Messages

Uladh - I have had many disagreements with you in the past and no doubt in the future but I agree with everthing you put in that last post (bar possibly the word "cerebral" as I find it hard to associate that with Queiroz, "pseudo cerebral" I'd say but I think the thrust is the same).

A result on Sunday is possible as you would expect the players to react with a bit of passion after a humiliation like that.

Neville did speak to Saha I think. I noticed it at the time and thought it odd. Was convinced Saha was going to miss it myself and to be truthful if that was a penalty then the rules of soccer are a pile of horse manure.

This failure, like so many before and especially in Europe, is the result of Ferguson listening to that idiot Queiroz. The stat produced by Barney below tells it all - p14 w 3 d 3 l 8 f 7 a 15 - that is close to unbelievable. In the premiership United know they have to try and win every game which suits the team. In Europe they try to draw games away from home and you see the result. When Ferguson had the choice last year he picked the wrong guy. Quieroz has never done anything in the game and is ruining another European campaign. Liverpool have won the thing and Arsenal have got to the final with inferior players whose attitude and tactics were correct. Sadly, after all his great achievements, Ferguson is now the bitch of a fool who thinks soccer is played on a subbuteo table. Get rid of Queiroz and be that thick fcuker from Glasgow or leave now.

On another note - I agree with a lot of what Dunphy says normally but I think he is way ott about Cristiano Ronaldo. The lad is a good player, improving all the time. Certainly not the best player in the world nor ever likely to be THAT good but it was only Queiroz who ever said that. Dunphy is letting his justifiable dislike of Queiroz colour his judgement of Ronaldo who is seen as Queiroz pet. Not the players fault I would suggest.

The Benfica game scares the shit out of me now. Even with it at home I have no doubt but that Queiroz will come up with a tactical masterplan to get a draw.

Ignoring the stupidity of limiting this thread to Ulster I would have to go for Maurice Fitz. Every day you see him he astounds you. I still cannot get over some of the thnigs I saw him do the last time I saw him 12 months ago. No-one I've seen comes close to him in terms of natural talent.

Resdubwhite - the money is not and was not there. I stated this in August and was told I was talking rubbish - of course I was right. If one of the gimp family did state that then its just another lie to add to the many told to date. I wouldn't believe anything they'd say. Also, don't forget, when calculating your figures that Evra and Vidic were bought in January and also in January, the final installment on Rooney (10 million) was due. So to balance the books RVN had to go along with a good slashing of the wage bill with all the lads out on loan. The Obi-Mikel money allowed Carrick to be bought.

The Glazers owe over £600 million and the interest on that is tasty. Re-paying the loans are the priority. Have you ever seen a time where United made a surplus on summer transfer deals? Have you seen a United squad so threadbare in the last 15 years? These are not coincidences yet most supporters ignore the facts and go along with the tabloid driven soap opera.

Knowing Ferguson's ways from previous years I would expect he would rest a few players for tomorrow but I've a sneaking suspicion he may play a strong outfit. I cannot see Rooney, Ronaldo or Giggs being left out. Scholes could be left out for O'Shea or Fletcher and there is a possibility of Heinze playing for Evra but that would prob be it. United do not want to lose this game.

Agree that winning at the weekend would shift the balance of power in the title race. Despite being the guts of 4 points ahead I would still have Chelsea favourites, as have the bookies.

I see the speculation is in full swing about the legion of players United are about to buy in January. If qualification for the CL knockout stages in clinched, I'd expect abut 10 million to be available so possibly Hargreaves with Smith going the other way.

The fact that Harrington had to come from behind with pressure off to an extent probably helped him overcome his butter balls.

When I heard that result a broad smile broke out across my face. That wondrous thing about team sport - how the sum of the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. Guts, heart, determination and the bond between lads who grea up playing together can overcome a league of nations outfit. Sport is still alive.

I see your tinkers started fighting again yesterday when they were losing.

Why have the Dulbin clubs not stopped this. Around now is the time for submission of motions for county conventions. Stop this madness now - its a total joke.

And with all games played for the year now is the time to investigate it.

I hope if they find somethnig radically wrong they don't have to close the ground for 6 months to fix it.

O'Neill - you really don't like United!

"That English media hype bullshit annoys me, he has potential to be a great player, nothing more nothing less, he has won nothing in his profession. As Roy Keane would say you judge a player at the end of his career and assess what he has won and contributed to the game."

Yes Dinny, point taken. I believe Rooney will fulfil that potential.

Should it not be called the Underbitches?

Two fantastic players and the game will miss them. Donnellan was often the difference for Galway on their big days. His display in the '98 final was huge. I hadn't seen a lad from Connacht do this before. Galway were supposed to be the sacrificial lamb on the altar of Micko's greatness but this young upstart ran the crap out of them. Straight down the barrel of the gun to rob a phrase from Martin McHugh/Seán O'Neill. When he was motoring he was some sight.

Joyce is one of my all time favs and will remain so (despite his dive in '99 in Markievicz!). He was one of if not the most celebrated forwards in the game and even with the demands of intercounty football he never forgot about his club and that to me is what a true GAA star should be like. Immensely talented and not lacking in bottle even if things were going a bit wrong. Evidence of this is the AI final in 2001 when in the first half he looked like he'd kicked the game away only to produce magical stuff in the second. Another enduring image for me is also against Kildare (sorry Dinny) on the shocking wet day. It was scrappy, Galway or their opponents not playing great but he was roasting his man and demanding the ball at every turn from his teammates. Real leadership. And like all the best players, a citeog.

Donagh - I agree entirely. it was a big mistake by Marsden to get himself sent off.

As for Sligo - this year O'Hara being sent off v. Westmeath + giving Westmeath a point for a ball 5 foot wide cost us the game.

The referee's timekeeping in the '97 Connacht Final cost us at least a replay in my view.