United have had a relatively successful December, picking up fifteen points from a possible eighteen. The loss against West Ham yesterday cost us our place at the top of the table, but following the events of the Christmas party, I’m surprised the price we had to pay wasn’t more severe.Stories of roastings and rape were all over the papers, tabloids and broadsheets alike, which will have left Sir Alex Ferguson seething. He had begrudgingly given in to the players’ wish for a Christmas party, Rio Ferdinand leading the way. Ferdinand planned the do, drafting in hand picked girls to accompany the players in the bars and hotel they went to. Wives and girlfriends were banned from attending the all night party which finished at Great John Street Hotel, with the event looking a recipe for disaster the moment the plans were leaked to the press.
Ferguson likes to keep his players on a short leash, successfully managing to protect the youngsters from outside influences which could damage their career. Lee Sharpe was the one who got away, hitting the self destruct button on his footballing pathway. Beckham, Giggs, Butt, Scholes, the Nevilles, Gillespie etc. have all enjoyed long football careers after undergoing the early guidance of Ferguson, who is well known for employing ‘spies’ to make sure his players were behaving as they should be.
Today, our manager has spoken out about the people who may pose a threat to the strict controls over the players, and how they must be dealt with immediately. “Football has changed but you cannot lose your control,” said Ferguson. “We make changes here at Manchester United when we see anyone interfering with that control. When we see this it’s time for them to go. Times have changed for me as a manager. But this club is based on everyone together. When anyone starts going off at tangents you have to make changes.”
He couldn’t possibly be talking about Rio Ferdinand here, could he? A cockney wideboy who has made no attempt to hide his love for bling, orchestrating the Christmas orgy fest which resulted in one of youngsters landing himself with a rape charge.
Ferguson doesn’t stop there though. “What annoys me about some footballers today is the personal glory thing,” he added. “They score a goal and knock players out of the road so they can get personal gratification and play to the fans. The present day footballer needs to be noticed with his ear-rings and tattoos. But people in general need to be noticed, it’s not just footballers. They don’t go to small, intimate restaurants, they go to places that are big and bright where you are seen and get noticed. It is difficult to control.”
Sir Alex Ferguson is a man who ruthlessly gave David Beckham, Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy the chop. Does Rio Ferdinand need to watch out?
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Another decent Blog mate.
I do find myself worrying about the future of our club sometimes, the day Sir Alex Ferguson decides enough is enough and ends his outstanding career Manchester United will not only need to find a decent manager to follow his path, they need a new “Man of the house”. The easy part is continuing the day to day training structure that all of the backroom staff put effort into, I can see Carlos Quieroz continuing to run the club with it’s new breed of Portugese speaking stars and he is well and truely settled. I have never seen a man in football with the steel and determination of SAF, he has remained consistant and ruthlessly hungry for 20 plus years and nobody will have the integrity he does meaning for me I cannot see the club being as tightly knit and disciplined as he has made it.
Nobody, not even David Beckham or Roy Keane are bigger than Manchester United. ” of the most talented players of Sir Alex’s time and if Rio Ferdinand doesn’t act in the way which United need him to, he will sadly and very regretably have to go.
No one is bigger than the club, Rio can fly despite his outstanding form- he’ll be on his last chance if the party/orgy fest wasn’t already it, booted out unceremoniously and deservedly so if he mucks up again. Hasn’t helped his chances of taking over Terry as Capello’s new captain and surely has done himself no favours with taking over from Neville at United long-term. A berk of the highest order is our Rio.
Keep up the good work Scott!!
I am from Singapore but followed ManUnited for the last 30 years. Certainly the match at West Ham on Boxing Day indciated to me somethings.
It is time for discipline. NO more fancy parties and celebrity status. U cant build a club on individuals.
Peter – there was absolutely NO connection between the party animals and the West Ham result.
The game after the party, TheLads absolutely slaughtered Sunderland.
Besides, Ronaldo – who scored the goal AND missed the penalty – was not at the party.
The game on Sarurday was what it was – a terrible anomaly. These things happen.
About Rio – I don’t think he will be given marching orders because of the party’s dismal outcome. He organized it – and he showed his usual love of bling in its organization – but there is no evidence that he actually behaved badly.
Besides, how these players spend their money – and they have sooooo much money to spend – is always going to be unspeakably mysterious to plebs like us who have normal jobs and normal incomes.
Rio has been UTD’s best player so far this season – even better than Ronaldo, in my opinion. It woud be an act of incredible pique for SAF to get rid of him. He’s a great footballer – and a bling-maestro. He is what he is. Period. He’s never claimed to be “the boy next door”.
King of Zamunda – since when did off-field stupidity make it likely that John Terry would be ineligible to continue as Ingerland’s captain ?
JT is always harrassing referees and, so we’re told, pissing on the dance florr and gambling obscene amounts of money in his spare time. He’s a prat but the feeling seems to be that “he’s our prat” and that seems to be enough to qualify him to be the captain of a team that couldn’t make it out of the weakest qualifying group to Euro 2008. Long may he reign over us !
actually if you look at the transcript of the whole interview what SAF said is clearly a barbed comment at Wes Brown’s agent’s attempts to up his commision by driving up Wes’s wages or forcing a move.
i thinb the earrings clearly refer to ronaldo and he should become less and less of a model and start to act more responsibly with da team for he is a talent which man u cant let off so easily
here lads-from Big Fergies comments i think hes aiming it towards ronny. Hes the only one i see constantly runnin away from players whilst celebratin!! couldnt tell u the last time i seen ronaldo run towards the team mate that assited his goal. As good as he is im convinced his ego will cause disruption eventually