--------------------------------- [20] Liverpool start to shake --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Houllier on Gerrard:
"What happened in the week added pressure on the players and on the team and it was not the best climate in which to play such an important game. All the focus should be on the game. You are not sure to succeed in this job, but you are absolutely sure to fail if you are not 100 per cent focused. It is not down to the manager. It must come from within the player. If the player is not committed to himself, committed to his job, committed to his lifestyle, he has no chance." --------------------------------- [19] Fergie on last season --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "This season is particularly important for me personally because it is my last. Much is being made of the fact that the Final is being played in Glasgow, my native city. A scenario which would take me home in triumph may appeal to some, but I can't allow myself to be sidetracked by that kind of thought. I don't think football owes me a final in Scotland nor do I consider after a successful career that I need a final at Hampden Park to give me a fitting finale. I am proud of what I have achieved and I shall not allow the ideas of others to interfere." --------------------------------- [18] More from Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "So when I first came into Europe with Aberdeen I was thinking about speed of play and passing, while still trying to absorb the lessons of Manchester United and learn about tactical variations and methods of preparation. I was also aware of the strain on British teams with so little time between our domestic programme and European fixtures. As I say, Europe is a litmus paper, not just for revealing your team's ability but the way you play and tactically prepare." --------------------------------- [17] Fergie - Celtic inspired me --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "When I was a young coach and indeed, as a player, the great drive was to keep the game fast, run the opposition off their feet and get the ball into the penalty area. The thinking then was foreigners didn't like heading the ball. It needed somebody like Celtic and the way they played their football to come along to change my way of thinking about what my approach should be against foreign teams. Celtic, with their great speed of passing and movement, also had a great manager in Jock Stein. They became the first British winners of the European Cup when they faced Inter. On the one side was the Italian approach, scoring early and sitting back to defend, while up against them was the perseverance of Celtic, knocking on the door all night. The Italian system held intact for over an hour but Celtic never let the ball stop and their sheer persistence and speed of play eventually broke Inter down. As a Scottish player, I couldn't help but be inspired by what Celtic achieved. The ne! xt season came an even newer way of playing with the emergence of Sir Matt Busby's team at Manchester United. You look at that team and they were all footballers, no long balls up the pitch. They played the right way and had three world-class players in Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law. That team also gave me a track that I wanted to go down." --------------------------------- [16] Share dealings --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: 'Manchester United PLC has today been informed that the following share purchases were made on 8 October 2001: Mr P F Kenyon (Chief Executive) has purchased 17,511 ordinary shares in the Company at 121.75p per share. Mr P F Kenyon is now interested in 17,511 ordinary shares. Mr D A Gill (Group Managing Director) has purchased 18,970 ordinary shares in the Company at 121.75p per share. Mr D A Gill is now interested in 23,215 ordinary shares. The issued share capital of the Company is 259,768,040 ordinary shares. The above purchases relate to the share element of the Company's annual performance related bonus scheme in respect of the year ended 31 July 2001.' --------------------------------- [15] More team news --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: >From Ananova 'Sir Alex Ferguson faces an anxious wait before naming Manchester United's side for their Champions League clash with Olympiakos. Ferguson is hoping Juan Sebastian Veron will arrive on time after flying direct from Paraguay. Veron played in a World Cup qualifier for Argentina on Sunday night. He faced the long haul to Europe after playing the whole of the match and aimed to train with United as they prepared for the match in Greece. The game was rescheduled following the terrorist atrocities in America on September 11 and immediately caused problems for United because it came close to the international break. Ferguson said defender Wes Brown was available again after being out with a hamstring strain but he ruled out Nicky Butt, who has not fully recovered from the rib injury picked up at Tottenham 10 days ago. Ferguson will also check on Ryan Giggs before finalising his team plan. Roy Keane is eligible for this game although he is still suspended for two more Premiership matches.' --------------------------------- [14] Becks should be on £40m a year --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: According to Mark McCormack, agent of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. "People are willing to pay top dollar for the best, and Beckham belongs in that bracket. He should be earning the sort of money Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan are getting. If his earnings are multiplied many times, it would be no more than he deserves. No one resents people in that category their millions as they generate huge interest in their sport. They get sponsors queuing to be associated with their success. And after seeing that goal by David and the reaction to it, I'd say he ought to be the Tiger Woods of soccer, no question." --------------------------------- [13] No, we're not joking --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: The SUN is now offering its readers David Beckham wallpaper. We say it once again, is that what they said back in 1998? Only Utd stayed loyal to Becks then, and he knows it. --------------------------------- [12] Early team news --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Although they all make the trip to Greece at the moment Giggs, Brown and Butt are all doubtful. --------------------------------- [11] Cockernee hell --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: The landlord of the pub in South Norwood - the Pleasant Pheasant - that saw its customers hang an effigy of Becks back in '98 now even gets in on the act "It's amazing. If he had come in here a few years ago he would have been lynched. If he paid a visit now he wouldn't be allowed to buy a drink all night and everyone would treat him like a hero" --------------------------------- [10] More from Lawrenson --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "That is what makes him such a valuable player and why any of the top clubs would break the transfer record to sign him. But the fantastic thing for his club and country is that he loves playing for Manchester United and England and no-one can buy that sort of passion, commitment and work-rate." --------------------------------- [9] Mark Lawrenson on Becks --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "For a player with so much ability, his work-rate and passion for the game is incredible. Beckham's fitness levels are incredible but that is the case week-in and week-out with Manchester United. However, on Saturday against Greece it was almost a one-man mission. Becks must have covered every blade of grass, tackled every single Greek player and gone for every challenge. And yet he still had the energy and the strength in his legs to hit an incredible free-kick. You think of the other great midfield players like Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero and none of them put in Beckham's work-rate." --------------------------------- [8] Big Lily - the massive flag --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Anyone catch Big Lily the flag's owner on Talksport last night - another massive mention count as I lost count after 30 odd. As he said it's a massive flag! and now he's massively glad to be reunited with Lily... --------------------------------- [7] Dutch manager speaks --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Van Gaal: "The interest of United is old news. Clubs always show an interest in Van Gaal. That has always been the case, wherever I work. I am working for the KNVB at the moment. I'm not thinking about other clubs. First I'll make a decision about whether I'll continue at the KNVB or quit." One thing that worries me - why does he heep speaking about himself as if he's not there? Van Gaal has a good record, Van Gaal has clubs after him, etc, etc - no, I have a good record, I have clubs after ME, ME, ME! --------------------------------- [6] Ruud wants Van Gaal as boss - at Holland --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "When I read the magazines then there are three names mentioned for United and Van Gaal is one of them. He hasn't asked me whether he should continue or quit at Holland. If he would then I would tell him to stay. It's over for us now, but I believe that we should continue with this group on our way to Portugal. I just think that he will continue. It's more of a gut feeling" --------------------------------- [5] Game definitely to go ahead --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Uefa spokesman Mike Lee said: "We can confirm that the eight re-scheduled Uefa Champions League matches scheduled for this week go ahead as planned. We are of course aware of the current security issues following the events of last night in Afghanistan and continue to monitor the situation closely. We will issue a further statement should the current security situation in Europe deteriorate." --------------------------------- [4] Silvestre on France-Algeria abandonment --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Exclusive RN translation by Marc "I wasn't afraid, they weren't agressive. They did not even want to stop the game. They just wanted to have a fun, show their face on tv." --------------------------------- [3] Come on down, the price is right --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: Remember a ten issue UK sub to Red News the fanzine costs just £16.50 - and helps the website too. Red News, P.O.Box 176, Manchester, M16 8LG. Just let us know when you want the sub to commence. --------------------------------- [2] More from Giggs --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "It's true we are, in many ways, finding our feet again but it's still early days yet. Anyone who writes off a team with the firepower we've got is asking for egg on their face. It's already become a cliché, but the format of the Champions League is unique and it keeps throwing up strange results that people want to seize apon as evidence of this or that. The truth is it's like no other competition and getting beaten just isn't the big deal it's made out to be. Of course, we were gutted to throw away the points against Deportivo but we have ample opportunity to make amends. When you're in a league situation, it doesn't matter who you're playing, you go out to win and if you get beaten, there's nothing you can do about it. In a true knockout competition like the FA Cup, there's absolutely no going back if you lose. But in the group phases of the Champions League, you're somewhere in between, although some people are still determined to ring the alarm bells if you don't get the result. But we've been here before and that why there is a quiet optimism within the squad. Let's face it, any side going into such an important game on the back of what we achieved at White Hart Lane is hardly going to be lacking in confidence, are they?" --------------------------------- [1] Giggs speaks --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by bar-knee: "We travel to Greece for a Champions League game against Olympiakos on Wednesday and there's no getting away from the fact this is a game we cannot afford to lose. Olympiakos are bottom of the group with one point, but if they beat us, they would go above us and leave us with a lot to do in the last three group games. Not qualifying for the second round is just not an option, it would be a disaster, which means we must get something in Greece. We got out of jail against Panathinaikos last season in the second group phase. Typically it was Scholesy who delivered the goods in the nick of time with an equaliser in the 90th minute but if we ever needed a reminder of the dangers of travelling to Greece, that is it. Everybody knows the boss wants another crack at the European Cup in his last season at the club and we owe it to him to make a real fight of it. We cannot let him down at the first hurdle. I know people are desperate to write off our European chances this season after just two average performances against Lille and Deportivo. We'd be the first to hold our hands and admit we haven't played anywhere near the level we're capable of but it's ridiculous to say we've lost the edge that made us champions in 1999."
