Man Utd Thread:

[EC Unique]

If he does not start on Wednesday night he is out the door at Christmas I think.

[snoopdog]

What is the big attraction to supporting an English team? i never quite understood it. Back home in the local the barstool republicans would be chanting up the RA and booing the English international team yet are 100% devoted to Man U and Liverpool. Even worse is that the day tripper Irish fans are despised at Old Trafford and Anfield.

If you don't understand it don't let it bother you.

Why do you lot even live in Ireland if your that into English culture why dont you just move over there? Nothing worse then west Brits pretending to be other wise.

Great Article here about the barstoolers

http://www.football-corner.org/2010/04/18/irish-people-supporting-english-teams/


Ask 100 Irish people what football team they support and chances are, 99 of them will say they support an English team. Ask those 99 people who they want to win the World Cup this summer and chances are, 98 of them will say something along the lines of : "I just hope England don't fuckin' win it."
It is one thing I have never understood as someone who goes to watch his favourite team, Bohs, play every Friday night. Why barstoolers, as they are more commonly known, "support" an English team week in week out, yet when it comes to the English national team, all they want to do is see them fail.
An Irish Manchester United "fan" would simply adore a player like Wayne Rooney every weekend by wearing their replica jerseys with "Rooney 10″ on the back, however when it comes to Rooney lining up in the white of England, they want to see him lose.
It is a sad fact of life that as thousands upon thousands of "football fans" in Ireland sit in the pub every Saturday afternoon to "support" their favourite team from behind a TV screen, the majority of League of Ireland clubs continue to struggle to attract more than 3,000 people to a game every Friday night.
The majority of barstoolers will blame the quality of the league as the reason why they don't bother spending €15 to go and actually watch a game of football. "Ah, I watched a game on the telly last week and it was shite" is something I hear quite a lot. These people think they know everything about the club they "support" from behind a TV screen. They refer to the likes of Liverpool as "we" and they go on talking about why Rafa has to be sacked for weeks on end.
The large majority of Irish people have absolutely no connection with the English club they "support" and yet they still refer to the English club as "we". It really does sicken me when I scroll down through FaceBook on a Saturday evening looking at my friends status updates and I'll I can see is : "Rooney, you absolute legend" or "Come on Liverpool, we have these pricks."
I have no problem with an Irish person having a favourite English team but the thing that really gets to me is the fact they simply can't be bothered getting of their arse on a Friday night to go and support our domestic league. I don't understand how they call themselves football fans when the only time they ever actually watch a game of football is on the telly.
Barstoolers will never feel what a proper football fan feels. They will go over to Old Trafford or Anfield once a season and think they are great because they travelled so far to support their club but in actual fact they are just customers.
They will never feel the heartache of a real fan when his side concede in the last minute to be knocked out of the cup. They will never feel the jubilation of a real fan as he runs onto the pitch to celebrate with his heroes after his side have just won the league.
Even as a Bohs fan, I have far more respect for a Shamrock Rovers fan than I do for a barstooler.
The League of Ireland will survive for the simple reason that some people in this country actually enjoy going to watch live football and not just sit in a bar or sit at home, pretending to be a real fan.

What an absolute crock of shite that article is

what a load of rubbish. i follow united but couldnt care less what ireland or england do at international level.
International football is a load of tripe.So is irish league and league of ireland

snoopdog, you couldnt have proven yer man's point anymore if tried. Success is all you're interested in. You are the ultimate barstooler

Yeah cause seasom ticket holders sit on the barstool watching games. you t.wat

[J OGorman]

What is the big attraction to supporting an English team? i never quite understood it. Back home in the local the barstool republicans would be chanting up the RA and booing the English international team yet are 100% devoted to Man U and Liverpool. Even worse is that the day tripper Irish fans are despised at Old Trafford and Anfield.

If you don't understand it don't let it bother you.

Why do you lot even live in Ireland if your that into English culture why dont you just move over there? Nothing worse then west Brits pretending to be other wise.

Great Article here about the barstoolers

http://www.football-corner.org/2010/04/18/irish-people-supporting-english-teams/


Ask 100 Irish people what football team they support and chances are, 99 of them will say they support an English team. Ask those 99 people who they want to win the World Cup this summer and chances are, 98 of them will say something along the lines of : "I just hope England don't fuckin' win it."
It is one thing I have never understood as someone who goes to watch his favourite team, Bohs, play every Friday night. Why barstoolers, as they are more commonly known, "support" an English team week in week out, yet when it comes to the English national team, all they want to do is see them fail.
An Irish Manchester United "fan" would simply adore a player like Wayne Rooney every weekend by wearing their replica jerseys with "Rooney 10″ on the back, however when it comes to Rooney lining up in the white of England, they want to see him lose.
It is a sad fact of life that as thousands upon thousands of "football fans" in Ireland sit in the pub every Saturday afternoon to "support" their favourite team from behind a TV screen, the majority of League of Ireland clubs continue to struggle to attract more than 3,000 people to a game every Friday night.
The majority of barstoolers will blame the quality of the league as the reason why they don't bother spending €15 to go and actually watch a game of football. "Ah, I watched a game on the telly last week and it was shite" is something I hear quite a lot. These people think they know everything about the club they "support" from behind a TV screen. They refer to the likes of Liverpool as "we" and they go on talking about why Rafa has to be sacked for weeks on end.
The large majority of Irish people have absolutely no connection with the English club they "support" and yet they still refer to the English club as "we". It really does sicken me when I scroll down through FaceBook on a Saturday evening looking at my friends status updates and I'll I can see is : "Rooney, you absolute legend" or "Come on Liverpool, we have these pricks."
I have no problem with an Irish person having a favourite English team but the thing that really gets to me is the fact they simply can't be bothered getting of their arse on a Friday night to go and support our domestic league. I don't understand how they call themselves football fans when the only time they ever actually watch a game of football is on the telly.
Barstoolers will never feel what a proper football fan feels. They will go over to Old Trafford or Anfield once a season and think they are great because they travelled so far to support their club but in actual fact they are just customers.
They will never feel the heartache of a real fan when his side concede in the last minute to be knocked out of the cup. They will never feel the jubilation of a real fan as he runs onto the pitch to celebrate with his heroes after his side have just won the league.
Even as a Bohs fan, I have far more respect for a Shamrock Rovers fan than I do for a barstooler.
The League of Ireland will survive for the simple reason that some people in this country actually enjoy going to watch live football and not just sit in a bar or sit at home, pretending to be a real fan.

What an absolute crock of shite that article is

what a load of rubbish. i follow united but couldnt care less what ireland or england do at international level.
International football is a load of tripe.So is irish league and league of ireland

snoopdog, you couldnt have proven yer man's point anymore if tried. Success is all you're interested in. You are the ultimate barstooler

Yeah cause seasom ticket holders sit on the barstool watching games. you t.wat

nice one

you follow soccer and dont support your country....?

[Rocky Mc Guigan]

It it's a choice between keeping the manager or Rooney I reckon the club should bite the bullet and show the dinosaur that is Ferguson out the door. He is past his sell by date-doing a great impersonation of the late Brian Clough in his latter days as manager. Some baffling decisions. Rooney will be a top player long after Fergie has left the scene

[cookstownblue]

It it's a choice between keeping the manager or Rooney I reckon the club should bite the bullet and show the dinosaur that is Ferguson out the door. He is past his sell by date-doing a great impersonation of the late Brian Clough in his latter days as manager. Some baffling decisions. Rooney will be a top player long after Fergie has left the scene

As I learnt one faithful day in July 2009, you don't cross the boss.

Think the English media have just jumped on the bandwagon. Cant see Wayne Rooney leaving Manchester United anytime soon. Has there been a statement from the club or player? If not is all just media speculation to sell newspapers.

[EC Unique]

It it's a choice between keeping the manager or Rooney I reckon the club should bite the bullet and show the dinosaur that is Ferguson out the door. He is past his sell by date-doing a great impersonation of the late Brian Clough in his latter days as manager. Some baffling decisions. Rooney will be a top player long after Fergie has left the scene

Na, would not agree. If Rooney really wants to go then let him go. Big name players come and go but are never bigger that Manchester United. Seen it down through the years too often. My only fear is that the money would not be reinvested in players ala Ronaldo £80m.

I still hope it is sorted out and he signs a contract as he will find form again and is a class act.

Fergie still has it as a great manager. He has Utd in the top 4 when IMO they are not near as good a squad as a few years ago. Lack of investment funds are the problem.

[mountainboii]

The mind boggles at how any United fan could advocate getting rid of Ferguson.

[cookstownblue]

The mind boggles at how any United fan could advocate getting rid of Ferguson.

AFS sometimes you just have to nod polity while thinking 'this boy hasn't a clue'.

[From the Bunker]

It it's a choice between keeping the manager or Rooney I reckon the club should bite the bullet and show the dinosaur that is Ferguson out the door. He is past his sell by date-doing a great impersonation of the late Brian Clough in his latter days as manager. Some baffling decisions. Rooney will be a top player long after Fergie has left the scene

Any United Supporter who thinks the above is seriously a sorry individual. Fergie has had one way traffic with funds(leaving the club), over the last couple of years. He is dealing with a slave club to the Glaziers. How he is keeping the Club at the top is a minor miracle. There's little or no one who could do much better at the moment. Clearly you were not around in the mid 80's when Utd were a joke.

* on a footnote, this could be his season to leave as the club is Fecked!

[magpie seanie]

I have my issues with Ferguson at times but clearly he is a genius on a manager. His genius has been no more evident than in the last 2 or 3 years when he has kept United winning or near to winning with an increasingly poor squad. The man is simply sensational and when he leaves United are completely screwed.

The same is not true of Rooney. Players come and go even one as excellent (when at the top of his game) as Rooney. My belief is that he will be gone by the end of January, possibly to city. United will want to sell him to Madrid or Barca but I don't see that happening for a few reasons. His replacement (Hernandez) has been bought already so none of the money United receive for him will be reinvested.

United fans have to accept that things have to get a lot worse before they get better. You always hope it will be a season or two down the line but the impending departures of Rooney and Ferguson (I think this may hasten his exit, how much longer can he be bothered?) mean United will not be a top 4 side shortly. Cue carnage.

[Clown]

Alan Hansen said throughout last season that the very fact United were still in the title race was a miracle and down to the brilliance of Ferguson

I think there's some truth in the Rooney rumours to be honest. Was very surprised that he was dropped for Saturday's game and there obviously has been a row with Fergie

on the pitch I think the club are in a bit of trouble. Scholes and Giggs are nearly done, VDS isn't far behind them, Rio is good when fit but that seems to be less and less these days, then they have a number of players who are pretty mediocre for a club competing at the top level of european football - Carrick, Park, Anderson, Gibson, O'Shea, Fletcher (good hardworking player and impressive last season but his form has dipped), the da Silvas, Evans
Their main stars this season have been Berb and Nani but both are very temperamental and frustrating a lot of the time. Evra has looked a shadow of his former self since the world cup also

[ross4life]

Fergie has been the same stubborn son of a bitch from the first day he walked in the door & i could list a number baffling decisions he has made through out his career but he has been right 90% of the time & is one of kind that will never be replaced

Rooney has about 20 months left on his contract so he won't be going anytime soon(remember fergie kept Ronaldo for 12 extra month's against his wishes)

So if this story is true? i expect fergie to find a suitable replacement & in the meantime Rooney will start on Wednesday score & kiss the badge on his chest...

My belief is that he will be gone by the end of January, possibly to city.

No chance, Heinze was desperate to play at Liverpool, Fergie refused to sell him to them & the same with Rooney if he wanted to play get more money at city

For example Tevez was a free agent after his two year's on loan at united so he go wherever he liked

[J OGorman]

If City offer enough transfer and salary wise, he'd go in a heartbeat...loyalty means nought

[The Worker]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Manchester-City-youngsters-Joe-Hart-and-Adam-Johnson-have-been-told-to-curb-their-drinking-and-start-concentrating-on-women-like-their-manager-Roberto-Mancini-used-to-do-article602095.html


Is this an attempt by Mancini to snare Rooney?

[mc_grens]

Fergie has been the same stubborn son of a bitch from the first day he walked in the door & i could list a number baffling decisions he has made through out his career but he has been right 90% of the time & is one of kind that will never be replaced

Rooney has about 20 months left on his contract so he won't be going anytime soon(remember fergie kept Ronaldo for 12 extra month's against his wishes)

So if this story is true? i expect fergie to find a suitable replacement & in the meantime Rooney will start on Wednesday score & kiss the badge on his chest...

My belief is that he will be gone by the end of January, possibly to city.

No chance, Heinze was desperate to play at Liverpool, Fergie refused to sell him to them & the same with Rooney if he wanted to play get more money at city

For example Tevez was a free agent after his two year's on loan at united so he go wherever he liked

The difference with Heinze and Ronaldo is that they were in the early days/ middle of long term contracts. Also Man Utd were not in the financial situation they now find themselves. They may find that the choice is sell Rooney now and get something for him, or let him walk for nothing at the end of his deal.

The worse part of this is that you can see the money going straight to service the debt. The Glaziers are in financial trouble, you only have to look at the way they've been stripping the Buccs of big contracts over the last number of years in order to get the wage bill down to see that. Tampa is one of only two NFL teams who are underneath the level where the minimum salary cap would be this year if it wasnt an uncapped year in the NFL.

In the recent past they've had 4 of their shopping centres go bust, and theyve defaulted on one further mortgage. Nine of the Glazers' malls are now "delinquent" or insolvent, and a further 29 centres have so many units empty the rental income does not cover the mortgage payments. First Allied is the only significant business they own besides Man United and the Buccaneers, and the bank figures show it making income above the centres' running costs of only $9m a year. Also they have something like 9 Shopping centres due to come of interest only loans and back on to fixed/ variable rates in the next 9 months, which will be a further huge draw on their finances. Its sad to say it, even though I'm not a Man U fan, but youse could be at the start of a long, slow decline. Hopefully something will be worked out, but at the moment it's hard to see it. Man U's interest rate on the debts accrued by the Glazers when they took over the club has gone from 14 odd percent up to 16 as a penalty clause because the club's debts have risen to over 5 times the operating profits. The debt has risen by 34 million in the last year, and will increase by a further 37 million by this time next year!!!

Not good.

If you're not already you should keep an eye on www.andersred.blogspot.com. He's really good at getting to the bottom of the Man U finances. I just have a passing interest in sports business.