Ferguson in fresh bid to subdue fan fury over United debt

January 27, 2010

Sir Alex Ferguson has renewed his appeal to Manchester United fans to keep the lid on protests over the way the club is being run by its US-based owners, the Glazer family.

Ferguson used his programme notes for last weekend’s game against Hull to plead with United supporters to stay together.

There was little sign of off-field discontent spreading onto the pitch at Old Trafford on Saturday as England striker Wayne Rooney scored all the goals in a 4-0 win that saw champions United return to the top of the Premier League.

However, United fans have maintained their attacks on the Glazers in the wake of the club revealing, in accounts filed last week, that its debts had reached almost 720 million pounds by the middle of last year.

Ferguson said: “Fans are entitled to voice their disapproval about this or that. There’s nothing wrong with supporters complaining. If the team plays badly they are quite right to voice their disapproval. It’s their prerogative because this is their club.”

But the Scot made it clear he feels that the anti-Glazer movement will not help his squad’s cause.

“We don’t want a divided club,” he said. “We want the supporters behind the club all the time because we’re coming to the important part of the season. Everything is down to what we do as a team.

“The team, always the team, is the most important thing. We should never lose sight of that.

“All I’m interested in is that everyone buckles down to make sure we are successful, players and staff – but supporters in particular.”

Ferguson meanwhile has maintained he was not in the least surprised to hear Wayne Rooney commit his future to the club despite speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Rooney’s current deal expires in 2012 but Ferguson insists he is not worried that the England striker, 24, might want to leave Old Trafford.

He added: “I think we know where that is coming from. In fact, we are sure where it’s coming from. It’s not his agent. It’s not Wayne. So, we’ll deal with that.

“He wants to stay here. He has made that quite clear himself. But we knew that he didn’t want to leave here.

“He is in such great form there aren’t many players matching him at the moment. His scoring form has put him up in that frame.

“I’m not suggesting there aren’t plenty of other good players in the country and it’s not for me to judge who is the best.

“I am just happy with the form Wayne is showing. If he continues in this way he could get to 30 goals quite easily.”

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: Barcelona, buckles, debts, disapproval, discontent, England, glazer family, glazers, HULL, MADRID, Manchester, manchester united, old trafford, pitch, premier league, prerogative, programme notes, protests, real madrid, Scot, sir alex ferguson, speculation, striker, U.S., Wayne, wayne rooney

Fergie calls for unity as anti-Glazer protests mount

January 23, 2010

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester United fans who have mounted protests against the club’s American owners that their actions could undermine his squad’s drive for silverware.

The Glazer family, who have owned United since 2005, have never been popular with United supporters and recent revelations about the scale of the debt they have loaded onto the club to finance their takeover have triggered anti-Glazer protests at home matches.

Accounts filed this week revealed that United’s overall debt has risen to more than 700 million pounds, fuelling a view amongst fans that the burden of servicing the debt is acting as a brake on the strengthening of Ferguson’s squad.

The United boss has been supportive of the Glazers’ management of the club and he has made it clear he feels that the current mood of rebellion among a section of the support will not help his players.

“One for all and all for one — it’s a terrible cliche but nevertheless it does sum up one of the essentials for success in team sport,” Ferguson wrote in his programme notes for United’s league match against Hull on Saturday.

The Scot insisted he was not questioning the right of fans to voice their concern, but urged them to ask themselves who would benefit from their actions.

“I’m not slow to express disapproval myself if there is something I don’t agree with — even in the boardroom with the directors,” he wrote.

“But once I walk out of the meeting I get on with my job as manager of the team.

“Some of our fans are clearly unhappy with the financial position, but we mustn’t allow the situation to become divisive.

“The danger, as I see it, is that we could be presented as being split, which could be harmful and inaccurate because I believe the vast majority of United fans are behind us and appreciate the importance of standing together in support of the team.

“I could see our opponents rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of watching us fall out among ourselves if we don’t all think carefully about what we are doing.

“We must not lose our focus – which, from where I stand, is about building a strong football team that will win trophies. That?s what we are about or at least should be.”

Ferguson added: “This is not about stifling criticism; it’s simply a plea to stand together rather than take action that will damage ourselves more than anyone else.

“Manchester United is bigger than me, the players, the directors, officials, and the fans and, particularly at this critical stage of our season, we need to pull in the same direction.

“It would be a shame to lose our concentration now because I can really see light at the end of the tunnel as we ready ourselves to push for the championship.”

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

Tags: boardroom, cliche, disapproval, England, Ferguson, financial position, home matches, Manchester, manchester united, match, opponents, programme notes, protests, rebellion, revelations, Scot, silverware, sir alex ferguson, takeover, team sport

Atalanta manager Conte resigns

January 7, 2010

Antonio Conte’s first Serie A job has ended as a disappointment. The Atalanta coach handed in his resignation during a meeting with club officials Thursday morning. The Nerazzurri are yet to appoint a successor to Conte.

Atalanta only earned thirteen points from their first seventeen league matches and they are just one point above last-place Siena.

The Nerazzurri slipped to a 2-0 home defeat against Napoli yesterday, sparking a wave of protests outside the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia. Conte tried to present his resignation last night but it was rejected by the Atalanta directors.

However, the former Juventus captain announced today that he has become the second coach this season to leave the relegation-threatened team.

“This is right at this time,” said Conte as he left Atalanta’s training ground. “It’s me who’s decided to leave. “I already presented my resignation last night, but I was rejected. Having reflected on it all night, I then decided to present it again.

“My regret is that I couldn’t do all that I had in mind, but I leave a lively squad, very lively, with which I got 13 points, so it’s not a disaster. Is it a black mark in my career? No, if anything the black mark is that what happened yesterday with the fans.”

Conte only worked for six months at Atalanta. He joined the Nerazzurri after he left Bari, last summer.

Tags: antonio conte, Azzurri, Bari, club officials, coach, disappointment, disaster, italia conte, job, juventus, protests, relegation, resignation, Siena, six months, stadio, thursday morning

A proposal from Germany could help cut out diving

November 11, 2009

Referee Peter Walton could face a suspension from the Premier League list if it is decided he made a mistake in Monday’s 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Birmingham.

Walton reckoned Liverpool striker David Ngog had been fouled by Lee Carsley and ignored the protests of his Birmingham team mates before Steven Gerrard converted the spotkick. Even Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez said afterwards he did not think it was a penalty.

Former Premier League and FIFA referee Graham Poll is among those saying the FA must change the rules, arguing that if the referee can be banned for a mistake, players should be punished too. Under current FA rules, players who dive cannot face retrospective action if they were not booked for “simulation” during the game.

Maybe the FA could follow a recent German experiment. If a player was thought to have dived, the referee was instructed to ask him: “Did you dive?”

If he said he did, he was not punished, but neither did he gain any advantage and the match went on.

If he said he didn’t dive and DVD evidence later proved he did, he was handed a severe ban.

Not a foolproof system by any means, but something needs to be done as diving players are damaging the credibility of the game.

PHOTO: REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

Source

Tags: Birmingham, credibility, David Ngog, fifa referee, foolproof system, Germany, Graham Poll, lee carsley, Liverpool, liverpool and birmingham, mistake, Peter Walton, premier league, proposal, protests, rafa benitez, reuters, Sergio Moraes, simulation, Steven Gerrard, striker, team mates, Walton

McDonald faces probe over tackle that triggered row

May 15, 2009

GLASGOW (AFP) – Scott McDonald could face a ban at the start of next season after his controversial challenge on Dundee United defender Lee Wilkie was referred to the Scottish Football Association’s review panel.

The Celtic forward’s challenge has been passed on to the panel as it was not seen clearly by referee Stuart Dougal, who came under fire from Dundee United boss Craig Levein for failing to stop play immediately so Wilkie could receive treatment.

The review panel will not meet until the end of this season so there is no chance of Australia striker McDonald missing either of Celtic’s two remaining Scottish Premier League matches.

Wilkie, who has lost three years of his career to injury, stayed down after being caught by McDonald’s studs but, when the ball went out for a goal kick, Dougal waved play on, sparking a furious reaction from Levein, who accused the referee of over-reacting to his legitimate protests.

“He lost his composure, stuck his finger in my face and told me to shut up,” the United boss said.

“It wasn’t acceptable. In all my time in football, no other referee has ever done that. I have lost all respect for him after the way he spoke to me.

“If it happened in the pub on a Saturday night to any of you guys, the guy would have got a punch in the face.”

McDonald’s chances of avoiding a ban could be helped by the fact that, immediately after the match, Wilkie absolved him of any blame for the incident.

“He caught me just below the knee but I don’t think it was intentional,” the defender said. “I was waiting for the ref to to stop the game but he waved play on and it looked like he wasn’t going to let the physio on.”

“I said to the referee at half time, ‘what were you playing at?’ and he said, quite arrogantly, that his kids had had bigger knocks than that, which was a stupid comment to make – his kids must be some size.”

McDonald is the second Celtic player to be referred to the SFA panel this week, with Dutchman Glenn Loovens’ challenge on Rangers’ American midfielder Maurice Edu during Saturday’s Old Firm game also being investigated.

An SFA spokesman said: “The same review panel will consider both incidents and we hope to get it convened by the end of this week.”

However, both players will be free to play in the title run-in as the disciplinary committee will not convene until the season is over, if they decide either player has a case to answer.

Levein’s public criticism of the match official could also land him in hot water with the SFA.

Tags: Australia, celtic, composure, craig levein, Dundee, dundee united, dutchman, Glasgow, goal kick, lee wilkie, Maurice, physio, protests, punch in the face, referee, saturday night, scott mcdonald, scottish football association, Scottish Premier League, striker, stuart dougal, studs

McDonald faces probe over tackle that triggered row

May 14, 2009