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--------------------------------- [28] Mirror's take on Fergie decision --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: 'SIR ALEX Ferguson is ready to stay as Manchester United manager for TWO more years - after making a dramatic U-turn on his future. Ferguson has told chief executive Peter Kenyon and other leading officials that he would consider remaining in charge beyond his proposed retirement date at the end of the season. The United legend stunned the club's leaders with the news and now it is up to them to come back to him shortly and make the appointment official - or say 'no thanks'. Ferguson has maintained he would go at the end of this campaign, finishing his reign with the dream of the Champions League final at Hampden. However, there has been a shock change of mind in the past few days and sources close to both the manager and the club confirmed last night that he had now informed United of his thoughts. It will be a shock to Kenyon and company as they were well down the road with recruiting his successor. Now Ferguson is back in the frame. The reasons behind Ferguson's change of heart are only known to the man himself, but those near him think he has rekindled his desire lately.' --------------------------------- [27] United help Goma relief fund --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: By donating a signed Ruud shirt to the Goma relief fund. --------------------------------- [26] More from Stapleton --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: :"It would lead to another 12 months of uncertainty if they did not make a clean break :now and get someone new. All the same problems that have come with Alex's final year :this time round would resurface. How much money would they commit to him, knowing the :new manager might not fancy the players? How would Alex himself really feel inside :about doing the job knowing it was just a stop-gap? And what about the players? They were preparing themselves for a new boss. They have been talking about giving Fergie a great send-off all season - that would all start again. Alex has been very successful but he could spoil it by hanging on and trying to do another year. I cannot understand how a club of the size of United cannot get exactly who they want. They need to identify their man and give him what he wants. That is really the club's problem - Alex has done his bit." --------------------------------- [25] Frank Stapleton - go Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "I do not think people realise just how stressful it is maintaining United's success. Just because you have a great team does not mean it runs itself. The success has been down to Alex's management but it can take it out of you. He is 60 now and we have seen what the job has done to Gerard Houllier. So my advice to Fergie would be to go through with his promise and finish in May. This season will already have taken an extra bit out of him. He has had to turn the side round after six defeats earlier in the season and he has done that amazingly well. But such situations take their toll. There is so much involved in the game and while Alex remains very fit, he should call it a day and enjoy the rest of his life." --------------------------------- [24] Jimmy Greaves - stay Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Last bit of article in the SUN 'When United lost 1-0 to West Ham back in December, I thought they were gone - and maybe him as well. After all, he has been at the sharp end of it for 16 years with United alone and the pressure looked to have taken its toll. But one thing people should never do is under-estimate this man. He has hauled the situation round and put them back in pole position to lift an eighth title in his reign. I would not be surprised if he goes all the way in the Champions League too, although their failure to land a top-quality defender before the transfer deadline was puzzling. The Champions League final this year is, of course, at Hampden Park and what a fitting venue for a farewell party that would prove. But next season would be even better, with the final at Old Trafford. >From United's point of view, if they cannot get the right man it is a very dangerous >time for Ferguson to be leaving the helm. Liverpool and Leeds are developing great teams, Arsenal are a major force while Bobby Robson has something special going at Newcastle. Every one of them would love their own period of dominance if United's high standards start to slip. Without Ferguson - or the right man in his place - the balance of power could tilt. That's why it is such a big decision and if it means waiting another 12 months, what better man to manage things in the meantime? Another year? I'm sure Fergie would love it. ' --------------------------------- [23] Stevie Coppell - good for team Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "And given the right circumstances - like keeping the team together - I think he'd like to keep going." --------------------------------- [22] Rob Atkinson - no surprise Fergie if you do --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "I wouldn't be surprised if he is persuaded to have a change of heart." --------------------------------- [21] Bobby Robson - erm, urm Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "I work because I want to work, and if Alex wants to work, he'll continue. Alex is a man of his own wisdom and if he wants to stay he'll stay. Nobody can decide that for him." --------------------------------- [20] Don Howe - Stay Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "Without a doubt I think Alex Ferguson should stay. Sure, he can be a bit of a dictator sometimes, but in order to be a great manager you need to be hard sometimes. He has such an influence on the club. Not just in the first team but he is also very involved with the youth team. He's different to all these continental managers who turn up, train the first team and go home again. He is totally involved with the club. And the players respect him so much. It's very difficult to find someone who can achieve that. If I was a director at United I'd want to keep him and I'd do my best to make him stay." --------------------------------- [19] CNN's world team top ten --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: 1. Juve 91 points 2. United 90 points 8. Mickeys 29 points --------------------------------- [18] Giggs - no pressure on Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "He admitted earlier this season he was starting to feel the pressures of the job more and more. But he's never shown a single sign of weakness in front of the players, which speaks volumes about his enthusiasm and durability. He's as passionate and committed now as I remember when I first joined. His appetite for football is phenomenal. When I first heard he had decided to retire, I was surprised. I knew straight away he was not the kind of man to be happy sitting in his armchair with his pipe and slippers. He's got too much drive and energy for that." --------------------------------- [17] More from Giggs --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "There has been so much speculation about the new manager, or lack of one, it's difficult to know what to believe - but it would be great if he was boss next season. I just can't see any negatives if it happened. He's a superb manager who has brought success to this club time and time again. That is a priceless quality in this business. Natural winners are a rare commodity but he is one of the greatest. The final decision, though, is his alone. Everybody else, the players included, will have to wait and see. But there's no doubt it would be great for the team, the club and the fans if he changed his mind about retirement." --------------------------------- [16] Houllier to return --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "There are those who say maybe I should forget about football. Maybe I should forget about breathing I am on the mend and it's just a matter of weeks before I get the all clear. As Arnold Schwarzenegger said: 'I'll be back!'" --------------------------------- [15] A novel idea --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Pity the papers over here don't adopt a similar policy...but then the Mirror, Sun, etc would have no hacks left From: Ananova 'Journalists at a Swiss paper have been told they will be fined every time they make a mistake during February. They will have to pay 3.4 Euros, about £2.15, for spelling and punctuation mistakes as well as factual errors. Journalists at the daily Le Temps newspaper are opposing the move by the editor-in-chief.' --------------------------------- [14] Good news day --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Checked with a good source and seems that Fergie has confirmed already to his inner circle that he will stay on. --------------------------------- [13] Yorke's brief on court speeding u-turn --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Mr Freeman said: "The police measured the speed with a laser gun. I argued that whilst the Crown proved the device had Home Office approval, there was no evidence that the conditions of approval had been complied with. It is a technicality of the law. A measurement made by a proscribed device is not admissible unless any conditions subject to which approval is given are followed." --------------------------------- [12] Giggs - Fergie can't walk away --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "I always thought it would be hard for him to walk away from Old Trafford. He's lived and breathed Manchester United for so long that it has become a way of life for him." --------------------------------- [11] Giggs wants Fergie to stay --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: "There has been so much speculation about the new manager, or lack of one, it's difficult to know what to believe - but it would be great if he was boss next season. When you look at the success Bobby Robson is enjoying at Newcastle this season it proves age is absolutely no barrier to managerial success. It all depends on your passion and hunger - and they've both got plenty left in the tank. Let's face it, there is no substitute for experience in their line of work." --------------------------------- [10] Fergie to confirm he stays for a year today? --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: >From Ananova 'Manchester United are expected to issue a statement following claims that Sir Alex Ferguson is prepared to stay on as manager. Ferguson was due to retire at the end of this season. But it is believed he may be ready to make a u-turn and stay for another year, possibly longer. The Old Trafford club could make a statement on the matter on Tuesday. Reports say the 60-year-old had hinted that he would consider remaining in charge beyond his proposed retirement date in May. United had on Monday denied reports that Ferguson had had a dramatic change of heart and they later refused to comment beyond saying that a statement would be released to the City later. Last month Ferguson had been quick to quash similar speculation that he may change his mind about retiring. But now it seems that he may have had a genuine change of heart over the weekend. It is being suggested that Ferguson could stay on for another year as a stopgap because United are struggling to replace him. In another 12 months targets such as Celtic's Martin O'Neill and Roma's Fabio Capello would be at the end of their contracts, while Sven-Goran Eriksson might be more amenable about quitting England.' --------------------------------- [9] Red News deadline --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: For Issue 84 is Friday 15th February for articles/letters/etc and Wednesday 13th February for any colour graphics/jpegs, etc. Red News is YOUR fanzine so send in your contributions. Remember the views are yours so they can be about anything and everything - send any contributions (funny/serious) to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------- [8] Agent talk --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Yorke's and Becks' agent Mr Stephens was a guest on Radio 5 last night, giving very little away - a lot of "no comment" when asked about the Becks deal. "Is there a chance it will be sorted today" "No comment" "Tomorrow" "No comment" Red News remains convinced the deal will be signed - and before the World Cup too if the two sides arrange some more meetings but we do hope that Stephens was just using the wrong turn of phrase when he said that this was the biggest 'move' of Becks' career - we presume contract move eh. As for Yorke Stephens dismissed rumour that Fergie and Yorke haven't been speaking - saying that they have been on the team coach close to each other. So that's alright then. --------------------------------- [7] Teamtalk on Youth Cup tie --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: 'United's youngsters face a poignant FA Youth Cup tie against Hartlepool - the game will be played on the anniversary of the Munich air crash. Forty-four years ago on February 6, the greatest youth team in the club's history, including Roger Byrne, Bill Whelan and arguably the best ever United player Duncan Edwards, was cruelly wiped out when returning from a European Cup quarter-final in Belgrade. And fittingly, the current youth team will play the fifth-round tie against the Third Division outfit at Old Trafford, looking to progress in the competition and emulate the Busby Babes who amazingly won five consecutive trophies in the early 1950s. The game kicks-off at 7pm and admission to the game is £3 for adults and £1 for juniors. ' Teamtalk also says that the PLC have finally decided to lay a new pitch - something Fergie has wanted for some time. --------------------------------- [6] Veron speculation continues --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: from worldsoccernews.com: 'Manchester United have sent Juan Veron to Rome to recover from injury but also to start work on his move back to SS Lazio. United's record signing missed the 4-1 win at home to Sunderland yesterday to visit the Italian capital on holiday. The Argentine midfielder will also meet Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti who is trying to finance the return of his play maker after just one season in England. Cragnotti is ready to sell striker Hernan Crespo with Juventus and Real Madrid keen to sign him and is also looking to replace the Argentine forward with a new South American attacking player.' --------------------------------- [5] Will we ever play in dodgy little Eastern Europe towns again? --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: Not if the G14 teams have their way, currently meeting to modernise the Champions League and UEFA Cup (ie; make the big teams even more money) they are going to stop 3rd placed teams in the Champions League qualifying into the UEFA Cup and put further precautions so that those pesky little smaller nations have less teams than ever in Europe. And Utd fans are gutted! Arsenal chairman David Dein: "The consensus was that the Uefa Cup must change and that there should be no step down from the Champions League. This is only a recommendation and the first stage of a process that will have to be rubber-stamped by the various committees but the views of the clubs is that there should be no second bite of the cherry. Uefa general secretary Gerhard Aigner : "We are just trying to get as much feedback as possible and even if the clubs in the Uefa Cup want to play more matches we still have to see whether the market can absorb the idea" Market? --------------------------------- [4] Dwight Yorke gets some good news --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: >From Ananova 'Dwight Yorke has escaped a speeding conviction on a technicality. The striker was accused of driving his Mercedes CL500 at 85mph in a 70mph zone after police measured his speed with a handheld laser gun. But the player has been found not guilty of speeding on the A34 in Wilmslow last March. His solicitor Nick Freeman told Macclesfield Magistrates that although the speed gun was Home Office approved, there was no evidence the police had followed certain conditions of approval. After the two-and-a-half hour trial, Mr Freeman said: "The police measured the speed with a laser gun. "I argued that whilst the Crown proved the device had Home Office approval, there was no evidence that the conditions of approval had been complied with. "It is a technicality of the law. A measurement made by a proscribed device is not admissible unless any conditions subject to which approval is given are followed." Yorke was not present at court for the verdict but Mr Freeman added: "I am sure he will be very pleased." Mr Freeman has successfully defended Yorke's Manchester United team mate David Beckham for allegedly speeding on the same stretch of road. He also represented Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson when he escaped a conviction for driving along a motorway hard shoulder during a traffic jam.' --------------------------------- [3] United remember --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 by bar-knee: >From Ananova 'Manchester United are keeping a promise made to a schoolboy who helped clear the pitch of Second World War shrapnel. Alan Aikin spent the 1946 summer holiday picking pieces of steel out of the turf after a groundsman promised him a free ticket. By the time Old Trafford reopened in 1949, the groundsman had left and officials refused to give him the ticket. Now the club has given him a VIP invitation to return. Mr Aikin, 69, told the Manchester Evening News: "It was the summer of 1946. I went to Old Trafford with a pal to see the pitch and we sneaked in. "We were nobbled by the groundsman, who then offered us a job during the holidays to help clear the shrapnel from bombs and anti-aircraft fire. "It was hard work, because every inch of the pitch had to be checked by hand and every scrap removed, but when the ground reopened we were given short shrift and told that the groundsman was gone." Mr Aiken, who has received an OBE for charity work, will sit in the director's box for next month's match against Tottenham Hotspur. Now he's trying to find his school friend
