Echoes from Old Trafford - December 2016 by Manchester United Supporters' Club Malta

NEWSPAPER POST

Volume 44- Issue 2, December 2016

“He’s a talented player. He can shoot with both feet, pass the ball with both feet and you don’t realise how big he is” Ryan Giggs

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

In this issue 3  EDITORIAL IN MALTESE........................................................................ 5  CLUB NEWS.......................................................................................... 6  MUSC MALTA TOUR.............................................................................. 9  TEDDY’S CORNER.............................................................................. 10  ERIC BAILLY....................................................................................... 12  THE TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM.............................................................15  WHO WILL REPLACE WAYNE ROONEY................................................. 17  HOPE................................................................................................. 19  THE BPL AND THE ENGLAND NATIONAL TEAM.................................. 20  THE BEST AND WORST OF 2016.........................................................23  EUROPA LEAGUE REPORT.................................................................. 25  WHERE ARE THEY NOW? DAVID BECKHAM........................................ 27  SIR ALEX FERGUSON – THE FIRST 7 YEARS........................................33  CHEATERS......................................................................................... 35  UNITED & THE BUSY CHRISTMAS PERIOD......................................... 37  CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NIGHTS.......................................................... 39  MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AT OLD TRAFFORD......................................... 41  THE WAR YEARS................................................................................ 43  THE RISE AND FALL OF WAYNE ROONEY............................................49  MIXED MANCUNIAN PLATTER............................................................ 50  MAJOR LEAGUE’S ROUND-UP............................................................ 52  SEASON SO FAR................................................................................ 55  RESULTS & STATS.............................................................................56  EDITORIAL............................................................................................

Official publication of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta editorial team Braden Galea · Michael Calleja · Daniel Cushcieri · Clint Camilleri advertising executives Joe Catania · Kenneth Portelli contributors Michael Calleja Braden Galea Daniel Cushcieri James Handyside Joseph Tedesco Kevin Tabone Jude Cauchi Silvio Scicluna Roderick Psaila Antoine Dalli Julian Tabone Kenneth Abela Norbert Bugeja John Calleja Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante Alan Abela-Wadge Iain McCartney Robert Mizzi Karm Galea Michael Gatt

printing Progress Press patron Sir Alex Ferguson club founder John Calleja club committee Joseph Tedesco Joe Catania James Handyside

President, Match Tickets Coordinator Vice-President, Assistant Advertising Executive Secretary, Tours Coordinator

Kevin Tabone

Treasurer, PRO

Robert J. Muscat

Assistant Secretary, Logistics Manager

Antoine Portelli

Assistant Treasurer, Venue & Facilities Coordinator

Charles Cauchi

Membership Secretary, Fund Raising Coordinator

Clint Camillieri

Media & Publishing Coordinator

Egidio Sciberras Souvenir Shop Mgr., Asst. Venue & Facilities Coordinator Kenneth Portelli Braden Galea

Advertising Executive ICT Manager, Sports & Social Activities Coordinator Gozo representatives Joe Xerri · Stefan Attard translator Tiziana Caruana

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

Quarries Square Street, Msida MSD 1101 Malta. Telephone: +356 21223531 E-mail: info@manutd-malta.com Website: www.manutd-malta.com

club chaplain Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante (Carmelite)

business partners

Based in Msida, Malta, we are a non-profit organization designed to bring the Manchester United experience to United fans here in Malta. We are the only Official Manchester United Supporters’ Club on the Maltese Islands. We are also the oldest Manchester United Supporters’ Club in the World.

THE VIEWS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY THE CLUB. VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

The Echoes Editorial Board & the Committee o f the Manchester United Supportersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Club Malta would like to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Editorial

IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG, HARD SEASON….

anchester United never make it easy for themselves. At least that much is certain. Fans thought this season would finally yield a positive league campaign but we can all agree that it has certainly been very disappointing. José Mourinho’s pre-season assertions that Old Trafford will be a fortress seem to have evaporated and draws against Stoke, Burnley and Arsenal have compounded this fact. We’ve just not been good enough when tested under pressure. Football’s a funny old game. At a point in time, the game might seem to be going your way only for the other team to peg you back or even win the match. It’s a fickle sport with no sympathy…teams will catch you out if you don’t take your chances as witnessed during the Arsenal encounter. The game should have been dead and buried and United should have been professional enough to see it out. Unfortunately, Olivier Giroud’s last minute header ensured that the Londoners escaped with an undeserved last gasp point.

Despite all the apparent doom and gloom, there is still some light at the end of the tunnel. The simple truth is that football is a results-based game but fans can still take comfort in the fact that United have at times played some brilliant football but still had nothing to show for it. This only highlights the fact that it’s going to be a long, hard season – in the sense that before we can finally win matches comfortably, Mourinho will still keep testing new formations, tactics and combinations. In fact, recently returned Phil Jones highlighted: ‘“Sometimes the luck is not on your side but it will change. We just have to keep plugging away, keep training well, keep playing and keep putting performances in like that and hopefully it will then change.” Reminiscing about past seasons is also sometimes fruitful and interesting. Fans will take pride in acknowledging the fact that this season already marks the 10th year anniversary since United fought back so valiantly after a three year drought to win the league title – prising the trophy away from [ironically] Mourinho’s Chelsea. In what turned out to be an epic titanic contest, United started the campaign by blitzing Fulham 5-1 before fighting for every point eventually ensuring they finished 6 points ahead of Chelsea. The 2006-07 campaign was also the year Cristiano Ronaldo came of age, scooping the PFA Player of the Year Award and helping Manchester United wrestle the elusive trophy from the South Londoners.

20 years ago, United were also involved in yet another tussle albeit against Newcastle, Arsenal and Liverpool. Despite suffering some humiliating losses (0-5 to Newcastle and 3-6 to Southampton), the Reds would still eventually win the league ensuring it was already 4 Premier League titles won. Remaining on the subject of ‘Anniversaries’, let’s wind the clock back to November 1986 – 30 years ago to be precise – and who can forget a certain Scotsman being appointed at the helm of Old Trafford? Yes, the 6th of November 1986 was the date when United appointed a certain Alex Ferguson to manage the club after two decades of mediocrity and we all know what happened next! It is sometimes still hard to believe how much success the club enjoyed during the last 30 years but taking success for granted is something true Manchester United fans have never done. It takes blood, sweat and tears to win a game of football and building a club can sometimes take years as Sir Alex Ferguson himself can attest to. Therefore, giving José Mourinho time will be imperative as he seeks to steady the sleeping giant and rekindle a winning streak of matches. Whatever happens this season, it is vital that the supporters remain ‘United’ behind both the manager and the team. As we approach the busy Christmas period, games will be coming thick and fast and United are still competing in the League Cup and Europa League meaning that there might still be end of season success for the Red Devils. On behalf of the Committee, the club wishes the very best of luck to the players and coaching staff and reminds all Maltese Reds to help contribute and take part in club activities whenever they can! After all, the United Supporters Club is a club founded by the fans for the fans!

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

6th Generation Intel® Core™ Processor

CAR ALARMS CAR ACCESSORIES SOUND SYSTEMS TINTED WINDOWS ALLOY WHEELS PERFORMANCE PARTS WHEEL REFURBISHMENT CAR WRAPPING COMPUTER CUT STICKERS

source-rautostyling.com Triq il-Ghajn Mriehel BKR 3000. Tel: 7984 3204 info@source-rautostyling.com

Editorjal SE JKUN STAĠUN TWIL U IEBES... M

anchester United dejjem jikkumplika l‑affarijiet għalih innifsu. Tal‑inqas s’hawn m’għandniex dubju. Il‑partitarji ħasbu li fl‑aħħar dan l‑istaġun kien se jkun kampanja pożittiva iżda lkoll naqblu li s’issa kien ċertament diżappuntanti. Iċ‑ċertezzi li ta José Mourinho fil‑pre‑season dwar il‑fatt li Old Trafford kien se jkun fortizza sfaxxaw fix‑xejn mid‑dehra u d‑draws ma’ Stoke, Burnley u Arsenal ikkonfermaw dan kollu. Ma konniex tajbin biżżejjed meta sibna ruħna taħt pressjoni. Il‑football huwa dik il‑logħba umoristika antika. Jasal punt meta l‑logħba tidher sejra favurik sakemm l‑avversarju jilħqek jew saħansitra jirbaħlek. Huwa sport imprevedibbli li ma jħenn għal ħadd... l‑avversarji jiġru warajk u jilħquk jekk ma tisfruttax l‑opportunitajiet tiegħek; kif wera l‑konfront kontra Arsenal. Ir‑riżultat kellu jingħalaq u jkun siġillat bil‑United professjonali biżżejjed biex jintebaħ b’dan. Sfortunatament id‑daqqa ta’ ras fl‑aħħar minuta ta’ Olivier Giroud assigurat lil‑Londoners l‑akkwist ta’ punt mhux mistħoqq fit‑tmiem. Minkejja l‑kundanna u d‑dlam ta’ bħalissa, xorta għad hemm raġġ ta’ dawl. Is‑sempliċi verità hija li l‑football huwa logħba bbażata fuq ir‑riżultati. Minkejja dan il‑partitarji xorta jistgħu jikkunslaw bil‑fatt li f ’xi mumenti l‑United lagħab football brillanti, iżda mingħajr riżultat x’jixhed dan. Dan kollu juri kemm se jkun staġun twil u iebes – fis‑sens li qabel ma nkunu nistgħu nirbħu logħbiet faċilment, Mourinho se jkompli jipprova formazzjonijiet, tattiki u kombinazzjonijiet ġodda. Fil‑fatt, reċentament, Phil Jones irrimarka li “Kultant ix‑xorti ma tidħaqlekx iżda l‑folja għad tinqaleb. Jeħtieġ biss inkomplu nistinkaw, inkomplu nitħarrġu sew, inkomplu nilagħbu u nagħtu prestazzjonijiet tajbin u mbagħad tinqaleb.”

Li wieħed xi kultant jiftakar fl‑istaġuni mgħoddija huwa pożittiv u interessanti. Il‑partitarji jħossuhom kburin meta jiftakru li fil‑fatt dan l‑istaġun jimmarka diġà l‑10 anniversarju mindu l‑United kien iġġieled b’mod determinat wara nixfa ta’ tliet snin mingħajr it‑titlu tal‑kampjonat – bl‑akkwist tat‑tazza minn fuq [ironikament] iċ‑Chelsea ta’ Mourinho. F’dik li kellha tkun sfida epika u grandjuża l‑United beda l‑istaġun b’rebħa kbira ta’ 5‑1 fuq Fulham qabel ma mbagħad, eventwalment, bdiet il‑battalja għall‑akkwist ta’ kull punt biex fl‑aħħar temm il‑kampjonat 6 punti fuq Chelsea. Is‑sena tal‑istaġun 2006‑07 kienet ukoll is‑sena li fiha Cristiano Ronaldo ħalla l‑marka tiegħu billi ġie ppremjat bħala l‑PFA Player tas‑sena u kien strumentali biex il‑United jisraq it‑tazza mingħand is‑South Londoners. 20 sena ilu l‑United kien ukoll involut f ’battalja daqshekk movimentata kontra Newcastle, Arsenal u Liverpool. Minkejja li sofra telfiet umiljanti (0‑5 ma’ Newcastle u 3‑6 ma’ Southampton), ir‑Reds xorta kienu spiċċaw rebħu l‑kampjonat biex assiguraw li dan kien ir‑4 minn 5 titli ta’ Premier League mirbuħa. Nibqgħu fuq is‑suġġett ta’ ‘Anniversarji’, ejjew inreġġgħu lura l‑arloġġ għal Novembru 1986 – 30 sena ilu biex inkunu preċiżi – u min jista’ ma jiftakarx fl‑Iskoċċiż li ngħata t‑tmun ta’ Old Trafford? Iva, kien is‑6 ta’ Novembru 1986 meta l‑United ħatar lil ċertu wieħed Alex Ferguson biex imexxi l‑club wara għoxrin sena ta’ medjokrità u kulħadd

jaf x’ġara minn hemm ’l quddiem! Kultant għadu sal‑lum il‑ġurnata diffiċli temmen kemm dan il‑club kellu suċċessi tul dawn l‑aħħar 30 sena, iżda li tieħu s‑suċċess for granted hija xi ħaġa li l‑partitarji ta’ Manchester United m’għamlu qatt. Jeħtieġ demm, għaraq u dmugħ biex tirbaħ logħba footall u biex wieħed jibni club jaf jieħu snin kultant, kif jista’ jikkonferma Sir Alex Ferguson stess. Għalhekk huwa impertattiv li wieħed jagħti ż‑żmien lil José Mourinho biex jara kif se jqajjem lill‑ġgant rieqed u jerġa’ jġib lura s‑serje ta’ rebħiet. Jiġri x’jiġri dan l‑istaġun, huwa importanti li l‑partitarji jibqħu ‘United’ (Uniti) kemm wara l‑manager u kemm wara t‑tim. Hekk kif qed noqorbu lejn il‑perjodu frenetiku tal‑Milied, il‑logħob se jiżdiedlu l‑pass u se jitqal; iżda l‑United għadu qed jikkompeti kemm għall‑Kampjonat u kemm għall‑Europa League. Dan ifisser li jaf għad hemm tmiem staġun pożittiv għar‑Red Devils. F’isem il‑Kumitat il‑club jawgura l‑isbaħ xewqat lill‑players u lill‑istaff tat‑tmexxija, filwaqt li jfakkar lir‑Reds Maltin kollha biex jikkontribwixxu u jieħdu sehem fl‑attivitajiet tal‑club f ’kull waqt possibbli! Wara kollox, il‑United Supportes Club huwa club imwaqqaf mill‑partitarji għall‑partitarji!

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

CLUBNEWS October 2016 need to start my article with a plea to all members. We have recently seen membership figures decline slightly on yearby-year basis and although we cannot call this a trend, the Committee certainly does not want to become complacent on this issue. You, the members, can be of significant help in this matter by attracting new members to the Club or by reminding friends and relatives who were members to renew their membership. The Committee also recently appointed several focal points all over Malta and Gozo to assist with this issue, a list of these focal points and the areas they cover can be found below. Membership is the primary source of income for the Club and without this income, the Committee would not be able to continue providing you, our members, with the high standards of service and products you have become accustomed to over the years. Given the challenges we face over the next 10 years, it is important that the Club not only continues to have a strong membership base also attracts fresh new blood and continues to flourish. I therefore urge you to approach other Manchester United supporters and encourage them to join our Supporters’ Club.

Joseph Busutill (M’Scala) 9943 7517 PAOLA B’BUGIA COSPICUA FGURA GHAXAQ GUDJA KALKARA M’SCALA QRENDI SENGLEA ST.LUCIA TARXIEN ZABBAR ZEJTUN ZURRIEQ

Anthony Sciberras (M’Xlokk) 9989 2193 PAOLA B’BUGIA COSPICUA FGURA GHAXAQ GUDJA KALKARA M’SCALA QRENDI SENGLEA ST.LUCIA TARXIEN ZABBAR ZEJTUN ZURRIEQ

All Souls Day Mass celebrated at the Club.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Twanny Chircop (Msida) 9946 7021 HAMRUN LUQA MARSA QORMI

Norbert Dalli (San Gwann) 9960 4465 GHARGHUR GZIRA IBRAGG IKLIN PEMBROKE SAN GILJAN SAN GWANN SLIEMA SWATAR SWIEQI

Peter Tonna (Swieqi) 9947 0148 GHARGHUR GZIRA IBRAGG IKLIN PEMBROKE SAN GILJAN SAN GWANN SLIEMA SWATAR SWIEQI

Kenneth Fenech (Naxxar) 9942 1034 BUGIBBA MELLIEHA MGARR MOSTA MTARFA NAXXAR QAWRA RABAT SAN PAWL IL-BAHAR

George Ciappara (B’Kara) 9989 5356 B’KARA LIJA MSIDA PIETA STA VENERA

Anthony Schembri (Isla) 7921 0955 ISLA BIRGU BORMLA

Charles Cauchi (Zebbug) 9982 0448 SIGGIEWI ZEBBUG

by James Handyside

During the month of October, the Committee continued working at pace on the conclusion of the purchase of the Club premises, which is due to be concluded during this year’s Christmas Party. This included meeting with investors and the collection of pledged funds. The Committee recently launched an appeal for donations whereby members could contribute any amount to this very ambitious project. Donations can be given to any Committee member during the Clubs’ official opening hours or online through the Clubs’ website – www.manutd-malta.com. A receipt and commemorative, individually numbered certificate will be issued for each and every donation. For the first time in the 44-year history of our Clubs’ flagship publication – Echoes from Old Trafford, the October 2016 edition was made available in both printed and digital format. As usual the printed edition was posted to each and every member whilst the digital edition was sent to those members who had provided an email address. The Committee and editorial board would like to remind those who may wish to contribute to, or provide feedback on the magazine that they may do so by sending an email to echoes@manutd-malta.com. The Committee is planning to upgrade the audio/visual experience at the Club in the coming weeks. This includes the installation of a new HD projector, the installation of new wiring for all televisions and screeens, a new audio/visual control system and the upgrade to GO’s interactive TV service meaning that those watching games at the Club would be able to do so in glorious high-definition. November 2016 ll Souls Day was commemorated at the Club by celebrating Mass on Sunday 6th November. The mass was once again well attended by members and their families. Please allow me to thank the Club’s Spiritual Director, Father Ferrante for celebrating the mass and Club Members, Mr Richard Bullock

and Mr Joe Cilia for all their help in the preparation. Former Club President John E. Scerri sadly passed away at the age of 85 on 8th November. John was President between 1966 and 1968. Sincere condolences to his family. From the 19 th November, members could start collecting their complimentary copy of the 2017 calendar from the Souvenir Shop during the Clubs’ official opening hours. Special thanks once again to our sponsors without the financial support they provide this outstanding product, which we are all-proud of, would not be possible. Those members who wish to obtain further copies of this calendar can also do so MUTV Presenter Stuart Gardner while on holiday in Malta with MUSC Malta committee members, from the Souvenir Shop, for Richard Bullock & Joseph Glanville just €6.00. The calendar will also be on sale from a number of stationeries 2nd Prize - 3 nights stay for 2 persons at one presentation of a VALID Membership Card or across Malta, priced at €7.00. of the Radisson Blu Hotels in Malta on Bed ticket at the door. As usual finger food will be & Breakfast basis – donated by the Hotel served and each member will be entitled to 3 Every November the Committee begins Management; free drinks at the Bar. in earnest preparations for the Christmas This year’s Christmas Lottery will be slightly 3rd Prize – Weekend Break for 2 persons at activities. These activities remain popular amongst our members and their families. different to previous years – each member The Grand Hotel, Ghajnsielem, Gozo on Bed should have received a packet of three & Breakfast basis – donated by the Hotel This year the Children’s Party will take place on lottery tickets. A donation of €10.00 per Management; Friday 16th December 2016. Tickets, which are ticket or €20.00 for all three gives you on sale from the Club, cost € 15 per child. The the chance to be eligible to win one of the 4th Prize – Microwave Oven – donated by ECB Ltd; price includes food, drink and entertainment fantastic prizes. To win prizes drawn ticket holders will be asked a simple general A big thank you, as always, to our sponsors, and Father Christmas will be dropping by to knowledge question. who have once again donated some fantastic give a gift to each child. prizes. The Committee has once again decided to This year the Members Party will be held on donate a share of the proceeds from this lottery Sunday 18th December 2016. Members, who to charity. This year the donation will be given wish to be accompanied by a guest, may do so by purchasing a ticket for this event. Tickets to id-Dar tal-Providenza. which are priced at € 10 each, and include 3 free drinks, will be available for sale from The lottery will be drawn during the Christmas Party. This year’s prizes are as follows: the Clubs’ Souvenir Shop, up to Sunday 11th December 2016. No tickets will be available for sale at the door on the day of the party. 1st Prize – One place on a tour to Manchester organised by the Club. Entrance on the day will only be granted on

On behalf of all the Committee I wish you and all your families a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year.

John E Scerri - Obituary

was shocked and sad to hear of John’s demise. John was one of the first to contact me on hearing that I wanted to set up a supporters’ club and offered all his help. He attended our first informal meeting and I was most impressed with his enthusiasm and love for Manchester United. In the first official AGM, I encouraged him to stand for committee, an offer which he accepted without any hesitation. He was

elected and appointed Assistant Secretary and was a regular for committee meetings. He then volunteered to publish the first news sheet, which became a regular issue. Later on, he also became President and dedicated himself to the club’s improvement. Up to a few years ago, he was always present for club functions, till his health

by John Calleja

began to give way. When unavoidably absent, he would always phone me to ask how things went. His love for United and for our club never wavered. In the history of our supporters’ club, he is the first ex-President to pass away. Au revoir, dear John, you are gone but will never be forgotten. The club will miss you. Condolences to his family and relatives.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

MUSC Malta Tour by Kevin Tabone

iscussions and preparations would long have been done prior to the starting day of the tour. Flights, accommodation and excursion require plenty of coordination by everyone involved. The committee has always stressed that attention to detail is of utmost importance in all activities organised by the club and this tour is surely no exception.

rain whilst sightseeing. Now that is what I call perfect timing, Mr Weatherman! Our next stop was to a designer mall for some entertainment for those who love shopping.

you really made great captains! After the tour finished we went for a quick meal at the Red Cafe and then some free time was dedicated for shopping.

Thursday 17th November The much-awaited day has finally arrived! This was the day when all the tour party met at the Malta International Airport to leave from home to our second home, Manchester. Upon arrival at Manchester airport, we swiftly made our way to the Portland Hotel to check into our rooms. The hotel was recently refurbished and the hotel staff made us feel so welcome immediately. After settling in, we made our way to the city centre for a quick bite and also the first chance for all the tour party to mingle and get to know each other.

Saturday 19th November Match-day! The tour reaches its highlight today and this was the one event in which, we as tour guides, have no control on - the result. In fact, if you were to ask Joseph and I what the one wish that we want to be granted would be, it will mutually be a win. Of course, both of us are also United fanatics, but for the sake of the tour party, you would want the win that wee bit more to make the tour even more perfect for everyone. It was all going according to plan and, in truth, Arsenal were never in the match let alone in danger of scoring. But then one attack, one cross with one minute remaining, we were left ruing another two dropped points.

Monday 21st November Some made their way to the Christmas Market, whilst others did some last-minute shopping before the huge task of packing the luggage to check out of the hotel and make our way to Manchester airport to return to the rock.

Friday 18th November At about 9AM, the party made its way to the historical city of York: a city which is renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets, iconic York Minster and a wealth of attractions. Surprisingly, on our way to this unique city, we even witnessed a white blanket of snow which covered the fields! Thankfully, weather was very kind, as we managed to avoid

Sunday 20th November Back to the Theatre of Dreams, and this time everyone could absorb the stadium and all of its majestic surroundings a little bit more. You can only imagine the look on everyone’s faces when they entered the players’ changing room or the Manager’s Conference room, or replicating the players’ entrance to the ground. By the way, Ms Clements & Ms Bogelli,

I would like to thank the Club’s Vice President and tour leader Joseph Catania who brilliantly led the group and always made himself available to the tour members’ needs. I also want to thank the Club’s Secretary James Handyside for the co-ordination and also to the Club President Joseph Tedesco for his help when really needed. Last but not least, allow me to also show my appreciation towards all the tour members, most of whom were firsttime comers, for the maximum co-operation they showed throughout. As my dear fellow committee member Joseph Catania said during the introductory meeting, it is the people who decide and determine what to do and whether the trip will be a successful one. And judging by the feedback received from the group, this tour was yet another success!

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

TEDDY’S corner Dear All The date is 23 rd November 2016 and Manchester United, despite the big summer spending spree, are lingering in 6th place in the Premier League table, 9 points below the table leaders Chelsea and 8 points behind Liverpool and Manchester City. The fans till date have witnessed 5 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats and with only 19 points from a possible 36, many are questioning the quality of the team, the commitment from the players and above all whether Mourinho is fit for the hot seat at Old Trafford. Following the draw against Arsenal at home, the Manager made a statement about the current luck of the team. Speaking about luck sounds very much a Liverpool type of excuse which we had got used to during our Sir Alex Ferguson era. Their fans used to blame Tom, Dick and

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Harry but never looked straight in the mirror. I always believe that luck favours the brave so if the luck element is being brought into the equation then somewhere down the line the team have not been brave enough. When one analyses the team performances against the likes of Stoke, Burnley and Arsenal at home, one has to admit that the 3 draws do not justify the quality of the performances and the huge amount of chances created. During post match interviews in the previous 2 seasons we used to hear LVG boasting about the amount of chances created. I for one used to think whether LVG and I had watched the same game however the football played was so boring that I could not bear to watch games’ repetitions to actually try and count the chances which allegedly were being claimed by the Dutch Manager. Good riddance! It is evident that the quality of the football played now has drastically improved. The increase of goal scoring opportunities does

have your say on info@manutd-malta.com

not justify our score tally of 17 so far (against Burnley alone I think there were more goal scoring opportunities for United in those 90 minutes than in all the Premier League home games last season). This clearly shows that our players have not been taking the chances. In fact, coincidentally, Ibra had to face the longest goal drought of his entire career. These blessed 6 points dropped at home would have made a huge difference at this stage of the season in terms of perspective and confidence. The ‘title contenders’ expectations have surely faded away till date because we all know that dropping similar points at home especially against the ‘lower’ teams rubber stamps inconsistency and lack of cutting edge. This looks to be one of the most competitive leagues of recent years and anything could happen from now till end of the season but for the time being our most achievable milestone has to be once again top 4 spot.

I do not feel that Manchester United have less quality in their squad compared to our rivals. There seems to be however an inferiority complex when we play away from home. Bar Swansea and Hull where United conquered all 6 points following what in my opinion were average performances, the team seems to struggle a lot away from Old Trafford. This does not apply only to the Premier League but we have experienced the same difficulties even in the Europa League against Feyenoord and Fenerbache. The approach to away games seems to change radically. The game plan looks somehow confused and at times there does not seem to be a plan B. I think that the Manager has not worked out the right formula yet to be somehow more defensive but still be able to be effective with counter attacking. This should only be a matter of time. The injuries to our best performing players at the back, namely Bailly and Valencia, gave the opportunity to the likes of Rojo, Darmian and Jones (back from injury) to regain the trust of the Manager and the fans. None of the 3 would make my first 11, all players being fit, but have to say they were adequate in emergency. Pogba still needs to adapt to the speed of the game in the Premier League and the expectations attached to his selling price. Once he does then we will have a leader back in the middle of the park. Ander Herrera and Juan Mata have been exceptionally influential and Mata is proving to be a big game player. I am still extremely sceptical about the frequent use of Fellaini. Rashford and Jesse are not in their best form but they are the 2 home grown talents which the Manager seems to have a lot of faith in and no need to emphasise how important it is to have players in the first team squad born and bred in the club ranks. The puzzling truth about the lack of involvement of Mkhitaryan remains my biggest question. Why such a talented player is not being considered by the Manager who brought him over? One on one United are not inferior to any other team in the Premier League. I am not implying this is the ultimate squad. We still need to offload and invest next summer but with the current squad, once confidence starts sinking in and the team becomes more effective when playing away from home, the bomb will eventually explode. The clock is still ticking. My final thoughts are for the Academy. The Under 18â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the moment are a joy to watch. Under the supervision of coach Kieran McKenna the likes of Williams, Gribbin, Buffonge, Chong and Gomes amongst others are showing there is a lot of emerging talent in the youth sector once again. I suggest to each and one of you to invest time and try not to miss any of these games. There are quite a few future stars in that squad. May I take the opportunity to wish you and all your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of everything but above all good health. Yours United Teddy

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

12 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Eric Bailly by Jude Cauchi

ric Bailly is an Ivory Coast international professional footballer who was born on the 12th April 1994 in Bingerville. In terms of his club career, the defender has so far played in the Spanish league with the likes of Espanyol and Villarreal and is currently playing for the 20 times champions of English football: Manchester United. In December 2011, Eric Bailly began his football career at the age of 17 when he joined the youth academy of Spanish club Espanyol. Due to work permit constraints, the player had to wait until the 2013-14 campaign to make his senior debut with the reserves in the second division of the Spanish league. In the following year, he made his official first team and La Liga debut as a substitute in a 2-0 win against Real Sociedad. Following his debut, the Ivor y Coast international was promoted to the first team before he signed a 5-year contract with rivals Villarreal in January 2015. In total he made 21 appearances for the reserves of Espanyol in the season 2013-14 and 5 for the first team in 2014-15. The defender made his official debut for the club nicknamed the ‘Yellow Submarine’ on the 22nd February 2015, where his side won 1-0 against Eibar. A month later, Bailly also made his Europa League debut away to Sevilla. Unfortunately, Villarreal lost 2-1 and the player was also sent off during the match. Moreover, the Ivory Coast international was later sent off in another league match resulting in a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo. During the course of the season, the Ivorian managed 35 appearances (7 of those appearances coming in the Europa League where Villarreal reached the semi-finals before losing to Liverpool) and also managed to score a goal at home against Dinamo Minsk. Bailly only managed one full season at Villarreal as on June 8th, following the arrival of José Mourinho at Manchester United, the

player moved from Spain to England for a fee reported to be around £30 million. He made his official debut against Leicester City in the Community Shield where the Reds won by the score of 2-1 thanks to goals from Lingard and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The player was afterwards named the Man of the Match. The following week, he also made his Premier league debut in a 2-0 win against Bournemouth and again was voted the Man of the Match. Unsurprisingly, the Ivorian was voted the Best Player of the Month for August 2016. Such awards show that in some instances, players can adapt quickly to life in the Premier League, provided that one works hard and has the right attitude towards football. One of the qualities that the defender has brought to United is his aggression towards the ball and few disagree that United have lacked these skills especially after the departures of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Whether the player needs a defensive partner to fulfil his expectations remains to be seen, as the fans seem to be divided on who should be partnering him in defence, with some preferring Chris Smalling, who has similar qualities, and others preferring the likes of Daley Blind, who has more ability to read the game when compared with other players. After making 9 appearances for United, the Ivorian was critically injured during the 4-0 away defeat to Chelsea and is expected to be out at least until January. This is very bad news for the club when considering the influence that Bailly was having in leading United’s defence. The management will also need to consider that in January, the defender will be occupied with the national team in the African Nations Cup. Thus, Mourinho will need to sort out the defence to make up for his absence. On a positive note, in his absence so far, United have managed to keep two clean sheets at home to Manchester City and Burnley with the manager picking the likes of

Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo as a defensive partnership. Having said that, tougher tests will surely follow as the season progresses and decisions need to be made to ensure that United have a consistent back four that is up to the task for the challenges of the Premier League and other competitions. In terms of his international career, although they are still early days, the defender is on the right track having made 12 appearances in 2015 and 5 in 2016. The Ivorian made his international debut on the 11th January 2015 in a friendly against Nigeria. He was also called for the 2015 African Cup of Nations where he played a part in all six matches to help his team win the competition. The impact that a victory can have on a player is difficult to put into words but history shows that winning tournaments is crucial to the development of the players. Hopefully, winning the African Nations Cup will turn out to be a very important step in the Bailly’s career. All in all, given the fact that the player is new to the Premier League can make some fans nervous about the reliability of the defender, but so far it seems that the critics are being proven wrong. Bright starts to the Premier League do not always guarantee consistency and it is the attitude of the player which in the end makes the biggest difference. In fact, one has to look at former Reds players such as Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic to realise how their attitudes and willingness not to give up turned them from slow starters to legends at Manchester United. To conclude, the season so far is proving to be more challenging than many Manchester United supporters predicted, especially with the latest defeat on Turkish soil. This is especially true when considering that the Red Devils are already 8 points detached from top spot in the league. Having said this, rather than being pessimistic, one has to acknowledge that every project needs time and the project to turn the club into a winning club again is no exception.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

J. MICALLEF

Service Station & auto care Tal-Barrani Road, Żejtun

Tel: 2180 1493 • Mob: 9980 7932 • E-mail: zejtunss@jmicallefgroup.com.mt

Free Car Wash with every 7 washes

(when washed by attendant)

- Professional Car Valeting - Interior and Exterior Carwash - Car Wax & Polish - Odour Removal - Full Range of Car Accessories, Products, Ironmongery and Marine Products - ATM service - 24hrs self service Car Wash and Fuel - LPG service - Maltco Agent Opening Hours: Carwash and Shop Mon - Saturday - 7:00 - 18:00 Fuel : Mon - Friday - 6:30 - 18:00 & Saturday - 6:30 - 15:00

THE TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM (A LOOK AT MANCHESTER UNITED’S BACKROOM STAFF)

by Silvio Scicluna

t has become customary for managers to have a fixed backroom team with which to work and who will follow the main man wherever he goes, club after club. José Mourinho is no different and as soon as the manoeuvres started to replace the previous manager at United with the intention to hire him, the task automatically meant dispensing with the services of most of the previous manager’s assistants to make way for José’s trusted lieutenants. Here we will have a closer look at those people whom we constantly see at José’s side, be it on the bench or on the training pitches at Carrington. RUI FARIA – Assistant Manager Probably the man most synonymous with José Mourinho, the 41-year old Portuguese first caught the attention of José at Barcelona, and when he embarked on his first managerial post at Uniao de Leiria in 2002, he immediately hired Faria as his fitness coach. Since then, they have become inseparable and Faria has followed José to all the clubs he has managed and progressed from Fitness Coach to Assistant Coach to Assistant Manager. Mourinho has been on record saying that Faria is the man who understands him most and he sees him as his strategic right hand man. Although he’s a fairly reserved character who shuns the spotlight as most assistant managers do, he made the headlines in April 2014 when he was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean for aggressive behaviour and was subsequently charged by the FA for using abusive language. He had a rare moment in the spotlight recently when he replaced Mourinho in facing the media after the match when the latter was sent to the stands by Mark Clattenburg against Burnley at Old Trafford. SILVINO LOURO – Goalkeeping coach/Assistant coach The 57-year old Portuguese is another trusted member of Mourinho’s entourage and who has also been with him since the start of his managerial career. A goalkeeper in his playing days, he spent all his career in his homeland and represented his country at U21 and senior team level. Perhaps his most successful period in his playing career came at Benfica in the late eighties and early nineties where he appeared in two European

Cup finals. He also had a spell as Portugal’s national side goalkeeping coach between 2000 and 2002. Like Faria, he is a generally quiet and unassuming person but also with a tendency to be fiercely protective of his club and players and, like Faria, was also sent to the stands last season by referee Jon Moss when Chelsea played at West Ham. EMILIO ALVAREZ BLANCO – Goalkeeping coach The 44-year old is David De Gea’s former mentor from his early days at Atletico Madrid. He is reportedly the man who first believed the most in De Gea’s potential when he recommended the skinny 18-year old keeper to be made first choice to coach Quique Sanchez Flores. A close friend of Mourinho’s and De Gea’s agent Jorge Mendes, he is seen as a crucial member of the setup and in maintaining De Gea’s status as arguably the best goalkeeper around at the moment, as well as keeping Sergio Romero and Sam Johnstone in the best condition to be able to deputise when necessary. CARLOS LALIN – Fitness coach The 46-year old from Venezuela worked with Mourinho first at Real Madrid and followed him on to Chelsea and now to United. He is a highly respected fitness expert with a degree in physical education and a diploma in physiotherapy. He is tasked with keeping the players in optimal physical condition throughout the season and was reportedly the man who brought Chelsea’s Diego Costa back into shape after the Spaniard was seen to be struggling with weight issues early last season. RICARDO FORMOSINHO – Opposition scout With José Mourinho known for his attention to detail, he places g r ea t i m p o r ta n ce on analysing the opposition. Mourinho leaves nothing to chance and with the 60-year old Portuguese Formosinho, he knows that he can rest assured that all there is to know about the opposing team, as well as individual characteristics of

opposing players, will be available to him as the manager and to the players prior to each game. The pair first worked together at Porto in 2003/4 and met up again at Real Madrid and now at United. Like Faria, he had a rare moment in the news in the Burnley match at Old Trafford when he was seen ferrying scribbled instructions from Mourinho to the bench when José was sent to the stands. GIOVANNI CERRA – Video analyst Working closely with Formosinho, the Italian graduate is tasked with gathering the information from the scouting department and turning it into video analysis and info graphics which is then used by José and his coaches to devise game plans and statistical analysis. This allows the manager to work on specific set plays and individual player movements as per the upcoming opposition. Lately, Cerra was in the news when he was seen to be on the receiving end of José’s ire in the match against Fenerbahce at Old Trafford, apparently because the analysis and a specific part of the game plan for that match was not as it should have been. GARY WALKER – Sports scientist / Strength & Conditioning coach When the players trot out on to the pitch half an hour before each match for their warm-up, the man seen putting them through their paces is one of the few people from the previous regime retained by Mourinho. His role is crucial in helping the players maintain peak physical conditioning and devise sport science techniques and methods to help prevent injuries throughout the gruelling English football season. Walker is an affable character who is well liked by the players. So there we got to know a bit more about those guys in tracksuits which we so often see on match days but whose role in the setup of our beloved club we rarely take time to understand. Surely, the manager will always be the main man and the one who will grab the plaudits, but José Mourinho will be the first to admit that without the presence of trusted aides at a manager’s side, the continued progress of any football club would not be possible.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

paperclips Triq L-Imhallef Paolo Debono Msida MSD 2030

e printing High volum & ts requiremen y r e n o ti a st for all your email: emailpclips@gmail.com tel: (00356) 2131 0010 mob: (00356) 9999 0068

WHO WILL REPLACE

WAYNE ROONEY? P

ossibly, there has never been a Manchester United player which has been so keenly contested and debated so many times during his career at Old Trafford. When considering that Wayne is the current captain of the club, it is quite incredible. Before moving deeper into the discussion, it makes sense if we look at his statistics to date. They are impressive.

by Roderick Psaila

Club Appearances – Everton

Debuted in the Premier League in October 2002 at the age of 16

Goals - Everton

First goal scored aged 16, against Arsenal

Club Appearances – Manchester United

530

Has been at United for 12 years, averaging 44 games every season

Goals – Manchester United

247

3 goals away from taking over from Bobby Charlton as United highest ever goal scorer

International Appearances

119

Most capped outfield player, 6 short of Peter Shilton

International Goals

Highest goal scorer for England

After fifteen years at the top, there have been signs this season that Wayne’s performances have not reached the same levels of his career so far. Inevitably the media has been ruthless in its criticism, which is expected with Wayne being a Manchester United player and captain. Such criticism was experienced also when Wayne appeared for England lately, where even the fans expected more. As in several instances during his career, Wayne has split the opinion of the man in the street on whether he still deserves to remain captain of both club and country, or whether his time is up. In this article, I won’t even touch Wayne’s possible involvement with the national side. I am aware that the England shirt means a lot to Wayne, but I lost interest long ago and hence I am not the most knowledgeable to discuss such a topic. On the other hand, his role with United is an important topic for every United fan. Ensuing to Fergie’s retirement, Wayne spent the best part of the following three years with Moyes and Van Gaal switching from one position to another, always at the service of the team. He played as a main striker, behind the striker, as an attacking midfielder, as a deep lying midfielder and also on the flanks on numerous occasions. Mourinho has started the season with Wayne behind the main striker. Unfortunately for him and the team, it has largely not worked out

as expected and he has been relegated to the bench for the last few matches, as the Manager appears to still be looking for his best formation, and currently Mata, Rashford and Ibrahimovic are being preferred in the 4-3-3 formation fielded by Mourinho. Personally, I don’t agree with the selection of certain players ahead of Wayne. I have made my opinion clear in my previous article on Echoes with respect to my first eleven, so I won’t use much space here. Just to remind you though, that I picked Wayne Rooney in my first eleven there and he would still be in my team today. He might have lost a yard or two in explosive speed but Wayne makes up for that with his experience and knowledge of the game. Wayne Rooney is a manager’s dream on the pitch because you always get 100% from him and he can control and assist his team mates by giving them advice on the pitch, hence extending the influence of his manager during the match. Moreover, he still has the passion and desire to perform. So for me, it is premature to consider a Wayne Rooney succession plan, both as a United player and captain. In fact, I expect Wayne to bounce back very soon. Let’s however accept for the sake of this article that Wayne is at the fringes of his career. Who shall replace him as a player on the field? At the moment, it appears that his position is being filled by Juan Mata. Mata is doing well

in the team, after most of us expected him to be on his way out in the summer. However, a mixture of injuries to several players and Micki’s inability to adapt quickly to the Premiership has given Mata a chance in the team after starting the season on the bench, and fair play to him he has gone from strength to strength, thus repaying the Manager’s faith. He is not my favourite player and I continue to think that he is not suited for the Premiership. Certainly, at 28 years of age, he is not getting younger and is not the heir to Rooney. Micki is finding it difficult to settle to the league but I think he will find his feet soon and when he does, then I expect him to be one of the first names on the team sheet. Jesse Lingard is the most improved player in the United squad over the last year. He is on the fringe of the United first team and has forced his way into the England squad. If he continues this impressive development, there is nothing that would please me more than a local lad taking centre stage at Manchester United. Speaking about local lads, Marcus Rashford is the clear favourite to take over from Wayne. Rashford has shown great potential and his goal scoring exploits often rescued United last season. Although clearly not the finished article yet, there are striking similarities between Marcus’ and Wayne’s starts to their career. Wayne has been United’s captain for more than two years and he has always worn the armband with pride and passion. Frankly, I cannot identify one profile from the current crop of players who stands out as evident captaincy material. Carrick and Ibra can both do a good job in the immediate but not in the long term. The only two players who can grow into a United captain in my opinion are Paul Pogba and David De Gea. I think that Paul has the aura and proper mentality to mature into the position of captain and being able to lead team mates at such a big club. David has developed into a leader during these five years at the club and can also step in Wayne’s shoes with time, although most action at United takes place fifty metres up the pitch and this limits communication effectiveness during most matches.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

by Braden Galea

t is hard to kill hope, yet so easy to lose it. Hope is the virtue that keeps us going in the face of adversity. It is that thing that makes you stand up and fight for a better day when everything is going against you. The patch that our club is going through at the moment is rough to say the least, with the initial feel-good factor of the new manager starting to ebb and the reality of seemingly stronger clubs hitting us straight in the face. When the era of the great Sir Alex Ferguson drew to an inevitable close with the 20th league title, it was hard to accept that there would be a lull in additions to the trophy cabinet. We all hoped that another strong man could take over the reins and carry on winning.

Cup after twelve years of failure for Manchester United in the prestigious cup competition, and at least this way he can say that he has won a trophy in every country where he has managed. The manner in which Van Gaal was shown the exit door was brutal and it certainly ruined the FA Cup celebrations for him. Yet, when you have a candidate like Mourinho, with his glittering CV and promise of success, the club could not close its eyes and turn its head away. Just maybe it could have been more considerate and ethically humane towards a manager that with his own methods, boring football and all there is to criticise, steadied the ship after the rocky period of Moyes.

With the six-year contract handed to Scottish manager David Moyes, the club made a statement of intent towards stability. We hoped that with a fellow Scotsman in charge, and one that was handpicked by Fergie himself, things will remain like they were. Yet it turned out to be a hugely erratic decision. Moyes tried to steer a gigantic luxurious cruise ship the same way he had steered the yacht called Everton for 11 years. In hindsight, it is not a surprise that it did not work out. It affected the club critically with the lack of proper signings to balance the team, the wipe-out of a winning backroom team of dedicated staff members that had been at the club long enough to know it inside out, the death of the never-say-die attitude that made us fight for every point in the past until the very last minute, and consequentially missing out on the most prestigious European competition.

When Mourinho was officially confirmed, it was a matter of reading what was already known since his sacking by Chelsea in December. Mourinho was inevitably the type of man that United needed to target in order to guarantee success, or so was the illusion championed by the media. He was portrayed as the saviour that will come in and everything would work like Swiss clockwork and we would start a new golden era of success. We bought into this wholeheartedly. What we failed to see was that like any other appointment, Mourinho was a gamble: a well-studied, rational and expensive one, but a gamble nevertheless. As they say in financial news, the past is not a guarantee for future returns, and that is precisely what Mourinho’s CV is worth.

The stint of Van Gaal could not be prolonged beyond two years when Mourinho was waiting in the wings, but if we had to analyse the precise moment when it was certainly game over for the cocky Dutchman, it was when he said that Manchester United fans’ expectations are too high after a 5th place finish in the league table. It was a blatant admission of failure and that he was not up to the task. With the Portuguese waiting in the wings, such an admission is tantamount to managerial suicide. It could have ended worse for Van Gaal had he not won the FA

The club is a web of humans working together towards one common goal: winning. To win, all the new additions as well as the past squad players, including the youth elements, need to gel perfectly, adjust to each other’s playing style, forget the philosophy imposed by the previous manager and embrace fully the systems of the new manager and his staff. The new manager identified four players required to balance the team: Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ed Woodward bagged all of them successfully well before the crazy transfer deadline. Bailly slotted in perfectly and Zlatan was scoring. Pogba needs time to start

displaying his undoubted skills that can make him one of the best midfielders in the world, if not the best, for the good part of the next decade. Meanwhile, Mkhitaryan seems to be doing a Kagawa. There seems to be something wrong with players travelling between Dortmund and United, as both Kagawa and a loan outwards for Januzaj did not work out as planned. With the direction that the club is taking, spending record sums on players will become the norm. Success on the other hand needs to take the back-burner until elements click perfectly into place. In an ideal world, Mourinho would have come in and won the Premier League title in his first season. In the real world, such an event may happen or it may not, and it is too early to predict. Certainly, Manchester United just cannot afford another managerial casualty and need to believe that success will come with the current manager staying on for the foreseeable future. No matter how this season unfolds come May, Mourinho needs to stay long-term if we are to realistically have any chance of bringing back the glory days. It is in the interest of the media to foment unrest, partly because of the intrinsic hatred towards Manchester United and partly because such stories generate viewership and sales. The best weapon is to ignore them. What the media reports can be very far from the truth and usually the result of a hidden agenda, as shown on countless times including the recent United States Presidential Election. What remains for us supporters is hope. True supporters do not abandon their team during hardship. They stick by their manager believing that his methods will bring about success. They stick by their players believing that they are the right components of the team to achieve success. They stick by their club that has made them cheer their throats sore in the past and will make them cheer deliriously again in the future. They hope that winning once again becomes the norm and that the 21st title is not a long way off, and not even the 4th European one. They wait and they hope.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

The Barclays Premier League and the England national team Two different realities altogether by Antoine Dalli

time. Only last summer, England were knocked out from EURO 2016 by Iceland: a country the size of Leicester.

he Barclays Premier League is widely considered to be one of the Big Five European leagues, alongside the Spanish La Liga, the Italian Serie A, the German Bundesliga and the French Ligue 1. Statistics show that the Barclays Premier League is the most watched league around the globe and the latest TV rights contract generating a stunning £5.136 billion over three seasons commencing from the start of the current campaign clearly testifies the Barclays Premier League’s global reach. With the passage of time, the Barclays Premier League has become an absolute magnet for star players and more recently for topnotch coaches. Suffice to say that with the exceptions of Carlo Ancelotti (Bayern Munich), Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus) and Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid), practically all the best coaches are currently plying their trade in the Barclays Premier League.

against Chelsea in 2008, Manchester United (2009 – runners-up), Manchester United (2011 – runners-up) and Chelsea (2012 – winners). English clubs have been somewhat less successful in the UEAF Europa League. In fact, in UEFA’s second-tier club competition, Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea in 2013 have been the only successful English club since Liverpool overcame La Liga outfit Alaves 5-4 after extra time in the 2001 Final in Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. In 2010, Roy Hodgson’s Fulham were defeated by Atletico Madrid 1-2 after extra time in Hamburg whereas only last May, Liverpool were soundly beaten by Sevilla 3-1 in Basel. Previously, Arsenal (in 2000 were defeated by Galatasaray after a penalty shoot-out in Copenhagen) and Middlesbrough (were defeated by Sevilla 4-0 in Eindhoven) had also finished on the losing side in the Final of this competition, which at the time was still known UEFA Cup.

Fosun International’s takeover of Championship outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers last July confirmed that a staggering 57% of clubs in England’s top two divisions – Premier League and Championship – are either owned or led by foreign investors. Significantly, 14 of the current 20 Premier League clubs are foreignowned. The only exceptions are Mike Garlick of Burnley, Steve Gibson of Middlesbrough, Peter Coates of Stoke, Joe Lewis of Tottenham, Jeremy Peace of West Brom, and David Gold and David Sullivan of West Ham. But the Barclays Premier League is not just a huge financial success story. Between 2005 and 2012, the Barclays Premier League had at least one representative in seven of the eight Champions League Finals (the only exception being Inter’s triumph over Bayern Munich in 2010): Liverpool (2005 – winners), Arsenal (2006 – runners-up), Liverpool (2007 – runners-up), Manchester United won so far the only all-English UEFA Champions League final

20 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

In stark contrast, there is much less to say in terms of achievements attained by the England national team. In major tournaments, the Three Lions’ only moment of hurray came on home soil over five decades ago when they lifted the 1966 World Cup at the expense of Germany after extra time. Since then, England have been let down by its national team too many a

Since the English FA parted company with Sven Goran Eriksson a decade ago, the FA has systematically appointed the wrong manager. Under Steve McClaren England failed to reach EURO 2008. Fabio Capello’s appointment seemed promising but the Italian tactician failed to adapt himself to the English football culture after attaining huge success at club level with Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid. More recently, Roy Hodgson was inspiring in the qualifiers but was a complete flop at major tournaments as England failed to leave their mark in EURO 2012 and 2016 and in between finished bottom in Group D with one point to show from three outings against Italy (1-2), Uruguay (1-2) and Costa Rica (0-0) in the 2014 World Cup finals. The writing was on the wall ever since England appointed the controversial Sam Allardyce as national team coach last July. In the wake of allegations of malpractice, Big Sam, as he is popularly known, quit his post by mutual consent with the FA in September, having managed England for just 67 days and only one match (a 1-0 away win against Slovakia thanks to an Adam Lallana’s 95th minute strike in England’s first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup). In the last decade or so, apart from their embarrassing 1-2 setback against Iceland in EURO 2016, England have also failed to beat unfancied USA, Algeria, Costa Rica, Slovakia and Russia at major tournaments. Aside from appointing the wrong coach, many also accuse the English players that they lack passion and are not hungry for success when playing for the national team. The English players seem to give their best for their clubs but all too often disappoint in major international tournaments after a gruelling domestic league campaign. Recent efforts by the English FA to boost the number of home-grown players in the Barclays Premier League with a view to giving the national team coach a wider pool from where to pick up his squad is not leaving the desired results. The English clubs’ thirst to

obtain instant success means that they prefer to buy already tried and tested players, mostly foreign imports, rather than developing talent from within their own youth systems. Foreign imports have increased significantly in the last 10 Premier League seasons as a result of increased revenue mainly from TV rights. Needless to say that this has augmented the clubs’ financial muscle and nowadays, even clubs harbouring aspirations to avoid a bottom-three finish can afford to splash millions on new signings. To an extent, a £20M signing by an English Premier League club has nowadays become something customary. The increase in foreign imports from around the globe has also contributed to making the Barclays Premier League even more cosmopolitan and popular across the world and, at the same time, saw English players getting less and less chances to play regularly. For instance, on the opening day of the 2015/16 Premier League season, only 73 of the starting 220 players (33.18 per cent) were English. In contrast, in season 2014/15 on average half of the starters in the Bundesliga were German. In La Liga, 58 per cent of starters were Spanish players, in Ligue 1 56 per cent were French players and in the Serie A 43 per cent were Italian players. The England U-21 side, which is considered to be the feeder team for the national team, has not won the U-21 European championship since their back-to-back successes in 1982 and 1984. In 2007, England U-21 reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and two years later, they finished runners-up to Germany after suffering a 0-4 drubbing in the Final played in Malmo. In recent years, at U-17 level, England won the European Championship hosted by Malta in 2014.

show that English coaches are a dying breed. The last English manager to be crowned champion was Howard Wilkinson in 1991/92 – a year before the launch of the Premier League. At the start of the current season, Eddie Howe (Bournemouth), Sean Dyche (Burnley), Alan Pardew (Crystal Palace) and Mike Phelan (Hull City) were the only English managers in charge of Barclays Premier League clubs. Clearly, these English coaches are at the helm of clubs which at the most can only aspire for a trouble-free mid-table spot as the Premier League big guns are all under foreign influence. If the English FA were to insist on appointing an English coach in years to come, then their choice will become more and more restricted with the passage of time.

The Barclays Premier League and the England national team are two completely different realities. The English top flight is the best marketed and arguably the most exciting domestic European league in circulation. The high standards exacted by Premier League clubs translated into UEFA Champions League The English Premier League is not helping success up to some years ago. This trend the national team either when it comes to producing top calibre coaches. seems to have changed lately though. Output file.pdf 3 Statistics Friday/November25/2016 11:0108AM

The English national team reached its peak in 1966 and since then, the Three Lions have generally under-achieved at major tournaments. The only exceptions were their fourth place finish in the 1990 World Cup and reaching a semi-final spot in EURO 1996, which was played on home soil. Along the years, the FA has committed a myriad of mistakes in the way it has handled the national team, starting from the appointment of the wrong coaches. However, it is also true that the Premier League’s success has, over the years, had some nasty effects on the English national team. It seems crystal-clear that home-grown English players are not getting enough playing time and English coaches are getting a chance to prove themselves only by the smaller clubs. Unless the FA embarks on a trajectory to reverse this trend like Germany did for instance in the aftermath of their disastrous EURO 2000 campaign, then English players and coaches will become even more of a rare breed and the English national team will continue to let down its numerous supporters at major tournaments for years to come.

EXPLORE DIFFERENT FLAVOURS THIS CHRISTMAS

CMY

AVAILABLE FROM ALL LEADING SUPERMARKETS. TRADE ENQUIRIES: 2180 2554

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Situated on the Sliema seafront, L’Aroma restaurant is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Malta’s shopping centre. L’Aroma prides itself in the preparation of traditional Mediterranean cuisine using recipes passed down through the generations. The menu comprises a selection of

mouth-watering fresh ﬁsh, ﬁne meat cuts and pasta dishes all at a great value for money. One of the house specialities, the traditional rabbit dish, is regarded by many locals as the best in town. Whether for a relaxed dinner or a lazy lunch L’Aroma is a great spot to sit down, unwind and watch the world go by.

L’Aroma, 17 Għar il-Lembi Street Sliema t. 2131 7633 e. laroma.restaurant@maltanet.net

The best and worst of

2016

t is that time of the year when we look back at the year that has passed and in this year’s case, try to pick up the pieces.

against Stoke, Rashford’s goals against City (away) and West Ham (away in the Cup) come to mind.

The first match of 2016 was a 2-1 home-game against Swansea and the last match being taken into consideration here was another match against Swansea played on Sunday 6th November 2016 – a 3-1 win played out at the Liberty stadium.

But because of its importance, best goal has to go to Lingard’s strike at Wembley against Crystal Palace. Just 8 minutes left and a man down, the game had penalties written all over it, until Jesse Lingard popped up of course and out-of-nothing managed to conjure up a fantastic first-time volley that gave us the FA Cup.

In between United played 29 Premier League matches and another 18 matches in cup competitions including FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League and Community Shield. Significantly, United won only 55% of those 29 PL matches (16). That figure goes up slightly to almost 60% if cup competitions are included: a far cry to what used to be the norm in the past, to what we had gotten used to and also in return for the hefty investment made in the last 3 transfer windows. As 2016 comes to a close, we take a look at some of the best and worst moments that have characterised the past months: The best game: Manchester United 4 Leicester City 1 We cannot say we are spoilt for choice in this section, are we? The past year was consistently inconsistent with one thrilling match followed by some very poor abject displays. It was a case of one step forward, two steps backwards literally and looking back it is very difficult to find a match that has really stood out.

The worst goal to concede: going behind against Chelsea after 30 seconds It was not just a bad goal to concede – it was also one of the worst pieces of defending. Conceding after merely 30 seconds from kick-off, in my mind has just got to be either a bad mindset or else pure slackness. You simply cannot give your opponent that kind of advantage. Good teams will not forgive you and will not give you a way back to recover. That was what happened on October 23rd at Stamford Bridge. That goal led to a humiliating afternoon. Full stop. The best moment: Anthony Martial, Everton, FA Cup Semi-final Again, Lingard’s goal in the Final got us off our seats but the goal that got us to the Final in the first place rekindled inside us that special feeling which we had not felt for quite some time - stoppage-time winners. Martial’s winner at Wembley was pure class.

Worst game: Chelsea 4 Manchester United 0 It has got to be it. Going behind after barely 30 seconds in a crucial match is like committing football suicide. The players never recovered and it was only an exercise in damage limitation.

The worst moment: throwing away fourthplace at Upton Park On Tuesday 10 May, United went to West Ham knowing that fate was still in their hands in the race for fourth place. A win would have seen them leapfrog City with only one match left to be played. It happened to be West Ham’s last match at Upton Park. Before the match, the team’s bus was attacked by the Hammers’ fans causing a delay in kick-off. That should have inspired our players. It did not. West Ham came out quicker out of the blocks and took the lead. United managed to stay in it and did turn it around with two Martial goals in the second half. Could they hold on? No. West Ham were gifted 2 goals in the last 14 minutes and Manchester United had fallen short again.

The best goal: Jesse Lingard Quite a few contenders here - Martial’s goal

Best player: David De Gea No arguments here. David De Gea has given

The best game has to be the home match against Leicester. The football played in those first 45 minutes - albeit helped by some very poor defending by the Leicester City backline – was reminiscent of the best days. Freeflowing, fluid football was just what Old Trafford demands and that was when we thought the team was back to. We were wrong.

by Julian Tabone

us another fantastic year. For the third year running, he was voted as the Fans’ Player of the Year and he himself declared 2015/16 as his best. That form carried on in the new season. The fact that De Gea has not got the luxury of a settled back-four underlines what he has given the team. Long may he continue. Most disappointing player: Memphis Depay Arrived with a heavy price-tag and a big ego. Some say he is too good to stay on the bench. Some others say he is too young to be transferred as that may come back to haunt us, but he has to eradicate silly mistakes that can cause anger amongst fans. Last season he did it twice – away to Chelsea and away to Newcastle, he easily gave away the ball and United conceded and lost points. His last goal was last February in the Europa League against Midtjylland. He has clocked very few minutes since then. It is probable that he will be given more opportunities but he cannot afford not taking those opportunities. Biggest surprise: Marcus Rashford Had you heard about him this time last year? So much has happened for the young Mancunian since making his debut on February 25 against Midtjylland following coincidental circumstances that worked in his favour. Since then, he has amassed 32 appearances and scored 12 times. He is an exciting talent and he seems grounded too. He needs to be looked at over the long term, definitely, but the sky is the limit for young Rashford. Best chant: the boy who came from France (and it’s not Pogba) Every season, every transfer window seems to give us a new tune to entertain ourselves on the terraces or in pubs. I remember the tunes we had for Januzaj and for Kagawa which – for a very brief period of time - were very popular amongst United fans. This year however, that accolade in my opinion should go to Anthony Martial. Toni Martial, came from France – English press said he had no chance - 50 million down the drain – Toni Martial scores again. For days and weeks, following that FA Cup semi-final match against Everton and Martial’s stoppage–time winner, I could not get rid of this tune. I was singing it in the car on my way back home from work. I would sing it when I get home and I would sing it together with my 4-year old son, who picked up the tune straightaway.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Europa League Report by Kenneth Abela

reviously called the UEFA Cup, the competition has been renamed to UEFA Europa League in the 2009–10 season. It is an annual association football club competition between clubs that qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. The title has been won by 27 different clubs, 12 of which have won the title more than once. The most successful club in the competition and the current champions are Sevilla with five titles after defeating Liverpool in the final to win the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League, thus taking their third straight title and extending their current record of titles.

apparently dejected. Even more surprising was when Anthony Martial stepped up to take the second penalty instead of Rooney. It is not clear exactly why Rooney, needing just three more goals to match Sir Bobby Charlton’s record, passed up on those penalties. Although it didn’t have the slightest significance on the course of the night, the second talking point was the wonderful, sentimental moment at the end, when Robin van Persie stepped in ahead of Luke Shaw to convert a cross and put a ball into an Old Trafford net once again, while

After Matchday 4, Fiorentina need just a point to go through from Group J following a 3-0 win over Slovan Liberec at the Artemio Franchi Stadium. Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko scored twice as Roma beat Austria Vienna in the Europa League. The result took Roma back to the top of Group E with Astra holding Plzen in the other encounter. In Group F, Sassuolo remain top after they drew 2-2 at home against Rapid Vienna. The result means all four teams in the Group are now separated by a solitary point in the most contested Europa League group.

United were back in the UEFA Europa League last season, but were again eliminated in the Last 16 stage, this time by rivals Liverpool. This brings us to the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, the 46th season of Europe’s secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the eighth season since it was rebranded as UEFA Europa League. United qualified after finishing 5th in the Premier League last season.

Next up, Zorya at Old Trafford, and once again United managed just two shots on goal despite having 66% possession, eventually winning through an Ibrahimovic goal following a Rooney assist. United were much improved in their next match, also played at home, beating Fenerbahce 4 -1. That game had two main talking points. After being awarded a penalty, Rooney walked up to the penalty spot only to let Pogba take the penalty. After a short talk with Pogba, the Manchester United captain casually shrugged off his shoulders to let Pogba take the penalty and walked off

How are the other teams progressing? Starting from the other English club, on Matchday 4, Southampton secured a 2-1 win against Internazionale to stay on course to reach the Last 32 out of Group K. Southampton have seven points from four games. There are three other Italian teams competing: Roma, Fiorentina, and Sassuolo.

When in the season 2011/2012 United were eliminated in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League after losing to Basel, they made their first appearance in the Europa League. It was not a good first experience, United having been eliminated at the Last 16 stage, after losing to Athletic Club of Spain on a 5 -3 aggregate score.

United were drawn in Group A, with Feyenoord of Holland, Fenerbahce of Turkey, and Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine. They got off to a poor start in September, losing in Rotterdam to Feyenoord thanks to a 79th minute goal by Vilhena, managing just 2 shots on target with 53% possession.

Reds had 65% of the possession. The Turkish side took the lead inside two minutes with an overhead kick from Moussa Sow and Jeremain Lens curled in a free-kick on the hour mark to double their lead with Wayne Rooney scoring a late consolation goal. United are third in the table, a point behind leaders Fenerbahce and the team from Rotterdam following Feyenoord’s 1-1 draw at Zorya Luhansk.

Sir Alex Ferguson, watching with affection, smiled and clapped. Van Persie underplayed the celebration out of a respect for the place he had called “home” before the match. In his press conference, the manager gave this assessment: “I chose this team because I felt it was the one to win, because after such an intense game on Monday I felt that some of these players would be in better condition to perform. I will start thinking about Chelsea tomorrow. Am I happy with the performance? Yes. Happy with individual performances? Yes. I am happy with the result as well which is the most important thing, because the group is difficult.” However in spite of this result, United did not build on it and have managed to leave qualification out of Group A in the balance with a 2-1 defeat at Fenerbahce, even though the

What about the other teams? Russia’s Zenit St. Petersburg (Group D), Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk (Group H) and Germany’s Schalke 04 (Group I) were the only teams to have gathered full points (12) by Matchday 4 and are already through to the Last 16. Ajax are also through after beating Celta Vigo 3-2. With United’s final two games being against Feyenoord at Old Trafford, and then closing away to Zorya, United are still in with a good chance of joining these teams, considering also of course that the other teams in their Group need to face each other. The 2017 UEFA Europa League Final will be played on the 24th May 2017 at the Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden. The winners of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League will qualify for the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League, and also earn the right to play against the winners of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League in the 2017 UEFA Super Cup.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

PARTS

PROSECCO

PART

PARTS

APEROL

SODA

For more information about Aperol Spritz visit /aperolspritz.mlt Marketed and distributed by Farsons Beverage Imports Co Ltd. For trade enquiries please call 2381 4400.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

David Beckham by Norbert Bugeja “The best right foot in business.” – George Best. Can you get a better description of Becks? If Georgie Best said it, who are we to disagree. Just like George Best, Beckham was more than just a footballer. After the game against Benfica (not the 1968 final), George Best ran rings round everyone but what caught the headlines was the moment he emerged from the plane wearing a sombrero. He got nicknamed the 5th Beatle after that. Since that day, Georgie Best not only became one of the greatest footballers in the world but also the first football pop star. Beckham had a similar path: he didn’t only have football talent and played for Manchester United and other top football clubs, but also had looks and the marriage to Victoria Beckham was definitely a boost in raising his image. Therefore, Becks’ marketing value was also something precious to any club he played for.

and the number 7 was handed over to David Beckham. That season, United unfortunately lost the league to Arsenal and during the Euros, Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Simeone and, for a change, a Manchester United player was the scapegoat for an early England exit. But the season where Beckham had become the most hated personality in England was one of his best seasons ever. He scored an equaliser in the first game of the season against Leicester, United won the treble and Beckham finished runner-up to Rivaldo for the European Footballer of the Year award.

“It changed my life. The ball seemed to be in the air for hours and it all went quiet. Then the ball went in and it just erupted. I was on cloud nine. I just wanted to shake everybody’s hand and be out on the pitch for an hour.”- David Beckham on his goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon in August 1996 In that season United retained the title and Beckham won the Young Player of the Year. The following season Eric Cantona sadly retired

One thing I personally respect about Beckham is that he said that he would never join another English club if not Manchester United. He kept his word so apart from the good moments he gave us as United supporters, that’s something that shows how much he loved the club. So a football career came to an end but Beckham found ways to keep himself busy. Not that he wasn’t already busy before, but here’s what Becks did after retirement. Part of his LA Galaxy contract was that he had an option to buy an expansion team for 25 Million. He bought a team based in Miami on a condition that a stadium would be built. Back in 2005, the David Beckham Academy was opened but in 2009, the same academy closed down. Now Beckham is working on another academy project that would be a mobile one so that it would give opportunity to everyone in the UK.

So back to football, Becks joined United at the age of 14, joining the famous Class of ‘92 and later going on to win the Youth FA Cup. He made his debut in 1994 against Port Vale in the League Cup and on the 7th December he made his Champions League debut with a goal against Galatasaray, when United won 4-0 but that still wasn’t enough to qualify to the knock out phase. He later joined Preston North End on loan and on his return Ince, Hughes and Kanchelskis had left the club. The first league game of that season saw United losing 3-1 to Aston Villa and a certain Alan Hansen saying that “you can win nothing with kids”. We all know how the story ended: United won the double. But the defining moment when Beckham hit the spotlight was this:

and that was his final club as a footballer where he finished off with another league title. Beckham won 115 caps for England but no titles here as it has been ever since Cantona was born in 1966. The highlight from his England games was definitely the free kick against Greece in injury time which sent England to the World Cup. His commitment and work ethic was praised by all his coaches. He used to stay after training was over to practice free-kicks, something which definitely paid off when you look back at his career.

With Manchester United, Beckham won the following honours: 6 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 1 Champions League, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 2 Community Shields.

During his playing career, shirts and boot sales endorsed by David Beckham reached an estimated £1 billion. He has been a regular on various adverts for his own fragrance and many more brands. He had been doing charity work during his football career, this continued after his football career was over and he will definitely continue to do that.

He joined Real Madrid’s Galacticos in 2003, winning 1 La Liga and one Spanish Super Cup. In 2007, he joined L.A. Galaxy, a move many thought came too early since he had much more to offer to football, where he won 2 titles. In fact, during that time he had 2 loan spells at AC Milan, and on one occasion he also had an emotional return to United when Milan faced United at Old Trafford in the Champions League. In 2013, he joined Paris St. Germain

We want to wish David Beckham all the best for his future. If some big film director had written the story of David Beckham and produced a film, I am sure it wouldn’t have been as good as his real life. The story about the best right foot in football business, a man who kept his word of playing only for United in England and someone who won leagues everywhere he played. Thanks for the memories David. There’s only one David Beckham.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

MANCHESTER UNITED SUPPORTERS’ CLUB MEMBERSHIP CARD IS NOW ALSO A DISCOUNT CARD When presenting your Membership Card to these outlets:

incognito* unknown since 1974

10% Discount on A LA CARTE MENU

Alencia Jewellers Triq il-Htajriet, Mosta:

20% discount on Silver Jewellery, silverware, pearls, crystal 30% discount on yellow gold and white gold No discounts given on brand watches.

10% Discount on any Gold Card purchased

K-Optics

10% Discount (does not apply to contact lenses and solutions and also to discounted /sale items)

20% Discount Tel: 7984 3204 5% Discount for purchases over € 50 10% Discount for purchases over € 100

Tal-Familja Restaurant

10% Discount on presentation of membership card

10% Discount (excluding Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch)

451 & 453, Fleur de Lys Road, Birkirkara 156A, The Strand Gzira 30% discount on engagement rings 10% discount on silver jewellery 10-20% discount on silver ornaments Also various discounts on gold jewellery

10% Discount (terms and conditions apply)

Old Trafford Stationery

JJ SCERRI CO. LTD.

12% Discount on over €50 spent (Terms and conditions apply)

Importers & Distributors of Electrical Appliances and Household Goods

Centro Casalinga

15% Discount on all small electric home appliances 10% Discount on all white goods

Montaldo Insurance Agency Ltd

10% Discount except public holidays

10% Discount on all Insurances to club members

Tal-Barklor Restaurant 5% Discount on total bill (Excluding Public Holidays)

10% Discount on total bill (Does not apply for on Sale items)

10% Discount (terms and conditions apply)

10% Discount on direct bookings only.

5% Discount on total bill

These offers are not to be benefited from in conjunction with any other that the shop may have from time to time. Therefore if a particular establishment has an offer on already on a particular product or service, the Discount Scheme shall not apply to that product or service.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

Emanuel s Bakery A variety of 13 Pizzas to choose from made with Maltese Bread Dough using local products and baked in a wood fired oven. Mill Street Qormi Tel: 21482239 Mob: 79276236

Menu available on Facebook Opening days Tue. to Sun. 17.30-22.30

Fergie’s First 7 Years with Manchester United by John Calleja

Pre-United in brief Towards the end of his playing days, Fergie started working as a coach, eventually becoming manager of East Sterling and then St Mirren, from where he moved to Aberdeen. At Aberdeen, he proved to be a great success, which included 3 Scottish League titles, 4 Scottish Cups and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983. On the death of Jock Stein, he was appointed manager of Scotland in 1986, and took the Scots to the World Cup. At Manchester United The 6th November 1986 saw Ferguson move to United: a period which lasted 26 years, which saw him win 13 Premier Leagues, 5 FA Cups and 2 Champions Leagues. He retired after the 2012-13 season with the Barclays Premier League title honour. In his first season, his first priority was discipline, as he was very worried about the players’ lack of fitness and their drinking habits, especially those of Norman Whiteside, Paul McGrath and Bryan Robson. His first game ended in a 2- 0 defeat to Oxford United, followed by a 0-0 draw against Norwich. His first win was a 1-0 victory against QPR on 22nd November. When Fergie took over, United were second from bottom, but United finished the season in a then-satisfactory 11th place. In 1987-88, Fergie signed Steve Bruce, Viv Anderson, Brian McClair and Jim Leighton. The progress was evident, as United finished as runners-up after losing only 5 games and

drawing 12, but the 9 points gap behind Champions Liverpool showed that there was still a lot of hard work to be done. A unique fact about this season is that when United played a friendly match against Somerset, Fergie actually played: his first and only appearance as a Manchester United player. In 1988-89, with the return of Mark Hughes, expectations were on a high, but the end was a disappointment, as United only managed an 11th place finish, also losing in the FA Cup Sixth Round to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. The season had begun badly, with a winless 9 matches run in October and November. In 1989/90, United forked out big sums of money, to sign up Neil Webb, Mike Phelan, Paul Ince, Gary Pallister and Danny Wallace. United began with a bang, a 4-1 victory against Champions Arsenal, but in September were humiliated by City to the tune of 5-1. A banner was shown at Old Trafford with the words “3 years of excuses, and it’s still crap”. Some supporters and journalists actually wanted Fergie dismissed as United just finished outside the relegation zone, but luckily, the club directors never even considered the idea. United had a 7-match winless streak but made up for it by winning the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace 1-0 in a replayed match, after the original final had ended with the score tied at 3-3. It was Fergie’s first honour, and many claim it was the reason why his services were retained. In 1990/91, United’s form improved, but

their inconsistency saw them finishing 6th. Inconsistency ranged from an amazing 6-2 win at Highbury, to a 2-1 defeat against promoted Sunderland, but it was all smiles and back slapping at the end, with success over Barcelona, 2-1 with both goals scored by Hughes, in the Final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. Meanwhile, Brian Kidd was promoted to Assistant Manager, in place of Knox who went to Rangers. Fergie signed Peter Schmeichel and Paul Parker, Ryan Giggs had his breakthrough and another signing was Andrei Kanchelskis. The 1991-92 season, however, did not live up to expectations for the much-awaited league championship. On the positive side, United won the League Cup and the UEFA Super Cup, for the first time, but the championship went to rivals Leeds United. After failure to sign Alan Shearer and David Hirst, Fergie opted for Dion Dublin. In the 7th season 1992/93, in the beginning of November, United were in 10th place, and it looked as if United would miss again in what now had become the English Premier League, but after buying Eric Cantona from Leeds, for 1.2 million pounds, things suddenly started to brighten up. The King struck up a great partnership with Mark Hughes, culminating in winning the championship (first English Premier League), a full 10 points above runners-up Aston Villa. At last, we were Champions again. After an agonising 26 years, it was a success which opened the floodgates for future years.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

YOUR FIRST STEP

start on remax-malta.com

Buying your first home is one of the hardest decisions you will ever take. At RE/MAX Malta, our sales associates are trained to provide you with market knowledge, support and assistance so that you may take a better decision for you and your future family. Take your first step - contact us today! RE/MAX: A Passionate, reliable and a wise property solution for you.

2015 6800

info@remax-malta.com

RE/MAX Associates are direct contributors of the RE/MAX & Friends Foundation Fund (VO/1019) which focuses on helping children in special circumstances.

CHEATERS! by Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante

he venue on the 5th October 2015 was the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall. Representatives from the sporting world – athletes and competitors at all levels and of all ages and abilities – along with coaches, owners, managers, corporate sponsors and experts in fields ranging from sports medicine and psychology to training, discipline, education and formation, gathered together for discussions with leaders from the world’s great religious traditions to discuss how sport can be in the service of humanity.

Marked with music, dancing, acrobatic martial arts and personal testimonies by athletes, the ceremony was attended by hundreds of conference participants and special guests, including Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby and representatives of major religions. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach also attended the opening ceremony. Chinese pianist Lang Lang provided

It was the opening of a conference which stretched over the following three days, organised and sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture and founding partner Allianz. The objective was to foster successfully over the long term a worldwide movement that will enrich lives by helping people, through sport, to build trust and learn cooperation, foster friendship, live healthy lives, and have fun. The issue of the conference was to finally launch a movement called the Humanity Sports Club. This movement is to target the use of sports to help people develop life skills and the values of respect, compassion and love. The event began with Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero entering on stage, juggling a football. Alessandro Del Piero is widely regarded by players, pundits and managers as one of the greatest players of his generation and as one of the best Italian players of all time.

musical interludes and a concert following the opening event.

Italian Paralympic runner Giusy (Giuseppina) Versace sprinted down the corridors to the stage on her prosthetic running blades. She represented Italy at the European Paralympic Championships in 2016, winning silver and bronze medals in athletics.

We are generally aware of certain recent claims that continue to dog the world of sport. These include alleged corruption in football, as well as doping in cycling and athletics. During that opening ceremony, Pope Francis delivered a speech. He is acknowledged also as a follower

of sports and football. His message was loud and clear:

“DO NOT CHEAT PEOPLE OUT OF THE JOY OF SPORT!” In his talk, he referred to the campaign led by the United Nations to “fight against the cancer of corruption in all areas of society”. He challenged the sports world to fend off corrupt and manipulative practices and to uphold the values of honesty, fairness and transparency. “It would be sad for sport and for humanity if people were unable to trust in the truth of sporting results, or if cynicism and disenchantment were to drown out enthusiasm or joyful and unselfish participation”. He challenged representatives of sport and sponsors to strive to maintain the honesty of sport and protect it from “manipulations and commercial abuse”. “In sport as well as in life, competing for the result is important, but playing well and fairly is even more important”. Sport brings us together, teaches positive values and enriches our lives. Sport is a passion. It brings together people from all walks of life. And whether you’re playing, supporting or coaching, this shared love of sport can help change the game and have a positive impact both on and off the sports field. “When people strive to create a society that is fairer and transparent, they would be collaborating with the work of God Himself”. The Pope recalled how children found a way to have fun even with an old deflated ball or one made simply of rags. He encourages everyone, even religious communities, to make sure that all children “can take up sport in circumstances of dignity”.

Join us on MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

www.twitter.com/manutd_malta VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

AVAILABLE FROM ALL LEADING HAIRDRESSING SALONS

NEW

Trade Enquiries: F. Glanville Enterprises Limited 87-89-91A Ganu Street, Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kara BKR1104, Malta Tel: +356 21 472681 Fax: +356 21 472682

Appliances Built Around you

Parish priest Mifsud Street, St.Venera SVR 1853 T: 21250980/1/2 - 21233566 f:21235942 sales@jjscerri.com / www.centrocasalinga.com

United and the busy Christmas Period

by Alan Abela-Wadge

hat will you be doing this Boxing Day? I’m sure that if you’re reading this article, then the answer is that at 4pm you’re going to be on your comfortable sofa watching the mighty Manchester United taking on Sunderland. Manchester United always had an affinity with the Christmas period. It seems that although most players hate it, the fans love games during this beautiful time of the year. Most people would take time off during Christmas, they will decorate their homes, buy presents for children, cook lovely food and wear cozy jumpers to battle the cold, however if you’re a Premier League star then most probably you will be playing football. English football is one of the only leagues in the world where there’s no festive break. Although it has been heavily criticized by many manages across the globe, it seems to be part of the English footballing DNA to deliver the spectacle of the beautiful game during the most beautiful time of the year! Manchester United is the most successful club on Boxing Day in the Premier League era. We managed to win 18 out of the last 20 games (we even managed to win with David Moyes in charge). Yet, do not take it for granted, fast-forward to last season and you might easily remember the drabbing affair we had against Stoke on that cold day when Arnautovic and Bojan piled further pressure on Louis van Gaal when they managed to beat Man Utd 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium. However if we forget that dreadful afternoon, Man Utd have a pretty decent record and we can look forward to a lively match against struggling Sunderland which are currently managed by the already mentioned David Moyes. The festive season is surely a very hectic period for any club in the Premier League. If we had to focus solely on Man Utd, in

December we will be playing 7 games, with an average of a game every 3 day. We open the month with a game against Everton: surely a difficult team to break down and that on a good day can beat anyone. A team which is on par with United points wise and it will surely be a very difficult game for the Reds. Three days later, United will take on Zorya Luhansk: a team that although on paper we should be much better than them, it was a hard fought 1-0 victory when we played them at home in September. I’m predicting an even more difficult game this time round, however all in all I trust that Manchester United should be good enough to beat them away from home as well. Another two games every three days follow, when United take on Spurs at home and three days later Crystal Palace in London. Tottenham are having another very good season, in fact I dare to say that in my humble opinion they play the nicest football out of all Premier League teams. Spurs can break down and beat any team at any given day so United need to be on top form if they are to get away with anything from this match. As we said, three days after Tottenham we will take on Crystal Palace away from home in London. I believe that this should be an easy win for United. Palace aren’t’ doing really well at the moment and United will know that they can’t drop points from this one as this is the last game before Christmas so they will try to do their best to give an early Christmas present to their faithful supporters. What follows is a 9 day break. This will definitely be a well-earned break for the Reds as what follows is definitely an even more intense few days. The United players will surely get to celebrate Christmas slightly earlier during these 9 days and then they need to focus all their energy so that on Boxing Day they take on Sunderland. Yet again, another must-win. David Moyes will be itching to get one

over his previous employers. This will be the first time that Moyes will be leading a team against Man Utd after he was unceremoniously sacked by United in April 2014 after he failed to qualify to the UEFA Champions League. Although the team that Mourinho will field against Sunderland is totally different from the team that David Moyes managed, Moyes will still feel that he knows United all too well. It will certainly be interesting to see what type of reception he receives, that’s for sure! Five days later, Man Utd will take on Middlesbrough at home: another mustwin for United. That will lead us to the game on the 2nd of January, which is an away encounter against West Ham. Funnily enough, it will be the 3rd time we’re playing West Ham since the 27th of November, twice in the league and once in the EFL Cup. As you can see, United have quite a tough ride in the festive season. Then again, I’m pretty sure that we will be celebrating come Christmas due to the Reds’ performances. We can only hope that over the Christmas period, all of our players remain fit and we can only cross our fingers and hope that the likes of Mkhitaryan and Rooney find their shooting boots and their form as soon possible. If all our players remain fit and most of the players find their top form, I’m pretty sure that Christmas can be that time that give Mourinho’s men the boost that they need in order to kickstart their season. One thing is for certain: if Man Utd manages to get out of the festive season with a good amount of points it can surely set United well on course for the rest of season. Mourinho is a manager that he tends to win much more in the 2nd half of the season than the first half. Let’s just hope that the positive trend continues! May I take this opportunity to wish all the readers of Echoes and your families a lovely Christmas period and a Happy New Year!

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

OLIVER REED’S LAST PUB.

MALTA’S MOST RENOWNED HOLE IN THE WALL. ARCHBISHOP STR • VALLETTA • MALTA

Champions League Nights Magic at the San Siro

by Michael Calleja

arch 17th, 1999 will be forever etched in United fans’ memories as the night the Red Devils secured a vital semi-final spot in the famous 1998-99 Champions League campaign. It wasn’t just the manner of the draw which pleased fans [scoring in the 88th minute] but the fact that United had eliminated a European ‘giant’ made the qualification so much sweeter. United had kicked-off the 1998-90 Champions League campaign by seeing off LKS Lodz in a play-off (2-0 at home and 0-0 away) before being pitted against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Brondby in the Group stages. All fans will remember the titanic struggles against the Spanish and German giants but United had managed to safely qualify to the knock-out stages once again. Their task was certainly a daunting one as they were paired with Inter Milan – boasting the likes of Roberto Baggio, Diego Simeone, Ivan Zamorano and of course Ronaldo. Facing Italian teams had always been a problem for Manchester United. The Red Devils were comprehensively outplayed by Juventus in 1996 and Sir Alex Ferguson was particularly fearful of Italian teams’ sudden change of speed and counter attacks. Going into the tie against Inter, the Italians were certainly ‘on paper’ favourites to progress. United had been eliminated by Monaco the previous season in the Quarter finals and few expected the Red Devils to progress against a team which boasted an array of stars and talents. Moreover, Inter would be facing United at the San Siro in the second leg giving them a slight psychological advantage.

In typical United fashion, the Red Devils took it to Inter Milan and rattled the Italians throughout the opening 45 minutes at Old Trafford. Who can forget Dwight Yorke’s two great headers in the first half which all but condemned the Nerazzurri to defeat? Inter duly fought back but found Peter Schmeichel and Jaap Stam in impervious form whilst Henning Berg cleared a shot off the line ensuring the Reds kept a vital clean sheet heading to Italy. The Second leg would prove to be crucial and decisive. Sir Alex Ferguson would later confess that United were somehow aided by the fact that the mercurial Ronaldo was not on form. He witnessed the Brazilian standing in the tunnel before the game looking at the floor and in an obvious state of distress – caused by injuries and other problems. This would obviously prove critical in helping United see off the Italians. Nevertheless, a cauldron of flares greeted the Reds as they stepped onto the San Siro pitch. This was certainly a big game for United and it would test the Reds one hundred per cent. It goes without saying that with home advantage making a difference, Inter pressed and harassed United ensuring the Red Devils would have to sit back and defend resolutely for most of the game. Henning Berg and Jaap Stam were once again incredible on the night with the Norwegian in particular in outstanding form. As Sir Alex often said: ‘United always make it hard for themselves’ and that was certainly the case when on 63’ minutes, Nicola Ventola capitalized on a Roy Keane error to make it 1-0

to Inter Milan. With plenty of game-time left and Inter on the attack, it seemed inevitable that the Italians would get that all elusive second goal. Zanetti and Moriero both came close to scoring, but the best opportunity to equalise fell to Ze Elias eight minutes from time, who dragged a left-foot shot wide with the goal at his mercy! What a relief for all United fans worldwide! That missed opportunity seemed to give United an added edge as the football gods seemed to be smiling on the Old Trafford faithful. Two minutes from time, some good play on the right led to Gary Neville sending in a great cross which was headed by Andy Cole into the path of Paul Scholes. Ever the poacher and clinical finisher, Scholes sent the ball in the back of the net past the hapless Gianluca Pagliuca. Fans and management went berserk [as seen in the video replays – just look at Sir Alex’s reaction] as United had knocked out a European giant en route to eventual Champions League glory! Once the whistle went, United celebrated whilst fans breathed a huge sigh of relief. The Reds had done it – they’d knocked out one of the favourites and ensured they’d remained on the path of the glory. In his postmatch comments, United director Sir Bobby Charlton would state: ‘I hope United win the competition. I hope. I hope. If it’s not this year it will be soon but if we get a bit of luck and stay reasonably free of injuries, we can give it a good shot’. Sir Bobby’s words would prove to be prophetic as we all know what happened next but that glorious night at the San Siro will certainly never be forgotten!

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

My First Trip to Old Trafford by Daniel Cuschieri ‘Champions of England, Champions of Europe, Champions of the World’

the tour guide gives you shows the positive attitude towards giving stellar service to visiting fans. The tour lasted around forty five minutes and I got my photos. You get to see things in the museum that other fans do not get to see, let alone be within touching distance. Examples would be a Premiership trophy or the Club World Cup trophy. During the tour, the weather was pleasant, slightly warmer than the previous day. Once I left the stadium it began to snow, where the next day a record snowfall fell on the UK.

hose words were music to my ear. I have been a Manchester United fan for as long as I remember, and after countless visits to the UK to visit family, towards the end of 2008, I decided it was time to visit Old Trafford. It was one of my dreams as a boy and after numerous visits, I still get goose bumps once I arrive close to the stadium. Personal commitments were sorted and I decided to go watch the match against Everton. Games against Everton have always been good matches not only for results but also as entertainment. The match was due to be played in January and after a few scares, the date of the game was confirmed due to it being subject to change and it depended on the FA Cup match between Liverpool and Everton which ended in a draw. I arrived in England a week before the game and was full of butterflies. I hadn’t visited the country in nearly nine years. I stayed with my relatives in Newcastle and on match day drove down to Manchester. Excited as I was, I mistakenly changed the lock on my suitcase and couldn’t get the tickets out of the suitcase, but somehow I managed to get the tickets out and my relatives and I hit the road. It was a long three and an half drive to Manchester. We left early in the morning to be there slightly early to check into our hotel and also so that we could get a glimpse of the atmosphere before the match.

I got through the turnstiles. I was in awe: the size, the floodlights and also the team. It was freezing and I had a coat on and my kit underneath, which didn’t get to the see the light of day. The names were called out and the team at that time were the Champions of world. The team on paper was full of superstars, and we played like superstars. The frontline was petrifying consisting of Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov and Ronaldo, the backline was rock solid with Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra and Van Der Sar. The ‘Rocky’ theme blasted as the players left the tunnel and it was game time. The match was tightly contested and was won by United down to a penalty scored by Ronaldo. I felt that with every attack, we could score with the firepower we had. However, Tim Howard had a good game and we hit the post in the first half. Due to Ronaldo’s behaviour during the summer and due to the fact that he wasn’t celebrating when scoring led to me beginning to resent him. Deep down I wanted to watch the best player on the planet and he didn’t disappoint. At one point during the match, he was up against Leighton Baines and he literally buried him with one of his trademark step-overs. During the match, I notice how organized everything was, starting from entering the stadium, buying something from the bar or even just visiting the men’s room.

We drove down the A1 and it was a drive which made me really appreciate the English countryside, while listening to the sports on the radio. With every mile that we covered, my heart started to beat even faster. We arrived in Manchester at around 4pm, checked into the hotel and dashed off to the stadium by taxi. As soon I got a glimpse of the red neon lights bearing the name ‘Manchester United’ I breathed a sigh of relief. My dream had come true. I bought my match programme, which now has become a habit, and I have a mini collection of match programmes of matches I have attended.

This holiday was something I wanted to tell my dad about once I got back to Malta. I have visited Old Trafford every year since my first visit. Visiting Old Trafford is my vice and my year would not be complete without me going to watch a match. For fans which have never gone to watch a match, I would sincerely recommend the experience. It is not just a game of football but an experience that one would cherish for life. Ever since that visit, we haven’t had a squad that was as strong as that one, so to an extent I believe I have witnessed one of the finest Manchester United teams on my first visit. Every visit has been different but those words were only spoken at Old Trafford, and fans of other clubs around England must remember them and realize that they have never heard them at their own stadium: ‘Champions of England, Champions of Europe, Champions of the World’

The match ended and I had a forty five minute walk to the hotel due to the traffic post match. I managed to watch the match with the help of MUSC Malta and I will always recommend assistance from the Supporters Club in Malta regarding watching any Manchester United match. The next day I went to visit the museum and did the stadium tour. The level of detail that VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Manchester United Merchandise are available from: Eurosport - Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kara | Paola Adidas - Baystreet | The Point | The Duke, Gozo For further enquiries please call on 23859260. Find us on Facebook: Eurosport Malta

You can now also shop online: WWW.EUROSPORT.COM.MT

MANCHESTER UNITED UNITED AT WAR – 1944-45

by Iain McCartney Part 2

ife was still a far cry from that of just a few years previously, although those years had begun to seem like a lifetime. There were, however, slivers of light beginning to seep through at the end of that dark, dismal, and haunting tunnel, whose walls were etched with a thousand memories of what had been.

earlier. Thanks to the generosity of neighbours City, Maine Road could still be called ‘home’. But the dreams of returning to the banks of the ship canal remained only that. There were no possible dates pencilled in for that return, a homecoming of sorts. Like much else, it was simply a case of wait and see.

The homeless, but not quite destitute, Manchester United were, like other troubled clubs and indeed whole families, living on a simple day to day, week to week basis, tolerating the present, but longing for those better, happier days which were surely to reappear in the hoped for, not too distant future.

Of all the war-time seasons, 1944-45, which kicked off for United at Goodison Park on August 26th with a 2-1 victory, holds more significance than any other due to the events that were to unfold as one year blended into another. But following the goals from Mycock and Currier on Merseyside, Everton obtained revenge a week later, winning 3-1, thus setting something of pattern in the opening half of this new campaign, with only two clubs, Tranmere and Crewe successfully defeated both home and away.

Old Trafford was still a foreboding place to visit, a mere shell, compared to the lavish stadium it was when it first opened over three decades

Compared to the team that had finished the previous season, the team showed numerous changes, with those opening fixtures conjuring up the unknown names of Currier, Mycock, McInnes, Bartholomew, Makin, Johnson, Woodcock, Dougan, Capper, Freer, Chadwick and Briggs. The stalwarts in Walton,Warner, Whalley and Bryant were still there, but alongside the ‘unknowns’ were other new faces such as goalkeeper Jack Crompton and half-back cum inside-forward Henry Cockburn.

In the ten fixtures played between that opening Saturday afternoon and October 28th, only four victories were achieved, but if points didn’t come easily over the course of each ninety minutes, then goals were certainly not a similar problem. The seven in the opening pair of fixtures against Everton were equalled at ‘home’ to Stockport County, United losing by the odd goal, while seven days later Stockport again scored four, but on this occasion United manged to score one more than the previous Saturday, earning a point from the 4-4 draw. Ten were scored in the two games against Bury – a 2-2 draw at Maine Road and a 4-2 defeat at Gigg Lane, but the two games against Chester were certainly less productive with a 2-0 defeat away and a meagre 1-0 win at home. But the month came to a close with the nets once again bulging and the supporters getting value for money with Tranmere Rovers hammered 6-1 at ‘home’ and then defeated 4-2 on their own ground.

Like goals, overall attendances were also on the up. While last season around 5,000 watched the two games against Stockport, this seasons fixtures pulled in 14,000. The two games against Liverpool did attract 6,000 less, but the Maine Road double-header saw an increase of some 15,000. Such increases benefitted City as much as United, but there was nothing like playing in your own familiar back yard, watching your own bank balance growing fat and with thoughts constantly drifting back to those happy days

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Why hassle! We’ll deliver straight to your home, office or boat Call before 10 am for same day delivery • Min €35 spend

AL SPECEI R OFF and get 5

s €100 Spend L) soft drink .5 1 f ( o free e packs or 3 fre l water Krista

St. Julians - The Mall, Park Towers • call 2137 8520 or stj@myparktowers.com Santa Venera - Psaila Street • call 2148 0807 or stv@myparktowers.com

of old, the United directors were given something of an early Christmas present in midNovember when the War Commission wrote to the club to say that they considered Old Trafford â&#x20AC;&#x153;not to be a total lossâ&#x20AC;?, but that it would still be many months before any work could be started on the damaged ground. As Christmas approached, the government announced that there would be no leave for any personnel in the services over the festive period and that Boxing Day would be recognised as a holiday, allowing workers to attend games. Good news for the man on the street, but not for team managers, who had fixtures on both Christmas and Boxing Day to find teams for. Thankfully the Christmas Day fixture was at nearby Oldham, as the game lasted a mere twenty-three minutes before being abandoned, while the visit to Bramhall Lane Sheffield saw a vastly different line-up than the one that played in the last completed fixture against Wrexham on December 23rd, with half a dozen changes. As in the past, the turn of the year saw the League competition evolve into the League Cup Qualifying competition and it was hoped that United could finish in a better position, as they were thirtieth, which in effect was midtable, with only eighteen points from the same number of games. 6,617 witnessed the 4-3 win at Oldham on

December 30th which kick-started this second championship or Cup Qualifier, then a 1-0 win and a 2-2 draw against Huddersfield took us into February. Prior to the match against City on the 3rd of that month, both clubs were presented with new sets of jerseys by Brigadier T.V. Rogers CBE, thanks to the contributions made by some fifty-one soldiers stationed in India and organised by Sergeant D. M. Shepherd. Those new shirts helped little as City won both fixtures 3-1 and 2-0. Nine days after the second of those defeats, United announced that they had a new manager, a certain Matt Busby. It was no sudden decision, as some three years earlier, Chairman James Gibson had made up his mind that the former City player, currently on the books of Liverpool was the man he wanted. Gibson was friendly with a Captain Bill Williams, sports officer for the Southern Command, who had the best players in British football at his disposal and during a late night chat in Penny Cottage, near Cranborne Dorset, Gibson asked his friend to recommend someone who might be suitable to be manager of his club. Williams suggested Busby and it was arranged for the player to play a few games for Bournemouth early in 1942. Although Gibson made up his mind after watching Busby play at Deane Court, no moves were, nor could be, made until the war was coming to an end. So, early in 1945, Williams got back in touch with Gibson to say that Busby was due for de-mob and any approach should be made VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Our reputation for reliability and trust comes from over 1000 customers serviced in just over 12 months. We’re Express Logigroup and we create industry freight solutions. We operate a lean, non-bureaucratic organization so our customers may truly feel that we’re partners in business. Jonathan Vella CEO

We’ll load it.

We’ll move it.

We’ll keep it simple.

…no package size or weight limitations !

attendance slightly lower at 31,728. Opponents in that semi-final were Chesterfield and in the Maine Road first leg, they managed to hold the freescoring United to 1-1 draw. McDougall’s solitary goal in the 1-0 second leg win was enough to take United through to the Final, where nearby neighbours Bolton Wanderers provided the opposition.

now, as other clubs, such as Reading and Ayr United, not to mention the team he was still attached to – Liverpool, were after his services. Louis Rocca, who knew Busby, was told to make contact and for the first time Matt Busby knew of United’s interest.

Away in the first leg on March 19th, 40,000 saw United lose to a solitary goal in a closely fought encounter, but many felt that the score line could be overturned at Maine Road a week later. United did manage to score twice, but unfortunately so did Bolton, matching United stride for stride and claiming the trophy.

After speaking to Liverpool, Busby agreed a three year, £750 a year contract, but it would not be until October that he would take over his new position. A run of seven wins out of eight as March moved into April boosted confidence as well as attendances, with the League Cup North fixtures which began with a 7-2 aggregate win over Burnley, followed by an even more emphatic 10-2 home and away success against Stoke City seeing attendances soar to something of a pre-war level, with 25,523 present at Maine Road for the 4-0 win over Burnley, while an astounding 45,616 turned

up for the 6-1 hammering of Stoke City. The 3-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers on April 28th, which gave United a 5-2 passage into the semi-finals was watched by an

Despite that defeat, there was much to look forward to, especially the forthcoming arrival of Matt Busby, but more importantly, the end of the hostilities in Europe. That light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to shine ever more brightly.

Cafeteria - Breakfast and Brunch -Pizzeria - Bar

St Nicholas Square, Siġġiewi papasandsons@gmail.com

find us on facebook 2146 5465 

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

48 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

The rise and fall of

Wayne Rooney by Robert Mizzi

ew, if any, football supporters across the world have not heard the name of Wayne Rooney. For us United supporters, he has been a point of discussion ever since he joined 12 years ago and to a certain extent, he has attracted media attention more than any other United player ever since Ronaldo made his move to Real Madrid a few years back. Wayne Mark Rooney was born on the 25 October 1985 and started his youth career with Everton FC Reserves and Academy in 1996. He made his way to the U-19 squad at the age of 15 and helped his team advance to the 2002 FA Youth Cup final where they were beaten by Aston Villa. He made his senior debut with Everton aged 16, on the opening day of the 2002/03 campaign against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park. Rooney became Everton’s youngest ever goal scorer when he netted against Wrexham in the Worthington Cup. His first Premier League goal was a scorcher against Arsenal - the road to stardom had begun. After 48 appearances and 17 goals for Everton’s first team, Manchester United signed Rooney for £25.6 million in the 2004 summer transfer window. His United debut will be remembered for the formidable hattrick he had scored in a 6-2 demolition of Fenerbahce in a Champions League tie at Old Trafford. This, despite United fielding the likes Kleberson and Djemba-Djemba...how times have changed, I hear you saying! After that match Sir Alex said these precise words about Rooney: “I don’t suppose I have seen a debut like it. What you saw tonight is the reason why we signed him. And I think he can only get stronger now. We think the boy has great potential and it was a great performance and a great start by him.” At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I very much doubt any of us will see a better debut in our lifetimes! His first season with Manchester United, however, was not a huge success as the Red Devils finished the season without winning a trophy, managing only a third-place finish in the league and failing to progress to the quarter finals of the Champions League. Rooney was United’s top league scorer that season with 11 goals, and was credited with the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Since then, Rooney has been an integral part of the Manchester United team, playing 533 matches and scoring 247 goals along the way. His goal tally has taken him to within 2 goals from the

all-time club top scorer and club legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Playing for Manchester United, Rooney has managed to win no less than 17 trophies including 5 Premier League titles. He has also won individual awards such as Player of the Year in the 2009/2010 season and twice the Young Player of the Year (2005 and 2006). This is no mean feat indeed and more than enough to ensure his place amongst the all-time greats of Manchester United. His legendary status will be consolidated if he manages to score 3 more goals for United and become the all-time top scorer for the club. And yet, it has not all been a bed of roses for Rooney. His international career stuttered after a great start and he has been criticised for not showing up for England in major tournaments. With United, he has had several injuries and has suffered from goal draughts at times leading to criticism about his fitness and more lately, about his commitment to the United cause. In his early days at United, Rooney was an energetic striker who loved to get involved physically and had the ability to track back and chase opponents back to his own box. Football critics claimed that at 20 years, Rooney was playing like a 26 year old. The fire in his belly has sometimes seen him see red, literally, and pundits had huge debates on the manager’s role in trying to curb his temper. Sir Alex, being the great manager he was, managed Rooney to near perfection. He knew that he could not take the fire out of his game and that Rooney came as a package which included great fighting spirit and a never say die attitude. Despite his commitment on the pitch, Rooney twice tried to leave the club – the first time round was when he asked to be sold in 2010, with Manchester City leading the interest. The player had accused United of lacking ambition, before he signed a new contract and subsequently apologised to his Old Trafford team-mates. Then 4 years ago, before Ferguson’s retirement, Rooney was in and out of the United team and Chelsea wanted to sign him. It was claimed that he had put in a transfer request, something which Rooney himself has since denied. He eventually stayed on but for us United faithful, these two instances have not been digested too well and there are many, including myself, who claim that Rooney was only aiming at negotiating a new salary which

would see him earning close to 300k a week. One unsolved mystery in my mind is why Sir Alex was never afraid to sell big names at United when he thought they had overdone it in some way, and yet he managed to put up with Rooney’s antics not once, but twice! Maybe someday we will know. Unfortunately for Rooney and for United, it seems that what some critics had predicted has in fact happened. Having matured so early, Rooney has, it seems, ran out of steam and has been struggling for form during the past 3 or 4 years. The turning point, I believe, was his injury against Bayern Munich on the 30 March 2010. He was having a great season with United and after that injury, in my personal opinion, we never saw the real Wayne Rooney again. Being a natural footballer with a good football mind still makes him a valuable player to have around but the spark and burst of energy that allowed him to overpower opponents seem to have faded away. His first touch seems to have become an issue and some supporters even claim that his hunger for success is no longer there. Recent United managers have realised this and tried to redefine his role on the pitch. Allowing him to roam and play in midfield behind a main striker has given Rooney more time on the ball but even here, when pressed by younger and more energetic midfielders, he rarely manages to come out on top these days. So is the end of the road for Wayne Rooney? José Mourinho has had the courage to drop him after a string of poor performances but I still feel that he can contribute to the United cause if used wisely. The player himself must realise and accept that he cannot be an automatic choice anymore and that he should immediately retire from international football and focus on his club career. If he does manage to accept a new role (and avoids visiting the bar too often), I think he could still be at the club for 2 or more years. If, on the other hand, Rooney succumbs to the lure of money and wants a new experience, he may be tempted to go to places like China (where an average player such as Graziano Pelle is earning 300K a week) or even the United States. Whatever happens, I think Rooney has earned his place as a United legend and if he decides to leave, all we should be saying is: “Good luck Wazza, thanks for the memories!”

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

MixedMANCUNIANPlatter by Karm Galea

If Mourinho has it his way, playing Pokemon Go won’t become the norm at Manchester United. He has reportedly restricted his players from playing Pokemon Go for two days before each match as he wants the players to concentrate on the tactics he and his staff would have been working on in the days before.



It’s a pity how football has now been commercialised to the extent that tradition and history are being dumped in lieu of the god called money. Old timers like myself, who have supported Manchester United through thick and thin for more than 50 years are saddened by what is happening at the club. We are sad to read that 22 years after Sir Matt Busby’s death, the gold name plaque on his seat has been removed. Furthermore, Sir Matt’s family are no longer allowed in the directors’ box on match days. When Ferguson was manager, he was keen to make Sir Matt’s son, daughter and seven granddaughters part of the modern-day United. Sir Matt’s son and daughter are now dead. The powers that be at the club said it’s time the club moved on and it has started with the removal the tickets in the directors’ box for Busby family members. Regarding the golden plaque, the family had been contacted and told that if they wanted it, it could be sent to them by post. Such callousness. Why not put it, at least, in the club’s museum. This must be the result of the officials who are NOT United fans and who treat their working presence at the club as just a job and not a labour of love.



The decision to remove the plaque from the seat which Busby had occupied for nearly 50 years had induced a furore amongst supporters, who believe its removal is disrespectful to one of the most influential figures in the club’s history. The club received heavy criticism on Monday morning following the reports that four plates bearing the name of Busby were removed from seats in the directors’ box. An online petition was started calling for Manchester United to reinstate the removed plaque. The change.org petition had received over 1,000 signatures in just over 12 hours and no doubt there are more since the time of writing this.

The arrogance and ignorance of this man knows no bounds. In an interview with a young LA Galaxy fan, Slippy Stevie G. quizzed this young fan on his ambitions to be a professional soccer player. The boy tells Slippy that he one day dreams of turning out for Leicester City. Slippy appeared miffed and asked the fan how about joining Liverpool instead as Leicester City are cr*p. Obviously this little fan is not knowledgeable of the Premier League history, otherwise he would have quipped in by asking this Slippy if he had won more Premier League medals than Danny Drinkwater and Danny Simpson, both former Manchester United players and playing for Leicester. That would have put him in his place and shut the bird-brain up.



The club finally succumbed to pressure and commissioned a new plaque for Sir Matt’s seat only hours after the club came under fire. However, in a move the club say was made a week before this incident and not connected with the fans’ anger at the removal of the original plaque, Sir Matt’s old seat will now have a new plate and will bear the words ‘Sir Matt Busby’.

Steve Bruce has revealed that Ferguson once fought with Turkish police to protect his players. Bruce recalls that the team had drawn 0-0 away against Galatasaray and went out of the Champions League on away goals in 1993. Eric Cantona got sent off after the final whistle and it was dark and dingy in there. There were hundreds of police with barking dogs. One of them started giving Eric Cantona some hassle and Cantona being Cantona, he did not take it standing up. Then the battering started. Bryan Robson swung a punch, hit a hook on the wall and ripped his arm completely open, spewing blood everywhere. He was screaming with pain and a big Turk came over and booted him. So now the players tore into them, trying to fight their way out. Over his shoulder, Bruce saw Ferguson come flying back down the stairs, taking his jacket off as he was coming. He was over 50 years old but he waded straight into the fight. Eventually, the players got back to the dressing room.



Giggs revealed that Ferguson completed the deal for Ronaldo in 2003 while the United squad waited in the team bus. Ferguson was interested in the kid before the friendly against Sporting Lisbon but after Ronaldo tore the United backline to shreds, he refused to leave the Sporting stadium before completing a deal for Ronaldo that night for £13million. The waiting in the bus was not in vain, as the trophy cabinet can testify.



50 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Marcus Rashford has been handed a new deal with Nike worth £2million. The youngster signed a five-year contract worth £400,000 a year to keep him away from rivals offering similar clothing deals and will become one of the faces of Nike due to his massive marketing potential.



Vidic has revealed he turned down the chances of joining Liverpool before joining Manchester United. Vidic arrived at Old Trafford from Spartak Moscow in 2005 for a fee of £7.5million. A virtual unknown when he arrived at Old Trafford, he struggled during his first six month in England but then showed his true potential in his second season, forming a formidable partnership with Rio Ferdinand. Vidic won 10 major trophies in his eight years at Old Trafford but could have ended trophy less had things turned out differently. Rafa Benitez had called him and he nearly went to ‘that place’ had his English been better. He had difficulty communicating with Benitez. Then Ferguson called Vidic at his apartment and told him that he (Ferguson) had watched him play for Serbia against France and he wanted him at Old Trafford (I just wonder how he managed to understand the Scot.) United were very decisive and everything was done within two days. So decisive were United that the then CEO David Gill completed the signing on Christmas day.



The self-appointed pundit Carragher, the renowned own goal expert has said that for Pogba to be a termed ‘a success’ he has to compare to midfielders such as Slippy G., Frank Lampard and Yaya Toure. Slippy G. a success? How did he come into this? To be termed a success in midfield one has to compare himself to Paul Scholes. But then Carragher may be suffering from dodgy eyesight.



This is not exactly Manchester United but this exemplary act by Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to be known. Some say that Ronaldo is just another arrogant footballer. This may be so or not but he has his good points irrespective of what people say about him. Erik Ortiz Cruz, a 10-month old baby has cortical dysplasia - a brain abnormality that causes up to 30 seizures each day. The Cruz family have been desperately trying to raise money for his treatment, but because of the huge amount of funds needed, it has been difficult. The nipper needs £60,000 for an operation on his brain, while each test, which he will need for a long time after the operation, costs about £6,000. Hopes were fading for the Cruz family. In steps Ronaldo to help by pledging any money needed for the treatment. Ronaldo is also helping by raising money for the family by donating a signed kit for a charity auction.



Twenty years ago. A certain Beckham made the public sit up and take notice. He scored that goal that will be remembered for decades to come when he lobbed the Wimbledon goalkeeper from the halfway line. The 21-year-old had been out on loan at Preston for 18-months previously. He had become a regular in the United side in the previous campaign, as United dramatically overhauled Newcastle to prove wrong Alan Hansen, who had claimed that you can’t win anything with kids. United won the double with kids in 1995-96.



Manchester United have had a constant Scottish presence ever since the club was formed out of Newton Heath in 1902. Then the long line was broken for the first time in 114 years with the departure of Love to Sunderland. From Glasgow-born striker Jack Peddie who joined the club in their first season in 1902 to Denis Law; from Sir Matt Busby to Ferguson; and from Gordon Strachan to Darren Fletcher - United always had a bit of Scotland. Here I’ll jot down the United Scottish connection since when I started supporting United in 1963: Sir Matt Busby, Paddy Crerand, Willie Morgan, Lou Macari, Gordon McQueen, Gordon Strachan, Alex Ferguson, Darren Fletcher and Donald Love.



A phone call by Mourinho to Fellaini has transformed the midfielder’s fortunes at United. Fellaini had become the scapegoat for the doomed Moyes era and faced an uncertain future when van Gaal was sacked. A day after Mourinho was presented at United, he phoned Fellaini and told him to forget everything he read as for him he was not leaving the club, for sure. In response, Fellaini played a subtle but crucial role in United’s opening two Premier League wins of the season, anchoring the midfield with a calm authority.



Shaw had four operations to mend the leg, leaving two three-inch scars either side of his calf. He was on crutches for six months and also saw a psychologist to help make sure he was in the right frame of mind to play again. He could hardly walk for six months and when he could finally do it, he was limping for a long time. He still gets aches and rarely a day passes without him feeling it. He says the leg is 100% better but it’s normal, apparently, to feel his leg after such a bad injury.



VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Major League’s Round Up Title race still wide open in England and France Juventus confirm their defiant supremacy in Italy Real Madrid are the early pace-setters in Spain RB Leipzig may interrupt Bayern Munich’s domestic dominance by Antoine Dalli

Juventus still lead the Serie A table despite suffering two almost identical away defeats against Inter (1-2) and Milan (0-1) in their first 13 Serie A outings. These two setbacks are the only points dropped by the defending Italian champions at this juncture.

s the English Premier League is fast approaching its halfway mark, it is anyone’s guess who will be crowned Champions come May 2017. As things currently stand, Chelsea lead the table with 28 points from 12 games. Antonio Conte’s side are one point better off than nearest pursuers Liverpool and Manchester City. With the same number of games played, Arsenal, who have last been crowned Champions in 2003/04, have 25 points under their belt and Tottenham are one point adrift of their North London rivals. Manchester United have so far collected 19 points and are currently level on points with Everton. Potentially, all these seven teams can have their say in what is turning out to be an unprecedented epic title race involving more than three teams. All seven teams have so far had their highs and lows and this makes it difficult to identify the hot favourites for the title. Chelsea and Liverpool have an edge over their nearest challengers in that they are not involved in any European club competition and thus, they are able to concentrate exclusively on their Barclays Premier League commitments.

Unlike the previous season, Massimiliano Allegri’s side did not go through any bumpy period of transition in the initial stages of the 2016/17 season despite offloading mercurial midfielder Paul Pogba to Manchester United and having to do without a number of key players including amongst others Claudio Marchisio and Paulo Dybala. Juventus stand a good chance of claiming an unprecedented sixth straight Scudetto – the third in a row under Allegri – and in so doing, they would become the first club from the Big Four Leagues (English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish La Liga and German Bundesliga) to attain such a feat. Juve’s nearest pursuers are Roma and Milan, which are no fewer than seven points behind the leaders. The Giallorossi are simply too inconsistent and concede too many goals to be considered genuine contenders for the Scudetto. On the other hand, Vincenzo Montella’s new-look Milan are relying heavily on a new generation of up-and-coming young players and a top-three finish is a more realistic target for them. Last season’s runners-up Napoli, shorn of Gonzalo Higuain, who joined Juventus last summer for a record €90M, have dropped too many points ever since the Argentinian’s successor Arkadiusz Milik suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on international duty in Poland’s 3-2 home win against Denmark in a FIFA World Cup Group E qualifier on the 8th October. After 13 games, Napoli have already slipped nine points behind Juventus. Lazio and Atalanta are the surprise packages of the 2016/17 Serie A. Both started their seasons without any particular ambitions but after 13 games, these two sides have already amassed 25 points each and stand a realistic chance of challenging for a Champions League berth, should they keep up their momentum.

52 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

In Spain, Real Madrid are well on their way to clinch their first La Liga title since current Manchester United coach José Mourinho led them to their record-extending 32nd title at the end of the 2011/12 season. After 12 games, the defending European champions have 30 points and are the only La Liga outfit still undefeated. In fact, the only points Los Blancos have dropped in the current season were draws to Villareal (1-1), Las Palmas (2-2) and Eibar (1-1). Real Madrid hit top form ever since settling for a home draw against Eibar on the 2nd October. In this game, Wales star Gareth Bale scored his 50th La Liga goal for Real Madrid. Perhaps more significantly, prior to this game, unfancied Eibar had never scored against Real Madrid in La Liga. Following this uninspiring draw at their Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Zidane’s men were good enough to hit six past Real Betis, overcame Athletic Bilbao 2-1, conquered Alaves to the tune of 4-1, beat Leganes 3-0 and interrupted their recent poor record against Atletico Madrid by coming out of the Vicente Calderon Stadium with all three points thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 39th hat-trick in his illustrious career. As things stand in the La Liga, Real Madrid enjoy a four-point lead cushion over current runners-up and fierce rivals Barcelona ahead of the 3rd December El Clasico at the Nou Camp. Europa League holders Sevilla, despite several notable departures including that of coach Unai Emery, who joined cash-rich Paris SG in the close season, are doing extremely well and are just two points behind Barcelona. Three-times European Cup runners-up Atletico Madrid are currently sixth with 21 points, virtually already out of the reckoning.

join Hebei China Fortune in the Chinese Super League division. But as the season progresses, Paris SG are coming more and more into the picture. After 13 league games in France, Nice are surprisingly still leading the standings with 32 points, three clear of joint runners-up Monaco and Paris SG. Paris SG host the current league leaders at their Parc des Princes Stadium on December 11. Fourth-placed Lyon and Guingamp have already slipped 10 points behind Nice and are virtually out of the race. There is a new generation of young players at Monaco, which are still under the charge of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim. Djibril Sidibé, Benjamin Mendy, Almamy Touré, Abdou Diallo, Jemerson, Fabinho, Tiemoué Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar, Gabriel Boschilia and Kylian Mbappé have not become household names as yet, but some of them may eventually become in the near future.

In the French Ligue 1, the title race is quickly taking the shape of a three-horse race. Although Mario Balotelli’s Nice have been leading the standings practically from the word go, Paris SG and Monaco seem to be the two most equipped teams in the French top division. Paris SG, winners of the last four Ligue 1 titles, were off to an uninspiring start as they lost two of their first seven outings (against Monaco 1-3 and Toulouse 0-2). But Emery’s side recovered remarkably and at the time of writing this article, the 1996 Cup Winners’ Cup winners had stretched their unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions, winning eight. Initially, Paris SG had found life difficult without coach Laurent Blanc, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), defender David Luiz (Chelsea), goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu (Sevilla) not to mention Argentinian playmaker Ezequiel Lavezzi who left the French capital midway through last season to

In the meantime, Jardim’s side are serious contenders for their first French league title since 1999/2000 because they have the right mix of experienced players, including Kamil Glik, Joao Moutinho and team captain Radamel Falcao, and young players. Besides, after 13 league games, Monaco have already scored 39 goals, a formidable average of three goals per game: more than the likes of Real Madrid (34 goals) and Barcelona (32 goals).

setters RB Leipzig, a club founded as early as seven years ago thanks to the initiative of Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull GmbH which purchased the playing rights of the fifth division side SSV Markranstädt with the intention of promoting the new club to the Bundesliga within eight years. They did it remarkably within seven years! Three points behind Ancelotti’s side, one finds Borussia Dortmund – Bayern Munich’s executioners on the 11 th day, Cologne, Hoffenheim, Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt. Therefore, this season’s Bundesliga title is far from a foregone conclusion and there exists the possibility that Bayern Munich may be dethroned because they are not playing like champions. The question that follows is: can RB Leipzig – the first East German club competing in the Bundesliga since 2009 – go all the way and achieve what Leicester City did in last season’s English Premier League? For the interest of perspectives, it is worth considering that in their first 11 league outings, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s RB Leipzig have already crossed swords with three of the four German representatives in this season’s Champions League – they overcame Borussia Dortmund at home (1-0), drew with Borussia Moenchengladbach (1-1) and beat Bayer Leverkusen away (3-2). RB Leipzig will travel to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on December 21st. RB Leipzig’s main advantage is that, in contrast to the other title contenders, they only have their Bundesliga fixtures to focus on (after being knocked out in DFB-Pokal in the first round by second division club Dynamo Dresden).

In the Bundesliga, former Milan, Chelsea and Paris SG coach Carlo Ancelotti is finding life in Germany to be more difficult than he may have anticipated. By the 11th day, Bayern Munich, winners of the last four Bundesliga titles in a row, had already dropped nine points and were in second place, three points behind early pace-

As the Bundesliga season nears the winter break, more and more pundits are increasingly becoming convinced that RB Leipzig have what it takes to emulate Otto Rehhagel’s Kaiserslautern, which were crowned champions at the end of the 1997/98 season for the fourth time in the club’s history, in their promotion season. During that season Bayern Munich were coached by another Italian coach by the name of Giovanni Trapattoni. Who knows if this is merely a coincidence?

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

ESS Building, San Gwakkin Road, Mriehel, BKR 3000 Tel: +356 21 255 777 /888 Fax: +356 21 255 999 Email: info@ess.com.mt Web: www.ess.com.mt

The Season So Far.. by Michael Gatt

hen José Mourinho stepped into Old Trafford at the beginning of July, deep down he knew he had a very difficult task ahead as the complexities of the Old Trafford job go beyond any limits of any other ordinary club. “It would be easy, honest and pragmatic from my side to focus on the last three years and focus on the fact that we didn’t qualify for the Champions League and so on,” he said at his unveiling in July. “It would be pragmatic to say ‘Let’s work and try to get back into the top four and do well in the Europa League.’ I’m not good at that… I don’t want to be, I want to be more aggressive.”

into the inevitable anticipated attack on Arsene Wenger, accusing the Frenchman of doing “nothing” for the past 18 years. In truth, with the signings of Mkhitaryan, Zlatan, Bailly and Pogba, one would expect United to make a statement and challenge for the Premier League, and in my humble opinion, that should be enough and adequate for a title winning squad. However, the reality is not like that. At least some of the chances that were created

“I would never be able to work without success. I could approach this job from a defensive point of view by saying ‘The last three years, the best we did was fourth and an FA Cup.’ I could go into that side but I can’t. Manchester United is a different dimension but when someone has the same menu year after year, it has to change for the better rather than worse. “I don’t want the players to start thinking we have to do better. To finish fourth is not the aim.” In many ways it was typical Mourinho to talk up his ability and speak about his ambitions in positive rather than pragmatic terms. However, I have noticed a difference in the tone recently whilst United are constantly struggling to keep up a fading challenge. United are now sixth and eight points adrift of the early pace setters, Chelsea, which have seen a remarkable transformation since they have switched to a 3-4-3 formation. When he was asked about United’s game against Arsenal, Mourinho went straight

against Stoke, Burnley and Arsenal should have definitely been converted without any doubt, and United should be sitting much higher in the table than now. I do not think that United have taken a backward step this season, compared to last year where we finished fifth. I was at Old Trafford for the games against Arsenal and Manchester City, and one can immediately realize the difference in the style of play under Mourinho when compared to last year’s style of Van Gaal. It is really

one hundred times better. There is a more attacking threat and a high level of intensity of play, not to mention the fact that many clubs have spent a record fortune on transfers in the open season and this year’s Premier League is by far more competitive than any other year. I do believe that the only thing missing is the number of points on the board. Sometimes, I believe that the players need to have more of bite and nastiness in order to grind out the points. In some players, I also do not see a winners’ mentality. Maybe under Mourinho, these players will be faded out next summer and we will see the real Mourinho team at the beginning of next season when further signings are made. The team is also very error-prone. I never got this feeling during the good old days under Sir Alex Ferguson. Watching the team at one nil against Arsenal, I never felt comfortable and felt we always needed another. In the games against Chelsea and Fenerbahce, we conceded a goal in the first minute, which at this level is certainly not acceptable. Also, when we were winning in the league against Swansea 3-0, instead of having a comfortable 25 minutes towards the end of the game, we conceded a goal out of nowhere, which resulted in increased pressure till the end of the game. Mourinho, being a perfectionist, will look to instances like this in preparation for the next season where he will try to phase out completely Van Gaal’s philosophy as he still moans that he sees Van Gaal’s philosophy yet inducted in some of his players. Being realistic, I think that Mourinho will target a top four finish after three months in the new season and will aim to do well in the Europa League. These are not the kind of goals which Mourinho is used to, but it is a fact that United are living in a new reality.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

FIXTURES 2016-2017 FA Premier League 02/10/16 Manchester United 1 – 1 Stoke City De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Pogba – Martial – Rooney Scorer(s) – Martial 17-10-16 Liverpool 0 – 0 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Bailly – Smalling – Rashford – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Young – Fellaini Sub(s) – Rooney – Shaw Scorer(s) – 23-10-16 Chelsea 4 – 0 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Fellaini – Bailly – Smalling – Lingard – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – HerreraRashford Sub(s) – Martial – Mata – Rojo Scorer(s) –

29-10-16 Manchester United 0 – 0 Burnley De Gea – Darmian – Shaw – Pogba – Blind – Rojo – Lingard – Mata – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Rashford Sub(s) – Memphis – Fellaini – Rooney 06/11/16 Swansea City 1 – 3 Manchester United De Gea – Young – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahomovic – Rooney – Fellaini Sub(s) – Fosu-Mensah – Lingard – Schneiderlin Scorer(s) – Ibrahomovic(2) – Pogba Manchester United 1 – 1 Arsenal De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Rashford – Herrera - Martial Sub(s) – Blind – Rooney –

Schneiderlin Scorer(s) – Mata

Matchday 3

27-11-16 Manchester United 1 – 1 West Ham United De Gea – Valencia – Jones – Rojo – Darmian – Herrera – Pogba – Rashford – Mata – Lingard – Ibrahimovic Sub(s) – Rooney – Fellaini – Mkhitaryan

Manchester United 4 – 1 Fenerbahce

Europa League

Matchday 4

Matchday 2 29/09/16 Manchester United 1 – 0 Zorya Luhansk Romero – Fosu-Mensah – Rojo – Fellaini – Bailly – Smalling – Lingard – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Mata – Rashford Sub(s) – Martial – Rooney – Young Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic

03/11/16

20/10/16 De Gea – Darmian – Shaw – Carrick – Bailly – Smalling – Lingard – Pogba – Rooney – Mata – Martial Sub(s) – Memphis – Fosu-Mensah – Rojo Scorer(s) – Pogba(2) – Lingard – Martial

Matchday 5 24/11/16 Manchester United 4 – 0 Feyenoord Romero – Valencia – Shaw – Carrick – Jones – Blind – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Rooney – Mkhitaryan Sub(s) – Memphis – Lingard – Rashford Scorer(s) – Lingard – Mata – Rooney – OG

League Cup

Fenerbahce 2 – 1 Manchester United De Gea – Darmian – Shaw – Schneiderlin – Blind – Rojo – Rashford – Pogba – Rooney – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Ibrahimovic – Mata – Mkhitaryan Scorer(s) – Rooney

4th Round 26/10/16 Manchester United 1 – 0 Manchester City De Gea – Valencia – Shaw – Carrick – Blind – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Rashford Sub(s) – Lingard – Schneiderlin Scorer(s) – Mata

PLAYER’S APPEARANCES 2016-2017 NAME

PREMIERSHIP

De Gea Pogba Ibrahimovic Blind Mata Bailly Valencia Rooney Rashford Herrera Shaw Fellaini Martial Smalling Lingard Rojo Carrick Darmian Schneiderlin Young Jones Romero Mkhitaryan Fosu-Mensah Depay

12 11 11 9 (1) 8 (2) 9 10 6 (5) 7 (2) 7 (2) 6 (1) 8 (1) 5 (3) 5 (2) 5 (1) 3 (1) 2 (1) 3 0 (3) 2 (2) 2 0 1 (3) 0 (1) 0 (4)

FA CUP

LEAGUE CUP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

1 1 1 (1) 2 1 0 1 1 1 (1) 2 1 0 (1) 0 1 0 (1) 2 2 0 1 (1) 1 0 1 0 1 1

3 5 2 (2) 2 4 (1) 3 1 3 (1) 3 (1) 2 3 1 3 (1) 3 2 (1) 3 (1) 2 3 2 0 (2) 1 2 1 (1) 1(1) 0 (3)

OTHER MATCHES 1 0 1 1 0 (1) 1 1 1 0 (1) 0 (1) 1 1 1 0 1 0 (1) 1 0 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0

TOTAL APPEARANCES 17 17 15 (3) 14 (1) 13 (4) 13 13 11 (6) 11 (5) 11 (3) 11 (1) 10 (2) 9 (4) 9 (2) 8 (3) 8 (3) 7 (1) 6 3 (5) 3 (4) 3 3 2 (5) 2 (2) 1 (7)

2,000,000 MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

56 VOL 44 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2016

Thank you

GOALS 0 4 8 0 5 0 0 3 4 1 0 0 2 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959