Nothing is certain but death and taxes… and not losing to Spurs. They may score from the half way line in the last minute, plain for all to see, but it won’t be given. They may be 3-0 up at half-time, but we’ll score five in the second half. They may believe they have a freekick after one of our players blatantly handballs it, but the ref will play advantage and we will score a goal regardless. Spurs fans are entitled to feel cursed when it comes to United because the most ridiculous scenarios have seen us go unbeaten against them for over ten years. The last time Spurs beat us our back five consisted of Van der Gouw, Silvestre, May, Johnsen and Irwin. Of the 22 league games we’ve had since then, we’ve won 17 of them, as well as beating them on penalties in the final of the League Cup in 2009.
Ahead of the 2012-2013, Spooky from the excellent Spurs blog, Dear Mr Levy, has shared his thoughts on the coming season.
Scott the Red: What would have to happen this season for you to class it as a successful one for your club?
Spooky: Quantify success because it tends to get confused with progression. A successful season would be winning silverware because historically that equates to something tangible. However, with football being the beast it is, we tend to embrace the aforementioned progression as something to celebrate. I’m hoping our ambitions are stronger and more focused than they were under Redknapp. Top four would be great, the return to Champions League, wonderful. But a cup would live on in memory forever.
STR: How do you feel about your club’s business in the transfer window this summer?
S: I’m a Spurs fan. Are we ever truly happy with transfer windows? We’ve done great in completing two deals very early on but the Modric saga continues to bore the life out of me and we still need two forwards to be signed. It’s imperative the excuse of ‘lack of rotation due to lack of depth’ does not find itself dancing an ironic jig of disappointment at us by Christmas. I’m going to commit to something here and state: We’ll sign everyone we need to sign. Why? Simply because if we don’t, we’ve got an up hill struggle to compete with the very top tier sides.
STR: Who do you think will be your most important player this season?
S: With King retired, I’d say Jan Vertonghen has responsibility at the back but it’s unfair to look at a brand new signing as the key man. Parker is recovering from an op and with Modric in limbo I’ll have to opt for Mr Gareth ‘will he stay on the left or roam with discipline’ Bale. Potent weapon, beastly with rampant pace, has to be used effectively. I’m hoping the shrewdness of Villas-Boas caters for unleashing Bale on opposition defences with more impact than last season. But then it’s dependent on the player upfront to put away the crosses. Can’t help but think its going to be a collective responsibility rather than an individual one.
STR: How do you rate your manager’s ability to take your club forward?
S: We all know what he achieved at Porto. We all know the naivety and politics he experienced at Chelsea. If he stays true to his word and doesn’t attempt to overhaul and simply tweak and improve the areas that need fixing – then the logic is, we’ll get better. He’s already got us working on set pieces. Where Redknapp lacked tactical astuteness and deceive changing, we have to hope VB doesn’t. It’s still important that Levy comes up trumps with signings. Not enough bullets in the gun means we might not hit the target enough.
STR: Where does Chelsea winning the Champions League rank amongst your worst moments as a Spurs fan?
S: Wouldn’t say it ranks high at all. Losing to the red scum of Woolwich is always more hurtful. I think the irony of it hurting and would have felt the same had it been any other club, was the fact we finished 4th, above a team that attempted to sign Modric the summer earlier and they basically fluked their way to the final. It was ridiculous but then Spurs tend to experience the most ridiculous of emotions. It’s why its so great supporting them. Personally think they’re going to go the same way this season. Great players but not a great team.
STR: Is this season the season you will finally beat us?
S: Why? You lot going to forfeit the match by not turning up? I hope that when we do the players shake hands and walk off the pitch and don’t dance around like we’ve picked up silverware. Let the fans go mental in the stands. Last season, the away game, no contest. At home, pretty much the same experience. Plenty of running around and a masterclass in mugging by Utd. Have to be honest, I’m far more confident these days than I was say four years ago. Cheeky 1-0 win at the Lane will do me.
STR: Which United player would you most want in your squad?
Probably Rooney. We need a forward or two. Berbatov? Nah, no thanks. As classy a player he is, he burnt those bridges to ashes. Hernandez could do a job. Nani could warm our bench. Seriously though, has to be Rooney. When he’s on form he’s a powerful bully of a player. I’d have some of that. The alternative at the minute is starting Defoe.
STR: Who do you think will win the league this season?
S: Lesser of two/three evils. Man United. Because we’re all comfortable with them winning it. Chelsea, City, Arsenal…that is hardly a comforting thought. I’d love to say Spurs, but then I’ve got to work my way through a bottle of rum first. Ask me again in an hours time.
———–
Read Dear Mr Levy and follow @Spooky23 on Twitter.
Man Utd News 24/7
Really interesting read. Refreshing answers from a sound fan – apart from Nani warming their bench – get real!
Can’t wait for the interview with the West Ham fan..
re Nani comment: please google “subtleties in humour”. Nice work Spooky.
Yeh you are right Warwick, Nani isnt good enough to get on our bench.
By the way Spooky it will be 2-0 at the Lane.
COYS
you guys continue to crow about Spurs failure to beat utd. you seem to forget that to a large extent you have been buying your succes in modern times with all the millions upon milions you have spent over the years. Long before the likes of Chelsea and Man. city, got on the wagon Utd. were the first to pay big wages and spend big to get them there.
Most of you don’t remember the 60′s and before when the old first division was more of an even playing field when even Ipswich Town could finish top of the league, and it wasn’t all about a “top four “.
So much more interesting in those days with very few imported players, and we did ok in Europe as well.
haha @ red scum of Woolwich. Apart from that you get 10 out of 10 for ambition.
Spurs won’t make it into the top 4 again for years to come. No chance.
Not even if they move 10 miles south to North Woolwich haha.
nice read spooky seems like a level headed fan
Lol @ costas those deluded tools will expect a top 6 finish! Bear in mind they do have massive players a la green and Morrison lol never been a fan of the hammers…..they hold their tattered club in such high regard! That and my ex boss was a hammers fan and he was a right cock!
Good humoured interview STR keep them up! Can imagine the dippers/bitters interview being full of bile and spite tho
“losing to the red scum of Woolwich”
They’re just City fans with cockney accents really, aren’t they?
Spurs are a pathetic excuse for a football club, forever living in the shadows of Arsenal, even more pathetic is their daft excuse of a chairman
for what it’s worth,
Edwin van der Sar @vdsar1970
I am getting a lot of questions about RvP and hope just the same as all you guys that he is coming to Old Trafford!!
Wtf
Haha
Great interview, but reading their blog? No thanks
Nani would warm your bench? My dick
Get really you blogger, there’s no chance in a thousand year your will get one back at us
Keep dreaming, this is not fantasy football
Bingo Cedars! That Levy is a complete muppet. Living in his own wee fantasy world
Nice one Edwin! What Dutchman doesn’t dream of stepping onto the Old Trafford pitch wearing the famous red of Manchester United? They are United mad over there! RVP is no different.
Two great Dutch Reds: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/765100107_c81243a52b.jpg
Nani not good enough to warm Spurs’ bench?
Can’t take anyone who says that seriously. Like I’d rather have their wingers ahead of Nani. Who are they again? Hardly setting the EPL on fire are they.
Nice one YorYor! I think their wingers are Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and… nope, can’t remember.
Levy is one who care less about the coaches he employs
Him and ibramovic are from the same shit hole
Spend a huge amount of time playing fantasy football and go implement the shit tactic they use on FIFA to their short sighted dream team…
Such incompetent owner less than a bashing
What a bunch of cry babies
They think we rely on referees to win against hem
Wot a fuckshit excuse
Deserve less…
BREAKING: 18-year-old Chilean striker Angelo Henriquez has arrived at Bridgewater Hospital ahead of a £4m move to Manchester United #MUFC
anyone know anything about this kid?
eric keane – they say he is a legend…
Only joking. I’ve heard him compared to Rutgerus Johannes Martinus Van Nistelrooy. I’ll try to find a compilation of his goals if you like.
Here you go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJyxZeCp7I
I hope he says hello to the lawman while he’s at the Bridgewater.
So far this week RVP has signed 42 times after attending 97 medicals at Carrington
True, but none of them were confirmed by lawman10. Henriquez’s was.
Erm … guys. The Nani thing.
A joke.
fred – news on twitter is that arenal have accepted a 22mil offer and will sell reluctantly. RVP is in holland. the dutch national team won’t let him leave but will let him have a medical over there.
if any of this is even a little bit true i could see us playing a 3-0-7 formation
rio vida evra
berba welbeck rooney
henriquez macheda RVP
BEBE
oops i forgot chicho..
so
rio vida evra
welbeck berba rooney
henriquez macheda RVP
chicho
Writer Matt Fortune is circulating a picture described as of Henriquez after his United physical.
Matt Fortune @MFworldfootball
Picture of Chilean striker Angelo Henriquez (right) after his Manchester United medical at Bridgewater Hospital #MUFC http://pic.twitter.com/l5TjxuSP
https://twitter.com/ManUtdStuff/status/235384797134983169/photo/1
henriquez at bridgewater..
Fred @ 15:26: “Here you go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJyxZeCp7I”
Thanks for the link. Henriques looks more like Chicharito than RUUUUUD. He’s quick, two-footed, inventive, and has a nose of for goal. The diving header – near the end of the video – was re=assuring; the kid can use his noggin. Lucas who ?
Bear in mind we’re not the only team that uses Bridgewater for medicals…
so if we do sign RVP our principle strikers i.e : berba rooney chicha welbeck will have 83 goals between then.. christ. that’s a lot!
Sources confirm Angelo Henriquez (18yo Chilean Forward) passes United physical today. Likely loaned back
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2188234/Angelo-Henriquez-Manchester-United-medical.html
kanchelskis : deal for him was in place for a while. we moved quickly because city tried to hijack it.
on a lighter note. sir alex’s transfer policy can be descirbed by the following acronym : ABCM : anything but center midfield
Every fricken rag, says United gets ‘scuppered’ on every fricken transfer target? How can the rumour makers believe the other rumour makers, that Utd were interested in all of these players??? It makes no sense to me.
For F’s sake, can we please get this damn season started. Kagawa/Roon/Nani are going to rip the league to shreds this year. Shreds.
Don’t be so shortsighted on these signings. Sir Alex is building the foundation for sustained success via youth (again) for his ultimate successor. Name a manager who has won domestically, in the Champions League and understands the pressure of a high profile club. He currently isn’t managing.
Don’t think this Henriquez deal will put the brakes on the RVP deal. As has been mentioned, he won’t be able to get a work permit yet so presumably will be loaned back to parent club, or to Antwerp or the like.
@edcunited1878 Rafa Benitez?
Angelo Henriquez Completes Medical Ahead Of United Move
Published on August 14th, 2012
LOL eric keane, some funny posts! Loved the new formation and cheers for the Henriquez picture.
As you rightly said to kanchelskis, it seems we’ve been following this boy closely for a few years and I’ve head he’s even been over to Carrington a few times to train with us. Here’s a picture of him with Sir Fergie: http://thepeoplesperson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SAF-with-Angelo-Henriquez.jpg
As I said on the other thread, City are an embarrassment for trying to swipe a player from us after we put all the leg work in. Complete arseholes. No wonder they’ve been turned down by every player they’ve tried to sign this summer (excluding Everton reserves.)
Despite Our record against them, i always worry about spurs’ potential. Wigan done united last season, so can’t afford to underestimate them.
If your still think the van persie transfer saga isn’t a smokescreen well…..
We signed a teen ager striker
I don’t know if he will go straight to d first team
It sure that will get a run on the capital one cup
And signing RVP would sure hinder their development
Any truth in baines to shitty or someones taking the piss as per usual?
City, classless wankers as always. They’re practically following united’s every footprints and trying to nick any player we have by waving the pounds sign.
Can’t give an adequate view on henriquez as i haven’t watched much of him but he’s clearly one the brightest stars to emerge from chile. FERGIE had to move quickly because of cunts like city that can’t scout to save their lifes.
United speed up the deal for henriquez cause city started to show interest while henriquez played for U20s in england.
jeet – just a misunderstanding I think. I just noticed on the Mail website that Daniel Agger is begging not to be sold to them though.
Hazard, RVP, De Rossi, Henriquez, Agger… oh dear. Calls to mind the image of a slimy drunken sheikh stumbling around a dancefloor trying pay anything in a skirt to come home with him.
And is it just me or is Mancini shredding his lgeacy at every turn?
LOL legacy even.
Very likely Henriquez will not qualify for a work permit. This move seems to be to formalize the deal put in place in 2009 and now needing paper after the lab played in england with the U18s this summer.
Rumors of City interest may have pushed it, but the lad still needs to get some experience before a final move. We will see.
fred : cheers mate
dazbomber : any news on RVP ?? you’ve been spot on till now
Kanchelskis – he’ll get a work permit based on being a special talent. Not sure if he’s ready for the first team but his goal record at that age is impressive. He’s had first team experience and again, age won’t stop FERGIE playing anyone.
Regarding RvP, still doubt we’ll pull that off but i can’t deny that all momentum is swinging united’s way.
Anyway, it should be on the official site soon, Angelo posing in a red gingham shirt. Top lad.
fergie is a real forward thinker. he has already signed RVP’s replacement in henriquez…
IF these both go through, our list of strikers is ridiculous
Rooney
Welbeck
RVP
Hernandez
Berbatov
Macheda
Henriquez
Bebe
That’s what I was just thinking, Eric. Perfect age to take over from RVP in a few years. Fergie always thinking ten years ahead. City didn’t even plan beyond last season. That’s why they’ll get left behind.
kanchelskis – come off it, the bottom three are “ones for the future” and the one above them doesn’t seem to be in Fergie’s plans at all. That gives us 4, just like in ’99.
The VP one will not go through
kanchelskis – to continue the ’99 comparison, it would be like saying our pool of strikers that year was
Yorke
Cole
Solskjaer
Sheringham
Cruyff
Nevland
Notman
Wtf
Is van persie really coming????
Yeah it seems that way
Everyone seems more than certain about that one
@Fred
Macheda and Bebe are pretty much the same age as Welbeck. Bebe’s actually older. They can’t be ‘for the future’ for ever.
I was trying to spare their feelings! Let’s just say those three are the kind of players who will be seeing mainly reserve team or on-loan action.
fred – however RVP signing might even set the 4-4-2 in stone..
might modify it as follows though
DDG
rafael rio vidic evra
carrick
valencia nani
rooney kagawa
RVP..
Don’t forget that although Bebe is actually older than Welbeck, he’s a “street kid” who was playing football bare-footed on broken glass and using a brick for a ball just a couple of years ago.
@FRO-NAM
Take a look. Probably Scott’s most demanding interview ever:
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/view-from-the-enemy-west-ham-fan-on-relegation-battles-having-one-song-and/
@Samuel
I wouldn’t bet on him getting a permit on a special talent clause. Remember a certain Serbian wonderkid we signed who failed to get a work permit on the same clause THREE times.
Chile’s ranking isn’t bad but it’s not like they are Brazil with a massive legacy of success. And he had played just 17 times in the Chilean league that’s relatively weak and hasn’t any senior caps or played in the Olympics.
I certainly don’t think it’s going to be cut and dry
Fred at 16.07 – “Calls to mind the image of a slimy drunken sheikh stumbling around a dancefloor trying pay anything in a skirt to come home with him.”
That is so funny and so real mate – I live among them.
@costas
Haha what a hoot of an interview, you could taste the tension in the air! I’m sure STR needed a breather after that indepth analytical assessment lol west ham tart
Love the comment by willierednut…made me spit my tea out lol
Willierednut
August 13, 2010 – 21:36
Stick your bubbles up your ass.
@Telboy822:
Care to read the transfer league before u talked bollocks here? Spuds spent more money than Utd for last 20 years!
And don’t compared our spending with chelshit & citeh bcoz we didn’t compare ur club with those “instant” clubs.