Schalke 04 0 - Manchester United 2 (April/May 2011)

United Supreme in Sunny Gelsenkirchen.

The Semi-Final of the European Cup usually offers fans the romance of visiting the continent’s glamorous powerhouses – Milan, Munich, Madrid et al; yet the thousands of Manchester United fans who descended upon Germany for their team’s first leg tie with Schalke 04 found themselves in lowly Gelsenkirchen – a place more akin to Crewe than Catalunia.

 A small industrial city located in the Ruhr area of Western Germany, Gelsenkirchen’s 250,000 population take great pride in their football team which remains rooted in the heart of a working class community – a place of little to do, but a football hotbed nonetheless.

Many reds making the trip shunned a stay in Gelsenkirchen, some opting for Dusseldorf and Dortmund, some Amsterdam, but those who didn’t – ourselves included – were met with extreme hospitality and people almost as enthusiastic about United as they were ‘Die Konigsblauen’. On how many away trips could you enjoy a lock in at a local pub, singing United songs with locals and pulling your own pints?

Yet no matter where they stayed, come Tuesday – match day – Gelsenkirchen was Red. With the weather almost as gorgeous as the beer being liberally sunk, the town’s streets were awash with United fans, getting on with their German counterparts, and perhaps unusually, even the police.

As the sun dropped Reds descended upon Schalke’s hugely impressive ‘Veltin’s arena’ - infamous as the stage on which Wayne Rooney’s stamp and Cristiano Ronaldo’s wink ended England’s campaign in the 2006 World Cup. Located on an industrial estate a short tram ride from Gelsenkirchen, the stadium is an impressive monument to the efficiency and style of modern German football – the majority of stadia erected for the World Cup cost less than it took the FA to build the ‘new’, lifeless Wembley.

The 61,000 crowd normally pay as little as 10 Euros to watch their side, and whilst the capacity was slightly reduced to accommodate UEFA’s archaic stance on safe standing, the atmosphere was vociferous. Fans of Schalke have the reputation - along with bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund - of being the best in Germany, and the noise created by a sea of blue and white was immense.

On the pitch however, United were the dominant force. The opening 45 minutes saw only the exceptional Manuel Neuer stand between the Reds and a considerable half-time lead, with chance after chance thwarted by the excellent German. With the evergreen Raul and tricky Jefferson Farfan consistently on the periphery Schalke barely had a kick - United delivering a master class fitting of potential European champions.

The second half continued in a similar vein, and just shy of 70 minutes Ryan Giggs was the man to finally beat Neuer. Cue bedlam in the eastern corner of the ground housing the travelling support.  Barely had the chaos ceased when Rooney scored United’s second. United’s 2,500 fans were delirious, Schalke’s were silenced. Two away goals, a potentially unassailable lead.

As United fans filed out of the ground songs of Wembley and scarlet ribbons worn in May boomed in the warm German night. Schalke fans seemed stunned at their team’s non-performance, and the ease in which they were swatted away in a performance which Alex Ferguson cited as one United’s finest in Europe.

Back in town fans waxed lyrical about a brilliant trip and a brilliant performance. Whilst it looks like the formidable Barcelona await, a performance like this could topple anybody.

We’re the famous Man United and we’re going to Wembley. Again.

F1 Season Opener - Melbourne (March/April 2011)

Vettel Cruises to Victory in Season Opener.

The opening race of the 2011 Formula One season saw Sebastian Vettel begin the defence of his world title in breath-taking fashion, as he stormed to a comprehensive and impressive victory in the Australian Grand Prix. Vettel - who led from pole-to-flag in Melbourne - has now led every lap of the last 3 Grands Prix, and looks the man to beat in a Red Bull car which once more appears streaks ahead of the rest of the field.

 Vettel’s dominant display, in which he didn’t even require the use of the ‘Kers’ energy recovery system, is surely an ominous sign to his fellow drivers. Yet despite this, Lewis Hamilton’s second place finish has been met with a mixture of pleasure and relief by his McClaren team – his podium finish perhaps helping to allay pre-season fears that both he and Jenson Button would be facing a season in an uncompetitive car.

Button himself delivered a solid drive, finishing in 6^th place, but was left to rue a drive through penalty incurred after he cut a chicane trying to overtake a frustrating Felipe Massa. For both McClaren drivers it was however an encouragingly competitive start to the season, after a poor pre-season marred by a worrying lack of pace and reliability.

Renault also started solidly, with Vitaly Petrov finishing in third place. Petrov’s drive will serve as solace for a Renault team without the services of the highly talented Robert Kubica - currently recovering from near career ending injuries suffered in a rallying accident.

Ferrari endured a relatively low-key start to the season, with the brooding Fernando Alonso pipping Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Mark Webber into fourth place at the death, whilst Felipe Massa was somewhat off the pace, finishing in 7th position.

Massa had finished the race in 9^th, but was moved up to 7^th by virtue of the Swiss outfit Sauber facing disqualification for infringing technical rules. Sauber’s drivers, Kamui Kobayashi and Formula One debutant Sergio Perez had both enjoyed exceptional races – finishing 8^th and 7^th respectively –  and the 21 year old Mexican received particular plaudits, with Eddie Jordan citing it as ‘one of the finest debuts I have ever seen’.

But this was Vettel’s race. Whilst the German - who last year became the sport’s youngest ever World Champion – has been quick to deflect any talk of a season of dominance, his domineering display could well prove a sign of things to come throughout the 2011 season.

Gary Neville is a Red (February 2011)

Last of a Dying Breed.

In a game played by a merry band of mercenaries, the ‘one club man’ is a dying breed. The messed up world of modern football, it seems, doesn’t allow for loyalty – and if the past month has taught us anything – it’s that you can never trust a footballer. One minute they are an epitome of badge kissing loyalty – the next they are leaving the club they so professed their love for with all the subtlety of a bank robber clutching a swag bag.

That’s why the concept of the ‘one club man’, alien to so many professionals, is to be cherished - because they are truly few and far between. Last week, Gary Neville’s retirement signalled the end of the road for one of the last remaining bastions of a saner game – a man completely tied to his profession and his football club.

Neville was a product of Manchester United’s famous youth cup winning team of ’92 – a peerless side containing David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt – and made his first team debut against Torpedo Moscow later the same year. What followed was a career which saw him amass 602 United appearances, eight League Titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups, a European Cup and the World Club Championship.

Neville remains England’s most capped full-back, and was the embodiment of Alex Ferguson’s and United’s philosophy. He expected the highest standards – he shared Ferguson’s relentless desire for success – and it was this desire to win, coupled with an insatiable love for his team which ensured ‘Red Nev’ was so worshipped by United fans, and vilified by those at Anfield and Maine Road. Never one to hold his tongue, Neville never made secret the fact that the feeling is entirely mutual. The vitriolic abuse hurled at him by United’s great rivals merely stoked Neville’s fire, his badge-clutching sprint to taunt Liverpool fans after Rio Ferdinand’s late winner in 2006 an example of the passion coursing through him – Neville, in essence, was a fan who was talented enough to be playing for his football club.

Hatred often blinkered opinion on Neville’s playing ability. An easy scapegoat in an England shirt, many discarded Neville as an average player who merely worked hard. They were wrong – Neville’s crossing paled only in comparison with that of David Beckham – his old mate he would forever be scampering past on the overlap – and with whom he formed a formidable right-wing partnership.

Love him or hate him, as most people do, every fan longs to have a Gary Neville in their team. Snarling, angry, passionate, intensely loyal and above all a quality player – ‘The best English right-back of his generation’ – as Sir Alex says.

Neville’s retirement suggests the ‘one club man’ is closer to extinction. There aren’t many left. As Neville walks away into Old Trafford history, only Giggs and Scholes – the final members of the matchless crop of ’92 – remain.

MUFC - PIKs (November/December 2010)

Glazers Clear PIKs, But How?

Manchester United’s financial results for the first quarter of 2010/11, released earlier in November, were nothing out of the ordinary – confirming trends shown in the full year results – with increasing revenue sadly, predictably, offset by heavy interest payments on the club’s mountain of debt.

What offered far more intrigue however, was the news of the Glazer family’s intention to clear a substantial chunk of the debt on the 22^nd November, by clearing £220 million worth of Payment in Kind (PIK) loans.

The PIK loans have been seen as a ‘ticking time-bomb’ under Old Trafford – the element of the debt which could have the most disastrous effect on the club, given the punitive rate they accrue interest – 16.25%. Indeed, were they left until maturity in 2017, they would have totalled more than £600 million.

Whilst these loans have existed since 2006 (when they amounted to a ‘mere’ £138 million), they first came under widespread public scrutiny earlier this year, when the club’s January bond issue revealed that the Glazers were entitled to draw up to £127 million directly from the club’s cash flow in order to help pay off them off. It was this revelation, amongst others, which served as a catalyst for the well-publicised ‘Green and Gold’ campaign staged by United fans hell-bent on unseating an American ownership which seems intent on leeching every last penny from the club and its supporters.

Surprisingly however, it has been revealed that contrary to the fears of supporters, no money will be taken from the club to facilitate the debt repayment, with a comment from the club’s board confirming ‘there has been no dividend of club cash’.

This raises the question then, of just how the Glazer family have acquired the money to repay the loans – which are actually held against their venture Red Football Ltd – rather than Manchester United Plc itself.

There seem to be three main avenues through which the funds could have been raised. Firstly, they could have sold off some of their other assets and businesses – although this appears unlikely given the parlous state of their heavily mortgaged shopping mall ‘empire’ in America. There are also suggestions that they have sold a small stake of the club to a third party, again seen as unlikely as it would be unusual for investors not to reveal their identity publically.

By far the most likely suggestion is that they have simply refinanced the PIKs with a new loan, which will gather interest at a much less painful rate.

Whilst they have managed to clear the PIKs, they have eliminated only a small amount of the huge debts looming over the club. The Glazer’s lack of transparency over their financial dealings is frustrating for fans, who deserve to know how their club – which has already been savaged enough – is being run -  a sentiment highlighted by the Manchester United Supporter’s Trust – ‘What have they got to hide? No more secrecy. No more spin. Tell the fans the truth.’

Haye V Harrison (November 2010)

Haye Batters Helpless Harrison

David Haye successfully defended his WBA heavyweight title, after a comfortable 3^rd round defeat of Audley Harrison in Manchester. After two mundane opening rounds Haye came alive in the third, battering a helpless Harrison who managed to land only a solitary punch throughout the fight.

Defeat leaves Harrison to muse over his future in the sport – whilst Haye must now pursue a career defining series of fights against the Ukraninan Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali.

Marketed as ‘The best of enemies’, the fight was seen as the biggest all-british heavyweight clash since Lennox Lewis defeated Frank Bruno in the ‘Battle of Britain’ in 1993.

Lewis had been present at the weigh-in at Salford’s Lowry Centre, where Harrison tipped the scales at just over 18 stones – a staggering 3 stones heavier than his opponent, who at just over 15 was lighter than his previous title defence against John Ruiz in April.

It was this vast weight advantage which fuelled any hope of a Harrison victory and a major upset, but ultimately, Haye’s superior speed and power put pay to Harrison’s hopes.

As he entered the ring, the southpaw was greeted by a chorus of boos – the 20,000 sell out crowd confirming popular opinion that Harrison’s title shot was completely undeserved.

The boos continued after a tentative opening round. Haye prowled around the ring, probing but failing to test Harrison, who was reluctant to drop his gloves - constantly on the back foot.  The second continued in a similar vein, and again boos rang around the MEN arena, with neither fighter willing to engage.

The third however saw the fight – and more pertinently Haye – spring into life. A Barrage of blows rocked Harrison, and he hit the canvas halfway through the round. He managed to stumble back to his feet on the count of 8 but Haye was ruthless and clinical, and after a huge right the referee stepped in to end the mismatch.

Haye was quick to console his opponent, who surely now faces retirement after yet another woeful performance, in a professional career which has simply failed to kick on from gold medal victory as an amateur in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Haye’s stock, however, has never been higher. He has the potential and the opportunity to unify the world heavyweight championship for the first time since Lewis – British boxing’s last great heavyweight- did the same 11 years ago.

Only the Klitschkos stand between David Haye and the chance to collect the WBL, WBO and IBF titles. Haye has stated he will do ‘everything in his power’ for a fight, a sentiment echoed by Vitali who is ready to fight Haye ‘in the US, Germany or Great Britain’.

It is a fight both camps – and heavyweight boxing in general – are desperate for. Haye has declared his intent to retire before his 31^st birthday next October. He has the chance to be one of British boxing’s greats – but only 11 months to do it.

Manchester Derby - Match Report (November 2011)

Dour Derby Dampens the Hype.

With hype surrounding the Manchester derby at an all time high, there was an air of inevitability around Wednesday night’s fixtures failure to deliver, as City and United played out a 0-0 draw in a very cagey and dull affair at Eastlands.

Much pre-match talk surrounded the sparse selection of players available to Sir Alex Ferguson after a virus had swept through United’s ranks. However, Ferguson was able to field a largely full strength-side, with only Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs - who missed a derby match for the first time in 19 years –the notable absentees. It was United who were by far the better side, yet for all their superior possession and composure they lacked the cutting edge and spark required in the face of a very negative City side.

The opening half rather dampened pre-match expectations, with neither side able to conjure any real opportunity of note. Patrice Evra offered United’s best opportunity of the first half early on, manoeuvring a small opening in the City box but seeing his shot comfortably saved by Joe hart. The game plodded on at a placid pace, and predictably it took Carlos Tevez, a player deified and vilified across Manchester to liven proceedings. He had City’s closest effort of the match - but saw his free-kick clawed out of the top right hand corner by United’s Edwin Van Der Sar. He followed this with a brief confrontation with Rafael Da Silva - but this case of mild handbags was as fiery as the encounter got, with it never once threatening to boil over in stereotypical derby fashion.

The second half settled into a relatively predictable pattern, with United dominating possession and City only threatening sporadically through Tevez and David Silva – an acrobatic Dimitar Berbatov effort was as close as either side came to breaking the deadlock.

Both managers suggested afterwards that they were content with the result, yet ultimately it was a game which suggested neither side are quite where they would like, and ought, to be.

Roberto Mancini’s insistence on such a cautious and defensive set-up, particularly at home, is difficult to fathom, and despite all the oily money pumped into his squad, an over reliance on Tevez to provide City’s drive and verve will surely hinder any legitimate claims for a place on English football’s top table.

Likewise, United’s inability to create any real opportunities suggests there is a Wayne Rooney shaped hole in the team waiting to be filled once more; and whilst they remain unbeaten in all competition thus far, it will irk Ferguson that Chelsea were able to sneak further ahead despite such a dominant display.

It was a derby which won’t live long in the memory, and whilst honours remained even, it is United who remain Manchester’s dominant force.

Rooney Myth Shattered. (October/November 2010)

Redemption a long way off for Wayne.

In October 2002, as David Seaman floundered and Goodison Park rocked, English football’s most precocious and brilliant talent revealed itself. Wayne Rooney, a snarling, ferocious, 16 year old Scouser scampered and bullied his way around the pitch. He was a throwback to a saner, simpler game – modern football’s shining light.

Yet fast forward eight years, and on the verge of his 25^th birthday Rooney completed the transition from man of the people, to mercenary. One week was all it took to tarnish forever a reputation which had ceased to stop blossoming ever since it’s barnstorming introduction.

‘The Boy’, as Sir Alex Ferguson still so pertinently calls him, has sadly proved himself to be the antithesis of everything we believed him to be. His apparent love for the game - the constant desire to have the ball at his feet at every opportunity – set him apart from many. Granted, he was never perfect - he was petulant and fiery, often immature and short tempered – but he was honest, quiet off the pitch – devoid of the evils which plague modern football.

Or so we thought.

Alas, the myth has been shattered. Fans had, begrudgingly, turned a blind eye to a lifestyle which has ultimately put pay to the prolonged years of excellence we all hoped for. At 25, Rooney is already facing the twilight of his playing career as his expiry date creeps ever closer. He smokes, he drinks, he urinates in the street and is so liberal in his use of prostitutes he has become regular tabloid fodder.

His recent actions however - his open and public betrayal of his club, teammates, fans, and manager - have really stung the supporters who used to love him. His open desire to leave Old Trafford hurt – and it wasn’t just because United were about to lose their talisman to City.

It was because many fans - who really should have known better – bought into the romance that surrounded Rooney’s on field exploits. He was different, so we believed. But soon enough that idle fantasy was punctured, and a tawdry, greedy world was rubbed in our faces, leaving us feeling stupid, and well, a bit dirty.

 

United have emerged from last week’s murky saga three-points better off and have proved to the world their ambition and prestige – which Rooney so openly questioned - remains, by holding onto their prized asset on a lucrative contract.  Rooney, however, has upon him an indelible stain that will take a long time to remove – no longer is he the everyman.

Rooney spent the team’s vital victory over Stoke City sipping champagne in Dubai. This is a player who seemingly no longer wears his heart on his sleeve, but in his wallet. Redemption is a long way off for Wazza.

Sale's Rebuilding Process Slowly Underway (October 2010)

Sale Look to the future after Devastating 2010.

Two consecutive demolition jobs on the continent, 97-11 and 56-9, would normally serve as a dangerous warning to Europe’s rugby elite. However, for Sale Sharks, scoring 153 points against European minnows can’t be seen as a groundbreaking triumph. If anything, it gives an indication of how the North West side have gradually slipped from the top-table of European Rugby.

This time last year Sale clashed in Europe with Heineken cup winners Toulouse, and Challenge Cup winners Cardiff Blues – both sides rammed with the best French and Welsh talent. The last week has seen the Sharks face relative unknowns in the Amlin Cup - Spanish side Cetransa El Salvador from Valladolid and Italians Petarca, who play their home games in Padua.

This drastic transformation in opposition is thanks to a disastrous 2009-10 season. Languishing near the bottom of the table, Sale only avoided relegation on the penultimate weekend of the season, finishing in 11^th place. The struggling side were a far cry from the team which trounced Leicester Tigers 45-20 at a rain soaked Twickenham only four years earlier, securing Sale’s first Premiership title.

That memorable victory in 2006 offered the perfect platform for Sale to push for domestic domination, and arguably to transform domestic success into European triumph. Indeed, Sale’s prestige and popularity soared, and an influx of World class players arrived, leaving Edgeley Park home to the strongest squad in the country.

Phillipe Saint Andre -  the then Director of Rugby - backed financially by Brian Kennedy and having achieved his goal of bringing the title to the North West, attracted some of the clubs most stellar signings – in particular that of Luke McAllister, the New Zealand star signed from the Auckland Blues. However, a string of injury hit seasons and several near misses have meant Sale are yet to return to Twickenham. The departure of Saint Andre at the end of the 2008/09 season was devastating, given that the likes of McAllister, Jason White and Sebastian Chabal - amongst numerous others - all followed him out of the door.

What followed saw a heavily depleted squad and a torrid term. However, not all is in ruin. Led by the youngest captain in the club’s history, and one of England’s finest young players – James Gaskell – the 2010/11 season could prove to be far healthier (despite the 20 year olds current spate of injuries).

Under new coach Mike Brewer Sale have made an admittedly average start to the season - winning just two from five. Yet new additions to the squad, such as Leinster import Kyle Tonetti and Sale Jets graduate Tom Brady – coupled with the return from injury of Matthew Tait and the talismanic Charlie Hodgson – suggest a much improved season is impending.

This, allied with the announcement that dwindling attendances are to be tackled with a marquee game at Bolton’s Reebok stadium in the New Year – a targeted sell out – indicate all signs point to a recovery from the 2009/10 nightmare. Perhaps the Sharks will be smelling blood - once more.

Fan Ownership - The Elusive Dream (October, 2010)

With debts spiralling out of control amongst England’s top clubs, is now the time for fans to take control, or does fan ownership remain as far away as ever?

The Green and Gold campaign staged earlier this year by Manchester United fans bent on unseating the despised Glazers was a bold, defiant statement. Whilst, for now, the protest has muted, those heady Spring months when revolution was thick in the Old Trafford air pose a question - will we ever see fan ownership in the Premier League?

At both ends of the East Lancs road, two of football’s fiercest rivals find themselves with a common concern. The reds of Manchester and Liverpool are, well, firmly in the red, with respective American ownerships crippling two of the county’s most prestigious sporting establishments.

Liverpool fans are waiting to see if the despised Hicks and Gillett will finally relinquish control of the club, and sell to New England Sports Ventures (NESV), or possibly a late rival bid from Singapore. If not, the daunting prospect of possible administration casts a gloomy shadow over Anfield.

NESV’s GBP300 million bid is promised to leave the club debt-free, yet even so, would such a buyout really be a positive outcome? Liverpool’s Supporter’s union, Spirit of Shankly, say their ultimate goal is ‘Supporter ownership of Liverpool Football Club’. But surely, if the keys to the Shankly gates are handed over to another American, this dream is as far away as it ever has been?

Fan ownership in the Premiership is often seen as unthinkable. Certainly, a match-going Liverpool fan I spoke to views the very notion unfeasible, given the size and heritage of the club. But surely, it would be better to risk a potentially fragile fan ownership rather than watch mercenary businessmen destroy the very history the club is built upon?

Fan ownership has, and can work – a key example is FC Barcelona, where over 150,000 ‘Socios’ pay a membership fee and in return have a say in who is running their club. An admirable and effective system of controlling club ownership comes in the German Bundesliga, where the ‘50+1’ rule stipulates 51% of all teams must be owned by club members – allowing considerable investment opportunity, yet preventing private businesses from taking overall control of a club.

On our own shores however, fan ownership remains a tantalising, highly romantic prospect that is unattainable – in the short term at least. Initiatives like that of the Red Knights - the group of bankers and other rich fans who want to takeover Manchester United – will struggle to prosper whilst they remain faced by the incessant greed of the current establishment.

As for Liverpool, the short-term is likely to be dominated by legal wranglings. The long term looks like an endless cycle of ricocheting from one mercenary owner to another.  It will be a long time before a fan sits in the Anfield boardroom.