TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Sir Alex Ferguson blasts Manchester City's hasty cull of Mark Hughes • Manager's position is sacrosanct at Old Trafford, says Scot• Manchester United battle through injury crisis for visit to HullAlex Ferguson believes Manchester United would never behave in the way Manchester City did in sacking Mark Hughes halfway through his second season – and has also revealed that he advised his son, Darren, to quit Peterborough in the summer "before things turned nasty"."If I was just coming in today I think United would give me enough time to prove myself," he says. "The manager is always in a strong position at Manchester United; his position is always sacrosanct as far as the directors are concerned. I was given time back in the 80s and I think the same thing would happen now. When I go whoever replaces me will get plenty of time, I'm sure of that. We are just that kind of club."Ferguson is critical of City's short-term view on their rebuilding project, and says of Hughes: "I know he was still suffering when I phoned him the following day." Darren Ferguson was another to suffer. After leading Peterborough to promotion last season he was sacked by the Championship club in November."He had more faith in the players than I had, but these things only come with experience," Ferguson Sr says. "Management at that level hasn't really changed over the years, but the job at United is completely different now to what it was when I arrived. I had to have my hands on everything when I started out but I couldn't possibly manage the club the way I did in 1986. When I came there was just me and my assistant and about five people to help us, and that was it. Now we have five physios, three fitness coaches, two video analysts, a doctor, an optometrist, a podiatrician, a weight trainer, two reserve coaches and all the academy staff. We must have 40 people at least. Delegation is all important now. I rely on good people who have been with me a long time, 20 years in some cases."Having been a graduate of the Ferguson/Old Trafford school, Hughes tried to lay similar foundations at Manchester City though he did not get the time to see the project to fruition. While sympathising with his former player, Ferguson is hopeful that the League Managers Association's outstanding record in winning contractual battles on behalf of dismissed managers will make clubs think twice before using the exit door as an easy option in the future."Managers don't get as much protection as players. If I have a player I don't like I can't just get rid of him, whereas clubs can just pull the plug on managers and not even honour their contracts. You would hope clubs would start realising they are dealing with a different animal now in the LMA. They are a substantial outfit with tremendous legal backing. If we can get to a position where clubs have to pay up contracts immediately on sacking a manager they might start to think a bit longer before doing it."Besides worrying about other managers, Ferguson has his own injury crisis to think about as well as a trip to Hull City made more daunting by United's recent form. Ferguson admits he has never known a time when so many defenders were unavailable. "To have to go into games with just one recognised defender [Patrice Evra] is an unusual situation, to say the least. We have players coming back though, and once we get the regular backline back I'll be pretty confident."I am surprised that we have lost five games already, but once I can pick my regular back four we'll have a better chance. I don't know if we can win the title after losing so many games, but I certainly hope we can. Getting a few defenders back will make a hell of a difference."Sir Alex FergusonManchester UnitedMark HughesManchester CityPremier LeaguePaul Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce targets FA Cup glory ahead of Barrow clash Steve Bruce helped Man United win FA Cup three times and he believes his Sunderland team also have what it takes. telegraph.co.uk |
Win the chance to be a flag-bearer at a Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final Four lucky young fans will be official Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final flag-bearers. telegraph.co.uk |
Everton v Man City - live! Hit refresh for the latest, if you don't trust our automatic thingy, and email scott.murray@guardian.co.uk90 min: Donovan - who has put in an impressive performance tonight - is replaced by Jose Baxter, allowing the USA international to receive a standing ovation on his debut.88 min: An outrageous pirhouette by Fellaini - a dragback followed by a spin - sets in motion a series of passing by Everton met with a chorus of ole, ole by the crowd.87 min: Good work by Bilyaledinov down the left wins another corner. I don't know why I mentioned it, really, as you know how these things always pan out. Apologies to Neil Mackie for spelling his name incorrectly, by the way: "Meil? I think you have breakfast food on your mind so you made a hash of my name by scrambling the letters."85 min: James Vaughan replaces Saha, who departs to wild applause.83 min: Some brief bedlam in the Everton box nearly allows Tevez the chance of a strike on goal, but Heitinga is first to the ball to swipe it clear. If it's not already clear, this isn't City's day.80 min: This is a superb performance by Everton, who could easily now be 4-0 up. Baines reaches the very far corner of the pitch and digs an outstanding cross out, sending the ball from the left to Cahill on the penalty spot. The midfielder wallops a delicious header goalwards - only to scream in irritation as the ball twangs off the crossbar.77 min: Pienaar curls a hard, low cross in from the right. Kompany is forced to slice it wildly over the bar. Donovan's corner is spectacular, a ball fizzed from the right onto the head of Fellaini, 10 yards out and level with the far post. He towers into the air and arrows a magnificent header towards the top-right corner; only a combination of Given's fingertips and the post prevent the ball finding the target.74 min: Richards partially redeems himself with a terrific block just as Bilyaledinov, cutting in from the left and momentarily clear on goal, looks to pull the trigger.72 min: A long ball bounces towards the City area. Richards chases back after it, looking very frightened and confused indeed. Saha nudges him in the back, causing the ball to clank of his shins and out for the most wanton of corners. That's the point at which this passage of play becomes less interesting.71 min: Distin is replaced by Seamus Coleman.70 min: Wright-Phillips tears down the centre of the pitch, feeds the ball out left to Tevez, who crosses to the right-hand edge of the area for Bellamy to shank a volley into the stand. Not ideal, but City have improved a bit during the last 10 minutes. Why is that, do you wonder? "Apart from a few stationary stepovers done in Brazil and reproduced across YouTube, what has Robinho ever done to be considered anything other than a decent professional?" asks Meil Mackie. "If I was a City fan I would welcome the interest from Barcelona or whoever as he is obviously a waster."66 min: City string together a couple of passes at last, the move ending with Barry looping a right-to-left pass in the box towards Kompany, who can't quite get his head on the ball to nut home into the top-left corner. That's better, but only just. "Poutine's not bad," writes Patrick Groden, "but here's a breakfast really worth eating in a city worth visiting: New Orleans. Chili-cheese omelet, pecan waffle, chocolate freeze, bacon or sausage on the side. Come back for a late-night slice of grilled pecan pie. It's money."63 min: A terrible decision by Andre Marriner. De Jong and Bellamy work together this time, upending Pienaar on the right. With all three men on the floor, Donovan scoots off with the ball and into the wide expanses of the City box. A goal looks more likely than not, with Given drawn from his line to narrown the angle and Everton shirts in the middle. But the ref blows his whistle for a free kick. What nonsense. The resulting set piece is, needless to say, wasted, the chance for Everton to take a three-goal lead wrested from their grasp.62 min: There's not much going on here, apart from a minor stramash in the centre circle between Bellamy and De Jong over a misplaced pass. This is abysmal from City.60 min: Robinho - the substitute - is substituted! What a lacklustre clown he is. Shaun Wright-Phillips replaces him.58 min: Robinho is walking around and moaning a lot, yakking in the referee's ear about what appears to be bugger all. He is proving himself to be a complete waste of space.57 min: Pienaar and Richards run into each other. Ooyah oof. After a couple of minutes' worth of treatment, both men are up on their feet and quickly about again.54 min: In an attempt to clear the ball from his own area, Kompany belabours a clearance straight onto the shins of Saha, the ball only just fizzing wide left of goal. City's defending this evening has been laughably piss-poor.51 min: Garrido takes a City free kick, 40 yards out, near the left-hand touchline. He's aiming to curl the ball onto the head of a team-mate at the far post, but overhits it - and nearly finds the top-right corner! Whether Howard would have got there I'm not sure - it was nip and tuck either way, at first glance - but Goodison took a collective suck of air nonetheless.49 min: Donovan, battling down the right with Garrido, is pulled up for a foul. The crowd appreciate his effort, though, and respond likewise.48 min: Bellamy chases a long ball into the Everton box. Heitinga ushers it back to Howard, despite the peppery little yapper on his shoulder. That's a bit better from City, though; there was at least a vague whiff of danger there.46 min: Zabaleta gives away a needless corner, the ball clanking off his shin. This is a horror show for City, and the half's barely a minute old! The corner is, well, y'know.And we're off again! Benjani comes on for Martin Petrov. Tevez, incidentally, seems to have run off that injury I mentioned earlier and then forgot. City give the ball away after 1.6 seconds. The only way is up, even though seasoned City fans know that's not technically true.That was pretty poor from City. Perhaps they need to up the carb intake. "Change the ketchup to gravy and cheese curds and replace the Coke with Pepsi, and you've got what in Quebec is known as the Power Breakfast," writes Richard Whittall. "Canadian readers will know what I mean." Is this sort of thing what you're on about? I'd love to see Robinho make a lung-busting run or two after a pile of that and a chilled pint o' Buckfast.HALF TIME: Everton 2-0 Manchester City. And that's it for the first half. City looked super-dangerous for about 10 minutes or so, since when it's been all Everton. They grew into the match quickly, and have been simply outstanding. The scoreline doesn't flatter them at all. City have it all to do. "It appears that when Pienaar kissed his shirt, he opted to smooch the Le Coc Sportif emblem, not the Everton badge," reports Carl Woock. "Is this affection representative of a new trend in brand loyalty, or was he just confused?"45 min +4: GOAL!!! Everton 2-0 Manchester City. Saha takes the kick himself, pinging it down the centre as Given dives to his left.45 min +2: PENALTY TO EVERTON!!! Saha chases after a long ball down the inside-right channel and into the City area. Richards, struggling to keep up, grabs a handful of the Everton player's shirt. That's a clear penalty.45 min: And then, from nothing, City break quickly upfield. Robinho wakes up long enough to shuttle a pass from the centre to the left wing, from where Bellamy cuts inside and pelts a brilliant shot towards the bottom-right corner. The effort is deflected wide - just - and the subsequent corner is as abysmal as one would expect.43 min: Bilyaledinov goes on a powerful run, from the centre of the park drifting out left. Then, upon reaching the edge of the area, he unleashes a screamer towards the top-right corner. The ball whistles past the helpless Given, but also wide of the far post. For a second that looked in, and it would have been a superlative strike.42 min: This is a brilliant display by Everton now. Fellaini and Saha cause all sorts of mayhem on the edge of the City area, the ball breaking to Cahill down the inside-left channel. He's clear in the area, but is uncharacteristically ponderous and the chance to shoot is quickly gone.39 min: Everton deserve their lead, after a shaky start. They're winning all the 50-50 balls, Fellaini, Pienaar and Bilyaledinov in particular running around in blue like maniacs. Barry and De Jong don't know what's hit them, while Robinho has disappeared. Yes, that's right. He really does appear to have done one.37 min: GOAL!!! Everton 1-0 Manchester City. A free kick for Everton, just outside the box, to the left of goal. Pienaar curls it through a hole on the right-hand end of the City wall - De Jong fannying around preposterously - and into the bottom left corner. It wasn't hit particularly hard, but placed brilliantly; Given wasn't able to scramble across in time.35 min: Fellaini loops a ball into the area, inside left to right, and Saha heads wide right. And now Petrov is limping! This is farcical. No wonder Roberto Mancini wants to build these willowy young things up with some pizza and red booze.32 min: Tevez has taken a lead from Santa Cruz, and is limping around looking sorry for himself. I give him five minutes, which means he's a better-than-evens chance of completing a sensational double hat-trick in the fifth minute of injury time.28 min: This is all Everton at the moment. Richards wins a defensive header in his own area, but the ball only falls to Bilyaledinov on the left-hand edge of the penalty box. He hammers a rising shot goalwards; it's probably heading over the bar anyway, but Given makes sure with the tip of his glove. The corner is a waste of that most precious commodity: time. As they always are. Oh, corners! How could you!25 min: Cahill shoves Barry over in the box. The City midfielder falls on the ball scrotum first, which has got to hurt. It's a clear foul, but Everton are gifted the corner. Barry gets up and does a lot of pained shouting. His screaming would have been even more animated had, from the set piece, Fellaini's 485mph screamer nestled into the top-left corner, instead of curving half-a-stand's width wide.23 min: Everton win a corner, Baines and Fellaini combining well down the left. Donovan swings in a deep one, which Fellaini meets by sending a header towards the top-right corner. It's not met with much power, though, and Given can pluck the ball from the air while whistling a jaunty trill.20 min: The ball's played on the deck down the inside-right channel towards City's box. Saha slides in with a dawdling Kompany, blocking the ball into space on the edge of the box. Donovan tears into the area with the ball, and attempts to chip the advancing Given. The effort drifts wide. The first real chance of a goal in the match, if you're not counting the one that fell to Robinho, which I'm not.16 min: Petrov swings another ball into the area from the right. Richards gets a header on target, coming in from the left, but it's lame.14 min: Zabaleta swings a ball into the Everton box from the right. Tevez flicks a header on to Robinho, free eight yards out, a smidgen to the left of centre. That's terrible defending by Everton - and dreadful finishing by Robinho, who welts a hopeless volley miles over the bar.11 min: It's a nice open start, this. Cahill sends a cross into the City area from the right, Bilyaledinov heading powerfully goalwards but straight into Given's arms.10 min: Petrov cuts inside from the right, and forces Howard into a diving save with a shot heading for the bottom-left corner. What on earth is Baines up to? Petrov has the run of the park at the moment.9 min: City are still effectively down to 10 men, as Robinho comes on for the already-departed Santa Cruz.7 min: Petrov drifts down the right touchline, and curls a ball down the inside-right channel for Tevez. It's a touch too strong, and runs through to Howard. That was a lovely - and very simple - move.6 min: City are down to 10 men, with Santa Cruz going off.5 min: Santa Cruz is down, injured, running his hands up and down his outstreched legs very gingerly. Is this news?3 min: Both teams seem in the mood for this. First Fellaini wins a towering header in the centre of the park, nearly setting Pienaar on his way. The move's quickly snuffed out. Then it's City's turn: Tevez snakes down the right, before Petrov sends a shot miles into the Gwladys Street end.And we're off! Donovan hurdy-gurdies down the right and wins a throw for his side. The ball's flung into the area, and soon in Given's hands.A minute's applause. It's for Alex Parker, who starred in Everton's 1962/63 championship winning side - and unlike that year of the Big Freeze, it's wonderfully warm.Outrageous libel. "You took that photo yourself, didn't you?" writes professional haranguer Niall Harden. "It's your desk, isn't it?" How dare you. For a start, you can't smoke in Guardian Towers. It's equally impossible to enjoy Red Sauce on the premises, most sugar-and-salt-based ketchups having long ago been phased out and replaced with organic jus of varying piquancy. And the only carbonated beverages round this way have been fermented from mung beans. More people than you'd think read the Sport here, though. That I'll give you.Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)Roque Santa Cruz makes only his third start for City: Given, Zabaleta, Richards, Kompany, Garrido, Petrov, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy, Tevez, Santa Cruz.Subs: Taylor, Onuoha, Sylvinho, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Mwaruwari, Boyata.Landon Donovan makes his home debut: Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Donovan, Fellaini, Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Saha.Subs: Nash, Vaughan, Forshaw, Coleman, Duffy, Baxter, Mustafi.The kebab shops in the area normally close around: 2am.This starts at: 5.30pm.In the meantime, we're going to have to put up with all these athletes cluttering up the shop. Everton have only lost one in the last nine at home, while City are (along with Spurs) the tightest troupe travelling around the country, having lost only twice. This could be a cracker, and a real test of City's Champions League - and indeed their title - credentials.Isotonic: It gets to your thirst, fastCarb-loading: If it's good enough for the likes of Jason Donovan, it's good enough for you, pal"Food before a match, I will sort that out calmly. For example, you need chicken, pizza, carbohydrates, even a glass of wine." So Roberto Mancini is getting the pepperoni slices in, along with a box of red. This is music to the ears of, I would guess, 99% of football supporters, who still dream of leaping over the hoardings and playing for their team, but haven't had a cat in hell's chance of doing so ever since the sports-science BODY FASCISTS started the players on broccoli shakes. Ten years of this, and we'll all be back on a level playing field.Premier LeagueEvertonManchester CityMinute-by-minute reportScott Murrayguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Manchester United winger Zoran Tosic joins Cologne on loan Serbian winger vows to salvage his Man United career next season after completing six-month loan move to German club. telegraph.co.uk |