“[They are] not the Manchester of before,” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said in August 2005, after the player was linked with a move to United. “If I were a player, I would laugh about it.”
“I just can’t imagine that he would go to Manchester United,” Rummenigge said in October 2005. “What would speak for Manchester and against Bayern Munich? Nothing at all. If I were a player I would definitely not go to Manchester.”
“Much as I want him to stay, I feel he will probably leave,” Franz Beckenbauer said a couple of months later. “If he does, the decision only makes sense if he goes to Real Madrid. I know United are also in the hunt, but Michael will only be improving himself by going to Madrid. Anywhere else and it will not be a step up.”
After Ballack snubbed us and later signed for Chelsea, United went in for his former team mate, Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves won the league and European Cup double in his first season, which is nothing compared to the “Quadruple” Ballack claimed this season.
Ballack’s first final of the season came against Spurs in February, which they lost 2-1
Runner up in the League Cup
On the last day of the season, Chelsea drew with Bolton and United beat Wigan.
Runner up in the Premiership
The Champions League final against United goes to a penalty shoot out, which Chelsea lose.
Runner up in the European Cup
Spain outclass Germany from start to finish in the final played last night.
Runner up in the European Championships 08
Didn’t Ballack also say that he signed for Chelsea instead of United because he wanted to win? Good choice Michael…..
Very classy there. I mean there is nothing more repugnant than a gloating winner. Especially one that finds joy in the misfortune of others … despite playing no part whatsoever last night.
Sheesh.
That’s a little mean-spirited, isn’t it?
Harsh, success and failure are but two sides of the coin. But for a slip and post it could have been the portuguese winker who was the villan.
He’s still got time. Ronaldo carried United on his shoulders this season. Let’s hope he stays for Uniteds sake.
What a silly article with a big mistake even in your headline. Petty comments
about a player who’s played fantastic all
year and showed just how good he is.
As your not so bright let me inform you
Ballack didn’t start playing until 19Dec
verses Liverpool in the Carling Cup.I’m
sure if he had like other Chelsea players
like Cech,Terry Lampard,Drogba and
Essien the league would have been
finished a lot earlier,in Chelsea’s favour,
but then again Gary was out for United.
So Ballack didn’t have a great season,he
missed half of it.
Don’t forget the Community Shield Final as well.
But for the slip ,and if not for Terry blah blah blah….
If , ifs and buts were candy and nuts what a party we’d have.
Scott you forgot the Community shield as well. Nice , there is nothing more pleasing than to see a German rents words coming back to haunt him.
For those who insist they never gloat, either you are lying through your teeth or you have been a loser all your life. Let me guess. Sour scouser? Or brainless bitter?
Hey, great article…..
Ballack has been talking shi*e all season about how United would bottle it like Leverkusen…..
If he hadnt opened his mouth so much, we wouldn’t be having an article like this….
What goes round comes around…..
Shame Nigeria didn’t play the same night losing in the final of the African Nations Cup…..Could have had another article on that prick Mikel too!!
You Poo ja,
Ballack is class.
You only won the Premiership and the League, due to the Portugese Winker. If no for him, you’d finish the season with sweet FA.
Buffoon.
good thing we had him then , didnt we , franco ?
pathetic , baseless arguments !
He has also acchieved a treble few years ago with Bayer Leverku…..
runner up in the league, CL and world cup….
Patrikk the football “pundit”… Ronaldo carried United on his Shoulders….??
who missed the penlaty in CL semis… who missed the penalty in the final? who missed the penalty against west ham that would have saw us goin 2-0…. how many goals did Rooney and co set up for Ronaldo…. it is a fuckin team work you cunt….
Yeah, agree it maybe a bit harsh, but not for Mr.Bollocky .He did’t have to be so full of himself too when he rejected United.
And as UnitedRay said, its pretty rich coming from Chelski fans. Remember when you guys had your messiah mourinho around. gloating. any connection between the words. tell me after a year, when join the two.
and what a classic comment by mr.franco. didn’t know kindergarteners were allowed PCs at school. ask your teacher to read out Pooja’s comment for you again clearly and slowly, word by word.
i’m sure at the time ballack made a quote sayning utd were not good enough to play so f##k him the german prick
LOL, yer mate. You cannot be a United supporter, you are definately a glory hunter with the team mug, shirt and team picture on your bedroom wall.
Ronaldo’s 40 + goals was the difference between title, cups or nothing. Simple as that, the guy was awesome.
Ask yourself this question had Ronaldo be injured for a large part of the season, who was going to step in and score the goals.
And don’t embarrass yourself with Rooney, Saha, Tevez, Scoles etc. Sure they’d have chipped in with an extra 5 goals in each but 40!!!
If you can’t debate properly give your stolen PC to someone who can!!
Patrick – Don’t make such a fool out of yourself eh? If you’re going to come on here to be WUM, at least back up your points.
Tevez was the 9th highest scorer in the Premiership last season (with 14 league goals), whilst Rooney, who missed 1/3 of the season through injury, was 11th (with 12 league goals).
In total, Tevez scored 19 goals for us and Rooney scored 18.
The only one embarrassing themselves around here is you. Cheerio.
Apparently there’s a big thing in Germany about Ballack being “Mr Almost” and that he isn’t getting the plaudits for his talent that he would if he won instead of coming runners-up in (almost?) everything. If he is to be considered a modern great player he HAS to win something and soon.
patrick
utd always score!seasonbefore last only one 1st 11 squad player ended the season without a goal.we always score.
this season whenever ron couldnt come through,someone else would score. yes including tev,scoles and golden ryan.
utd play as a team!what greater way to show that than when other players unselfishly pass on opportunities to go for glory to another…in this case CR7.
I won’t join in the piss-licking and teenage oneupmanship that this nasty little site seems to be all about, but I do wonder why a team which won the League and European double needs to spend an entire article having a pop at a man who’s lost two finals this year?
What an unpleasant, emotionally-void bunch of people you must be. I thought United had played decent enough football this year and probably deserved their closely run title. I now remember why it was that everyone hates them so much. It’s because even a family of Goon American millionaires can’t bring you an ounce of class.
lovely post scot.when i think back on how low he stoops to win including brawling with a teammate over converting a set piece, im thankful to fate that he didnt come to utd.
Rob… or rentboy whtever you are….
United were after Ballack a year(s) before he signed for Chelski but he only chose chelsea for the wages thy were offering and his excuse was ” Chelsea are a team on a rise, United are not good enough”…Now since he has lost both PL and CL to United, you want us not to have pop at him???? that cunt chose money instead of football and thats wht he got in the end…. fuckin runner up medal again…..
I would just like to thank Rob for coming on here and offering us a lesson in morality and class. I appreciate it, i think we all needed it and were crying out for a wise old sage to come and set us straight lest we continue down the path straight to hell.
I forgot how mocking an opposition player is almost nowhere to be found in football. Chants and songs are sung only to praise, never to degrade or chastise. We at united, on the other hand, are the only souless monsters who sink low enough to ever dare to say anything negative about our opponents. And for that, I am deeply sorry and embarassed.
So again, thank you wise Rob for setting us straight. And let me also offer this apology to Mr Ballack. On behalf of all of manchester united fans, and Rob of course, we apologize. We didnt think how hurtful our words could be, we forgot that you are also a human. Please forgive us. Have a great summer!! And keep your head up buddy!!
Could you confirm the quote by Beckenbauer that you have mentioned in the third sentence ?
I find it really doubtful that the Kaiser would speak that way about United considering that he’s good friends with Sir Bobby Charlton and is seen as one of the reasons why the Hargreaves transfer went through.
The only one that I remember is this -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/6297565.stm
Villa Park last season, Ronaldo was injured yet United should’ve beaten Villa by a larger margin than 4-1. Rooney and Tevez. Tevez didn’t score on the night but could’ve gotten a hattrick. Rooney missed out on a hattrick because he missed a penalty.
Ever since Ballack went to Chelsea and said he joined them ahead of United because he wanted to win, I hated that cunt. The way he intimidates referees, the way he tries to pick a fight with opponents, his arrogance…
So it feels not only good but right to laugh at the loser who chose a rich team without history over United
fuzzy, you’re right it was Karl-Heinz Rummenigge who said United were pap, the kaiser in fact said Ballack was mad to choose Chelsea over United
Ballack did turn it on a bit towards the end of the season for Chelsea and Zi Germans but I am very pleased of his disappointing year.
Though seeing Torres so happy irks me a bit!
We are not gloating. We are just ramming his german accented words back down his throat. Grown men must be responsible for things they say, rich arrogant footballers are no exception. He can insult united by claiming we will never be winners again. But we cannot do the same to him when we did win? (and win big we did!) you ABUs are pathetic when you assume the moral high ground. Stop being a double standard prick!
yep we wouldnt say owt…if HE hadnt pumped his arms, chest, flexed his muscles and mouth and spouted vitriol at us and not signing for us. No need fo rtha then. But like the saying goes…you shouldnt start spouting that big mouth toooooo soon. what comes around goes around. The words came to bite him. the perennial runner up!!!!!!..ha ha ha
Wt a fantastic article. Beckenbauers comment? is he fuked? It doesnt come any bigger than playing for Manchester United. Every week is the oppositions worlc cup final, champs league final, fa cup final all rolled into 1. Not only that every1 h8s utd every1 wants you to fail. It takes a special character to pull on a united shirt. Michael Ballack isnt. We have paul scholes and no1 even comes close to him. United>England