Fans and Supporters...

On Sunday 12^th May 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson stood on the Old Trafford turf after his last home game against Swansea and declared, “I'd like to remind you that when we had bad times here the club stood by me, all the staff stood by me, the players stood by me – your job now is to stand by our new manager. That is important.”

This unforunately has not been the case, 11 months after that passionate speech his replacement David Moyes has gone from being the 'Chosen One' by Sir Alex to the 'Wrong One' by some sections of Manchester United fans.

After hand picking Moyes as his own successor, Sir Alex expected the fans to rally behind Moyes and give him time and support while he took on what had been called 'the impossible job'. The last thing Sir Alex could have expected was the fans to turn on him and Moyes in such a unrelenting manner. It has been on social media groups with the #MoyesOut campaign, radio phone ins and a fan groups. Fans have been calling for Moyes to be sacked and he has not even completed a season at Old Trafford yet.

The fact that some United fans took the time and effort to hire a plane to fly over Old Trafford last Saturday and display a message proclaiming they wanted 'Moyes Out' shows that they have ignored what Sir Alex had asked of them on that unforgettable day in May last year. Those type of fans are probably the same ones who held up the now infamous '3 years of excuses and it's still crap, tara Fergie' banner in 1989 when Sir Alex was struggling and facing calls to be replaced. I wonder how that gentleman felt when United won the treble in 1999.

United fans have be spoilt in the past two decades and have known nothing but success in that period, however Manchster United supporters remember when United were relegated in 1974, finishing in mid table in the old division one and when the club had to build a whole new team after the tragic Munich Air Disaster in 1958. Different era's and generation indeed but it is important to know the history of the club you follow.

That is the difference, these so called fans are the same people that had the termerity to heckle Sir Alex after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford last Tuesday, the man who brought all that glory, honour and prestige to the club being abused by people who should know better, disgraceful! Anger and fustrations are running high at the moment but insulting the players, current and pervious manager is conterproductive and the team this season look like they they have been scared to play at Old Trafford as one bad pass or a shot off target will lead to moans and groans from the stands.

In life, tough times do not last but tough people do and before kick off at Old Trafford last Saturday Moyes emergered from the tunnel early with his chest pushed out and his head held high as to say to the crowd 'I'm here, give me all you got' and thankfully he was applauded and United went on to win the game against Aston Villa comfortably. That's what a good atmostphere can do to everybodies confidence, also the banner that had the 'Moyes Out' slogan was roundly booed by the supporters inside Old Trafford.

Football crowds can be a fickle bunch, just look at the West Ham fans who inexplicably booed the team after a home VICTORY against Hull last Wednesday, they need to remember they were in the Championship during 2011-12.

The juggernaut that is Bayern Munich travel to Old Trafford tomorrow and it is imperative that everybody is behind the team and manager as soon as the turnstiles open, supporters can often be a 12^th man but against Munich they might need to be the 13^th and 14^th as well. With a bit of luck and unmatched desire I'm sure United can come away with a postitve result from a tough game.

Sir Alex Ferguson Tribute.

“The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time”.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s statement on Wednesday morning, announcing his retirement from football and stepping down as Manchester United manager (1,498 matches, 894 wins, 337 draws and 267 losses) after 26 and a half years of a glorious career.

In life, timing is everything so after winning 38 trophies at Manchester United and 49 in total (his first in 1976-77 at St Mirren) the most successful manager in British football history (watch http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22446264) is bowing out on top.

Many column inches have been written about the man who joined Manchester United on 6^th November 1986 (watch http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15580808) but I’m going to look back at my favourite moments from Mr. Hairdryer himself. It could be questioning the integrity of Italians or disposing of Liverpool as the dominate force in English football, Sir Alex has always provided entertainment....

 “If ever there was one player, anywhere in the world, that was made for Manchester United, it was Cantona. He swaggered in, stuck his chest out, raised his head and surveyed everything as though he were asking: ‘I’m Cantona. How big are you? Are you big enough for me?’”

Discussing Eric Cantona signing for United in 1992.

“The first time I saw him, he was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of paper in the wind.”

On his first impression of Ryan Giggs.

“I can’t understand the Leeds players. I’m absolutely in support of their manager (Howard Wilkinson). He doesn’t deserve his players. If they had played like that all season they’d be near the top. They raised their game because they were playing Manchester United. It was pathetic. I think we can accept any club coming here and trying their hardest, so long as they do it every week.”

The comments that sparked Kevin Keegan’s infamous “I’d LOVE it!” rant on Sky Sports in 1996.

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year old boy from Ivory Coast who speaks five languages.”

After demoralizing Kevin Keegan, Fergie wasted no time in letting new comer Arsene Wenger know that he is not easily impressed in 1996.

“He’s a novice, he should keep his opinion to Japanese football.”

On Wenger again, April 1997.

“When an Italian tells me it’s pasta on the plate, I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”

Before playing Inter Milan in the Champions League quarter-final, 1999.

“That lad must have been born offside.”

On Filippo Inzaghi's goal poaching attempts in 1999.

 

“At the end of this game, the European Cup will be only six feet away from you, and you’ll not even able to touch it if we lose. And for many of you, that will be the closest you will ever get. Don’t you dare come back in here without giving your all.”

His half-time team-talk during the 1999 European Cup final with Bayern Munich.

"I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”
After winning the Champions League against on May 26^th, 1999.

 “My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their ******* perch. And you can print that.”
Sir Alex speaking in 2002, after reconsidering his retirement.

“It’s getting tickly now, squeaky-bum time I call it.”
During the climax to the 2002-03 title race between Arsenal and United.

“Myths grow all the time. If I was to listen to the number of times I've thrown teacups then we’ve gone through some crockery in this place. It’s completely exaggerated, but I don't like people arguing back with me.”

On the notorious ‘hairdryer’ treatment.

“It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”

Explaining how he kicked a boot in the United dressing room that hit David Beckham in the face in 2003.

“After we played Sporting last week the lads in the dressing room talked about him constantly, and on the plane back from the game they urged me to sign him. That’s how highly they rated him!"

On Cristiano Ronaldo after he destroyed United in a pre-season friendly in 2003, Fergie signed him three months later.

“I think he was an angry man. He must have been disturbed for some reason. I think you have got to cut through the venom of it and hopefully he'll reflect and understand what he said was absolutely ridiculous.”

Responding to Rafael Benitez ‘facts’ interview in 2008.

“Do you think I would enter into a contract with that mob? Absolutely no chance. I would not sell them a virus. That is a ‘No’ by the way. There is no agreement whatsoever between the clubs.”

Making it crystal clear in 2008 that he wasn’t going to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.

“It’s City isn’t it? They are a small club, with a small mentality. All they can talk about is Manchester United, that’s all they've done and they can’t get away from it.”

Fergie stokes up the cross-town rivalry with Manchester City and after they disply an 'Welcome to Manchester' Carlos Tevez poster in 2009.

 “Sometimes you have a noisy neighbor and have to live with it. You can’t do anything about that. They will always be noisy. You just have to get on with life, put your television on and turn it up a bit louder.”

On the threat posed by Manchester City in 2010.

“Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it's a better cow than the one you've got in your own field. It’s a fact. Right? And it never really works out that way.”

On the Wayne Rooney contract saga in 2010.

“It’s not so much passing Liverpool. It's more important that United are the best team in the country in terms of winning titles.”

After clinching the club’s 19th title in 2011, one more than Liverpool.

“I just don’t think about retirement any more. When you’ve been on the treadmill for so long, 25 years in my case, and my health is good at the moment, it’s just a matter of looking forward to being the manager of Manchester United, rather than worrying about Alex Ferguson.”

Sir Alex Speaking about retirement in 2011.

“I will be leaving Manchester United at the end of the season and that is it!”

Announcing his retirement in 2002, I guess the last 11 years have just been 'Fergie time'.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest manager off ALL time. The football world salutes you, boss!!!

Manchester United Then and Now:

1986		Now
7	League Titles	20
6	Domestic Cups	15
1	European Cups	3
9	Other Trophies	24
58,000	Capacity	75,765
19th	League Position	Champions

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Trophies:

St. Mirren

Scottish First Division: 1976–77

Aberdeen

Scottish Premier Division : 1979–80, 1983–84, 1984–85 ; Scottish Cup : 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86 ; Scottish League Cup : 1985–86 ; UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup : 1982–83 ; UEFA Super Cup : 1983

Manchester United

Premier League: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013; FA Cup: 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004; League Cup: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2010; Uefa Champions League: 1999, 2008; Fifa Club World Cup: 2008; Uefa Super Cup: 1992; Uefa Cup Winners Cup: 1991; Inter-Continental Cup: 1999; FA Charity/Community Shield: 1990 (shared), 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011

Sir Alex Ferguson’s magic Manchester United moments:

(watch http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22458617)

10 Years of 50 Cent

“Go shorty, it’s your birthday, we gonna party like it’s your birthday”….

It is indeed the tenth birthday (February 6^th 2003) of 50 Cent’s first official album release ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’. After flooding the underground mixtape scene with material such as ‘Power of the Dollar’ and ‘50 Cent is the Future’ this was Curtis Jackson’s first shot a mainstream fame.

He already created a buzz for himself with songs like ‘How to Rob’, ‘Wanksta’ and ‘Ghetto Qu’ran’ as Colombia Records, who he was signed to in 2000 dropped him after he was shot nine times outside his Grandmothers house in South Jamaica Queens.

Overcoming adversity was nothing new to 50, his mother was killed when he was eight-years-old and his mentor Jam Master Jay was murdered in 2002. Even though 50 lost the two closes people to him he surrounded himself in the streets with a group initially known as the ‘134 All-Stars’ later 'G-Unit'.

After being shot, 50 stopped selling drug and focused all his attention on succeeding in the Rap game and as soon as he recovered from the shooting (with a new flow due to being shot in the mouth) he was straight back on his grind. 50 somehow managed to get a copy of his ‘Guess Who’s Back?’ mixtape to Eminem who then introduced him to Dr. Dre and the three headed monster was born.

Impressed by his dedication and perseverance (50’s mixtape campaign was unprecedented at the time) Dr. Dre, Eminem and Jimmy Iovine signed him to Shady/Aftermath/Interscope in 2002 for one million dollars and a five album deal.

While the majority of 50’s tracks were all about the struggle and tales from the hood, his first single from GRODT ‘In Da Club’ was a celebration of life and a became 50’s first number one single. The song also won Best Rap Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards and 50 also won the award for Best New Artist. The hit single spent eight weeks on top of the Billboard charts and remained in the charts for 100 weeks. Other album cuts such as '21 Questions' (also a number one single) showed a different side to 50 not seen in his previous releases.

To keep his hardcore audience happy 50 included gritty tracks on the album such as ‘Many Men’, ‘Back Down’ and ‘P.I.M.P’. The album was an instant hit, selling 872,000 copies in it’s first week and debuted in the Billboard charts at number one. The album went on to sell 12 million copies world wide, nominated for two Grammy’s (Best Rap solo performance and Best Rap song) and in 2009 Billboard magazine rated it at number 12 in the top 200 albums of the decade.

A new star was born. The best compliment that can be given to 50 is that GRODT can be spoken in the same breath as legendary debut albums such as Jay-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ready to Die' and Nas's ‘Illmatic’. Those album all had reply value and you could listen to them years later without skipping a track GRODT was in that category.

After the success of his GRODT 50 was granted his own label G-Unit Records in 2003, he signed Tony Yayo, Lloyd Bank$ and Young Buck. The group’s first album ‘Beg for Mercy’ sold 3.5 million records, another triumph for 50, everything he touch turned to gold (well platinum actually). All three members of G-Unit released solo albums with one going gold and the other two going platinum, between 2002-2005 was truly the G-Unit era. 50 later signed Mobb Deep, The Game (who also went platinum in 05), M.O.P., Spider Loc, Olivia, Kidd Kidd, Governor, DJ Pauly D,  Precious Paris and Hot Rod.

Not satisfied with conquering the music industry 50 created G-Unit clothing, games, his own website (ThisIs50.com), books and starred in his own film ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’(the soundtrack to the film also went double platinum). He knew music wouldn’t last forever and planned for his future after he hung up the microphone.

On March 3rd 2005 50’s second album ‘The Massacre’ was released, this album had a more commercial sound to it with songs like ‘Candy Shop’, ‘Disco Inferno’ and ‘Just a Lil Bit’. Nevertheless ‘The Massacre’ sold a million copies in it’s first week, became the number one album three different countries and went platinum nine times. It was also nominated for Grammy Award for Best Album at the 48^th Grammys.

50 next two albums ‘Curtis’ in 2007 and ‘Before I Self Destruct’ in 2009 were less critically acclaimed (however both went platinum) but included standout singles such as club banger ‘I Get Money’ (Curtis) and ‘Baby by Me’ (BISD).

50 also worked with Glacéau to create a vitamin water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for 4.1 billion dollars. Forbes estimated 50, who owed a stake in the company earned 100 million dollars from the deal.

After his two previous album were released speculation mounted that 50 wasn’t focused on music anymore, this could be attributed to the fact that he had created a energy drink (Street King, with every purchase, a portion of the sales went to providing a daily meal to an underprivileged child around the world), SMS Audio (headphones) and became a boxing promoter (signing 2004 Olympic gold medallist Yuriorkis Gamboa).

However even though 50 is now a one man conglomerate he never forgot what brought him to the dance, mixtapes. While other rappers such as Jay-Z, Nas and Kayne West abandoned the mixtapes 50 has released six in the past five years.

His last album obligation to Shady/Aftermath/Interscope ‘Street King Immortal’ is due out in spring this year and the singles so far indicate 50 is far from finished. He wants to leave the label the same way he entered with a bang.

Throughout all his rap beefs with Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Fat Joe, D-Block, Nas, Diddy, The Game and Rick Ross, 50 always remained focused and relevant, most importantly for him he has never back down from a challenge or confrontation.

From his death bed to Hollywood, from mug shots to Forbes magazine 50’s journey to the top is a remarkable story, an inspiration! His mission in life was to ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and from where I’m standing it’s mission accomplished without the dying.  

Battle at the Bridge

As Sir Alex Ferguson said after he won his first European Cup in 1999 “football bloody hell”. Even though this game didn’t end as dramatically as that night at the Nou Camp, I’m sure he would have repeated similar words after his side won at Stamford Bridge yesterday after a pulsating encounter.

The match had everything. Would Rio Ferdinand shake Ashley Cole’s hand during the pre match? (He did), controversial decisions, goals, red cards, an injured steward and a complaint by Chelsea against referee Mark Clattenberg for allegedly using "inappropriate language" towards two of their players.

Manchester United began the game four points behind Chelsea and had not registered a league victory at the Bridge since 2002.

Chelsea made two changes from the team that lost their previous match to Shaktar Donetsk, Gary Cahill replaced the suspended John Terry and Edin Hazard came in for the injured Frank Lampard.

The visitors made four alterations from the line-up that came back from 2-0 down to defeat Braga 3-2 in their last match. Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Antonio Valencia were restored to the starting XI in place of Alexander Buttner, Shinji Kagawa and Darren Fletcher. While two goals hero against Braga, Javier Hernandez was unfortunate to miss out as Ashley Young made his first appearance since August.

The first two minutes set the trend of how entertaining this game would be as Robin van Persie (who on his last appearance on this ground scored a hat-trick) tested Petr Cech. The away side began the game confidently and took the lead on the forth minute when a Van Persie shot cannoned back off the post onto the unlucky David Luiz.

United deserved their goal advantage and eight minutes later they were 2-0 up, this time Van Persie’s  shot found the back of the net directly after a cut back from Valencia.

Chelsea got back into the game with a Juan Mata free-kick a minute before half-time, it was the Spanish international’s seventh goal in seven games.

The last incident of a breathless first half saw Fernando Torres booked for a high challenge Jackie Chan would be proud of on Tom Cleverley.

The second half didn’t start in the same frenetic manner as the first but burst into life in the 53^rd minute when Chelsea equalised. Oscar crossed for his Brazil team-mate Ramires to score with a rear header, the Bridge was rocking and the home team had all the momentum.
That changed on the 62^nd minute when Van Persie turned Cahill and put Young through on goal. Covering defender Branislav Ivanovic clipped the winger’s heels and was given a straight red card by Clattenberg, it was the correct decision.

However six minutes later it is debateable if the right call was made by the referee as he brandished a second yellow card to Torres for diving after he was 'fouled' by Jonny Evans, Chelsea had to play the remaining 22 minutes with nine men. Roberto Di Matteo shook his head in a state of disbelief and Torres remonstrated with the forth official as a left the pitch.

During his post match interview Evans admitted he made "a bit"of contact with Torres to bring him down however Torres made more than "a bit" of an imprint of stud marks on the chest of Cleverly in the first half and was lucky to be on the pitch in the first place.

After all the effort Chelsea made to come back from 2-0 down United were bound to make the extra space count and with 15 minutes left of normal time the inevitable happened but not without the controversy that followed the pattern of the game.

Substitute Hernandez scored the winner but was clearly offside when the ball was played across the Chelsea box by Rafael. As the United players celebrated, objects were thrown onto the pitch and a steward was injured in the aftermath of the goal.

After the game a Chelsea spokesman said that the club were "investigating all the incidents around at that time".

He added: "We have lodged a complaint to the Premier League match official delegate regarding inappropriate language used by the referee towards two of our players in separate incidents in today’s game."

For this weeks league fixtures, Clattenberg has been left off the referee's list as the Professional Games Match Officals stated that he is one of the "elite referee's in world football" but "the level of scrunity (surrounding him) would detract from the match and be unfair to the clubs and supports of both sides".

United took the points here but Chelsea have the chance to get a small bit of revenge in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday in the "Battle of the Bridge" part two. If that game is as dramatic as this one it will be more frightening than most sequels on Halloween night.

Kick it Out: Is enough being done to combat racism in football?

After the previous week in football both here and abroad, I have felt the need to check and double check my calendar to make sure the year is 2012 and not 1982. It seems that racism has unfortunately been thrust into the spotlight in the past year, starting with Liverpool striker Luis Suarez being banned for eight games after being found guilty by the Football Association for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in October last year.

In the same month in 2011, Chelsea captain John Terry was accused of using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand which included a reference to his colour and/or race. Terry was found guilty of these charges and subsequently banned for four Premier League matches, 'disciplined' by Chelsea, stripped of his England captaincy and fined £220,000 by the FA.

Are four and eight match bans enough of a punishment to stop this happening in English football again? QPR midfielder Joey Barton (currently on-loan at Marseille) was banned for twelve league fixtures after getting sent-off against Manchester City on the last day of the 2011/12 season for violent conduct and subsequent actions after being dismissed. I am not condoning violence anywhere however should that offence carry the same punishment as a combined ban for racially abusing an opponent? After Barton was punished (dismissed as club captain and fined six weeks wages) his club banished him to France for a year but Liverpool players wore t-shirts bearing the image of Suarez in support of their player and we are still waiting to see if Chelsea will strip Terry of his captaincy.

Are clubs sending out the right messages when it comes to racist incidents involving their players?

Some black footballers have expressed their dissatisfaction at the length of bans for both Suarez and Terry along with the belief that the FA are not doing enough to combat the problems the have risen recently.

Reading striker and BBC Radio Five Live pundit Jason Roberts has refused to wear a ‘Kick It Out’ shirt before his team play Liverpool on Saturday.

Roberts explained his boycott of the shirts to BBC Sport, he said: “I won’t wear one. I find it hard to wear a t-shirt after what happened last year.”

He also believed that Terry’s ban was “a year to late” and that The FA should have given him a “longer ban” as the sanction was “nowhere near harsh enough.”

To say English football has a problem with racism would be an overstatement but football is a global game and the scenes in Serbia on Tuesday show that other countries are miles behind us when it comes to dealing with racism on and off the pitch.

Instead of celebrating qualifying for the Under-21’s Euro 2013 Tournament next year being held in Israel after a 1-0 victory, the England Under-21 team were involved with scenes more suited to WWE’s Royal Rumble.

England’s left-back Danny Rose was subjected to appalling racist abuse before, during and after the match by Serbia fans (watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ15jQt4kmg).

Rose told thefa.com: “It started when we went out for the warm-up, they started the monkey chanting straight away.

“In the first half I went down to get the ball for a throw-in and the fans started again with the monkey chants, but the first half was nowhere near as bad as the second half.

“In the second half I had two stones hit me on the head when I went to get the ball for a throw-in. Every time I touched the ball there was monkey chanting again.”

The shocking behavior of the Serbia fans was bad enough but for their coach Aleksandar Jankovic to say “both sides” were to blame for the ugly scenes and the Serbia captain Slobodan Medojevic to be oblivious to any racial chanting is beyond alarming.

The FA and Prime Minister David Cameron demanded UEFA hand out “tough sanctions” to the Serbia fans if found guilty of racist chanting.

However let’s not hold our breath on those sanctions being tougher than the £16,000 the Serbian Football Federation was fined in 2007 after their fans racially abused then Manchester City defender Nedum Onouha at the Under-21 European Championship in Holland.

This is the same UEFA that recently fined S.S. Lazio just £32,000 for their fans racially abusing Tottenham Hotspurs players in a Europa League match earlier this season.

UEFA would rather fine Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner £80,000 for revealing underpants carrying an unauthorised sponsor’s logo during the summer’s European Championship. Just that example alone shows how seriously one of the games administrative bodies takes racism.

How can we forget the comments from FIFA president Sepp Blatter who claimed racism could be solved with a simple “handshake” at the end of a match?

With comments like that and the pathetic fines handed out you cannot blame players and fans alike who feel disillusioned with the way racism is being handled.

The day after the Serbia against England Under-21 match, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: “The only way to start stopping racism + violence in stadiums is BIG bans... fines means nothing.”

It’s hard to disagree with the former England captain opinion and with the FA funded and supported 'Kick It Out' awareness week beginning yesterday it could be more important than ever for the FA, FIFA and UEFA to do more to kick racism out of football forever.