Rafael da Silva has been called up to the 23-man Brazilian national squad for their friendly against the USA in August. New manager Mano Menezes has left out some of Dunga’s World Cup squad, after the team’s disappointing end to the tournament.
Rafael is obviously very happy to have been called up and recognises he is likely to play in Maicon’s absence.
“I’m so happy to have been called up to the national team and very proud,” said Rafael. “It’s my first call and I hope there will be more to come in the future. The coach called me before he announced the squad and asked me how I felt and how my training was going. I was so happy when he told me I was going to be in the squad. Maicon plays in my position and he is a great player who I can learn a lot from. I am so lucky to play for the best team in the world, Manchester United. Now to play for my country will be a dream come true.”
Goalkeepers: Victor (Gremio), Renan (Avai), Jefferson (Botafogo)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Rafael (Manchester United), Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Marcelo (Real Madrid), David Luiz (Benfica), Henrique (Racing), Rever (Atletico-MG), Thiago Silva (Milan)
Midfielders: Sandro (Internacional), Ramires (Benfica), Lucas (Liverpool), Jucilei (Corinthians), Ganso (Santos), Ederson (Lyon), Hernanes (Sao Paulo), Carlos Eduardo (Hoffenheim)
Forwards: Robinho (Santos), Diego Tardelli (Atletico-MG), Alexandre Pato (Milan), Andre (Santos), Neymar (Santos)
Man Utd News 24/7
Bah, he still has Dani Alves in front of him. I hope the new coach will give Rafa a runout.
Pato should have made the WC squad too imo.
gotta love all these kids coming through with the same message,buy them young and brainwash them sir alex has figured out a good plan.lol
Way to go Rafael!!! Future is bright!! Macheda, Cleverley Gibbo Evans Welbeck….. Take a piss ‘sh’ity!!!!
hope he gets some minutes in this game, will be proud moment for us Reds
Dani Alves will play right midfield
Khedira has joined Madrid for 11 million Pounds and yet there is no value in the transfer market. yawn!!
@aig… so do you not think value depends on what your team needs and how a player fits into how the manager wants the team to pay… or do you just buy someone for the sake of it just because they are cheap?
@Tony Starks
I know what i am saying. Its no secret Uniteds midfield is the weakest of the 3 areas and Khedira is a proper box to box midfielder. WIth the Hargreaves blow it would have been a good signing especially as Sir Alex is now ‘hoping’ Anderson will come good and Carrick will rediscover his form of the past seasons which is a risk. Ozil would be good too as we dont have an attacking midfielder. I am obviously looking at where United can strengthen.
@aig khedira had stated real was the team he wanted to go to.utd always have to compete against the better weather,better taxation when it comes to the spanish clubs so its not just a question of who’s available its also a question on who wants to play for us
@aig.. that’s your opinion my friend (and many others I’m sure) but maybe the manager thinks differently?
@wayne
benzema always said he ‘dreamed’ of playing for Madrid. didnt stop us from making a bid for him, did it??. Ozil is another example.
@Tony Starks
yeah if the manager feels the team is good i trust him but i want him to be direct like he has been in the last week or two and straight away say he dosent want to sign anyone rather than giving ‘no value in the market’ excuse. I do feel we need someone in the midfield though. Dont want injuries to deny us number 19. It will be a case of us not having learnt anything from 2009-10 season
Khedira wouldn’t of been a good signing, overrated player.
Got to agree with Tony Starks on this one…. I don’t think we should be comparing other transfers for ‘Value’. As Ferguson is trying to state, it’s not just the total transfer fee, it’s agent costs, wages etc, but most of all the value of the price for the player to fit into our team. Over the last couple of days, SAF has mentioned you need to be a certain type of player to succeed at United, I couldn’t agree more. Since I have been going down to OT, I have seen players who bring this out of others, I think we need this now.
Eric,
Keane,
Beckham,
Giggs,
Nev
Now I see this continuing with Rooney, Fletch, Edwin etc.
He’s already said he doesn’t want to sign anyone!!!
It’s the media creating links to players…
@aig how do you know we didn’t make a inquiry or bid and i’ve never seen anywere that ozil wants to go to madrid,all thats been coming out of his camp is he’ll honor the current contract and that hasn’t played out yet so your just jumping to assumptions
@Tony Starks
he made that clear only in the last few weeks
@ wayne
he hasnt said anywhere he wants to go to a certain club or will honour his contract. Bremen are ready to listen to offers for him as they dont want to lose him for free. madrid are waiting till jan to sign him on free
I don’t really see what Khedira could have offered us that Fletcher doesn’t already? And we all (including SAF) know that there’s value in the market – look at Chicharito! But you also can’t deny that there’s a lot of overpriced overrated players being thrown about the place. And once United get involved the transfer fee tends to get even more overpriced. Ozil for anything under £20m would be great value IMO though.
Also, Rafael = future star
@aig yeah and its being rumored ozil could already be a utd player i read that yesterday and as i’ve stated i respect the bookies our odds have been slashed from 6-1 to 1-5 last week real was favourites to sign him maybe you don’t read that as a positive sign i do
I would have liked khedira to play for us.Khedira could have replaced carrick.I will again say carrick has past his prime.Seriously we have missed another player i hope we sign ozil.
@bigphil
Fletcher is the only option. If something happens to him, God forbid we are fucked. We saw last season when Fletch got tired playing 3 games a week consistently but we had no one to replace or take his place in the side. Its not about looking at the first team but looking towards the 2nd half of the season when games come thick and fast. Thats when having more options and fit & fresh players matters
@wayne
no. i dont believe the bookies. Only when i see him besides SAF and Gill i will believe it.
sorry it seems every thread becomes a transfer roumours thread…
but… @aig.. come on mate he’s been saying for ages that he’s happy with his squad, it’s others who have been going on about not being any money left to spend etc (this subject I am NOT going into!)
The value refers to his opinion about players he may have potentially wanted to sign (and yes he is allowed to change his opinion as to what he means by value), anyway feels strange having to defend our manager, whose status at this club I don’t have words to describe, on a United forum!… hehe but it’s all good.
I would love it for us to sign a world star just like any other fan, but doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen
wow! probably the longest post I’ve ever made, sorry
@wayne
becasue pre season is all about transfers and United are always linked to a lot of players thats why
No one is doubting the manager. Have full faith he will get it right but some factors like injuries, loss of form are beyond his control. Thats what cost us last season. His decision not to replace Ronaldo and Tevez didnt affect us at all in the end
@bigphil
How can you say khedira wouldnt have offered that much for us.Khedira would have replaced carrick.Fletch-khedira combo would have been great.I seriously hope ando is given good chances and he performs otherwise we would be putting too much pressure on fletcher.Its always better to have two worldclass midfielders.
…. by the way… I do expect Rafael to get some minutes in the Brazil game, Dani Alves might be playing midfield… besides Rafael has a good chance of making their Olympic squad for 2012, I think this squad if focused towards the Olympic qualifying…
y has sam khedira all of a sudden become the best thing since slice bread. he has a decent world cup and everyone wants him. he wudnt have even been in the squad if ballack had been fit which i think says a lot. real madrid are the citeh of spain when it comes to the transfer market not when it comes to trophies. they just go for whoevers got a half decent you tube reel. they don’t actually go out and look for talented players like chicha or kiko. they hardly promote any from their youth so im not really bothered whos ‘dream’ it is to play for them.
when u hear players that have been at the club for years who say its still an honour to play for us thats what i like to hear and hearing a player like rafael saying things like that it can only be a good thing. and i hope he plays well for brazil
i think there are probably clubs/agents/players around the world waiting on how our remaining games pan out. they know how tight our MF options MIGHT be, and are just biding their time.As SAF is imo.they will try and rinse as much money as poss.when chelsea an city et al have shot their wad there could be a more ‘normal’ transfer period.hopefully we dont get any more knocks before then and forced into an expensive panic buy.I still trust SAF tho. big up 2 Rafael!
I didn’t see Khedira before the WC, so honestly I don’t know if he could have been a good signing for us. 11 million sounds quite a small tag for an inflated market though.
As for our midfield, I think that we do need a change there. Whether it’s a signing or one of our youngsters stepping up. Or Anderson coming back motivated of course.
I think this was about Rafael being call up to Brazil for the first!! congratulation Rafael,Hope to see some more of our young players break into the first team this season,and make a name for them self.
Bit of an odd occurrence I just noticed on Skybet – Stephen Ireland is now evens to join United – I think he was more than 10/1 this morning…
@Ash and aig – Yeah have to admit when I said Khedira wouldn’t bring anything to us I was thinking first team and I think I still had Hargreaves in the back of my mind as backup. Agree completely that if Fletcher were to be missing for any lengthy period we could be in trouble.
@bigphil2003 says:
I think its something to do with his Twitter update today….
He said he’s definately staying in Manchester… and i guess since he’s been recently having a spat about with Mankini i think the media have put 2 & 2 together and come up with 5!!
I hope so anyway cos if it was a choice between him and Ozil… i know which one i would take!
@Linvoy – Ah, that makes sense then. Not sure I’d want him at United anyway, he’s a bit of a prick. AIG has the right idea ignoring the odds, they don’t really mean shit. The reason Ozil’s odds are so in favour of us is because of the rumour/lie he was spotted at Manchester airport last week, people must have flocked to put bets on and it’s skewed the odds.
Sir fergie said it takes more than talent to play for manchester united…
In “SIR FERGIE WE TRUST”. He knows who 2 sign and not 2..
GLORY!!! UNITED TILL I DIE!!!!!!!
Bookies betting now deciding our transfer dealings are they?.
hehe… 2 new aspects to transfer roumurs this summer – twitter and bookmakers… so much for the days where we had to look forward to backpages of the tabloids
Had to comment
What Khedira offers that Fletcher doesn’t? His passing abilities I think were severely underrated during the World Cup, the guy can play, he doesn’t just run around tackling. Fletcher is a good player, great as what he does, but I think Khedira may be closer to being a complete midfielder than Fletch. What a shame, but he wanted to go to Real, so we were a bit screwed
That being said, he did take a big back seat to Schweinsteiger in terms of bringing the ball up and distribution, I just think that he showed good ability
@United – I hope you aren’t implying Fletcher “just runs around tackling”. His distribution is excellent.
Whats all the talk about Khedira. We’ve got Fletcherino, and i’m more than happy with that. Costas always says it. Our midfield definitely needs looking into, who knows maybe a transfer is on the cards but until then make do with what we’ve got and improve on it. SAF gave the clearest indication that there is work being done in the midfield department after the MLS game. Basically he was pleased with the possession play and gave the impression that tis one area of our play we need to improve.
As for the bookmakers, i can’t believe we’re relying on them now for potential transfers.sign of times i guess. This fella Ozil would be a good addition to the squad and unless he doesn’t want to come to OT i think if SAF is interested we could get him. With Barcelona locking horns with Arsenal over Fabregas and JM at Real Madrid and many players in his position, there really no where for him to go, unless he doesn’t wish to join us. Personally i want this transfer period to be over and done with, start the season and show the non-believers that United is the greatest. We are being overwhelming underrated this year and a lot of people could have egg on their face even before the season ends.
All we need is for the guys to raise their game (transfers or not) and gain a better understanding of each other and we can repeat the excitement of the 2006/2007 season when Ronaldo,Rooney and Saha and the rest of the lads got off to a flying start and never looked back
@bigphil2003
I am saying that fletch’s distribution is good, but Khedira is closer to the old all action midfielder than fletch is, my opinion anyway, and he would have been good at the price, since carrick isnt doing well
Anyway, Ozil is the one we REALLY need, but seeing as I haven’t watched him in anything besides the World Cup, I hope those performances were normal for him.
regarding Ozil… I love the guy as a player, but… looking at how some of our fans treat Berbatov, in a way I hope he doesn’t sign…
he’s not a player who ‘runs around’ a lot… not one to track back etc… so not sure how he’d fit with fans if he actaully came… besides doesn’t seem to fit with the way we play anyway… but when did that stop fans wanting signings?
Who cares if he doesn’t run around a lot, neither does Iniesta, neither does Kaka, neither did Ronaldo (either one). If he needs another midfielder to do his share of defending, so be it if he is good enough. (See Zidane’s return to the french team, he refused to come back without Makelele.)
by the way… is the United game tonight (UK time) or 2moro night? TIme differences so confusing for me!
@United… many fans do seem to care about that, when the team doesn’t play well the guy who didn’t run much usually gets the blame (in England anyway!). Carzy I know … people have a problem with Berba, but he is one of my favourite players at our club
Iniesta isn’t tacking balls?
wtf, he goes for every lost ball, like almost every spain.
I’m german and the performances by Özil at the worldcup were normal.
I think he even might be better in the bundesliga.
Why shouldn’t he fit with the play of united?
there’s no problem for him in first touch football.
he just has to work on his finish and dribbling skills.
@Zelh
Cool to know that Ozil really is that good. BTW hearing a german person Ozil’s name is surprisingly entertaining! ITS SO COOL
*pronounce ozil’s name
@tony starks
the game is at 3:15am saturday BST, so it is playing in mexico at 9:15pm eastern standard time friday night, and since england is 6 hours ahead of the east coast, then unfortunately it is in the early early morning for everyone in europe.
it is not playing on any channels in the US except for ESPN Deportes since they got the exclusivity for this game, so I suspect internet links would be the way to watch this game.
@Tony Starks
Ronaldo also did not track back but he was great for us. Ozil if we sign him would improve our creativity and possession play. you can not compare him with the impact berbatov has in the team. ofcourse we haven’t seen him at united but the way he performed at the world cup he will fit to our team. As for berbatov we have seen what he can do..10/12 goals a season.
@united.george
Thanks a lot for that info… have to somehow stay awake!
@ United
the biggest issue with özil is his consistency, but he’s just 21.
he played a great season, but during this season were games where he was rly poor.
Well i saw bremen last season and ozil did well.he is surrounded by average players there.their best player after him is claudio pizzaro.says it all really.although marko marin is very similar to ozil and talented too
ozil can play on the wing,as an attacking mid,great passing range,can score goals, anticipate runs,is just 21.what more do we need?
Rumours abound that he just landed at the airport in Manchester! Anyway, if he signs (or someone like him signs) what do we do with our formation? Fletch and an other sit while he gets freedom behind Rooney? He plays on the left or the right and cuts in?
what time is the match tonight?
People are too blind to see what is in front of them. Khedira is not fit to lace up Fletcher’s boots.
Fletcher is not just a harrier and tackler. Inch perfect 35-40 yarder to Nani right before Macheda’s goal. The runs into the box. The pass for Cleverly and Chicharito. Fletcher’s crossing is one of the best in the team as well, an excellent header of the ball and this is on top of the work he does. He is one of the most complete midfielders out there and to put Khedira who after one 1 WC where he wasn’t even the better players on the team his laughable.
Try one day watch a game and taking out of your mind what people like Whinger (Wenger) have tried to portray him as – a destroyer. Watch how he manages to keep the ball when he is closed down or some of the passes he makes. His main job is to keep things simple and work the ball to Scholes or whoever the creator player is but, he is more than capable of making long or medium range passes or perfectly weighted through balls.
Ugh nothing bugs me more than how even our own fans underrate Fletcher.
Don’t think that marin is similar to özil.
Marin is definitly a winger with great dribbling skills and a big amount of speed.
Özil is a player who’s best when he plays behind the striker.
He’s able to play on the wings but i think lots of his potential gets lost there.
But he definitly has to work on his finish and to go after lost balls.
@Shimo
Khedira, 76% passing rate at the world cup, 83% at medium range. Saying that you think Fletcher is better is a perfectly valid opinion but don’t say nonsense like Khedira isn’t fit to lace up up Fletch’s boots, he is a good player.
Marin is a winger but i do think he can play as an attacking mid.he has good vision(not as good as ozil) and more pace.plus he is a bit younger.agree he needs to work on his passing and finishing but the talent is there
Fletcher is better,not by much though. khedira is a top player and dont forget 3 yrs younger. Can only improve
Fletcher is one of the best defensiv midfielders in the world.
Khedira might be better in passing, but he’s nowhere near fletcher in tackling.
@zelh
thought he did well in the 2nd half of last season for stuttgart. Dont think his tackling is bad either. Will only improve.
Well done Rafa, hopefully this call up to the Brazil squad will give ya more confidence kiddo.
@zelh
Y should you compare fletcher with khedira.I think both could have played for us together.But i guarenteee real would not respect khediras talent and khedira will become like benzema.I hope we sign lass diarra .It would be great to see fletch-lass combo.
Why are we comparing Fletcher to Khedira anyway? United won’t line up with one CM next year will we? Khedira and Fletcher could have played together at the heart of the midfield.
I hope Anderson will make a similar developement like Nani and play next to fletcher
@Zelh 18:14
i hope so. i have confidence he will come good. However, don’t forget Cleverley as well.
don’t know if cleverley is a player for the defensive midfield like fletcher or ando.
He will add creativity to the midfield which i think is missing in the team.
Fair enough that the comment that he isn’t fit to face up Fletch’s boots is a bit harsh but, he is no where yet near the class of Fletcher who is one of the best in Europe.
76% passing for a player that is supposed to be keeping it simple and working the ball out of the midfield is not that spectacular. You expect a player in his position to be far better especially as he is working a lot of balls back to defenders and or his midfield partner in Schweinsteiger. Khedira isn’t the one playing through balls or crossing or spraying them out to the wing players. That was Schweiny’s.
Pay attention the stats of players like Mascherano/Carrick/Scholes have in their holding role – the role that Khedira plays – they are far better.
Maybe in a few years ago when he develops we can come back and compare the two but, right now Khedira is not in the same league as Fletcher.
The think that sets Fletcher apart in my view is his attitude and durability. You can have better talent, but that will not replace Fletcher. Fletcher will still be there in March, April and May, marking like a terrier. He would be there in June if they let him. Agree with everyone who thinks there is something special about a guy who can do it week in and out for a whole season and who has won the admiration of the fans. Playing at United is something completely different then anywhere else, it takes nerves, a brain, and a very special brand of durability. You can bring in other guys maybe, but to assume they will be good for 40+ games is just dreaming. This is why the young ones come into the team and get sent out on loan, it takes years to develop the ability to get stuck in. I’ll wager Anderson will make good, but you see with him that playing in the United mid takes a durable body and mind.
As for tonight, Get stuck in Lads! The United way!
the* thing (sheesh)
@aig alex is god
We bid for Benzema though because Real seemed about to sign Villa so while they were sorting the details out we decided to try and steal a march. Sadly Valencia decided to start messinga round on the deal worth £45mill and rather than lose 1st and 2nd choice they switched back to Benzema when we bid.
Again on the ‘value’ thing if he saaid he was happy and wasn’t looking to buy anyone else he then would be telling lies. Like Gill said United like most Football clubs are never happy with their squad and are looking every day into how they could be improved. There are almost certain players out there who if the deals could be done in the ballpark figures of United valuation for the players they would go after. We don’t want a Berba situation of paying well over the odds
@Tony Starks
No he said he is happy with the squad. Thats not the same as not wanting to add. In fact his Anderson and Hargreave comment actually shows he isn’t counting out another signing as he knows he will know full well the A list players on the clubs books and knows we have 25 atm
@aig alex is god
Bremen haven’t said they will sell him though, not officially. Football clubs don’t always do the obvious thing, look at Villa with Barry where they could have got 5mill + player more from Liverpool than they got a year later OR Arsenel with Cesc who I believe next season can buy his contract out for around 10mill so Arsenel digging their heels in just losess them a minimum of 19mill
I suspect they do want to sell but are they really going to put up with insulting 12mill offers and sell him to us OR will they decide he is worth more and we have taken the piss and lose him for nothing to prove a point
@Tony Starks
I don’t think its just Berbatov who doesn’t get credit for good games either from our fans at times. I think Carrick falls into the same group too, he was awful at times last season but before then he had 2 great seasons and he was still often a target on sites like this. You are right in that it often seems that ‘Running around like a headless chicken’ does get more respect than simply being good in England. Infact some of the Spanish players suggested that with their comments about Carrick
@Zelh
I won’t pretend to be an expert on German football but my understand of Ozil in club football is he is a little hit and miss. He will put in top games but he is also prone to go missing for whole games. He is still young so that could be it and maybe the World Cup could be what will make his consistancy click BUT I do think perhaps everyone is building him up a little too much based on the World Cup only. He has the basic skills to do the job but at the end of the day I will put my trust in SAf and the scouting/coaching team to decide if he has the rest of it to belond at United
More links!
Rosenborg midfielder Anthony Annan
http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/41514/EXCLUSIVE_Agent_coy_on_Annan_United_bid.aspx
The transfer window is getting really silly!
Thats an old story, not good enough anyway.
One player that won’t be joining United is Veloso, he’s joined Genoa. Vastly over rated imo.
@Wakey
fair enough. I do think if we table a bid of around 10 odd million and Bremen reject it they will urge other clubs to make an offer. If no one does they will sell him to us in the last few days of the transfer window rather than lose him for free and thats the reason i havent completely given up hope of us signing him. As per my knowledge no club has made an offer for him. SAF did sign to sign him in 2008 but he opted to move to bremen instead.
All Credit to the youngster he deserved this as I always thought gonna be one of the best right backs in the World if not the Best.
Who Else in the Manchester United History has graced the brazilian shirt.
Ignoring Anderson. THATS easy
@Shimo
Still have to disagree, his midrange passing was up to scratch with Xavi’s in terms of accuracy, long range wasn’t bad either, only his short passing needed a bit of work. Given the system we play now anyway, there is no reason that we couldn’t play both of them in midfield. Khedira the most defensive, Fletcher having equal responsibilities at either end, and one other midfielder who can be a bit lazy defending. ‘Luxury’ players win titles!
Well done Rafa raelly proud of you!! As long as maicon is not there he has a good chance of making it!! xx
@Shimo and Fletchtheman
Well said
What the fuck is the hype about Khedera? Never fucking heard of the cunt before South Africa.