Tevez, Nani And Park To Be Shown The Exit As Fergie Tries To Reshape Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson will reshape his humiliated Manchester United squad after their Champions League debacle against Barcelona.

I think Shell-shocked Fergie has decided he will not take up the option to buy Carlos Tevez, even though David Gill will be meeting up with Kia Joorabchian tomorrow to try to come to some sort of arrangement. I think too much damage has been done to the relationship with Tevez now. After all his efforts and some timely goals for us too, he now feels terribly let down by Fergie. At the same time, Nani and Ji-Sung Park could also be high-profile victims of the Rome drubbing.

The United manager believes Lyon’s Karim Benzema represents better value for money than Tevez – and to meet Lyon’s £30million asking price there will be fall guys. Nani has failed to impress in his second season at United, while Park may be sacrificed so Fergie can bring in Wigan’s £15m-rated midfielder Antonio Valencia, a long-term target.

Goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak is on his way out this summer after failing to impress in three years, with Fergie keen to give England goalkeeper Ben Foster more first-team opportunities next season. United will not take up the option to buy Tevez unless the player’s advisers, led by Kia Joorabchian, lower their asking price by a third to around £18m. (Story continues below)

Tevez’s exit seemed all but decided with him again criticising Ferguson yesterday. He said: “I wanted to play in the starting line-up in Rome but that decision was down to the coach. “But with a strategy more attacking in the first minute then perhaps the result would have been different. It has not been a good time for me because I believe that I should have played more minutes. My future will now be decided. My agents are negotiating and I am waiting to hear some news.”

Tevez was the only senior member of the squad not to return to Manchester with the rest of the United party yesterday and wore a tracksuit to the subdued United post-match party, rather than the official club suits his team-mates adhered to.

One player staying put is Cristiano Ronaldo. New Real president Florentino Perez is targeting AC Milan’s Kaka instead, while former Real icon Zinedine Zidane, whom Perez wants as his sporting director, rates Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery above Ronaldo.

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Manchester United Injury List Joy

Manchester United's current run of good fortune and good results as well as their record breaking exploits continues today with news that their lengthy injury list is shrinking faster than the Bishop's nether regions after he had been with the actress.

Central defender Rio Ferdinand returned at West Brom on Tuesday after a back injury as United trounced WBA and Edwin Van Der Super Star became the new record holder as he reached 1032 minutes without conceding a goal. All of which helped the champions move three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 5-0 victory. They now have the best goal difference in the league too.

Midfielder Park Ji-Sung and defender Wes Brown also took part at The Hawthorns and manager Alex Ferguson hopes to have Patrice Evra and Nani fit to face Everton at Old Trafford this Saturday.

"Things are looking up and players are starting to come back," Ferguson said, "Patrice may have a chance for Saturday against Everton. If the game had still been on Monday I'd say he'll definitely play. But he's still got a chance of making it. Nani should also be fit for Saturday as well".

Wayne Rooney is still recovering from a hamstring and Jonny Evans, Rafael, Fabio and Anderson are also sidelined.

"Wayne has never had a hamstring injury before and there is no way we will bring him back early, he's doing terrific work in the gym and, in terms of his rehabilitation, he is on the mend. But we said at the time he was injured that it would be three or four weeks before he would be fit and there is no change there."

United's home clash with Everton was brought forward to Saturday because the visitors are involved in an FA Cup replay against Liverpool next week.....Back To Home Page...

Where To For Nani Now ?

Nani has admitted that he struggled to find his form in the opening part of this season for Manchester United. However, he has made a bright start to the new year having got his chance to shine in a few games and he scored with a spectacular strike in the Carling Cup victory against Derby on Tuesday.

That goal set United up for a place in the final at Wembley on March 1 when they will face Tottenham after their nail-biting win over Burnley on Wednesday night.

Nani is looking forward with confidence to the coming weeks and months.

"Last season was good. I was pleased with my games and my contribution to the team," he said in an interview in the Manchester Evening News. This season I hoped it would be better. When I get my chances my aim is to do better than I did at the start of the season. I would like to play more times but it hasn't been the same as last season. I am still confident. It is difficult when you play one game and then are out for two matches. You want to stay in for a run of matches. You really need three, four or five games for your confidence to build and your fitness to be right. You can do anything when your confidence is high."

Personally I have not been over-impressed with him so far. I don't doubt he has skill in abundance and he has the desire to win. But in a squad as good as Manchester United have you must grab your chance when it comes and perform out of your skin. The failure to do so will result in you just slipping back into oblivion and becoming a bit part player for weeks on end.

Can Nani become a first team regular. I have doubts for him but wish him the best of luck.

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Manchester United Blitz Blackburn As Tevez Scores Four

Manchester United made 10 changes from the side that beat Manchester City 1-0 at the weekend, but they weren't really troubled by a bedraggled Blackburn Rovers until the closing stages of this match.

Carlos Tevez bundled home a free kick as he tussled for posession with Aaron Mokoena put United ahead in the 36th and four minutes later, Nani played a one-two with Tevez before slotting under goalkeeper Paul Robinson. So add one assist to Tevez's four goals. Not surprising really as Tevez was his usual powerhouse with non stop hard work throughout the game.

Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy took just three minutes to make an impact after coming off the bench at half time. Roque Santa Cruz flicked on Robinson's deep goal kick, and after outmanoeuvring makeshift centre back Gary Neville, McCarthy fired past Ben Foster however, Tevez quickly restored United's two-goal lead in the 51st and made it 4-1 three minutes later.

Blackburn threatened a late comeback when Matt Derbyshire slotted under Foster in the 84th and McCarthy scored a second in the second minute of injury time.

Tevez further pushed his claims to a regular first-team place by finishing off Rovers before the final whistle when latching onto Anderson's lofted ball forward.

Another major boost for United was the return of midfielder Paul Scholes in the 66th for the first time since damaging knee ligaments in September.

Tevez said of his performance: "I was looking forward to this game and since I have not been playing often and it was a good night and I'm happy with my performance," Tevez said through Brazil midfielder Rodrigo Possebon, who was translating. I'm very proud to score four goals for the first time in my career and to do it in a United shirt."

This match will set up a semi final with either Spurs, who knocked Watford out 1-0, Burnley, victors over Arsenal having already beaten Chelsea or Derby County who got rid of Stoke City.

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Rooney On Fire !!!

Since I wrote my article telling Wayne Rooney to hurry back from injury or he may not get back into the Manchester United starting eleven, he has scored four in four games in the Premiership and 4 goals in two games for England. So I apologise Wayne for ever doubting you.

Rooney himself says he's in the form of his life after his performance against West Brom. With eight goals in six games who is going to argue against that ? United thrashed WBA 4-0 with Rooney also collecting two assists as Portugal pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani added their names to the scoresheet, along with Dimitar Berbatov. With Celtic due in the Champions League on Tuesday, Rooney admitted he was at his peak.

"This is possibly the best form of my career, everything is going well for me at the moment. Hopefully that can continue and I can help this team win even more trophies."

Rooney's efforts helped eclipse a disappointing opening period for the United, who dominated throughout but drew a blank as referee Mark Halsey ruled out what appeared to be a perfectly good goal from the England man for a foul on Gianni Zuiverloon.

"From the position the referee was in, I can understand why he didn't give it," said manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "Wayne did have a hand on the lad's shoulder but he did not pull him. You can see it from the TV replays but obviously the referee does not have that advantage."

A capacity crowd did not need to look again to see the damage Rooney could cause. Following his World Cup qualifying exploits for England, Rooney carried on where he left off, collecting Berbatov's short pass before slotting in a fine solo effort that ended the brave resistance of West Brom keeper Scott Carson.

"Wayne is only 22, we expect him to improve, as we did with Ronaldo. But he is a member of the team, just like everyone else" said Ferguson.

Ferguson does feel his side are now starting to find their feet after a difficult start to the campaign. For the first time, they have joined Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in the top four, from where Ferguson is convinced the champions will emerge.

Fergie added: "I don't think we have given them a warning tonight, I think we provided that before the season began. We won the league last year - and the European Cup. Those three teams know the quality in our side, just as we know the quality in theirs. It is a fantastic league and any one of the four could win it." .....Back To Home Page

Berbatov Up And Running At Old Trafford As United Thump WBA

Dimitar Berbatov was almost as delighted as me when he scored his first goal for Manchester United at Old Trafford in yesterday's 4-0 thumping of West Brom.

He told MUTV: "It was a nice goal and I was really delighted to score in front of the home crowd. Hopefully there will be more to come."

United's second-half surge from 0-0 to 3-0 and eventually 4-0 was in complete contrast to a frustrating first half when Wayne Rooney had an effort disallowed and West Brom were defiant.

"There are often games like that," said Berbatov "In the first half you try hard to score but it doesn’t work. Then at alf-time, you have some good words from the manager - he tells you what to do exactly and what the weak points of the opposition are. You try to listen, we did listen and we scored four goals." ...Back To Home Page

Fergie Fuming !!

Fergie hopes he never sees another tackle like the one that Emanuel Pogatetz caught Rodrigo Possebon with at Old Trafford last night.

Even Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate admitted he could have no complaints at the red card instantly shown to Pogatetz during the second half of his side's 3-1 Carling Cup defeat to Manchester United.

But here's the sad part, Pogatetz will 'maybe' get a 3 match ban and Possebon faces a good few weeks recovering, I am amazed they get away with it like this.

Possebon needed oxygen on the pitch and was then taken straight to hospital for further treatment, with Fergie fearing bad news for the 19 year old.

"You don't want to see things like that and I hope I never see anything like it again. It is such a pity for the boy and took the gloss off what was a really good performance. The thing that gets me about challenges like that is that the opponent always claims he has done nothing wrong. He (Pogatetz] should have just walked off the field. Then you get their bench screaming that it wasn't a sending off and there is nothing wrong with our player. At least Gareth Southgate was very good about it. He apologised and understood the gravity. It was an absolutely terrible tackle."

Southgate branded the challenge "poor" and admitted members of his bench had stepped out of line.

"A couple of lads on our bench did not have the same view as I did but that is dealt with now," he said.

"We can have no complaints about the decision. It is difficult to know why it happened.

"It was an unusual aberration for him because his discipline has improved in the last two years."

Boro never looked the same team after Pogatetz had gone off.

At that point, Boro had levelled through Adam Johnson after Cristiano Ronaldo had marked his first start of the season with his first goal since the Champions League final win over Chelsea in Moscow.

And Ferguson, feels the furore involving Real Madrid has is now well and truly behind the Slave.

"I think Cristiano has come to accept that at this stage of his career, United is the place for him," he said.

"Southern Europeans want at some point to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, so I understood what was going on in Cristiano's mind when he declared he wanted to join Real.

"But once we had talked he accepted it was a move for the future.

"I pointed out to him how much better it would be to leave like Eric Cantona, with the fans loving and appreciating him.

"The crowd still chant Cantona's name and I told Cristiano, 'Leave a hero like Eric' and one day he will. But not yet."

Without Pogatetz, the visitors lost their shape and Ryan Giggs took advantage of Gary O'Neil's slip 11 minutes from time before Nani sealed a place in the fourth round in stoppage time.

Carrick Going To Wembley

Finally ...

Some good news on the injury front. Then again, with 9 injuries
amongst the squad they can hardly get worse can they ? Appar-
ently Micheal Carrick has recovered sufficiently from the virus
he and Rooney caught to take part on Sunday if needed in the
Charity Shield or Community Shield or whatever name they now
give it. We need a good team out there because we do, after all,
owe Portsmouth a really good whooping !! They seem to think
they can knock us out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford whenever
they like. Joking aside, it was a great result for them and I'm
happy Harry won the Cup.

Fergie spoke to www.manutd.com today regarding Carrick and
said:

"Carrick trained yesterday for the first time and I'm taking him
to Wembley,"

"Hopefully I'll give him some minutes on the pitch. If he is feeling
good then we have to get some minutes on the clock for him ahead
of next week against Newcastle."

Wayne Rooney is now also clear of the virus but he returned to
training only today (Friday) after missing every session since the
Reds returned from Africa on 28 July.

"We have a big job to get him ready for Newcastle," said Sir Alex,
"but with seven or eight days training, we may just make it now.
He's much better and the medical reports are good.

"Gary Neville and Nani are fit and they will travel. Nani will prob-
ably start on Sunday because he is suspended for the first two
league games of the season.

"Owen Hargreaves is not ready. He should be OK for Portsmouth
away (on Monday 25 August), that's the time frame we've put on it.

"Ben Foster had a bit of swelling in his knee which you can some-
times get after a cruciate knee injury. We're trying to manage that
but he's not ready yet to play in games. It's unfortunate for the lad
because he was looking forward to an uninterrupted run."

All in all ... it doesn't look too bad, fingers crossed.

What Now For Ryan Giggs ?

WHAT NOW FOR RYAN GIGGS ?

This guy has done it all, won it all, seen it all. Despite this, every
time he runs on the field people start reading the record books
and re-writing them. When I discussed the beginning of last sea-
son with people I was not too hopeful for Giggsy to play too many
games, never mind actually winning anything.

8 months later he scores the goal at Wigan to win the Premier
League for us but ..... in this same game he was also busy equa-
lling Sir Bobby Charlton's all time appearance record for United
at 758 games.

Two weeks later he springs forth from the bench to go and win the
European Cup and become the All-time appearance record holder.
Nice one Mr Giggs, you made me look a fool again.

That's the magic of the guy though, he makes everyone look fool-
ish when he carries on performing as he does at his age.

Now he's at it again. He's plotting how he, and United, plan to sur-
pass last seasons escapades. Challenge number one could be an-
other record breaker. Since the European Cup changed it's name
to the Champions League in 1992, not a single club has ever ret-
ained the trophy, can you believe that ? So that's challenge num-
ber one. If we're looking to do that, then we might as well say that
winning the Premier League 3 seasons in a row is rarely done !
So there is another target to aim for.

I could live with that, if that's all we won. Talk is cheap though.
It's hard to win the two trophies we did last season, but we did it.
The odds of repeating it are pretty high I imagine. Before they won
a single thing I said this squad is the best Fergie has assembled !
Others said the '99 squad. I stand by what I said back then. They
have only really been together for 2 years now. Anderson, OH, Nani,
Tevez, all new on the scene and they make up a quarter of the team.
So as a complete squad they have 2 years, 2 Premierships and a
Champions League !!

The team averages less than 25 in ages, and with that antiquity
in goal, thats pretty good. The new guys from the beginning of
last year have had one year to settle in, and have already impress-
ed if the truth be known. If I'm really honest, I would love to see
a big tall, miserable sulking Bulgarian git up front, but that seems
unlikely now. This team was good enough to win the two trophies
last year. I think they have an even bigger chance this year !!

Let's all pretend to be Liverpool fans ......

Oooooooh no, I couldn't. The depression of another year, in
which they will be out of the title race by the end of November
AGAIN, would be too much to bear.

Rooney To Miss The Start Of The Season !

After all the problems with The Slave making me
stressed out, it's now been revealed Mr Rooney
has caught some dodgy virus in Nigeria which is
NOT Malaria but they can't name what it is.
What's that all about then ?

When I go to the doctor and he says I have a
virus I ask why, where did it come from, what
strain is it etc etc etc. But the United doctor
must have said "Wayne has a virus" and Fergie
responds "Oh, OK". This all sounds a bit strange to me to be honest, but never mind that, the
fact remains he is going to miss the Charity Shield at best. The worst case scenario is the
problem could encroach into the beginning of the season proper.

United played four friendlies, including one against Community Shield opponents Portsmouth, on
the tour. Fergie told Sky Sports News: "I doubt we'll get Rooney fit for the start of the season
with the virus he's had.

"It's a virus he picked up in Nigeria and it's not a nice one, but quite a few have had it.

"It's such a bad virus and he's got to be training to be fit."

Maybe this news could bring a renewed move for Dimitar Berbatov as Fergie has only Carlos
Tevez, untested youngster Fraizer Campbell and Louis Saha to choose from up front.

I am getting a spot of deja vous from this. He also saw the start to last season disrupted by
injury when he suffered a broken metatarsal against Reading on the opening day of the
2007/08 campaign.

Add to this the fact The Slave will not be ready until October things are looking rather
challenging to say the least.

Fergie added: "I don't know whether we will have a team ready. Nani is suspended, Anderson is
in the Olympic Games. Carrick's come in this morning and he may play a part of the game on
Sunday."

Sir Alex sounds a little miffed, and who can blame him !!??

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