Fergie has spoken out against what he has described as the Premier League's 'Kamikaze' clubs; for the sake of clarity and to dispel any element of doubt, to you and me that will be Manchester City and Chelsea. Well, in the unlikely event that Fergie has forgotten, one of those club's torpedoed United in the title race last season by taking all six points off the Red Devils en route to becoming Champions. Chelsea also won the FA Cup with manager Carlo Ancelotti, who was new to the Premier League.
The United manager quite rightly pointed that money alone cannot buy success, but under Jose Mourinho who was backed by Roman Abramovich's millions, the West London club had by far the better of things in terms of winning silverware and in the head-to-head battles against United. Clearly, the tens of millions thrown at building the Chelsea squad has paid off, at least on the pitch any rate.
As for Manchester City, the time to judge their buying will come; it is far too early to predict how this season will pan out, but make no mistake Mancini has several players who Fergie would like to have in his squad.
United should let their football do the talking on the pitch, after all, you don't get three points for sniping from the sidelines, but you can end up with a serious amount of egg on your face if you are proven wrong.
By repeatedly pontificating about City, Fergie is in serious danger of being accused of being obsessed by our local rivals - when all true reds know, it is the opposite way around.
As a blue myself, i do think there is a lot of anti-city media flying around at the moment, and even new anti-city rules being brought into place.
ReplyDeleteFor example - we start buying a big squad (to cover for internationals & cups etc) and then a new 25 man rule comes in?
Another one is the "you can't spend more than your means?" now i'm not sure exactly what this means... If i was the City owner i'd just look to get a £500m a year sponsor for the shirts from a family member!
I do think there is quite a lot of popping firing around recently from Everyone, although i disagree with you that it's Fergie more than anyone else. He seems more magnanimous in his older age.
Either way - makes for a good seaon. I wish you boys luck for it, just hope we take 6 points this season! :-)
Pete,
ReplyDeleteIt isn't just City, I could have mentioned the digs at Liverpool under Benitez or Arsenal and Wenger. However, personally, I actually enjoy some of those rucks with rival manager's, but I'm very uneasy about him having a pop at City because we've been telling City fans for donkeys years that they are obsessed with our club...
Regarding the media introspection into everything connected with City right now, it comes with the territory. You have spent big and everyone is watching to see how your season unfolds. Needless to say, many rival supporters are kind of hoping it backfires; added to which Hughes was sacked prematurely and so there's every chance the same fate awaits Mancini should things go slightly wrong.
BTW, I didn't actually state it's Fergie more than anyone else.
Finally, Fergie has made himself look totally and utterly ridiculous, because in the very same press conference in which he had a pop at rival clubs, he's admitted he hadn't seen his new £7.4m signing play before he signed him - not even on TV or DVD. IF that isn't Kamikaze spending I don't know what is is.
Why? Why shouldn't he express his opinion? He deserves an opinion, he has been in this league for years and knows football better than most. Including the writer of this. I for one am interested in what he has to say, and I think he is spot on. Gfy
ReplyDeleteIf it wasnt for City doing the double over Chelsea and getting done by 2 injury time goals against United, you really would have been torpedoed by Chelsea.
ReplyDeleteI too am a City supporter and I would just like to add a couple of points. I think that when SAF talks about 'Kamikaze owners' he really should look in the mirror. Kamikaze (in this context) should refer to owners who are milking football. Not owners who are pumping their own money into football.
ReplyDeleteMy other point is that City's owners have clearly stated at every opportunity that the plan is over ten years, not ten months as SAF seems to think.
Anyway best of luck for the season except against City of course.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteBecause he's set himself up for a mighty fall (read my comments about Bebe too) and worse still we have to put with local City fans telling us Reds that Fergie is obsessed with City.
jackblue,
ReplyDeleteOwners and the club are one and the same aren't they? When the media questions your spending, they do not question your Arabic owners - they question Mancini in the main.
Fergie might well have mentioned your owners, but make no mistake this an attack on Mancini too - it's another attempt to get under his skin. It's easier to have a pop at an owner rather than a rival manager plus there's always the danger of disrepute charges etc.
Let's also not forget that Fergie makes this sort comment to deflect attention away from United... in this instance failing to close the Ozil deal....
Fergie, although I love him is showing a little wear at the edges, come on mate get a grip...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov8FeODxyXU