great to see the stand named after the great man.

[dc89]

I think I'm gonna get the most dislikes on the entire forum.

[Tutankhamun]

Sir Bobby Charlton on the moment he saw the genius in Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

And he remembers the Cup Winners Cup Final in 1983, when the mighty Real Madrid were conquered by an Aberdeen side managed by Alex Ferguson.
“You couldn’t take your eyes off him,” he says. “He lives every player, whatever they’re doing, and he still does. That’s when I realised that he was unique. He was a great manager.

"But it wasn’t until a little while later that we were actually able to get him to come from Aberdeen to manage us.” It was as a player, as a striker for Dunfermline, Rangers and Falkirk, that Ferguson first came to Charlton’s attention.

“That’s when he found out he was a good coach,” Charlton says. “I saw him at that time, and he’d forgive me for saying he wasn’t the greatest centre-forward in the whole world. But he had the work ethic. That work ethic from when he was in the Govan shipyards in Glasgow.”

The Telegraph

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Henry Winter: the challenging task of selecting Sir Alex Ferguson's All-Star Manchester United XI

Distilling all this talent into the definitive Sir Alex All-Stars is certainly a complicated task.

The Telegraph

I concur with his selections.

[LC77]

The Telegraph

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The Telegraph

I concur with his selections.

Mine would be,

Schmeichel
G Neville Vidic Bruce Irwin
Ronaldo Keane Scholes Giggs
Solskjaer Nistelrooy

Never thought I'd say this, but you have to give credit to the Glazers for naming the stand after Fergie. A little bit of good PR, well overdue.

[manutdfan]

The Telegraph

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The Telegraph

I concur with his selections.

That's the exact team I posted before..

[Metal Warrior]

Another poor performance but it's the 3 points which matter most to you lot now!

But going back to the performance, United look a bit lethargic, making hard work of it all. I don't think they've mentally recovered from the mauling yet.

Don't flatter yourself, United looked exactly the same before the City game. It's a bad patch complemented by a good deal of injuries. The fact we're defensively much better since that game seems to indicate exactly the opposite: we're recovering by playing efficiently.

[Tutankhamun]

Here's the video of famous football personas given their tributes to Sir Alex. http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Fe...ce=twitterfeed

[yourmumsface17]

Performances come later, for now we will just take the results.

[three3-times]

4 clean sheets, no coincidence that now vida is back we look MUCH better in the back.

Rooney playing CM = fergie finally realising how SHIT our CM is and regretting not getting a good CM. Hazard or Gotze please

My bro told me what happened.

He was on the subs bench and was told to warm up. He was then told that he wasn't going on the pitch, the planned substitution was Pogba off, Ravel on, but the coach changed their mind or something.

When told he wasn't going on he stomped off down the tunnel mid game. That's why he tweeted "Piss take. Can't wait till the end of the season" and Rooney went back at him.

People may liken his behavioural issues to Balotelli, but the difference is Balotelli is just innocently crazy, he doesn't run with gun gangs and he doesn't have criminal convictions which stop him going on tour with the club.

He is United's bad egg. I already know it, seriously, get rid.

Fergie already dealt with him and there is a reason why he is still with us, he is honestly THAT good, trust me, no one has seen a English youngster with the ablity he has.

He is just a prick who is a bit black and he hasnt gotten in trouble lately.

[yourmumsface17]

He's a kid and wants to play football; he then got frustrated, it's a non story.

[Tutankhamun]

PSV starlet confirms United deal
Andreas Pereira heading for Old Trafford

PSV Eindhoven starlet Andreas Pereira has confirmed that he is joining Manchester United, as revealed exclusively by skysports.com.

We broke the news on Saturday that United were set to clinch a deal for the 15-year-old - rated as one of the best players for his age in Europe.

The Brazilian-born Belgian youth international has accepted an offer from United, and will leave the Philips Stadion for Old Trafford in the New Year.

"I knew that PSV had given me my chance, but Manchester United is obviously a great club," he told VoetbalPrimeur.

"Other British clubs were interested. I thought about it, but Manchester United is a dream club for me.

"I have been a few times to Manchester United to have a look.

"I got a tour and spoke with Sir Alex Ferguson. Being a 15-year-old and being able to talk with him is great!"

Sky Sports

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David Gill reveals lengths Manchester United went to keep Sir Alex Ferguson in dark over stand tribute
Manchester United chief executive David Gill insisted on a top secret mission to rename Old Trafford’s North Stand in Sir Alex Ferguson’s honour in order to prevent the 69-year-old from learning of the tribute before its announcement on Saturday.

Secret: Manchester United went to great lengths to prevent Sir Alex Ferguson from learning about his tribute

The 25,500-capacity stand will now be known as the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand following Gill’s decision to mark the Scot’s 25th anniversary as Manchester United manager.

A statue of Ferguson by renowned sculptor Phillip Jackson has also been commissioned by the club.

But in an effort to prevent news of the tribute leaking out, the re-lettering of the stand took place under cover of darkness on Thursday night, finishing at 2am on Friday morning, before being covered by a 20-metre banner which read ‘Old Trafford, Manchester.’

Six abseilers took part in the re-lettering on the roof of the stand and everyone involved was ordered to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Only eight people within Old Trafford knew of the plans, which Gill had only revealed to the small group on Wednesday evening.

A further meeting, on Friday evening, resulted in Gill telling the group of the plans for a statue, which were also subject to strict confidentiality.

The press release announcing the renaming of the stand and plans for a statue wasn’t printed until the day of the game and no other staff, including club photographers, were informed until 2.45pm – five minutes before Gill made the announcement alongside Ferguson in the Old Trafford centre circle.

The Telegraph

Can't be easy keeping anything from Sir Alex.

[yourmumsface17]

I never get tired of looking at the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand gives me goosebumps I tell ya!

[three3-times]

just get us a decent AMC ffs

[dc89]

Fergie already dealt with him and there is a reason why he is still with us, he is honestly THAT good, trust me, no one has seen a English youngster with the ablity he has.

He is just a prick who is a bit black and he hasnt gotten in trouble lately.

I've said before in this thread but I'll say it again because you've missed it.

I used to work with the wife of Kenny Swain, he is the coach for England U16's and is assistant to U17's.

http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Tea...ff/kenny-swain

I spoke to him a few times about football and stuff. This guy brought through the likes of Wilshire & Rooney at international level. He has SAF on speed-dial and all sorts. In his playing career he won the European cup with Villa and was a key to their success in his era, he was a good defender.

I asked him about Ravel and he said "In all honesty... the best English player I have EVER seen." I was like... you gotta be kidding.

"no. He is incredibly good. He's just been brought up wrong. He's fell in with the wrong crowd because he never had a proper upbringing. But on the football pitch, he is remarkable. He will either end up in prison, or he will be the best English player of his generation if he meets his potential".

[T0PGUN]

Id put my house on prison

[three3-times]

I think it's clear that Ferguson's plan for the midfield this season was to see if Anderson could finally come good, and give Cleverley a chance to establish himself. Cleverley has done well and justified that faith. Anderson started well, but has since regressed, and doesn't actually seem that bothered. The guy who runs the Republik of Mancunia blog tweeted today that with Nani you always got the sense that he wanted to improve, and would try new things even when he wasn't in his best form. You don't get that same sense from Anderson, and unless he consistently returns to his early season form, I think his days are numbered.

So we didn't buy a new midfielder, Cleverley got injured and Anderson disappointed - that's why we now need Rooney to play in midfield. I actually think as part of an attacking midfield he could do a good job, but the fact he's playing so far deep just speaks to the need for improvements in that part of the squad. If you're having to put your best player in a problem area just because there's nobody else who could do the job better, it's time to invest.

[Tutankhamun]

I'm inclined to agree, don't think Rooney should be playing in the middle in an ideal situation. We'll see if something happens in January otherwise I can see Cleverly and Fletcher playing the a lot for the rest of the season.