Trouble between the sheets...

As United players turned up for training at Carrington on Friday morning they were greeted by two United fans with a hand painted banner in the form of a bedsheet with the message 'Fergie Out!' daubed across it.

IT isn't the first time that sections of United fans have turned on Ferguson. It happened during the early part of his 20 year stint at United. Ferguson turned things round on the pitch and has of course been been hugely successful, incredibly so, but times change and many United supporters have started to voice concerns about his tenure.

So what lies at the centre of the fans concerns? To those on the outside looking in, it might seem a bit odd that the manager of table topping United is coming under fire, but there's been growing friction between the club and its supporters over the last 12 months. The Glazer takeover remains at the heart of it for many.

Fergie has publicly backed the Glazers several times, this angered many fans. As if that wasn't bad enough, the United manager scored a huge PR own goal when last season he told a United fan to **** *** and support Chelsea. Last week he made a fresh attack on supporters, questioning their loyalty towards United.

Many fans are also deeply unhappy about the lack of big signings this summer. Reports claim the manager would be given around £25m per season, but that has never been confirmed or denied. What we do know is that United were the Premiership's lowest net spenders in the transfer market this summer. This situation is seen by the fans as a direct result of the Glazer takeover.

Sir Alex is beginning to look like a slightly beleagured figure following a very poor summer in the transfer market. And according to reports Fergie believes the Manchester Evening News is running a campaign to highlight his failings in the transfer market.

There isn't anything new about him falling out with the media, and in times of trouble, previously Fergie has adopted a siege mentality, it's been a case of 'it's them against us', the difference being this time, Ferguson is beginning to isolate himself from the fans by launching at attacks on them. It's never a wise move to fall out with your own supporters, as Tony Blair is finding out right now.

IT remains to be seen if the calls for the United boss to quit will grow as the season goes on, because despite being top of the league and enjoying clean sheets on the pitch, the carrington bedsheet has started alarm bells ringing as United have stepped up security at the clubs training ground.

Premiership managers facing new bung allegations..

It has been disclosed that the BBC's Panorama is set to reveal shocking new bung allegations regarding six Premiership managers. Ten clubs are involved, and it has been claimed that the wide-ranging allegations will rock the English game.

A BBC insider said: “It’s pretty strong stuff."

“I’m sure there are some people who are very nervous about it coming out. It could have massive repercussions for those involved.”

The documentary is set to be screend on Monday, 18th September.

A football agent is duped into believing he's discussing certain high-profile transfers with a foreign businessman, in fact it's a Panorama investigator...

I'm sure all right thinking football fans will welcome this type of investigative journalism, football needs to weed-out bent managers, it's hardly as if they're on state benefits and need the money is it?

I personally didn't agree with the News OF The World 'fake Sheikh' sting on Sven-Göran Eriksson, the then England manager, because he was talking about his future after he'd quit as England boss - he was entitled to talk to anyone he liked.

Ruud hits out at Ferguson..

Following his controversial move to Real Madrid, Ruud Van Nistelrooy has hit out at the United manager, Alex Ferguson, claiming he'd been 'stabbed in the back', because he was dropped for the Carling Cup final against Wigan. United thumped Wigan 4-0, but Ruud remained on the bench for the whole 90 minutes.

Many United fans that I've spoken to about this departure have very mixed feelings. I haven't spoken to anyone who wasn't sad to see Ruud leave the club, the fact that it ended on a sour note surprised few reds. IT was the same with Roy Keane, David Beckham, Jaap Stam and more recently the club doctor Mike Stone.

With the very real danger of stating the obvious, football is at times a very ruthless business and players have always been treated like lumps of beef, getting sold to the highest bidder.

In Ruud's case, many fans had noticed that despite his goals, he wasn't quite the same player as he was a few seasons back. Ferguson has claimed to have talked Ruud out of handing in two previous transfer requests, before the eventual parting of the ways this summer. Added to which the players agent had been reportedly hawking him around Europe last summer. So clearly Ruud had been unhappy for some time.

Many reds were unhappy to see the back of Ruud, but they are equally unhappy at Fergie's apparent lack of planning to replace Van Niselrooy. United are left having to rely on strikers who have suffered terrible injury problems over the last couple of seasons. The club also loaned out Rossi - no doubt to cut down the wage bill.

United only have Saha who is an out and out number nine. The clubs other strikers are second strikers and I'm including Rooney in that bracket - he is of course among the very best in the world in that position. Now that RVN has gone, there's going to be even more pressure on Wayne to get the goals.

JR.

Fergie at centre of fan storm...

Sir Alex Ferguson further ignited the emtremely volatile atmosphere between himself and the hardcore anti Malcolm Glazer fans movement, by questioning their loyalties toward the club.

Within the 'The Official Manchester United Diary of the Season', Ferguson slams the fledging break away club FC United and their followers, by suggesting the North West Counties league club was about self publicity.

Fergie went on to say that during the takeover talks, some fans actually phoned him and asked him to resign. The United manager responded by telling the fans he had a duty to his back-room staff to remain in charge as many of them have been with him for between 10-12 years.

Quite where that leaves the recently sacked Mike Stone, the clubs former doctor who'd given 10 years good service to United and was respected by all is open to question?

Fergie reportedly sacked Mike Stone for continuing to do two hours a week at Manchester's Sports Science Institute, even though the work may have benefited the club. Furthermore, David Gill, United's CEO, had given his blessing to Mike to carry on the work.

It appears that Fergie has something of a selective memory when it comes to the definition of loyalty.

JR.

Ferguson 'doesn't like Argentine's'...

Javier Mascherano has claimed Ferguson is nervous about signing Argentine midfield players after his experience with Juan Sebastian Veron. Following his very patchy time at Old Trafford and an even worse experience at Stamford Bridge, has there been a bigger fall from grace in terms of star status in recent years?

Given the money wasted on Veron, you can understand Ferguson being nervous about signing another Argentine midfield player. United of course have Heinze, but Ferguson believes Argentine defenders are the best in the world, that is why he's signed Heinze. He trusts him.

Having seen bits and pieces of Mascherano, I think he could actually be just what United needed in some ways, he looks to be similar to Makelele, but technically looks to be a better player.

Ferguson has made it clear that United want to sign Owen Hargreaves, and I'd also be happy with Hargreaves - I'm not being revisionist here (unlike the tabloid press) because I've always thought he was ok. What gets me is why didnt Ferguson make a move for Hargreaves ages ago, instead he tried to sign Ballack - the player he later claimed 'wasnt right' for United.

Hargreaves is a better all round fit for United when compared to Mascherano, there'd be no language problems and he knows some of the United players already, and he's got a superior engine and gets about the park better.

JR.

UEFA passing the book on 'mystery backers'?

The mystery of who is actually behind London based MSI continues to be the subject of intense speculation.

Today UEFA has voiced its concerns about the need for complete transparency. UEFA director of communications William Gaillard told the Daily Telegraph. "The UK Government has a responsibility to start investigating."

Shouldn't it be UEFA who deals with this thorny issue, as opposed to the government?

There has been talk that MSI are being investigated in Brazil for money laundering, that of course would be a government issue, if it happened within the UK.

However, in July FIFA suspended the Greek Hellenic Football Federation, for allowing political involvement in its running of the sport. It seems political involvement is ok when it suits FIFA/UEFA...

JR.

David Gill reveals United didn't want Argentine duo..

United's CEO, David Gill, has set the record straight regarding United, Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. In an interview with BBC Five Live's Sportsweek, Gill told listeners that United were never interested in Tevez, and that they'd turned down the chance to sign Mascherano, not once, but twice.

Gill said that the club were interested in Mascherano, having watched him over the last 12 months, but Fergie had decided that he wasn't right for United.

Quite why Gill has gone public on this issue is open to speculation, one assumes it's because many fans are unhappy about the lack of incoming transfer activity this summer. Whatever the reason, in making the clubs position clear on the Argentine duo, Fergie and Gill have left themselves wide-open to even more fan fury especially if as expected the Argentine's set the Premiership alight with their skills this coming season. Watch this space.

JR

Fergie must regret publicly backing the Glazers..

IT's the day after the transfer window closed. United fans are now reflecting on what has been a summer of huge disappointments regarding incoming transfers. It has been reported that Ferguson would be given around £25m a year for spending, but no one is actually sure about the detail of his transfer budgets.

What we do know is that the club have actually spent very little, they may have even made a net profit after sales are taken into account. The latest names to leave are Liam Miller (free to Sunderland) and Rossi who goes on loan to Newcastle until January. The general consensus is that Ferguson has been told to reduce the wage bill by as much as possible and Miller was by all accounts a big earner, he also clearly wasn't anywhere near good enough to be pulling on the famous red shirt every week.

Reports also suggest the clubs debt is now a staggering £660m (that's more than some small African countries GDP), costing the club £62m a year in interest. IT remains to be seen how long the club carry this burden, given that not only does the club need to find an amazing £62m per year to service interest payments, but they also need to be spending wisely and big in the transfer market when the need arises. Suffice to say United are performing a very dangerous hire-wire act, many observers see no safety net and tears before too much longer, possibly within three years.

The question is, will Ferguson live to regret his sickening public brown-nosing of the Glazer family, he suggested that 'things are better' under the Glazer regime regarding transfers when compared to the old PLC days.

Those with half decent memories will recall one of the Glazers saying 'if and when we need to sign the next Wayne Rooney we will do it', well according to today's edition of the Sun, Ferguson is furious because he wasnt given the £14m to buy Carlos Tevez, 22, as a result the brilliant Argentine will now play for West Ham.

United fans have every right to feel disgust at what is going on at United with ever increasing season ticket prices all round and with little chance of competing for the games top honours, what with the managers hands tied behind his back.

Perhaps in future Ferguson will choose his words more thoughtfully.

JR.