Dipingere il mondo "Diavolo Rosso"-There's a new Devil in Manchester
This story charts the journey of one young English manager Eugene Enrique Lee as he helms the hot seat at Manchester United & steers them through the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Part 1- SAF Retires
9th May 2010, Manchester Evening News
United win 4-0 but still Chelsea are champions by a solitary point. The questions that will hang around United's league campaign will undoubtedly be the loss of Ronaldo to Real, the failure to replace the man & of course the injury to Rooney towards the final hurdle of the campaign. While Sir Alex will no doubt point to Chelsea's luck at having all their best players fit during the final hurdle & the fact that they beat United over 2 games, it will be no secret that SAF will be pointing to finger at some of his own stars & in particular Berbatov, Macheda as well as a host of other players tipped to push United to glory. While there will be no 4 straight EPL trophy for United, that certainly will be the least of concern among United supporters. For the United faithful, they're focus will most certainly be firmly fixed on the Glazer's plans for United in the summer & will once again push for the Glazer's to leave United. Having landed United in serious debt, there is major doubt that Fergi will be given the cash to spend in the summer. Having already bought in Hernandez & Smalling in January, those two looks set to be Fergi's only new signings. It is also reported that United will not be sending any scouts to the World Cup in South Africa as Fergi believes that any player they spot will be too pricey for United. The only bonus is that United will have significantly less players as compared to their league rivals in the World Cup & that only three or four are expected to play major roles for their respective countries. For now. let's just sit back & enjoy the upcoming World Cup & allow club business to take a back seat first.
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| Chelsea, EPL Champions 2009-2010 |
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| The team spirit of Chelsea had everyone chasing "SHADOWS" |
25th Jun 2010, ESPNSoccernet.co.uk
SAF Calls It A Day at United!!! United in SHOCKED!!!
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| Sir Alex announcing his retirement |
I arrived at Carrington a little bit late due to the traffic jam along the way. There were already a huge number of journalist & press cramping & packing the Press Conference Room. SAF was due to give a press conference on United's upcoming Tour of USA as well as his thoughts on the World Cup & Rooney's performances. What I & the other members of the press did not know was that SAF was about to drop a bomb. A huge one. A nuclear one. As the man himself made his way to the seat, he bore a look of weary & sadness. His movements were slow & David Gill was not alongside him as expected. In fact SAF was alone. This alone should be enough to give us indications of what might be coming but me & the rest just got our mics & pens ready for questions. A couple of seconds of silent was finally broke by SAF who said he had a major announcement to make.
"It's been 24 long years now, that I've been in the hot seat in United. Numerous trophies & individual awards have been won which have prompt many to label me as the best manager of all time & of course at United. Last season was a major disappointment for many especially the fans, to lose the League by just one point is absolutely heartbreaking. Of course many of you & the fans alike will cite our failure to replace Ronaldo & the injury to Rooney so late in the season as the main reason. However, I would disagree as I feel that in Valencia, we have a player while not similar to Ronaldo but one that provides us with the dangerous crosses as well as the occasional important goal. He's much like Beckham & Andrei really. We have changed our game slightly to accommodate his abilities & it has bought us success in the many games as well as the Carling Cup win. Rooney was a bit unfortunate & no doubt his loss at the final lap was a cruel blow to our title hopes. However that past is the past & I look forward to a bright new season for United. I, however will not be part of the new season as I have taken the decision to retire from my post as United manager. I feel that my time here is up & I have done all I can in bringing this club to great heights. I believe that I have contributed massively & that I have done more than enough. Although I have previously said that I would stay on for a great long years, I feel that the time is right for me to step down & retire completely. Here, I would like to stress that this decision was made sorely by me & the Glazers as well as David Gill have done all they could to persuade me to stay. My decision is final & I wish United all the best. I know that United will remain as successful as it was after I am gone & I assure all fans that I am still very much in love with this club. My heart will forever be with United. Forever. Thank You."
All of us media present was still trying to grasp the words of SAF & some were trying their best to get a few words him as he made his way out of the room. Obviously shocked by what had just transpired, murmurs grew louder in the room & many were frantically making calls back to their respective papers & stations. It will take awhile for this to sink in & by then , I shall have another piece for you on this BIG NEWS.-Richard Jolly
26th June 2010, Sky Sports News
Tired or Gave Up- The SAF Saga
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| Sir Alex & the Glazers during happier times. The relationship deteriorated last season From Bad to Worse |
Many of us still cannot believe it, the United fans worldwide wide hoping it's just a joke & the players hope Fergi was just pulling another one his usual Fergi antics to beef them up. BUT, it's TRUE. SAF has officially left his post as United manager & retire from football completely. His reason? Simple. Tired. He is tired after a long many years in football which 24 of them were at United. Is that the real reason though? The last 5 years have been great as well as bad for United. On the pitch, they once again were brilliant, marvelous, fun to watch & exciting. From losing finishing runners-up to Chelsea in 2006, they have amassed a total of 3 consecutive league wins, two Carling Cups, one Club World Championship 7 not forgetting the 2008 Champions League triumph all adding to their 4 league wins in 2000, 01 & 03 thus making them once again the most successful team in England of the decade matching that of the previous decade. Of the pitch, they have brought in some of the best players in the world. Out went the stalwarts of Beckham, Keane, Butt & Phil Neville, but in came Ronaldo, Rooney, Anderson, Vidic, Evra, Park & a host of other players who have become key to United's many success this decade. At the top, there were changes as well. In came the new owners from America, the Glazer family. Owners of an NFL team in the States, they made United their first ever football team. This is where the bad part happens. Saddling the club with huge debts totalling up to billions of dollars, they quickly became public enemy no.1 for the United faithful. While SAF has backed them over the years, citing that they have never interfered in his work, it is believe that his relationship with them turned sour last season when they took the decision to sell Ronaldo to Real. While SAF has said that he sanction the deal, many believe that he was forced to do it. Not given the funds from the Ronaldo sale to spend on immediate replacements also added fuel to the fire & further deteriorate the relationship. While the signings of Mexican youngsters Javier Hernandez & England youngster Chris Smalling may represent new buys & proof that there indeed is cash to spend, the fact that they have not played for United means that their potential & quality continue to remain unknown to all. Believed by many to have finally lost patience with the Glazers & the refusal of David Gill to back him up in requesting funds, SAF took the easy route out & opt for retirement. This ensures that he at least leaves United on a high note & the club still in good shape. For United however, it presents a huge shock & problem as SAF will no doubt be hard to replace. Reports from the club are saying that Sir Bobby Charlton has been tasked with the job of finding SAF successor & that Bryan Robson has been named as interim manager to ensure that the players do not follow SAF out. It is widely believe that the players are shock by SAF sudden decision & many are finding it a hard pill to swallow. For now, we must all hope that SAF sudden departure does not spells more trouble for United & that SAF be given the tribute he so fittingly deserves from all.
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| Sir Alex is the most successful manager at United |
26th June 2010, Sky Sports News
More woes hit United as players & staff stage massive walkout
Taking a leaf from the book of Roy Keane, albeit under different circumstances, several Manchester United 1st teamers as well as coaching staff have quit the club. The reason? SAF. SAF departure from United as no doubt hit the players & management hard & many are angered at the owner's refusal to give in to SAF. No doubt loyal to SAF, many of these players & management must have felt it impossible to continue at United without SAF at helm. Those who have walk out of United are Evra, Carrick, Van de Sar, Hargreves, Berbatov, Anderson, Owen, Valencia, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Gibson, Brown & Kuzcak while assistant manager Mike Phelan has lead several coaching staff out of the United door. The saga doesn't end here though as Giggs & Scholes, 2 of the Fergi Fledglings & important players for SAF are also considering following the footsteps of those who have walk out.
In an interview just outside his home, Giggs said that Gary Neville called him this morning to informed that he will be following Fergi out of the door & urged him & Scholes to do the same.
"Gary called in the morning bout 8, said he was leaving United & gave his reason. He said I should follow suit as a mark of protest & respect for SAF. Obviously, I understand where he's coming from & am very disappointed with the lack of backing the Glazers & David Gill offered Fergi. I have not made any decisions yet as I would like to wait to see what happens in the next few days. Nothing is certain yet but one thing is certain is that we feel for SAF & is extremely disappointed with the way the board are handling this situation."
Meanwhile over in South Africa, where the World Cup is going on, the United players on international duty there also spoke out their feelings on the matter.
"I just cannot believe that the board did only so little to persuade SAF to stay. Though I was brought up at Everton, I regard Fergi as my father. He made me who I am today. He has thought me so much. It pains to know that he has left United but for now, I have to focus on England 1st before making any decision. Obviously, some of the United players here like Carrick & Evra have upped sticks but that's their decision. I've spoken to Carrick about this & of course I respect his choice"-Rooney
"The lack of respect shown towards SAF is just unbelievable. What he's done at United is far to great to ignore. I believe that SAF has the club interests firmly in his heart & will do nothing to jeopardise it. The board have repeatedly say that there is cash, there is money to spends. Loads of it to be exact. If the club can afford to buy Smalling & Hernandez, then why can't they afford just one or two more? I'm firmly on Fergi's side & I thank him for bringing me to United, allowing me to win trophies & awards. Following him out of United is just to show my loyalty to him & as a mark of protest. I don;t believe that he was tired. All these while he has never said the word tired & now all of a sudden you expect us to believe that he is? He's just saying that to preserve the club's credibility. I will now focus on looking for another club & I urge other United players, Park in particular to follow suit. I still love United but I cannot continue to play for people who only care for their own self interest."-Evra
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| Carrick & Neville, 2 of the many United player's to leave United |
26th June 2010, Manchester United Official Website
Bryan Robson & Sir Bobby calls for calm.
In the wake of the departures of several United players & staff as a mark of protest towards the Glazers, Bryan Robson & Sir Bobby has urged these people to reconsider their decisions & ask the other players to not follow suit.
"I've been United my whole life. Since that day I joined until now, I have never stop loving the club. Obviously I am sadden by what happen & cannot pretend that more effort should have been done to avoid the situation, I believe we have to move on & carry forward. I urge all those who walkout to reconsider their actions & make the right choice. I respect & understand their decision but would love to see them remain at United. I have been tasked with finding a new manager & I am please to say that I am very close to getting the right man."-Sir Bobby
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| The "Special One" will consider United |
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho who is reportedly close to be named as Real's new manager says that he has been offered a contract by United & says he will evaluate all options. "United have contacted me with a contract. Real however remains my 1st option as they came first & an agreement was made with Florentino. I cannot simply back down at the last moment but will consider United as well"
Soon to be named Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has also been offered a contract but have turned it down along with the likes of Martin O'Neil, Steve Bruce & Mark Hughes. The man who lead Fulham to a runners up spot in the Europa League said that he was obliged to honour his word with Liverpool while former United players Bruce & Hughes turned United down due to the sudden timming, citing that it was not the time. Other high profile managers like Pep Guardiola (Barca), Louis van Gaal (Bayern), Capello (England) & Pellegrini (ex-Real) have been touted as the possible replacement for SAF. The chance to manage a great club like United doesn't come this easy but given the circumstances, one would be wise to think it twice. Thus all this makes us wonder even further who has Sir Bobby found as SAF successor & if he is even worthy of the job.
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| The man who helms Barca is wanted by United |
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| The manager of Bayern is wanted as well |
