---------------------------------
[14] Fergie on Veron freekick yesterday
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
'The goal was unbelievable. David Beckham has been sensational over the past two or
three years and Denis Irwin is an excellent free-kick taker, but it is nice that Veron
can give us something different.
'He is a great player. He is intelligent and understands the game, so there is no
problem with him fitting in. He will be an excellent signing.'
---------------------------------
[13] Hitfeld still top of the list?
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
As Soccernet reckon that Bayern are resigned to losing him to us next season, and that
discussions have already taken place.
---------------------------------
[12] Why Becks flipped against Celtic
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
>From the People:
DAVID BECKHAM had to endure vicious taunts - including abuse about his wife Victoria -
from Celtic players during Ryan Giggs' testimonial match, the Sunday People can
reveal.
Beckham, England's Captain Marvel, is said to have been "ready to explode" at the
taunts, before being substituted.
People Sport understands he was asked: "Are you still ******* that ugly cow?" during a
flare-up on Wednesday night.
It was seen by other United players as a deliberate attempt to wind up Beckham in the
hope of him being sent off.
He was also called a "spoilt bitch", a "flash ******" and was mocked for turning up
for the game wearing white shoes.
Such was the fury of his Manchester United team-mates, many refused to socialise with
Celtic players after the game at the customary post-match drinks.
---------------------------------
[11] Wrexham result
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
>From Ananova:
Juan Sebastian Veron scored a brilliant free kick, but Manchester United could only
draw 2-2 against Wrexham.
Wrexham threw a long defensive wall across their goal but up stepped Veron and curled
his free-kick over it and inside the top right corner.
Veron had set up United's first goal on 31 minutes, feeding a ball through for Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer to chase and lob over the advancing keeper.
The match, in honour of Wrexham's long-serving management duo of Brian Flynn and
assistant Kevin Reeves, attracted a crowd of 7,614.
Wrexham's goals came from Steve Thomas and Andy Morrell.
---------------------------------
[10] Fergie: 'It's the little things that help'
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"These days you have to give the players far more than just money.
"You have to help them in every way of their lives, particularly the foreign lads who
are in a foreign world.
"From little things like where to go out and eat and to finding them a good plumber or
electrician if they have a problem in their home.
"I feel there is far more we can do with that aspect of the game.
"It's not a case of pampering — it is more a case of make them feel a part of
this club in every way.
"When I was manager of Aberdeen I had regular meetings with the players' wives.
"I even told them before a big game just how they could contribute to the victory.
"That is something I want to do here and I intend to start a Family Room so that the
wives and girlfriends feel more involved with the set-up up.
---------------------------------
[9] Fergie on Veron
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"There are no communication problems, even Veron, who doesn't speak a word of English,
has got the players' understanding.
"For example, if something is demonstrated to him in training it's a case of
‘bang'.
"He's brilliant at it straight away. I've instantly noticed that Veron will be the
type of foreign player who will be able to fit in to the English mentality.
"That will get better as he begins to learn the language but you can sense that there
is already good understanding — on and off the field.
"He is one of those players who commands authority not only in training but in big
matches.
"I'm sure that is why some of the more experienced players at the club were so excited
about his arrival."
---------------------------------
[8] Fergie: We are family
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"The great thing about trips like the one we have just undertaken to the Far East is
that it shows the level of team spirit here. It's absolutely fantastic.
"For example, I arranged a special trip to the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore and
the two new lads Juan Veron and Ruud Van Nistelrooy could not get over the real depth
of feeling that existed between all the players that day.
"It's something both Seba and Ruud have both spoken about to me.
"They said they had never experienced anything like it before.
"When new players come to the club they don't realise that they are coming to
‘Manchester United, the football team'.
"But there is more to it than that. This has become a football family.
"Everyone sticks together and they are all brilliant together now.
"Everything they do is together. There are no separate cliques here at this club.
"Some players may be room together all the time like David Beckham and Gary Neville
and now Jaap Stam and Van Nistelrooy, that's natural.
"But when out of their rooms everyone is with everyone else.
---------------------------------
[7] Fergie on the rotating his squad
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"We have always rotated our squad in the context of the season and we have tried to
look ahead to certain fixtures and freshen things up when I feel it is needed or for
tactical changes.
"But I know how important it is to make everyone feel that they are making an
important contribution. That's absolutely vital to the club.
"The only way to do that is for me to sit down and talk with them and I can feel
satisfied that our policy is correct.
"It's so difficult at times to make the players understand why they are being left out
of the side for a particular match.
"But my players work so hard here and they all deserve my respect.
"No one has any concept of how difficult it is for me to chose a team.
"But I let them know how strongly I feel about their contribution — and that is
the only way to survive."
---------------------------------
[6] Van de Sar on JSV and Ruud
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"I played in Italy for two years so I played several times against Veron. Of course
he's a great player with great skills.
"He can shoot with both feet, he can score goals, has great technique and is hard to
get off the ball.
"It will be hard but it's not only Veron — they have many quality players in
attack.
"Van Nistelrooy had a tough time with his injury. The last few months of last season
he did well in Holland and got his transfer to Manchester, where he's doing well at
the moment."
"Ruud's a very good player, one of the best strikers in the world and I hope he's
going to show it on the highest level.
"But not on that Sunday when I play against him. He can wait one week.
"And I don't think Veron has scored against me and I would like to keep that record."
---------------------------------
[5] Van de Sar on Utd
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"There were some contacts with United.
"But at that point Juve were more determined and I was already talking to them. At the
last minute Manchester came by but it was rather late.
"I don't regret not going to Manchester. Your whole life is about making decisions.
And not every decision is the right one. But you learn from that.
Well he would say that, wouldn't he
---------------------------------
[4] No Massive gambling culture at Moss Dive? - Don't bet on it
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
>From the NOTW
Football legend Keegan, who now manages Manchester City, is endorsing an unusual
betting business on the web.
But his betting site entitled ‘Kevin Keegan Presents Randombet.com' doesn't let
you pick your own selection — they pick it for you at random!
Keegan's astonishing gambling scheme boasts that everyone can be a winner so we
decided to give it a go. In the end the result came out as — Keegan's betting
team 16, the News of the World nil!
Out of a staggering 16 different bets, we came up losers on EVERY ONE and that was in
just one day.
We even bet 10 times on the same nine-horse race and still ended up losing.
Every one of the punter's bets is picked by a device that Keegan calls the Randomiser.
Punters select what event they want to bet on and how much money they want to
stake-and then have to press the ‘Randomiser'.
No doubt team selection will be done by the same method!
---------------------------------
[3] And Wilko wonders why Eric wanted to leave
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
As Batty (from his autobiography)puts in print what we've always known:
"I never came to terms with his management style which I can only describe as
schoolmasterly. It was a strange, often strained relationship between Wilko and me.
"He was the authoritarian, do-it-my-way-or-not-at-all type and I just could not
respond to that. I felt like he was crushing my spirit."
---------------------------------
[2] Eric showed right idea about Charity Shield (and scousers and sheep)
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
As Batty says:
"His eccentricity was summed up by an incident following our fantastic 4-3 Charity
Shield victory over Liverpool at
Wembley before the 1992-93 season. "Eric scored a hat-trick at Wembley — his
finest moment in a Leeds shirt — and a few days later Gary Speed and I called
round to his house to see him. "His young son was in the drive kicking a ball against
the garage door, so I joined in for a few minutes. "I was totally gobsmacked when I
saw the writing on the ball — it was the Charity Shield matchball! "Although I
am not one of the game's most sentimental players, I can assure you if that had been
my ball there's NO WAY I would have let my
lads belt it around the yard like that."
---------------------------------
[1] 'Yuppie' Batty on Eric
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, August 5, 2001 by tb:
"Eric was a non-conformist. "I claim to be a man of moderate material needs but
compared to him I was a raging yuppie! "The grass in Eric's garden was knee-high. "He
didn't care for appearances. "It was clearly just a base — a roof over the
family's heads and no more. "Even my Dad's workmates on the bins used to laugh and
say: ‘Have you seen where Cantona lives?'
