My favourite bit: >"I think Sven Eriksson would have been a nice easy choice for them (the United >directors) in terms of nothing really happens, does it? "He doesn't change anything. He sails along, nobody falls out with him. "He comes out and says 'the first half we were good, second half we were not so good. I am very pleased with the result'. "I think he'd have been all right for United, you know what I mean? The acceptable face." <
Ph yes, we know! Tanya ____________________________ Fergie: Sven said yes to United Guardian Friday February 21, 2003 Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that Sven-Göran Eriksson was offered the Manchester United manager's job last year - and shook hands on a move to Old Trafford. Ferguson also delivers a withering condemnation of Eriksson's tactical acumen, in an interview with tomorrow's Times newspaper. Fergie's claims differ greatly from a statement made by Eriksson only last week that he had not been offered the United post. "I think they'd done the deal all right," said Ferguson. "I don't know for certain, but I'm sure it was Eriksson. I think they had shaken hands. "They couldn't put anything on paper because he was still England manager." United's search for a new manager ended just over 12 months ago when Ferguson completed an about-turn on his decision to retire and signed a new three-year contract. It is thought Eriksson, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill and AC Milan coach Fabien Capello were among those on the United hit-list, although there were difficulties in recruiting any of the trio. Ferguson does not end with these allegations. In a withering condemnation of Eriksson's management style, the United manager raises question marks over Beckham's appointment as England skipper. "The press make a suggestion about something, he (Sven) seems to follow it a bit. Making David Beckham captain, for instance. In fairness, there weren't many options. "I think Sven Eriksson would have been a nice easy choice for them (the United directors) in terms of nothing really happens, does it? "He doesn't change anything. He sails along, nobody falls out with him. "He comes out and says 'the first half we were good, second half we were not so good. I am very pleased with the result'. "I think he'd have been all right for United, you know what I mean? The acceptable face." This latest row threatens to force a chasm between the England manager and the man in charge of the club which supplies five key players to his squad. "Carlos (Queiroz, Ferguson's assistant at United) knows him because he (Sven) was with Benfica and Carlos is from Lisbon. Carlos says what he did well was he never fell out with anyone, best pal with the president, the press liked him. I think he does this a bit." It is believed that United chairman Peter Kenyon is not too amused at these latest revelations, which bizarrely came just 48 hours after Ferguson declared 'loyalty is 100% and what happens in the dressing room stays there'. Those words were in relation to his dressing-room bust-up with David Beckham following the FA Cup defeat by Arsenal last Saturday. It is believed Ferguson's interview was conducted before that game, although given the subsequent chain of events, it looks spectacularly ill-timed. United officials were remaining tight-lipped this morning, insisting there would be no public comment on the interview. "It is in the past," was the only reaction from United communications director Paddy Harverson, in itself an indication that Ferguson's observations have some foundation. Unlike Roy Keane's controversial autobiography, it is understood senior Old Trafford figures knew the substance of Ferguson's interview, although they were not anticipating having to deal with the issue until official publication tomorrow morning. *************************************** Reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe from the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
