Manchester United's Headliners, Articles and Rumours

[qbdp]

Mystery Over Spy Mission
Updated: 13:12, Thursday January 25, 2007

Former Manchester United striker Frank Stapleton has told Sky News the big money in the football may force people to spy on top clubs' training.

It follows newspaper reports claiming a plane flew a spy mission over United's training ground.

A light aircraft, packed with high-tech surveillance equipment, has reportedly made a number of passes over the Carrington facilities where Sir Alex Ferguson is plotting another Premiership title bid.

"It seems at first sight to be a bit far fetched," Stapleton said.

"But when you look at it closer, it's so competitive now and there's so much money at stake in the Premier League and Europe.

"It's like almost anybody would go to any lengths to try and find out the secrets of Manchester United."

The Daily Mirror claims footage from the alleged mission was taken from an airfield to a service station near Heathrow airport and "handed to a mystery client".

A silver-coloured metal case was handed over to a man who left in a blacked-out Chrysler, it said.

The paper claims three other similar missions have already been carried out.

An aviation source told the newspaper the plane that allegedly flew over the training ground was a Cessna which had a £100,000 engine "which operates on jet fuel".

"This is very unusual and means that the plane is able to fly much more quietly which obviously does not alert people on the ground so much to its presence," the source added.

"It also has £50,000 worth of specialist equipment on board.

"It has been deliberately modified so it looks like a little sight-seeing pleasure plane but it's equipped for some of the best surveillance operations in Britain."

The Daily Mirror claims the plane took off from Egginton airfield in Derbyshire last Wednesday morning.

The paper says the firm that carried out the flight is a respected aerial photographic agency called British Geographical.

BG owner David Goddard told the paper: "We never discuss who our clients are. We always fly under strict Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and always comply fully with local air traffic control."

[dom01]

Wha.. this is so amazing?

SPying over man u training? NT as if SAF methods r special.

[imom]

Originally Posted by qbdp

No doubt that he is a good manager but his team looks like a foreign team playing in the ENGLISH Premier League....

Yes. There is a french/french-speaking african team and a spanish team in the EPL

[imom]

Wahahaha.... Kena suan by old boss.... orbeegoot, snub us and now suffering the blues....


Kaiser Ridicules Ballack Move
Wed 24 Jan, 11:09 PM

Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer claims Michael Ballack made a mistake joining Chelsea, adding the Germany international would be better off at Manchester United.

Ballack left Bayern in the summer, joining the Barclays Premiership champions on a free transfer and signing a deal which is thought to make him the highest paid footballer in the world on wages of £130,000 per week.

But Ballack has failed to shine in a Chelsea shirt this season and, along with Andriy Shevchenko, has been blamed for unbalancing the team in the wake of their recent inconsistent form.

"I cannot see a place for Ballack at Chelsea," Beckenbauer said.

"As you can see, the game mostly passes him by. Frank Lampard is stronger and takes his position.

"He [Ballack] would have been better off at Manchester United."

[mike2006]

Man U should hire air defence, shoot down those kiasu intruders.

[yinyang]

Originally Posted by imom

.. Kena suan by old boss.... orbeegoot, snub us and now suffering the blues....

Imomy, seems there's no love lost on aryan player arh? Not 1st time if I recall.. hehehe. Blues was the flavour last season..

[qbdp]

Piqué of his powers

Gerard Piqué has an impeccable football pedigree. The grandson of famed FC Barcelona vice-president Amador Bernabéu - no relation of Real Madrid CF's Santiago - the defender was developed by the Camp Nou side before being signed by Manchester United FC aged just 16 in 2004. Within four months he had made his first-team debut, and he has been a regular for Europe's strongest nation at youth level, Spain.

Ferguson's rage
His rise continued apace in 2006. Two years after helping Spain win the UEFA European Under-17 Championship final, he went one better for the U19s in Poland last July, setting up Alberto Bueno's winner in the final against Scotland. However, the identity of Spain’s opposition did not endear Piqué to patriotic United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, a man the youngster has described as like a second father. "He rang me after the final and said he was angry because we had beaten Scotland," Piqué told uefa.com. "I told him it was my job and he was just going to have to be happy and proud because someone from his club had won. I think in the end he was happy!"

Zaragoza loan
Piqué, who turns 20 next Friday, made his first Premiership start in March, and this summer was sent on loan to Real Zaragoza for 2005/06, though he remains under contract at Old Trafford until 2009. It has become normal for Sir Alex to send his young prospects out to another club to sharpen them before using them regularly. "I talked to Sir Alex and agreed it was the best decision for me and for the club, I can get first-team experience," said Piqué, who scored on his Primera División debut in September. "It's going well. I'm playing games and scoring goals, even though I am a defender. But I hope next year I'll go back to Manchester and get a place. I talked to the boss and he said he wanted to come to the stadium to see us play. I will try to show him that everything is going fine and I'm playing well."

'New life'
That he has already picked up English parlance like "the boss" shows how quickly he was able to settle when he first moved to Manchester. "When you first go you don't have your family or friends, you have to start a new life," Piqué remembers. "You meet new people and after six to seven months you are happy again." But then he did have an example to look to - his friend Cesc Fabregas left Barcelona for Arsenal FC not long before Piqué’s own English switch and they remain close. "Every week we try to talk. But we don't always talk about football, we talk about our lives. We've played together since we were six or seven, after that he went to Arsenal I went to United, but we are still in touch."

Spanish success
The victory in the U19 finals was especially sweet for Piqué and many of his team-mates, due to the disappointment at U17 level two years earlier when a Spain side including Fabregas lost the final to a late goal from hosts France. "A lot of the players were in France, so we were extra motivated to win in Poland," Piqué said. "We didn't want to repeat that experience. We tried to react and we succeeded." However, Spain's stellar record at youth level - it was their third U19 title in five years - meant they knew expectations back home were high. "It can be hard," Piqué admits. "All the country thinks you are going to win the tournament before it starts. This is very difficult to handle. Also, we are the favourites and all the teams respect you. You have to use that respect to change it into fear, make them scared of you."

Youth tournaments
Certainly, he has enjoyed his experience with UEFA's youth finals. "These tournaments are nice as you develop," he said. "It is hard as you are young, 17 or 19, but once it has happened you are better as a player." Next on the agenda is adding to his two caps at U21 level, then in the summer gaining another triumph at his generation's farewell to youth football at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, to repeat the celebrations he experienced last July. I remember when we got to the airport a lot of people were waiting for us and that was a great experience. You feel you have a country behind you and following you," Piqué said. "I hope to repeat that after the World Cup in Canada." And doubtless many more times in his career.

[qbdp]

Wenger remark petty, says Ferguson

MANCHESTER, England, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Alex Ferguson called Arsene Wenger petty on Friday after the Arsenal manager questioned Manchester United's stamina in conceding two late goals in their 2-1 defeat in London last weekend.

Arsenal scored twice in the last 10 minutes at home on Sunday to snatch victory and keep United's lead in the Premier League to six points over Chelsea.

Ferguson admitted his side has shown a tendency to let in late goals on occasions this season but dismissed Wenger's theory, expressed by Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, that it was down to tiredness.

"In the game against Arsenal, (was it) a lack of concentration? 'Yes'," Ferguson told reporters on Friday.

"From a winning position we were all gutted. It was disappointing but in terms of the stamina side of it, it's absolute nonsense.

"I thought it was a bit petty, coming out with that nonsense. There's absolutely no evidence. In terms of endurance and that kind of thing, we are well in control of that."

Asked why Wenger might have made his remarks to his team, Ferguson said: "I'm not sure. I think it's maybe making him look great again. 'I'm the great Arsene Wenger'.

"If they'd lost the game 1-0 what could he have said? Which they should have done."

However, Ferguson stressed that he does not wish to see a repeat of last weekend's late slip-up during the title run-in and believes his side may need to be more ruthless.

"I think last Sunday was a final warning for us in that respect because we are getting to the tricky time of the league...if we are winning 1-0 with nine minutes to go in the next few games, it (losing) won't happen again," he said.

Ferguson was also quick to kill speculation linking winger Cristiano Ronaldo with a possible move to Real Madrid, saying: "There's no way Ronaldo is leaving, absolutely no way."

United switch their attention on Saturday to a fourth-round FA Cup tie against Portsmouth at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has a fully fit squad but plans to make no more than a couple of changes to his first-choice side as United look to keep alive hopes of a domestic league and cup double.

[qbdp]

[qbdp]

[dom01]

Ern.. seems that no one is coming to man u... Sigh... tot at least sign bales?

[qbdp]

Originally Posted by dom01

Ern.. seems that no one is coming to man u... Sigh... tot at least sign bales?

We have to wait til 2359hr on 31 Jan to see if there's any new addition. Sir Alex may possibly surprise us.

[qbdp]

Larsson permanent move 'extremely unlikely'

Manchester United chief executive David Gill insists it remains “extremely unlikely” that Henrik Larsson’s loan move to Old Trafford will ever be extended to become a permanent deal.

The 35-year-old striker has impressed boss Alex Ferguson since arriving on a three-month loan deal from Swedish club Helsingborgs earlier this month.

But while United are keen to hold onto Larsson for the remainder of this Barclays Premiership campaign, they are not seeking to persuade him into a permanent switch.

Gill told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek: “Henrik played for Barcelona and went back to Helsingborgs for family and other reasons, so I would have thought that is extremely unlikely.”

But he did not rule out the possibility of talks with the Swedish club to extend the current arrangement which is due to run out on March 12.

Gill added: “He is due to go back in the middle of March and we haven’t really discussed that yet as we are focusing on the next few weeks and we will see what happens.

“I think it is a bit early. You can never say never and we will go through that nearer the time with Henrik and the club.

“I know for a fact Alex, Carlos and all the players are very impressed with him in terms of what he can do, his attitude and how he has fitted in and we want great players at the club.”

Meanwhile Gill has rubbished reports of Real Madrid’s revived interest in Ronaldo, maintaining that the Portuguese star will not be leaving Old Trafford at any price.

Asked how United would react if they received an offer in the region of the mooted £35m (€53m), Gill said: “It would be turned down straight away.

“One benefit of being a private club as opposed to one on the stock exchange is that we can take a long-term view and we invest in our assets.

“As Arsene Wenger has said on many occasions, clubs aren’t banks, we are there to put on entertainment and play a top-class team and there is no point having £35m (€53m) or £45m (€68m) if you can’t replace that talent. At 21 Ronaldo has had a great season and we believe the best is yet to come.”

[HuiGe3387]

Originally Posted by dom01

Ern.. seems that no one is coming to man u... Sigh... tot at least sign bales?

Manchester is boring place. It's a industrial city, compared to London, Milan, Madrid. The babes of the star players also dun want the bf or hubby to go there.

[qbdp]

FERGUSON TO AXE CUP HERO ROONEY FOR HIS OWN GOOD

WAYNE ROONEY'S reward for his FA Cup heroics could be the axe from Manchester United's Premiership clash with Watford on Wednesday.

Despite Rooney's superb form, the United striker is currently on four bookings and a fifth against Watford would rule him out of United's crucial Premiership trip to Tottenham next Sunday.

After United's win over Portsmouth, Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he had planned to rest Rooney until the Spurs game, which he believes could have a huge impact on the title race.

But United needed to call on Rooney to overcome Pompey and now Fergie faces a dilemma over whether to play his £27million striker against Watford and risk losing him for the White Hart Lane trip.

"The plan was to rest Wayne for the Portsmouth and Watford games," said Fergie. "We felt if we could get through the Arsenal game then we would rest him until Spurs.

"But when he's in such sparkling form it's difficult to leave him out. It is something we will have to look at with the Tottenham game coming up."

Louis Saha, who missed the Pompey match with a bruised knee, is set to return to the United line-up against Watford, along with Cristiano Ronaldo.