The Manchester United Thread

Silk and steel: Dimitar Berbatov desperate for Manchester United fans to give him a fair chance
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov insists fans confuse his laid-back approach to football with a misguided belief that he does not care.

The Reds forward should be heading for the new campaign on a high after sharing the Premier League's Golden Boot prize with Carlos Tevez and firing his side to a record 19th title.

Instead, Berbatov is facing up to what most would perceive to be the biggest challenge of his career after he did not even manage a place on the bench for the Champions League final.

The Bulgarian is said to have spent the 3-1 defeat to Barcelona alone and in tears, trying to mask his desolation from concerned club officials.

Last week, in Chicago's Four Seasons Hotel, Berbatov was a more contented figure.

So obviously uncomfortable in an interview setting, the former Tottenham star had no wish to rake over the coals of that horrendous night.

However he was keen to set the record straight about his attitude to the game.

"I am a very proud person," said the 30-year-old.

"I don't like to show my weaknesses. I don't want to show my emotions in public.

"That is why people probably sometimes misjudge me."

The truth is Berbatov wants to win. But he wants to win with style.

Throughout his career, no one criticised his style of play.

Style

It was only following his arrival at Old Trafford, when demanding supporters watched him replace the obvious industry of Carlos Tevez, the sniping began at a player Sir Alex Ferguson was so convinced of he broke the club record by spending £30.75million.

"Yes," he said, when asked if the claim he does not care bothers him.

"I always play like this. That is what got me here.

"You are not going to see me puffing around the pitch. There is a saying in Bulgaria that great quality doesn't require much effort."

If that awful experience at Wembley is a no-go area, and so too any discussion about his contract, which is about to enter its final year, Berbatov is happy to talk about other matters.

Closest to his heart is the Dimitar Berbatov Foundation aimed at children of talent back home in Bulgaria who lack the resources to make the most of their abilities.

Berbatov's status as a role model sits comfortably on his shoulders, even if he recoils from the thought he could be regarded as an icon, reserving that status for his own hero, Hristo Stoichkov.

"When I was young, I was looking to people like Stoichkov," he said.

"I told myself one day I would like to be as successful as him. Dreams do come true sometimes."

Although there was one cataclysmic low, Berbatov experienced some dream days last year too.

The first United player to score a hat-trick against Liverpool in 64 years, a tally that included a magnificent overhead kick, the first non-Englishman to score five in a Premier League game, the Golden Boot for his 20-goal haul.

"I didn't know scoring three goals against Liverpool would mean so much to so many people," he reflected.

"Obviously three goals - and the second one was a bit special - it will stay in my memory for ever - and after that I scored five!

"What makes me really proud is that there have been so many foreigners playing in English football, I am the only one with five goals.

Career

"But it is something I have to push to the back of my mind. Last season I had highs in my career. But what if we didn't win the title? Then these things wouldn't matter so much."

Talking to Berbatov, it is clear that he does care, both about his team and his performance.

It seems he wants to be liked, not in an arrogant way, but as an individual who tried to do things a little differently.

"As a good player, doing things the fans enjoyed," he replied, when asked how he would like to be remembered.

"I always tend to think my goals are beautiful goals. That is what I want to score; beautiful goals, and create beautiful chances."

How long will that attitude prevail at Old Trafford, where the challengers, all younger, are queuing up to oust him?

Berbatov does not answer. What he is prepared to concede is that once leaving United, the only way is down.

"Smaller clubs might be able to match Manchester United with the way they play, with their organisation, everything. But Manchester United are at the top," he said.

"Where can you go from there? Maybe Barcelona. At the moment, I don't see anything else.

"If you go somewhere else it is a big step down.

"I come from a small country. I have the good fortune to play for Manchester United. For the time I am here I try to do my best and win everything there is to win.

"There is no other way I can play."

Very good interview.. People can cry all they want about his style, but thats what makes him special. Remember his Cantonaesque quote saying "I play to entertain". Thats what Berba is all about. Flair, silky touches, superb vision and some superb moves..

David Gill's full interview

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[TD="class: alt1"]David Gill transcript on MUTV tonight on 2/3 transfer targets but nothing specific being worked on now
on the tour

"It's gone very well, both sides of equation, on field perforrmances have been good, two big games coming up, so that's been very good, off the field it's been fantastic, great crowds, milling round the hotels, not just in the stadiums this year, the commercial aspects of the tour have gone very well. Speaking to Sir Alex and Mike Phelan they are very pleased therefore we should be pleased, very happy with it."

on the crowds

"It seems to be changing, just wandering around Seattle, you see a lot of the fans, both in Sounders shirts but also in United shirts, seen outside the hotels and that's a first, waiting for the players to come back from training, waiting for players to leave for the game, again that interest is a notable change even from last year. It demonstrates what we're doing in America, but also how football is developing itself."

how important is the US to United commercially

"You are right, lots of sponsors. We have got DHL as the tour sponsor, AON at their hq out of Chicago, Nike, so involving them has been very good and what we have managed to do is have certain clients for commercial programmes, divided up the players and made sure that the sponsors get what they need but the players and management get what they need in terms of preperation for the season so that's worked very well. It's a very big market, we went down to Portland and Nike put on an excellent visit for us down there with open training and they'd decorated some of their buildings, and showed the benefit which resonates with the Nike employers because the last time we were there in 2003. Similarly AON, put on a lot of events on in Chicago in their HQ. So I think it is important and all the world is very important to Manchester but America at the moment is particularly important."

Q.the fans have been asking when Hernandez is arriving, can't believe how big he is here, in the last year can you believe what an amazing signing it has been

"Who would have thought. You are right, this time last year he joined up with us, played the game against Chivas in Mexico and has gone from strength to strength, he'll be the first to admit that. Hopefully he'll have another great season, sure he will, continue to develop, and that's what we're about Manchester United, exciting young players, showing the world what they can do on the field and he's done that in spades, coupled with the fact that he's extremely good off the field, that smile, etc, resonates with people and people like goalscorers, don't they, they always like a nice good goalscorer and some of the goals he has scored I can fully understand that interest and desire to see him."

Q. Chris Smalling signed and after a year signed another contract, would that happen with Hernandez, to pin him down for longer?

"Without doubt. I'm not going into specifics with Chris' contract but there was a requirement to sit with Chris. he had an excellent first year, probably played slightly more games than we anticipated, shown that he is a young player with great promise and we look forward to that development and certainly we put Chicarito in that category and what we have done at United ever since the early 90s is make sure we look at players contracts on a regular basis, upgrade as necessary and secure those players for long-term, that's what we are about."

Q. I guess you always knew it was going to be a busy summer transfer wise, people retiring and leaving, you've signed 3, 5 have gone if you count Gary Neville, was this a summer you were playing for a while, did you always know it was going to be a busy one.

"Yeah, we thought that. Edwin made it known to the club that last season would be his last season so we planned for the goalkeeper well in advance, we were looking for a while there and the others, again, they were opportunities that came along so we were COMFORTABLE with that, so we've made three singings, obviously great players like John O'Shea and Wes Brown have done great service for the club and they have moved on, so we're looking to do that, we were looking at one more player to bring in. Nothing is happening, nothing imminent on that at the moment but we will see what happens when we get home and obviously 31 days of the transfer window to see if anything develops. But I'm not working on anything at the moment in that respect."

Q. Do you think if you do end up getting anybody it may be a late one?

"Yeah, possibly, we have been looking at a particular position, 2 or 3 players in that position, but there's nothing imminent at the moment and I think the important point to understand and Alex is clearly the key decision maker here, we need someone who is going to improve the quality of the squad, we have got a great squad, to get into squad you have got to be a world class player so there's no point if you can't get the players you want, just buying someone for the sake of buying someone, and that's the policy we will follow. You never know, there is often movement in August. I'm not sitting here saying that I'm working on anything specific because I'm not but that situation could change quickly as we get back to base Carrington, and see how the siutation with the season being imminent, things change pretty quickly in football."

Q. The manager has been talking about signing trying to sign a replacement for Paul Scholes, but that it's very difficult to replace one of the all time greats

"Fantastic player, many, many appearances, got his testimonial 5th August, sell out crowd for that to reflect what he's done for us, you're right it is difficult but we've done interviews over the years, and people talk about replacing Roy Keane and we didn't, the actual technical people will say perhaps we changed the style of play or do things differently so it's not easy and there's only a few players in the world who could possibly do that for us and if they are not available, we can't get them."

Q. How important is the age of players? Bringing in young players recently?

"We've always been a club with Alex and Sir Matt many years ago, who gave youth a chance and that's something clearly we'd love to do. We believe if we can get some of the best young players in the world they will definitely improve at United, and when a player comes to hopefully understand what a great club it is and they are willing to commit most of their career to us and we have had that over the years so yes we would like to, we are very COMFORTABLE in investing significant money into players of a certain age because ultimately we are going to get many many years out of them and that's what we want. You are right, if you look around the squad, watching training on this tour, you see the age has come down quite significantly and I think we have got a great balance now, of youth and experience which will stand us in good stead for the coming seasons, not just one season but seasons."
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“But United are at the top. Where can you go from there? Only down. Maybe Barcelona.

yeah it will be a step down if he goes to Barcelona for sure... I mean they could not even touch the ball against you guys ;)
 
yeah it will be a step down if he goes to Barcelona for sure... I mean they could not even touch the ball against you guys ;)

If you can read properly, he said only Barca is not a step down.
 
Community Shield ticket arrived in the post today, season is nearly upon us now.. getting very excited indeed.
 
jeez people cant take a joke nowadays... even if it was a pretty bad one at that ;)

Alcaraz, if you had posted what Berbatov said then would have taken it.

He said only moving to barca is not a step down but you misread it (I guess) and though even move to Barca is a step down..
 
Alcaraz, if you had posted what Berbatov said then would have taken it.

He said only moving to barca is not a step down but you misread it (I guess) and though even move to Barca is a step down..

misread it but honestly there was no need to get all defensive either.....:)
 
misread it but honestly there was no need to get all defensive either.....:)

Why shouldn't we.. You are just posting something which Berba didn't even tell.. So we are not even getting defensive.. We are just correcting you.. Maybe Mike dont have time too ;)

---------- Post added at 06:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

From Twitter:

Aguero has great pedigree for City, having spent years looking across Madrid at one of the biggest clubs in the world. He'll settle in well there.
 
From red cafe

From Sky Sports

"A good agent friend of mine recently told me a great story involving a young kid down on his luck that approached a manager for a chance, but not just any manager.

The 18-year-old apprentice had been surprisingly released by a League Two club this summer. I say surprisingly with genuine reason as a number of coaches who I'd previously spoken to had thought he would do well in the game. To be fair to the club, they helped him get together some footage of his games on to a DVD to send to clubs.

Armed with a CV and the aforementioned DVD this young lad used his initiative and found out where Sir Alex Ferguson lived. Instead of just buying a stamp and posting the package, he had the nerve to knock on the Cheshire mansion of the United gaffer and ask for a trial.

After a quick talk with the lad, Fergie promised that someone at the club would have a look at the DVD and be in touch. The lad probably thought 'I bet he and the club gets thousands of CVs and DVDs so he'll bin it with the rest'.

Well not at all.

United's reserve manager did watch the DVD and saw something in the lad, did a bit of research and invited him down to Carrington to train for a week. That week turned into a second week and on Tuesday night the kid had a run out with the reserves, coming off the bench.

Now I'm not saying he'll get a contract, it's quite possible that he won't be anywhere near good enough for Man United but I'm sure the League Two side who released him might just be regretting their decision"


Just read this and wanted to know if anyone else heard about it? I think the Lads name is Max Lonsdale. Must have huge Cojones to go on and knock on the Great Mans door... well if he makes it or even if he goes on to make a decent career in football than fairplay to the lad and shows how how SAF has time for even such trivial things.
 
so stockport are bidding to become a city in 2012, i guess city fans may be able to sing 'this city is ours' and believe it! ;):P:D
 
Wootton and Tunnicliffe look the real deal, and should easily make names for themselves at Championship level. Along with Boyd, McCann, Zakuani and Tomlin, those two will be our most important players this season. I hope Tunnicliffe particularly can show his ability to help push for a place in Utd's first team squad.

Ajose is a decent enough player (for a youngster) but is certainly not the type of striker Posh fans have been used to worshipping (Craig Mckail Smith) which is why i think he got a bit of a rough deal from some of the fans. We got alot of our chances from CMS chasing lost causes and never giving up over the course of the past 3 years, now he's gone some Posh fans can't see any other way of creating goals. I still feel we need a more senior striker than Ajose for Tomlin Boyd McCann and Tunnicliffe to supply, but i don't suppose you care much about him as Man Utd pocketed a quick 300k for Ajose.

Jake any comments on their performances against Crawley? (Tunnicliffe and Wootton)

Ajose scored a goal is all what I read.. Hopefully he will score few more in championship..
 
I didnt go to the game and haven't spoken to anyone who did. Reports in the local media suggest Wooton had a very poor game and Tunnicliffe wasn't mentioned at all, suggesting a steady, if unspectacular performance. Ajose played much better going by the reports.
 
I didnt go to the game and haven't spoken to anyone who did. Reports in the local media suggest Wooton had a very poor game and Tunnicliffe wasn't mentioned at all, suggesting a steady, if unspectacular performance. Ajose played much better going by the reports.

Thanks, Wootton tweeted he played as a DM in the first game, any idea in which position he played?

Hopefully both of them get back to their best as I have so much hope for Tunnicliffe..
 
Chicharito spending the night in hospital with concussion.. Must have been working on:

[video=youtube;5vVD78fxnrU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vVD78fxnrU[/video]

Get well soon Javier. <3
 
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Are they only showing the match tonight on MUTV? Can anyone post a link when the match starts if they can, cheers.
 
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