Republik Of Mancunia |
- Ando: I love United and I never said players want to leave
- Januzaj: My chant makes me very happy
- Berba: Evra told me to go to Monaco
- MUST Support Teenage Section at Old Trafford
- How do our youth teams look in comparison to City’s?
| Ando: I love United and I never said players want to leave Posted: 04 Feb 2014 11:39 AM PST This week, an interview with Anderson made the headlines, with newspapers claiming that many of his team mates wanted to leave the club like he had done. The impression given was that United were in such a desperate situation that others wanted to jump ship, but when you read what he actually said, it was obvious there had been quite a lot of spin. "I am sure that lots of players want out," he reportedly said. "Especially people like myself and Nani, who have been in Manchester for seven or eight years. Manchester United is a huge club, a club that does everything for its players, but sometimes a footballer wants to leave just to experience a different way to play football and to learn something as well. Playing in Manchester was great, it is a prestigious club with a lot of history. But I was there for seven or eight years and I want to show Fiorentina my quality and fight for a spot in the starting line-up. I thank all Manchester United fans for their love, but I’m here to stay." However, Ando has come out today with a post on Instagram to deny having ever given the interview. “I’m shocked and surprised [by] a supposed interview that never existed. I never gave any interview [and did not] say bad things about a club that I love, a club where I [grew] up and that gave me so much. I’m like [a] fan [of the] club, [I] love the club.” Did he give the initial interview? I wouldn’t be surprised. He doesn’t say anything negative about United, rather that he thinks there are other players who will want a new challenge, whilst also singing the praises of the club. However, the media have twisted his meaning with their headlines, which has probably made him feel the need to distance himself from the interview. |
| Januzaj: My chant makes me very happy Posted: 04 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST Adnan Januzaj has been voted Player of the Month for the second time this season by the fans, following more impressive from the teenager in January. "I would like to thank all of the fans, my team-mates and the coaches," he told ManUtd.com. "I am very happy with this trophy and I hope it is not the last one. I hope there will be a lot more to come." Januzaj’s popularity with the fans has resulted in a few songs being sung for him. The one sung most regularly goes: “I want to tell you, I might as well do, about a boy who can do anything. He comes from Belgium, his name is Adnan, Januzaj, Januzaj, Januzaj!” Another goes: “There’s a starman on our left hand side, he plays for Man United and his name is Januzaj.” "Of course,” he said, when asked whether he liked hearing his song. “I like it when they sing because it gives me a bit of motivation as well. I am very happy with it." |
| Berba: Evra told me to go to Monaco Posted: 04 Feb 2014 11:24 AM PST Dimitar Berbatov joined Monaco in loan during the January transfer window and said that it was his former team mate, Patrice Evra, who convinced him to go. “I spoke about it with Evra, he really told me a lot of good about this team,” said Berbatov. “Not everyone comes to the stadium, but the team is in second place and for the moment is achieving its objective of qualifying for the Champions League. I knew Ricardo Carvalho, whom I played against in England, and I don’t feel like a new player.” Evra spent three and a half seasons in Monaco where manager Didier Deschamps moved his position from left wing to left back. |
| MUST Support Teenage Section at Old Trafford Posted: 04 Feb 2014 02:17 AM PST A few weeks ago a petition was launched to try and bring in a section at Old Trafford just for teenagers. The idea was that the tickets would be cheap and that they could pay for them on the gate. The thinking behind this idea is that young people contribute to better atmospheres at the football and also to encourage the next generation of match-going reds, with the average age of football fans who can afford to go to games rising to 40+. Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of MUST – the Manchester United Supporters Trust said: “The rising age profile of the Old Trafford crowd is now a common concern for fans and club alike. It undoubtedly already impacts on the atmosphere but also has serious implications for the long term health of the club. The traditional life-cycle, starting with kids coming with their parents, then teens going with their mates and then as adults eventually bringing their own kids, has been disrupted for a variety of reasons. This needs a holistic approach from the club to reinstate this natural fan life-cycle for the benefit of fans and club alike. A crucial first step is to capture the current generation of teenage fans before they defect to alternative activities. If they aren’t hooked now you may lose them for life. Therefore a crucial first step is to establish a dedicated section of the ground for teenage fans to attend with their mates. It’s giving the customer what they want and that is what any ordinary business would strive to do and it is in the club’s own interest to make this happen. I’m a parent of two teenage boys myself and I know this only too well. Prior to all seater stadia these sections were created by the young fans themselves migrating to areas where they could gather together and build their own thing. It may sacrifice some short term income but long term it pays huge dividends. In addition to the teenage section, if the club really want to reinvigorate and nurture the supporter life cycle it is also essential to look at allowing junior STs in all sections of ground. When young parents want to introduce their kids to Old Trafford they don’t want to have to uproot from their friends and move to the family stand or NT3 in order to get junior ST prices but if there are no junior season tickets available in their own section many will end up delaying bringing their kids and if the kids don’t get the bug at that young age they may find other interests and be lost to the club forever. Essentially what we want the club to think about is the lifetime value of a loyal fan and how it also makes business sense to invest resources into maximising junior and teen attendance for the future benefit of the club and fans. To that end the youth section is a crucial first step which could bring rapid returns for fans and club alike.” ———– |
| How do our youth teams look in comparison to City’s? Posted: 04 Feb 2014 01:00 AM PST The last week or so has seen both our U-21 and U-18 play home games against our rich neighbours from across town. That gave us an opportunity to see how we compared to a team that is throwing money at all levels of the club. First up was the U-21, played at Salford. Before the game both team were level on points in 7th and 8th positions in the league, both trying to close the gap on leaders Fulham and get into the semi final positions The game started brightly for United with just 2 minutes on the clock before a great chance was created. Lingard ran on to a through ball and drove to the edge of the box and shot but it straight at the City keeper. It did look as though Lingard should have taken the ball closer in but its all easy with hindsight. That bright start wasn’t to last and City began to knock the ball about with precision and were buzzing in and around the United 18 yard box. On 8 minutes, a City free kick from the very edge of the right side of the box was played into the area and smashed towards goal where Sam Johnstone pulled off a terrific save to knock the ball out for a corner. Johnstone is a much improved player over the last 18 months and he has no doubt benefited from his loan spells and he should be ready for a long career in the game. Sadly for Johnstone his good work was wasted as from the resulting corner City scored with a free header, very poor marking from United which cost us dearly. For the remainder of the first half, the game followed a similar path as City kept the majority of possession and definitely looked the more likely to score but the half time whistle came with no added goals and City going in with a 1-0 lead. The second half was a mere 90 seconds old before the complexion of the game changed when United grabbed an equalizer. The ball was played out of United’s defence to Petrucci in the centre circle. He turned and laid a perfect pass into the path of Jesse Lingard who did the same as he had done in the first couple of minutes in the first half, by driving to the edge of the box and this time his crisp well placed shot beat the City keeper and into the bottom corner of the net. We hoped that the goal would give United the boost they needed but the opposite happened as City seemed to up their game a notch and continue to create chances United were level for less than 10 minutes before Devonte Cole, son of United striker Andy, laid the ball on a plate for an onrushing team mate who netted with the aid of a deflection. Sadly for United, City continued to dominate for long periods of the remainder of the game and saw out the remainder of the match without too many dramas to grab a 2-1 win. Its difficult to judge teams or compare them at U-21 level as so many players are missing through loan spells. United, for instance, had to play with a lone striker in Will Keane as we had no one else. He too has now gone out on loan, to QPR so it remains to be seen who will play up front in the coming weeks and months. The U-18 game was also a home fixture with City coming into the game on the back of 12 straight wins and top of the table, whilst United’s form has been patchy. United were also without our 2 top scorers and main strikers, James Wilson and Ash Fletcher, This meant we had to play some U-16 players and mostly first year trainees whilst City had a team full of final year trainees. The difference is there for all to see in regards to physique, stamina, decision making and general experience With a very strong wind behind their backs City wasted no time in getting a foothold on the game with United struggling to get out of their own half. This went on for the first 10 minutes before City grabbed their inevitable goal but it took a howler from United to gift it too them. The ball was played back to United keeper Dean Henderson and with all the time in the world to clear tried it hit his clearance quite low to keep it blowing straight up in the air in the strong wind. All he managed was to roll the ball to the feet of an unmarked City player inside the area who gleefully put the ball into the net. The game carried on in the same way until half time with United struggling to put any kind of passing moves together and had not mustered a single shot on target. We hoped that the gusting wind would help United now it was at their backs but it wasn’t to be as city carried on regardless and dominated proceedings. For all their total domination of possession, we went into injury time just one goal down and that from a horrendous mistake. Sadly, City did grab another in injury time to give the scoreline a more realistic look. It truth, and it hurts me to say it, City were on a completely different level to United at this age group. I would have expected them to be slightly better due to age difference but the gap between them was vast with United having nothing to shout about at all. |
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