---------------------------------
[22] One of our targets?
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
Thanks again to Marc
According to Il Gazzetino, a newspaper based in Turin, we have made an offer to
Juventus for Davids, no figure mentionned though. But Davids would apparently be
offered £ 50 000 a week.
Juventus chairman recently said he thought Davids would still be at Turin next season.
---------------------------------
[21] More Fergie in L'Equipe
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
The philosophy according to Alex:
"Our players have grown up together. They have built together a common history. We
have become friends. Here it's like a family. If someone kicks your brother at school,
you will defend him. It's the same at Manchester."
"I dont agree when people say I am too hard. I can be hard when it's needed but this
is a myth to explain the superiority of Manchester United. In fact, what leads me is
that I hate defeat. This is why I am over-reactive before adversity. My temperament
can make me explode but it never goes on after the ten minutes following each half. My
only target is to make sure the players have only one thing in head on the pitch : to
triumph."
Works quite well, doesn't it?
---------------------------------
[20] Fergie likes the Wenger challenge
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
Thanks to Marc for this translation from an interview in L'Equipe:
Fergie says:
"It's good for english football to have some foreign managers coming in to challenge
us. We learn things from them and they learn things from us. Two years after his
arrival, Wenger won the double. It became a challenge for me and for the other
managers. I like this kind of battle. Managers like to face difficulty. It makes
victories more beautiful."
You can say that again!
---------------------------------
[19] Mickey - we need new faces
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"We do need some fresh competition for places. Players who have been here for five or
six years can feel too settled in the team.
"They don't behave like they don't need to work harder, but it's possible that
subconciously you get to feel it. With competition, you don't."
---------------------------------
[18] Mickey gives Steve the thumbs up
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"At the moment Steve would be the best choice,". "He knows everything about the place.
He knows the players. But we are not the ones who decide, and I'm not even sure the
players would all say that, simply because maybe the rapport he has with us might not
be the same if he were in charge.
"Anyway, Steve may not want to do that, he may prefer to keep things as they are. The
thing about Steve is he's in a good mood every day, and that helps when players come
in to training bringing problems from home or whatever. The manager is very close to
the players, but in a different way. He's the boss."
---------------------------------
[17] Mickey on criticism
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"I was aware of the criticism. You can't ignore it. But you do get used to it. At
Inter, I had my car vandalised by fans."
And on being rested by Fergie isn't a barrel of laughs:
"Especially when it's winter", "and you're sitting there with nothing to do"
---------------------------------
[16] Mickey on Premiership v Serie A
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"In Italy, "it's really different. You could spend an entire training session, with
the whole team on the pitch, just practising where you move on the pitch depending
where the ball is, and do that for a whole hour. It is all very tactical, and you can
see that in the games; people don't have a lot of space. It's a strong league, but for
the fans it is not neccessarily the best league to watch."
And on Old Trafford:
"The crowd enjoy it when you're tackling, they cheer you when you do a good block. To
get that sort of applause as a defender in Italy, you'd have to run past five
different people and finish up scoring a goal. Here, they appreciate you for fighting
for every challenge," he said.
---------------------------------
[15] Former coach on Mickey
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
Former youth team caoch at Rennes Patrick Rampillon:
I sense a great confidence about his football,".
"He always was a good learner, a great athlete and very determined."
---------------------------------
[14] 'So fine' on Bayern
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"It won't be easy for Bayern," he says. "They aren't playing very well at home this
season. If we start quickly, we can make them doubt themselves. In the Old Trafford
match, we started quickly, but we lost our tempo. We need to create more chances.
Their goalkeeper had not many saves to make."
---------------------------------
[13] Bayern lose
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
3-1 to Schalke despite taking the lead.
---------------------------------
[12] Fergie - I don't count the trophies
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"I am very pleased. It is always great to win the hardest league in the world."
But Ferguson expects a harder battle next season with Liverpool and Leeds United
emerging as genuine title contenders.
He added: "It will be fantastic next season. Liverpool and Leeds and Arsenal will be a
major threat - it will be fantastic."
The United boss admitted he had not expected Arsenal to collapse against Boro.
"I did not think Arsenal would lose at home. It was a surprise when we heard the
half-time score at Highbury was 2-0 to Boro.
"I am just celebrating now."
Asked if he counts the trophies:
"No, but I have sons who tell me.
"This has been a fantastic achievement and I am proud of my players. I hope we take
this into Europe next week."
---------------------------------
[11] Patent row over 'King Cole'
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
>From the Indy
By James Morrison
15 April 2001
In a sign of the ever-increasing commercialisation of football, two England stars are
enmeshed in a battle over the same trademark.
One is Manchester United's Andy Cole, whose fortunes, until recently, appeared to be
fading. The other is West Ham's Joe Cole, a young talent tipped as the country's
brightest hope. At stake is which of them has full title, rights and benefit of being
known, officially, legally and commercially, as "King Cole".
The businessmen behind the players believe that the name, converted into merchandising
contracts, could be worth millions. But while Joe's bid centres on such conventional
merchandise as calendars, clothing and sports equipment, Andy's lists a bewildering
catalogue of possible spin-offs. Among the more bizarre items mentioned are garbage
bags, confetti, embroidery designs, baby's nappies and synthetic Christmas trees.
The dispute has dragged on for more than two years, prompting one Patent Office
official to say: "Until recently it looked as if this case wouldn't be resolved until
both players had become Old King Cole."
On the defensive is 19-year-old Joe. On the attack is 29-year-old Andy, who argues
that the nickname is his by rights as it has been used to describe him throughout his
10-year career.
The case dates from September 1998, when Joe, then in West Ham's third team, applied
for the "King Cole" trademark. After this was provisionally approved, details of the
application were published in Trademarks Journal. Other parties had three months to
object.
At first, not a murmur was heard from other namesakes another is young Arsenal and
England defender Ashley Cole. Then, on the last possible date, lawyers acting for Andy
challenged the ruling. To complicate matters, it emerged that, two months before
filing his objection, he had applied to register his own variant on the brand name:
"Net King Cole".
Given the similarity of the competing labels, both have been stuck in trademark limbo
ever since. John Hewison, managing partner with Manchester-based legal firm George
Davies, representing Joe, said: "Joe has been known to his fans as King Cole for a
long time and we got our application in first. If it had been that important to Andy,
why didn't he try to register it himself?
"We've suggested to Andy's advisers that it would be sensible to try to reach a
compromise, but as yet we've had no useful feedback from them."
He added: "At the end of the day, the two players have talked and laughed about this,
as they obviously meet on the training ground, and it's not as if either of them yet
has a range of merchandise with 'King Cole' written all over it."
However, Andy's agent, Paul Stretford, said: "Andy has used this nickname for many
years and he has often been referred to as 'King Cole' in the media."
Now the full force of Britain's complex trademark laws is being used for a decider.
Geoff Sargant, assistant director of the Patent Office, which will referee
proceedings, explained: "The merchandising potential for sports people and pop stars
these days is so great that it's best to register your trademark before you become
famous. In this case, Joe Cole's lawyers were particularly switched-on, because they
recognised the need to trademark his name at an early stage. Unfortunately for them,
Andy Cole's people noticed at the last minute. But we have reached the stage where,
later this year, there will be a final hearing to decide who is the winner. Within a
few months, one of them will definitely hold the trademark 'King Cole'."
---------------------------------
[10] Jaap: We want to be the best Utd team ever
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
People try to compare this side with the Liverpool team of the 1980s or the Busby
Babes at Manchester United.
"But we never talk about statistics or what happened in the past with other teams. We
just look at ourselves and try to improve in every game and win everything there is.
"We start the season off going for the Premiership, the FA Cup and the Champions
League and as the season progresses we look at it from game to game and see how it
goes.
"We want to be the best Manchester United team ever. Of course we'll have to work very
hard to get there but that is our ultimate aim."
---------------------------------
[9] Fergie tells them to stop complaining
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"Liverpool have been complaining about the amount of games that they have to play, but
we've had to put up with that for six years.
"Arsenal are the same. I remember David Dein remarking once that fixture congestion
was a price you have to pay for success."
---------------------------------
[8] Wenger can't even be a bit gracious
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
On the title:
''That doesn't hurt me so much now because we had already accepted that the title race
was over. It was gone even before we lost 6-1 at United two months ago.''
''What hurt me most was in November when we were nearly on level points with United
but slipped up to some bad defeats in that month. I've not been worried about the
championship for some time. My worry is finishing second in the table and now that
looks much more difficult. We could have gone seven points clear of third place today
but now the gap is only four and Leeds, Liverpool and Ipswich can all still catch
us.''
---------------------------------
[7] And Becks confesses
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"I'm just as proud of this as the previous medals I've won.
"The feeling of excitement is just as great as when I won my first.
"I don't want to sound greedy but I'm not satisfied with my collection yet, I want
even more.
"That's what drives United forward. We enjoy our successes but will never take our
achievements for granted.
"So while we'll celebrate this latest triumph, it will soon be time to move on and try
to win some more silverware.
"Our manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has already said he wants to bring in new players to
make us an even more powerful force.
"That's what makes United tick. We are never content.
"We want to keep winning and improving until we are regarded as one of the greatest
teams of all time."
---------------------------------
[6] Ryan wants Becks to end the speculation circus
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"I can't second-guess what David is going to do but my gut feeling is he'll stay,".
"It would be catastrophic if he left. A player of his ability would be extremely
difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
"I know how much he loves this club but it must be difficult knowing that every club
in Europe would break the bank to sign you.
"But if David signed a new deal it would be a massive boost to all concerned."
---------------------------------
[5] Fergie keeps his feet on the floor
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
And concerntrates on the job at hand:
"Wednesday will bring back just whether we are capable of winning against the best
teams in Europe.
"How we do will make our mind up on quite a few things."
"They have never lost a game in Munich after taking a first-leg lead and they have
only lost three games in Munich in all their European games. That's not a bad record.
"And the German mentality means you know you are going to face a determined set of
players, there's no question of that.
"They have won their league for the last two seasons and they are going for a third
title this year, so we know we will be facing a formidable bunch of players.
"But I believe we have the better ability. In fact, there are many things that I'm
positive about."
---------------------------------
[4] Be afraid
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
We will be presented with the Premier League trophy before the game against Derby on
May 5.
And what is wrong with next Saturday, or do the PL and the club need that long to come
up with an even more contrived and eurodisney style bolloxs 'celebration' than last
year?
---------------------------------
[3] Ryan on the difference between us and the rest
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"Liverpool and Arsenal are our main rivals and the only main difference between us
winning the league and those two teams missing out is that we haven't dropped so many
points away from home.
"Our home record is really good but we also haven't dropped lots of points away from
Old Trafford.
"Also I believe it's easier to win the title when we've done it so recently because we
know what to do together as a team. "
---------------------------------
[2] Giggsy - fanastic feeling
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
"Our main aim this season has always been to win the league.
"The thing that has probably been our main motivation this season is to win three
leagues in a row - that would be something extra special.
"It's something that we've never quite managed before. I know Liverpool have done it,
and obviously they're a great team, but no other teams have so it's a great
achievement for us."
"Your first title as a player has to be pretty special. But it still feels brilliant
to win it now.
"I think people sometimes forget how hard it is to win the league, so you don't lose
the fantastic feeling when you achieve it again."
---------------------------------
[1] Ryan salutes Fergie
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, April 15, 2001 by tb:
>From Icons:
"Alex Ferguson's drive is still as huge as it ever has been. His desire to keep on
winning trophies is still there, that's never got any weaker.
"You can see it at times like when we only draw a game, he'll be upset that we haven't
won the match.
