Real Madrid pose £64m bid

It's the story that just won't die: Ronaldo to Real Madrid. The latest episode in this epic saga emanates from radio station Cadena Ser, who claim that the Liga giants have secured £64m of funding from Spanish bank Santander to finance their next attempt to prise the FIFA World Player of the Year away from Old Trafford.
Apparently, Madrid officials have all the necessary paper work in place so that when interim president Vicente Boluda steps down at the end of the season the club's new chief has access to funds to sign the 23-year-old-winger.

All this may seem a little far fetched given the global financial meltdown is predicted to get even worse but Madrid have a strange habit of stumbling upon new funds.
In 2001 Real sold their training ground to the City of Madrid for €480m, sparking a European Commission investigation into why so much was paid for so little.
The deal allowed Madrid to wipe out crippling debts of €270m, build a new state-of-the-art training complex on the city's outskirts and paved the way for the galactico era that brought Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham to the club.
At the time a spokesman for the EC, Tilman 'state the bleeding obvious' Lueder, said: "We believe the City of Madrid may have overpaid."

Man United attracts new Kid interest

Monday, March 9, 2009
Amongst the many transfer targets linked with Manchester United on Monday - Nicolas Bertolo, Douglas Costa, Alexis Sanchez, Neymar - one name really stood out, that of Internacional wonderkid Walter.
Not because the £5m-rated Brazilian striker lit up the South American Under 20 Championship with some stunning goals but because his name sounds, well, ordinary.
With compatriots Fred and Jo already having made the trip to Europe it makes you wonder what happened to all the dynamic Brazilian names of the past - Garrincha , Jarzinho, Zico, Tostão, Socrates - that instantly conjured up images of footballing genius.
Fred, Jo and Walter? They sound more like pigeon fanciers.
But to get back to the point, United's scouts were at the U20 Championships to run the rule over Gremio playmaker Douglas Costa (Douglas, that's another one) but Walter, whose full name of Walter Henrique Da Silva is slightly more evocative, was more impressive, finishing the tournament as joint top scorer with five as Brazil won the competition.

A Star name Federico Macheda was born at Old Trafford

Sunday, April 05 2009,
The tall tale of Roy of the Rovers came to life at Old Trafford on Sunday as 17-year-old debutant Federico Macheda came off the bench to score a last-gasp goal for Manchester United to keep their title hopes alive and leave us journos desperately scrabbling around for information about the youngsters.
The Italian starlet was promoted to the match day squad after scoring a hat-trick for the reserves against Newcastle United's B-team and came on to score a sublime 93rd minute match winner in Sunday's 3-2 come from behind victory against Aston Villa.
After being swamped by celebrating team-mates the former Lazio trainee ran into the stands to hug his father, who worked three jobs in Rome to allow his son to follow his dream, and in his post match interview Macheda described it as the "best day of his life".
After receiving the man-of-the-match award from club captain Gary Neville the veteran defender was asked what he thought of Machena's amazing contribution. "I'm grateful" was all he could muster. What a way to burst the young lad's bubble.
Worryingly, for those of a certain age, Macheda's dad is just 34 years old.

Ryan Giggs - The Ultimate Warrior

This season's PFA Player of the Year Award effectively turned into a life-time achievement award when Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs scooped the trophy ahead of the likes of Steven Gerrard and team-mate Nemanja Vidic.
The 35-year-old, who made his 800th appearance for United against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final, has started only 12 matches this season and although he has clearly not been the best player the award is seen as just reward for a glittering career which started 18 years ago against Everton at Old Trafford on March 2, 1991.
Last season the Welshman helped United win the Premier League and European Cup double and the midfielder is on course to do so again this term.
Critics might say that Giggs' victory devalues the award, but it is difficult to begrudge the twice Young Player of the Year winner his first full POTY gong as recognition for a career that has included 10 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and two Champions League medals.

Sir Alex - Non English XI

Sunday, May 10 2009,
Sir Alex Ferguson's team set a new standard in the Manchester derby, not because of the ease with which United brushed City aside, but because it was the first time in the club's 131-year history that the starting line-up did not contain a single Englishman.
With regular first-teamers Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand all rested it was left to Edwin Van der Sar (Holland); Patrice Evra (France), Johnny Evans (N.Ireland), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia), Rafael (Brazil); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Ryan Giggs (Wales), Darren Fletcher (Scotland), Park Ji-Sung (S.Korea); Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria) and Carlos Tevez (Argentina) to keep United's title push on track.
But United fans need not worry about the international make-up of the squad just yet as it would be equally possible for Ferguson to field an entire team of Englishman. A starting XI of Ben Foster; Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Richard Eckersley; Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Lee Martin; Wayne Rooney and Danny Wellbeck would be more than match for most teams in the Premier League.
Gianluca Vialli's Chelsea were the first English team to start a match without a single Englishman on the pitch, on Boxing Day 1999. In February 2005, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal went one better and named a 16-man match day squad devoid of any Englishmen.

11 Men vs 11 babies

Let's take a jibe at Arsenal by claims that it was eleven men against eleven babies at the Emirates. It has been reported that the after the Champions League semi-final which saw Manchester United dispose Arsenal with a 4-1 aggregate. We have much more experience and that's what made the difference. We were always confident. It should have been that score in the first leg anyway. It is a great United team that won.
Football today is not only about playing well, it's about winning trophies. Everybody talks about the way Arsenal play but, at the end of the day, it's about winning silverware. At United, we play well and we win. Tactically and technically we were superior. You look at our starting 11 and theirs and you see that we are well above. Lots of people are disappointed because they thought they would beat us like they did in the league. But the Champions League is another level. Arsene Wenger's men were no match for a rampant United who played like men possessed and ended the contest with two early goals from Park Ji-Sung and Cristiano Ronaldo in the first 45 minutes.

Ronaldo stunned the Emirates Stadium with a 40-yard free-kick on Tuesday and followed up with his 25th goal of another incredible season - a figure even more remarkable because he started a month behind everyone else after a summer ankle operation. People forget Cristiano had an operation at the start of the season. It takes time to get over that. He has done well to recover so quickly and now I think we are seeing the Cristiano Ronaldo everyone knows.
Ferguson will have to raise the spirits of Darren Fletcher, who knows he must watch from the stands in Rome, just as Paul Scholes and Roy Keane did at the Nou Camp 10 years ago.
However, such is the strength of Fletcher's character, he could well be involved against City, with Ferdinand giving away its importance as a title decider.

Man Utd aiming for History Book

Manchester United are aiming to become the first side to retain the European title in the competition's current guise. History is not on their side, however, with three past winners having lost their title in the following year's final. AC MILAN 1995, AJAX 1996, JUVENTUS 1997.

This is another opportunity for us and hopefully we can do it again. I think we have the quality and the energy and the ambition to do it. This is a hungry team. When the chips are down they don't let me down. With the Carling Cup and Club World Cup already secure, attention at Old Trafford now switches to Sunday's Manchester derby when Ferguson's team will look to collect the first three of the seven points required to ensure they finish top. But it is Europe that Ferguson really wants to dominate, especially as another triumph would take United alongside Ajax and Bayern Munich with four victories.

The Mighty Red Army

The amazing Red Army once again proved to the world that they're now one of the world best teams. Having eliminate The Gunners in their own soil with a superb 3-1 victory ( 4-1 aggregate), Manchester United will be facing the Spanish La Liga Heavyweight Barcalona. Having sent Arsenal crashing in the Champions League Semifinal will be an important factor to win the Champions league again this season. The Mighty Reds well aware there's a bit of league business to sort out before we go to Rome and got some big games coming up especially the Manchester Derby against Manchester City.

The month of May may mark a new chapter in Man United's illustrious history as a third consecutive Barclays Premier League title and a Champions League title is within grasp. Sir Alex Ferguson's men might become the first club to win back-to-back Champions League finals. What we achieved last season will give us a lot of confidence ahead of this year's finale. Winning the Champions League was incredible and to repeat it would be amazing. Doing that means we'd create history which is something this club does well. Hopefully we can be part of that.

Manchester United's Early Title

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo was on Sunday named the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year. The 22-year-old Portugal winger is the first player to win both awards in the same season since Andy Gray in 1977.
Ronaldo has been in incredible form for United who remain on course for a Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League treble. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was second and Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes third in the senior award.
Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs, last year's winner Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas also made ths shortlist. Ronaldo, who has scored 16 Premiership goals so far this season, said it was a big honour to be singled out by his peers. "It is a special night. It is amazing and a big honour for me to win trophies like this in the English Premier League. I am very proud. "My colleagues have voted for me and that is fantastic because the players know the qualities of players. "I want to keep working hard and getting better because these trophies have now given me more motivation.
"At this moment, I am consistent. I am more mature now and I am playing better.
"Everything is right this season and I am really enjoying it. I am still young and I am learning more every day." Fabregas finished runner-up in the young player category as well, with 20-year-old Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon third.
Ronaldo's team-mate Wayne Rooney was also shortlisted, as were Reading striker Kevin Doyle, 23, and 18-year-old defender Micah Richards of Manchester City.
Manchester United took centre stage with eight of their players making it into the Premier League team of the year and manager Sir Alex Ferguson being honoured with the PFA Special Merit Award. Ferguson paid tribute to Ronaldo, who joined United from Sporting Lisbon in August 2003 on a 12.2 million pound deal.
"At this moment in time, I think he is the best player in the world and his season has been incredible," he said.

Report: United 1 Liverpool 0

United staged a massive smash and grab raid at Anfield, surviving the late dismissal of Paul Scholes to snatch all three points through an injury-time John O'Shea strike.

The big Irishman, on as a substitute for the injured Wayne Rooney, smashed home the loose ball after Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina had parried Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side adopted an extremely cautious approach for the massively important clash, posing the hosts almost no attacking threat, and got their rewards with an invaluable victory in this year's title race.

Edwin van der Sar and Rio Ferdinand in particular were in inspired form, coping admirably with the dual threat of Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy.

A relatively tepid first half saw Liverpool create the majority of the chances, but United's wastefulness in attack saw a host of promising openings spurned.

Cristiano Ronaldo had United's best chance, lashing over after a breackneck, incisive move involving Gary Neville and Henrik Larsson.

John Arne Riise was responsible for the hosts' best moment, smashing a free kick just wide of Edwin van der Sar's upright.

Following a poor first 45 minutes, Liverpool flew out of the traps after the interval, as first Gerrard lashed wildly over the bar before Bellamy forced van der Sar into his first save of note.

The Welsh striker latched onto Kuyt's through ball, but was thwarted as the big Dutchman clawed away his low effort.

Bellamy thought he had opened the scoring shortly afterwards, but was correctly ruled offside after he converted Sissoko's flick from close range.

A Clown named Mourinho in Stamford Bridge

The 42-year-old Portuguese, who worked at the Nou Camp under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal, won the Champions League with Porto last season and two EPL Championship back to back but unfortunately for this season,Mourinho's role as a 21st century team boss is facilitated by the fact that he speaks several languages, and he has also adopted a scientific view of coaching, sometimes asking his players to study videos of their own performances at home, while also working closely with dietary specialists. He also incorporates American-style management techniques into his coaching, giving pep-talks using 'buzzwords', and asking his players to sacrifice their personal ambitions for the success of the team.
His first season in charge of the team was eventful to say the least. After putting Roman Abramovich's money to good use by signing several high profile players, he made a name for himself as a highly composed, if controversial, manager. Despite suffering defeats in the Champions League semi-final and FA Cup Fifth Round, he steered his team to a Carling Cup victory and their first Championship in fifty years, losing only one match and securing the record for most points won in one year.
However, the season was marred by several high-profile disputes. In the Champions League Quarter-Final Second Leg, he accused Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard of 'influencing the referee' during the half-time break. This lead to a touchline ban during both leags of the semi-final against Bayern Munich. On the domestic front, meanwhile, he was accused of taunting Liverpool fans after his team took the lead in a tense and tight affair at the Millenium Stadium. No action was taken.
The most controversy, however, was reserved for a 'tapping up' scandal in the latter half of the season. After an FA inquiry into Chelsea's alleged unauthorised discussions with Arsenal's Ashley Cole, both Mourinho and Cole, along with the Chelsea board, were handed hefty fines.
Controversy aside, Mourinho's self-confidence, coupled with a large transfer kitty saw his side claim a second successive Barclays Premiership trophy in 05/06. However, success in the FA Cup and, more to the point, the Champions' League still eluded Mourinho as he watched his side crash out in the semi-finals and second round of the competitions respectivly.
Trouble again followed as the Portuguese boss called Arsene Wenger a "voyeur" and the Blues didn't always look the impenetrable force they had been in 04/05, losing to Manchester United, Middlesbrough and Fulham.

The Next Predator

Larsson started his professional career playing for Högaborg at the age of 17. He moved to Helsingborgs IF, where he showed his potential by scoring 50 goals in 56 appearances.
This sensational record attracted the attention of Feyenoord, who signed him for £295,000 in 1993.
After falling out with Feyenoord over a contract dispute, Celtic manager Wim Jansen was able to get his signature in July 1997 for a fee of £650,000. His debut was not great as he gave away the ball to Hibs player, Chic Charnley, who scored, resulting in a 2-1 loss.
Yet Larsson's career at Celtic was incredibly successful and he went on to score 242 goals for Celtic, in 315 matches, making him Celtic's third all-time record goal scorer (in all competitions).
Remarkably he also missed an entire season after breaking his leg in two places while playing in a UEFA Cup match against Lyon.
Larsson became one of Europe's most coverted strikers when he won the 'Golden Boot' in 2001, having scored 53 goals in all European competitions that year (30 in the SPL).
In 2003 he netted twice in the UEFA Cup Final, although Jose Mourinho's FC Porto went on to win the game 3-2.
Larsson is revered at Celtic, and is hailed as the best ever foreign player in the history of the Scottish League.
In the 2003/04 season he announced that he would not be renewing his contract when it finished at the end of the season. He scored twice to defeat Dunfermline Athletic and win the Scottish Cup in his last appearance for the club and was given a testimonial match against Sevilla.
Not content to retire, Larsson signed a one-year contract with Barcelona, with an option for a second year in 2003/04.
His first season was plagued by injury, although Barca still won the La Liga title.
Despite having missed most of the 2004-05 season, Barcelona took the option to extend his contract. In 2005-06 Larsson scored 10 goals as Barcelona won La Liga for a second consecutive year.
In January 2006, Larsson announced that at the end of his contract, which ended in July, he would leave Barcelona and return to Sweden to end his career with Helsingborg.
Larsson's impact at Barcelona would be seen in his final match, the Champions League final against Arsenal. With Barca down 1-0 and Arsenal down to ten men, Larsson arrived as substitute and set up both goals as the Spanish club came back to win 2-1 in the final stages.
Collecting his Champions League medal, Larsson left the club to head back to Sweden. He was accused of punching an opposing player in the stomach, in August and was suspended for 2 games.

The January transfer window gave Larsson another opportunity to shine as Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson announced his interest in taking the striker on loan.
United announced that Larsson would be on loan from January 2 until March 12, which coincides with the Swedish league's off season and he scored on his debut for Manchester United against Aston Villa in the FA Cup Third Round.
Larsson could stay with United until the end of the season with negotitations between Helsingborg on-going, although the Swedish side have insisted that Larsson will return by the agreed date.

Malaysia Vs Singapore in AFF Championship

Malaysia based on the current display, I believe could reach the Final of AFF Championship.

Basically, Malaysian player have technical skills and capability to perform better. What do they need is courage, commitment and strong mentality to fight till the end of the game.

I like what I saw the scenario in TV, there still much to desire about Malaysian Football.

Everybody need to be professional.

Boss upbeat despite defeat

Sir Alex Ferguson was philosophical in defeat following Arsenal's smash and grab 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium.

The Reds' boss saw his side go down to two late goals from substitute Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry, who headed the winner in the last minute of stoppage time.

The result prevented United from moving further ahead of nearest challengers Chelsea, who lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Saturday. Nevertheless, Sir Alex remained upbeat after the game and insists strong lessons will be learnt from the experience.

"There is big disappointment in the dressing room but when I look at things now I think the result and the experience of losing so late will be good for us," he told Sky Sports.

"We have some important away games to come at places like Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, and if we get into that winning position again we won't be making mistakes like we made today again - I can tell you that for sure."

The Reds took the lead on 53 minutes through Wayne Rooney, who recorded his first headed goal of his United career. The visitors led for the next half an hour before van Persie pounced for the equaliser and Henry struck the final blow.

"We've lost two goals from positions where we didn't think we'd lose them," admitted the Sir Alex. "But that's football.

"After controlling the first half, we were in a good position and defending well. We had some good possession and probably should have done better with it, but these games are always difficult and you can never really dominate for 90 minutes in matches like this.

"After we scored we sat back about 10 yards and their long balls up towards Henry and Adebayor began to force us back a little bit. But I still couldn't see anything that was going to disturb us.

"I'm not scratching my head and worrying about form or anything like that," added the United chief. "Yes, we're disappointed, but our form is good and in Michael Carrick I thought we had the best player on the pitch - he was absolutely magnificent.

"So with players like that in our side with good ability we know we're going to be okay. The funny thing is [after this weekend] we've now got a game less left to play and we're a goal better off after Chelsea's result at Liverpool so it's not all doom and gloom."

You can watch MUTV's interview with Sir Alex now on your PC, in the News > Player Views section of MUTV Online.