CELEBRATE THE DAY

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Queiroz: Utd Win Good For Football

Carlos Queiroz feels Manchester United did football a favour by winning the Premier League title last term.

After a four-year drought, the Red Devils roared to their 16th championship trophy on the back of some scintillating free-flowing tactics.

With a host of player of the year awards, Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly United's star man.

But with Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Louis Saha playing major supporting roles at various points of the season, no-one could have complained about the entertainment value at Old Trafford.

United's approach under Sir Alex Ferguson was in marked contrast to the perceived safety-first tactics employed by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and Rafael Benitez at Liverpool.

And, without mentioning his club's major rivals by name, Queiroz feels in an age where football must compete with all major entertainment industries in a bid to attract supporters, it is fitting United finished last season top of the pile.

"The Manchester United culture is to win by playing great, creative football," said Ferguson's assistant.

"It is about winning and entertaining. It has always been like that.

"Sometimes, with so much competition from all the other sports and things like TV, football needs to be innovative to keep the title of the best sporting entertainment.

"For some time now, the game has moved in one direction. The systems and strategies and the general way teams approached the game had become so defensive and cautious.

"That is why it was so important, not just for Manchester United but for the game as a whole, that we won the championship.

"We proved it is possible to win trophies with an attacking style of football."

Queiroz's comments will be greeted with a wry smile by the body of United fans who felt the former Real Madrid coach was behind the decision to abandon the club's traditional all-action 4-4-2 formation a couple of years ago.

Yet Queiroz's stock has risen markedly over the past 12 months.

A key figure in Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to remain with the club following the post-World Cup attacks on the brilliant winger, Queiroz has become a father figure to the 22-year-old.

He was also trusted with the task of travelling to Portugal with chief executive David Gill for the lightning May raid that ended with the capture of highly-rated young duo Anderson and Nani.

Clearly, Ferguson is an admirer of Queiroz's coaching abilities and feels comfortable having him around. It is a respect which is mutual.

"The manager is a great believer in playing an entertaining brand of football," observed Queiroz.

"Of course, we need to have different approaches against teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus. At times we have to be efficient.

"But mainly, Manchester United needs to play with fantasy, imagination and creativity.

"We need to produce attacking football and be sure when we have the trophies in our hands, it is because we deserve it."

Just three games into his side's pre-season programme, Ferguson already needs to fiddle about with his plans for the Premier League opener against Reading on August 12.

The loss of Paul Scholes for up to a month with a knee injury is a blow, especially as Owen Hargreaves is yet to play any major part in training, let alone play a match on United's current Far East tour.

With Anderson not due to train with his new team-mates until they return to England at the weekend, unless Hargreaves' condition suddenly improves over the next fortnight, Ferguson may find himself turning to the trusted talents of long-serving duo Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea as he looks for someone to partner Michael Carrick against the Royals.

manchesterunited 7/24/2007 11:00:00 AM

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Sunday, July 15, 2007

United sedia pamer bakat baru

TOKYO: Sir Alex Ferguson sudah bersedia untuk mempamerkan bakat baru bernilai hampir 40 juta pound (RM272 juta) apabila Manchester United memulakan jelajah pra-musim Asia di Tokyo, hari ini.

Dua tahun selepas kunjungan terakhir mereka ke rantau ini, United kembali selaku juara Liga Perdana Inggeris untuk siri jelajah empat perlawanan yang akan menyaksikan mereka bermain di Tokyo, Seoul, Macau dan Guangzhou dalam tempoh dua minggu.

Dan ribuan penyokong Red Devils di Asia mendapat penghormatan selaku peminat pertama menyaksikan kehadiran bintang baru Owen Hargreaves dan Nani dalam jersi United.

Tetapi tiada perlawanan di Kuala Lumpur selepas United tunduk kepada tekanan Konfederasi Bola Sepak Asia (AFC) dan membatalkannya kerana ia bertembung dengan Piala Asia.

Tanpa pengetahuan Red Devils, Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) menandatangani perjanjian dengan AFC untuk tidak menganjurkan sebarang perlawanan lain ketika ia bertindak selaku tuan rumah kejohanan ini.

Ketika United akan mempamerkan bakat Hargreaves dan Nani, pemain tengah Brazil Anderson, pembelian 19 juta pound (RM129.2 juta) dari Porto, tidak ikut serta dalam jelajah ini kerana terbabit dalam kejohanan Copa America.

United juga turun tanpa kelibat penyerang Argentina, Carlos Tevez tatkala mereka cuba untuk memuktamadkan perpindahannya dari West Ham awal minggu ini.

Tetapi pemain tengah England, Hargreaves yang bernilai 17 juta pound (RM115.6 juta) dari Bayern Munich, dan pemain bernilai 17.3 juta pound (RM117.6) Nani dari Portugal menyertai nama besar seperti Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo dan Ryan Giggs dan barisan bintang United lain. - AFP

manchesterunited 7/15/2007 01:55:00 PM

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Saturday, July 14, 2007

Transfer Rumous

ARSENAL

In: Lukasz Fabianski (Legia Warsaw, undisclosed)

Out: Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham City, undisclosed), Mart Poom (Watford, undisclosed)

Rumours: David Trezeguet (Juventus, £5m), Ryan Babel (Ajax, £6m), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona, £25m), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, £20 million), Florent Malouda (Lyon, £17m), Thierry Henry (to Barcelona, £15m)

ASTON VILLA

In: None

Out: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls, free), Gavin McCann (Bolton Wanderers, £1 million), Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton, free)

BIRMINGHAM CITY

In: Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough, free), Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal, free)

Out: Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester City, free)

Rumours: Diomansy Kamara (West Brom, £6 million)

BLACKBURN ROVERS

In: None

Out: None

Rumours: Chris Baird (Southampton, £3 million), Francis Jeffers (to Ipswich, £500,000), Andy Todd (to Coventry, £750,000)

BOLTON WANDERERS

In: Gerald Cid (Bordeaux, free), Blerim Dzemaili (FC Zurich, free), Zoltan Harsanyi (FC Senec, undisclosed), Gavin McCann (Aston Villa, £1 million), Jlloyd Samuel (Aston Villa, free)

Out: Quinton Fortune, Cesar Martin, Henrik Pedersen, David Thompson (all released)

Rumours: Gokdeniz Karadeniz (Trabzonspor), Stephen Hunt (Reading, £1.5 million), Thomas Buffel (Rangers)

CHELSEA

In: Steve Sidwell (Reading, free), Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich, free)

Out: Nuno Morais (APOEL Nicosia, free)

Rumours: David Villa (Valencia, £30m), Carlos Tevez (West Ham, £30m), Florent Malouda (Lyon, £17m) Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, £20 million); Claude Makelele (to PSG, free), Tal Ben Haim (Bolton Wanderers, free)

DERBY COUNTY

In: None

Out: Paul Peschisolido, Seth Johnson, Paul Boertien, Lee Grant, Morten Bisgaard, Steven Cann, Lionel Ainsworth, Tom Cumberworth (all released)

EVERTON

In: Tim Howard (Manchester United, undisclosed)

Out: Alessandro Pistone (released), Richard Wright (released)

Rumours: David Nugent (Preston, £6 million)

FULHAM

In: None

Out: Claus Jensen, Tomasz Radzinski, Mark Crossley (all released)

Rumours: Diomansy Kamara, Jason Koumas (both West Brom, £7 million for the pair), Chris Baird (Southampton, £3 million), Mido (Tottenham), Marlon Harewood (West Ham)

LIVERPOOL

In: Lucas Leiva (Gremio, undisclosed), Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen, free)

Out: Robbie Fowler (released)

Rumours: Florent Malouda (Lyon £17m), Simao (Benfica, £12m), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, £20 million), Yossi Benayoun (West Ham, £3 million)

MANCHESTER CITY

In: None

Out: Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth, free), Trevor Sinclair (released)

MANCHESTER UNITED

In: Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich, undisclosed), Nani (Sporting Lisbon), Anderson (Porto)

Out: Tim Howard (Everton)

Rumours: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, £20 million), Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria, £10 million), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona, cash plus Gerard Pique), Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham), Alan Smith (to Sunderland £7m)

MIDDLESBROUGH

In: Jonathan Woodgate (Real Madrid, £7 million)

Out: Malcolm Christie, Danny Graham (both released), Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham City, free), Mark Viduka (Newcastle United, free), Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy, free)

Rumours: Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce, free), Ayegbeni Yakubu (to Portsmouth, £12m)

NEWCASTLE UNITED

In: Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough, free)

Out: Scott Parker (Charlton, £7 million), Titus Bramble, Antione Sibierski (both Wigan Athletic, both free), Olivier Bernard, Craig Moore, Pavel Srnicek (all released)

Rumours: Joey Barton (Manchester City, £5.5m), Tal Ben Haim (Bolton Wanderers, free), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona, £1.5m), Nicky Shorey (Reading, £5m), Gokdeniz Karadeniz (Trabzonspor)

PORTSMOUTH

In: Sylvain Distin (Manchester City, free), Herman Hreidarsson (Charlton, free), Sulley Muntari (Udinese, undisclosed)

Out: None

Rumours: Curtis Davies (West Bromwich, £7m), Ayegbeni Yakubu (Middlesbrough, £12m), Nwankwo Kanu (to Ajax)

READING

In: Kalifa Cisse (Boavista, undisclosed)

Out: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, free), Greg Halford (Sunderland, £3.5m)

Rumours: Nicky Shorey (to Newcastle, £5m)

SUNDERLAND

In: Greg Halford (Reading, £3.5m)

Out: Kenny Cunningham, Tommy Miller (both released)

Rumoured: David Nugent (Preston, £6 million), Alan Smith (Manchester United, £7m)

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

In: Gareth Bale (Southampton, £5 million), Adel Taarabt (Lens, undisclosed)

Out: None

Rumours: Curtis Davies (West Bromwich, £7m), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona, £1.5m), Darren Bent (Charlton, £17 million), Jermaine Defoe (to Manchester United), Mido (to Fulham)

WEST HAM

In: Scott Parker (Newcastle United, £7 million)

Out: None

Rumours: Darren Bent (Charlton, £18m), Carlos Tevez (to Chelsea, Internazionale, Real Madrid, £30m), Hayden Mullins (Charlton, part/ex for Bent), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Marlon Harewood (to Fulham)

WIGAN ATHLETIC

In: Titus Bramble, Antoine Sibierski (both Newcastle United, both free)

Out: Arjen de Zeeuw, David Unsworth, Matt Jackson (all released)

Rumoured: Danny Murphy (Tottenham, £1.5 million), Michael Brown (Fulham, £1 million), Rob Hulse (Sheffield Utd, £2.5 million), Andy O'Brien (Portsmouth), Thomas Buffel (Rangers)

manchesterunited 7/14/2007 11:59:00 AM

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Saturday, July 7, 2007

Tevez looking forward to Ronaldo link-up

Carlos Tevez cannot wait to link up with Cristiano Ronaldo after his lawyer revealed that the Argentine striker had agreed personal terms with Manchester United.

The 23-year-old is expected to join the Premiership champions at the end of next week's Copa America.

Tevez told the Daily Mirror: "I only know Alex Ferguson from what I see from the outside but I believe he is a great manager and that I will be a good pupil for him.

"Manchester United is a team with a very offensive, attacking style of play. This is the system I always desire.

"Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world. I have spoken with him during the season and I admire him for being a star on the pitch and on the street."

The Daily Mail report that he will join United on an initial £6million two-year loan.

If Manchester United then exercise a three-year buy-out option, it will cost them a further £35million. They will then own the player outright.

Tevez's wages have been agreed for five years - and United will pay him just under £100,000 a week.

All transfer monies will be paid directly to owner Kia Joorabchian.

A statement from Joorabchian's lawyers said: "We confirm that Carlos Tevez has, with the knowledge and permission of West Ham been in discussions with other clubs.

"Subsequently, personal terms have now been agreed with Manchester United.

"Carlos Tevez's representatives will work during the course of next week so that a move to Manchester United can be finalised as quickly as possible.

"The process for finalising the player's registration with Manchester United will be undertaken in accordance with appropriate procedures."

But earlier Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson said in a statement that no deal had been made.

The Icelandic owner said: "Carlos Tevez is a registered West Ham player, contracted to the club until June 2010.

"There is no agreement with West Ham for Carlos Tevez to leave the club and we expect him to return in time for next season's preparations.

"No decision on his future can be reached without the agreement of West Ham."

The Premier League will not sanction the transfer unless West Ham are seen to be exercising their rights as the player's employers.

manchesterunited 7/07/2007 01:23:00 AM

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Tevez idam sarung jersi Man United

LONDON: Penyerang Argentina, Carlos Tevez menegaskan dia berazam melengkapkan perpindahan idamannya ke Manchester United walaupun bimbang persetujuan mungkin akan disekat Liga Perdana.

Hak milik pemain berusia 23 tahun itu akan memungkinkan perjanjian bernilai 30 juta pound (RM214 juta) dicapai dan Liga Perdana menegaskan sebarang urus niaga harus dilakukan dengan kelab pemain itu, West Ham dan bukan ejennya, Kia Joorabchian.

“Bagi saya, Manchester United adalah destinasi sensasi dan untuk menjadi sebahagian dari anggota skuad Sir Alex Ferguson adalah menakjubkan.

“Impian saya ialah untuk menjadi pemain idola dalam bola sepak Inggeris dan saya boleh mencapainya kini,” kata Tevez kepada akhbar Daily Mail.

Liga Perdana menegaskan, sebarang yuran perpindahan untuk Tevez harus melalui West Ham dan kelab London itu mesti menamatkan semua perjanjian dengan Joorabchian.

United hampir mempersetujui pilihan menandatangani Tevez untuk dua tahun lagi, tetapi perjanjian itu harus memuaskan Liga Perdana yang Joorachian tidak dibayar yuran perpindahan.

Menurut jurucakap Liga Perdana, sebarang perjanjian untuk membawa Tevez dari West Ham harus dilakukan secara terus dengan kelab London itu.

Kenyataan itu memberi gambaran perpindahan Tevez ke United masih belum selesai, walaupun mereka mungkin sudah mencapai persetujuan dengan wakil pemain berkenan.

Teves masih mempunyai baki kontrak tiga tahun dengan West Ham, tetapi kelabnya sedang berbincang dengan United mengenai perpindahan, dan bekas pemain Boca Juniors dan Corinthians itu berasa gembira dengan peluang itu.

“Saya adalah pemain yang gemarkan cabaran, saya ke England untuk mencapai kejayaan dalam Liga Perdana, dan bersama West Ham saya mencapai peringkat pertama, kini saya bersedia untuk ke peringkat seterusnya, ” kata Tevez. - AFP

manchesterunited 7/07/2007 01:20:00 AM

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Tuesday, July 3, 2007

United Wrap Up Signing Hat-Trick

New signings Nani and Anderson have penned five-year deals with Manchester United.

Portugal winger Nani and Brazil midfielder Anderson, currently playing for Brazil in the Copa America, cost a combined £30million when they joined from Sporting Lisbon and Porto respectively.

Polish keeper Tomasz Kuszczak has also finalised his permanent move to Old Trafford after completing a season on loan from West Brom.

Nani, Anderson and fellow new arrival Owen Hargreaves will be officially unveiled to the press in the near future.

Meanwhile, United full-back Gabriel Heinze has admitted he might have to consider his options at Old Trafford.

The Argentina international has been linked with a move to a number of top European clubs, including Liverpool.

Heinze found himself on the margins at United last season due to the emergence of Patrice Evra.

But he insists he still loves life at the club and will not make a firm decision on his future until the Copa America finishes in Venezuela.

"The good thing is the clubs which are being talked about are super clubs," he is quoted as saying in the Manchester Evening News.

"I already play for one super club and other ones such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have been mentioned.

"For me to go, the offer has to be good for everyone. I'm very comfortable in Manchester.

"I've been a champion, captain and the fans love me. Everything is perfect."

manchesterunited 7/03/2007 09:07:00 AM

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United lead way in summer signings

Manchester United have done what most good champions do the summer after a title success - strengthen their squad even further. Eurosport.yahoo.com looks at why United will once again be a force to be reckoned with come the start of the next campaign.

That United ended last season with a team already capable of retaining their crown come next May is of little import to Alex Ferguson; instead of resting on his laurels, the Scotsman has set about his summer transfer activity with a single-minded determination that is sure to send out a clear signal of intent to prospective challengers to the Premiership champions.

Backed by the Glazer family, United have to date spent over £50 million in bringing three new players to Old Trafford before the summer transfer window is even close to closing. Add to that the permanent signing of a loanee and the return from loan spells of two other rising young stars and United appear well set for another season of success.

Indeed Ferguson's close season activity has focused heavily on youth, with 20-year-old Nani and 19-year-old Anderson signing from Porto and Sporting Lisbon respectively while Ben Foster, 24, and Giuseppe Rossi, 20, have both returned from after loan periods elsewhere.

For good measure, Tomasz Kuszczak, the goalkeeper United have signed on a permanent basis from West Brom after last season's temporary deal, is only 25, an age at which a keeper is still classed as young.

It is perhaps ironic that should Ferguson have captured Owen Hargreaves when he first expressed an interest in him three years ago, he would surely have also been classified in the same category, but at 26, the former Bayern Munich man is slightly too old to qualify.

Nonetheless, the signing of Hargreaves could turn out to be the best of all and the England man represents what Ferguson has been searching for ever since Roy Keane left the club two years ago - a high energy defensive midfielder capable of stamping his authority on a game. Michael Carrick was signed from Tottenham at this time last year amid much fanfare and expectation that he was 'the new Keane', but the quietly spoken lad from the north east is not that kind of player.

Hargreaves most definitely can be. His displays for club and country over the last three years have been exceptional and a player who can break up opposition attacks before launching one of his own is really what United have been lacking since Keane left.

Carrick has enjoyed an exceptional season, proving critics of his sizeable price tag wrong along the way, but with Hargreaves now in the reckoning, he will be expected to take up a different role and that could mean, rather unfortunately, acting as an' understudy.

What will be interesting to see is how much Ferguson will use Nani and Anderson. The pair undoubtedly have talent, but whether the boys are ready for the man's world of the Premiership is yet to be seen. Ferguson is a big fan of nurturing his young players and bringing them through slowly, so it may be that their playing time at the beginning of their United careers is limited.

And lest we forget, whilst Nani and Anderson are seen as long term replacements for Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, the veteran pair are far from being thrown onto the Premiership scrap heap. That mistake was made at this time last year, and just look at how they both responded.

But the young duo will get their chances soon enough, as neither Giggs nor Scholes are capable of putting in a full season this time round, and the thought of Nani and Anderson playing alongside Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at some stage in the future is a truly mouthwatering one.

All that remains to complete a thoroughly successful summer shopping spree is the capture of a world class striker. With Alan Smith's future at Old Trafford increasingly uncertain, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer not getting any younger and Louis Saha's regular failure to maintain fitness, United desperately need another forward.

The return of Rossi is undoubtedly a fillip for Ferguson, and the American-born Italian, who played a starring role in Parma's escape from relegation during his loan spell in Serie A last season, could yet prove to be the 'next big thing' on these shores.

But Ferguson will know that he has to bring in a proven goalscorer to partner Rooney up front if United are to sustain a challenge on both the domestic and European fronts next season.

Carlos Tevez, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Dimitar Berbatov, even Eidur Gudjohnsen - all linked with United - would take the pressure of Rooney's, albeit rather broad, shoulders and take Ferguson's side on that step further.

While Chelsea are seemingly reticent to splash any more cash and looking like starting the season with the same problems that hampered them last time out, Arsenal have lost their inspirational captain and uncertainty continues to hang over the future of their manager.

Elsewhere Liverpool's US owners are dipping into their pockets, but possibly on the wrong players, and while there is still plenty of movement to come in this summer's transfer market, United are looking like they will be starting the new season in an even stronger position than last.

manchesterunited 7/03/2007 02:02:00 AM

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