Red Rants

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Europa League? You’re having a laugh Posted: 21 Feb 2014 02:02 AM PST Imagine dining for almost two decades in a fine dining restaurant, one where at times you can only afford a three course meal but occasionally you can treat yourself to an all-you-can-eat buffet. There are, of course, things you don’t particularly like about the establishment or the clientele, but the highs heavily outnumber the lows and you keep forking out your money, safe in the knowledge that it’ll be almost surely worth it. Now imagine that said restaurant will shut within three months, its reputation totally tarnished from the events that have unfolded in the last six months, and that it will be replaced by a mediocre chain restaurant, better than a fast food, but a world away from the quality you were used to. Finally, imagine being asked by the owner of the new restaurant the same prices you paid in the previous place, expect that where once you could choose between fresh fish and a rib-eye steak now you can only treat yourself to mac and cheese and some microwaved pies. Having contemplated the thought of dining on microwaved pies for the rest of your life, you’re probably thinking that no such owners exist or, if they do, they wouldn’t be allowed to getting away with murder. Unfortunately, however, as far as Manchester United are concerned the answers are yes and yes. With United set to miss out on Champions League football for the first time in 19 years, the club has announced they will include tickets for Europa League games next season – providing that United do reach at least that competition – in the automatic cup scheme, which means we’ll be paying the same for watching United vs Dinamo Tbilisi than we would have done had the Reds faced Real Madrid. Two seasons ago, when United were dumped out of the Champions League, tickets for home games against Ajax and Athletic Bilbao were excluded from season ticket prices and many had hoped the club would follow the same policy ahead of next season, but instead Malcolm & Sons have reportedly decided to charge fans £50 for the privilege of watching a competition nobody apart from Rafa Benitez and Andre Villas Boas cares about. As the Glazers know all too well, season ticket holders would be likely to buy tickets for Europa League games even if they were not included in the automatic cup scheme, or else they’d run the risk of receiving a lower priority for away games and – even though the thought seems almost unfathomable under David Moyes – semifinals and finals. United are 11 points adrift of fourth place, they’ve been ruthlessly exposed and embarrassed this season and while a couple of barren seasons could be a blessing in disguise if the club had a plan for the future, the dross we’ve been served for the last six months casts a gloomy shadow over the future and definitely doesn’t make spending £50 to watch United against a Romanian, Belarusian or Cyprian side look like a reasonable idea. Many Reds have been outraged by the decision and could understandably consider whether to renew their seasons tickets or not, particularly given that despite the club’s incessant PR campaign, demand for season tickets has dropped over the years and while once fans had to join a waiting list, the club now tries to flog season tickets up until October. But then again, having agreed to shell out £300,000-a-week on wages, the Glazers must recoup part of the expenses. After all it’s not like they syphoned £600m out of the club, is it? Dan Follow @mufc_dan87

Queiroz: “Moyes needs time” Posted: 21 Feb 2014 12:24 AM PST Carlos Queiroz has insisted that David Moyes needs time at Manchester United and that the United manager “will be fine” as long as he’s afforded some patience by the fans and by the club’s hierarchy, even after his dreadful first season at Old Trafford, which currently sees United lying 11 points behind fourth placed Liverpool. During his two spells at Old Trafford, the Portuguese coach saw United win three league titles and a Champions League trophy and he was credited with bringing the sort of tactical innovation into the team that United have sorely missed this season, with neither Moyes nor any of his staff looking too clued up in terms of turning things around on the pitch. With fans increasingly growing disillusioned with Moyes, mostly because of the horribly dire football they’ve been offered over the last six months, and with United all but sure to miss out on Champions League football for the first time in 19 years, the Scotsman has been under intense scrutiny of late. Queiroz admitted that United will not win the title, but have enough talent to cause problems to their rivals and David Moyes should be given time. “It’s sure they won’t be able to win the title this season but one thing I have no doubt about is that they will still hand out some nightmares and headaches before the end of the campaign,” said Queiroz, who will oversee Iran’s World Cup campaign in Brazil. The former Real Madrid and Portugal coach claimed that United still occupy a particular spot in his heart. ”It’s not my old team, it’s my team,” said Queiroz. “I still care. We’ll be there, don’t worry, just give us a little bit of time we’ll be there. David [Moyes] will be fine.” Queiroz admitted that while United have been dreadful this season, their fall from grace has left the door open for one of the most exciting title races the Premier League has seen in years, with three teams slugging it out for the title and everything to play for with only 12 points to go. “Chelsea, Arsenal, [Manchester] City have all done very well and made it very interesting,” explained Queiroz.

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