Echoes from Old Trafford - March 2017

NEWSPAPER POST

Volume 44- Issue 3, March 2017

“This is what I came for.

I came to win and I’m winning.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

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  GARY NEVILLE EVENT PHOTOS ......................................................... 10  TEDDY’S CORNER...............................................................................13  MICHAEL CARRICK – THE MIDFIELD MAESTRO.................................. 14  THE ACADEMY’S PROMISING STARS.................................................. 17  THE ZLATAN – POGBA CHEMISTRY.................................................... 19  BUILDING FROM THE BACK ............................................................... 21  JANUARY TRANSFERS – HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THEY?........................ 23  JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW........................................................... 25  MANCHESTER UNITED REJECTED STARS........................................... 27  MOURINHO – THE WAY FORWARD.................................................... 29  TRUE RED DEVILS BELIEVE................................................................33  BIGGEST MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF OUR SUPPORTERS’ CLUB.... 35  CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NIGHTS........................................................... 37  WHERE ARE THEY NOW - JAAP STAM................................................ 38  THE KIT SPONSORS........................................................................... 41  THE CURIOUS CASE OF ANTHONY MARTIAL..................................... 43  CHELSEA VS MANCHESTER UNITED : STRENGHTS & WEAKNESSES...... 45  MANCHESTER UNITED – A COMMERCIAL SUCCESS........................... 47  BACK................................................................................................ 49  THE WAR YEARS ............................................................................... 50  MIXED MANCUNIAN PLATTER ........................................................... 54  MAJOR LEAGUE’S ROUND-UP ...........................................................56  SEASON SO FAR .............................................................................. 58  RESULTS & STATISTICS.................................................................... 60

Official publication of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta

 EDITORIAL ...........................................................................................

editorial team Braden Galea · Michael Calleja · Daniel Cushcieri · Clint Camilleri advertising executives Joe Catania · Kenneth Portelli contributors Michael Calleja Braden Galea Daniel Cushcieri Joseph Tedesco James Handyside Jude Cauchi Silvio Scicluna Robert Mizzi Julian Tabone Antoine Dalli Stefan Attard Roderick Psaila Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante John Calleja Norbert Bugeja Paul Vassallo Alan Abela-Wadge Youvale Van Dijk Iain McCartney 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 representative ­ Joe Xerri 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 3 - MARCH 2017

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MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

The Echoes Editorial Board & the Committee of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta would like to wish you and your families a Happy Easter.

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VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

Editorial

APPROACHING THE BUSINESS-END OF THE SEASON.

‘We trust each other. One day we are going to lose. The important thing is, after that defeat, we go back again to a good run because the team is playing solidly.’ Bristling with confidence after victory in Saint Etienne, José Mourinho’s words couldn’t be further from the truth. A great run of form has seen Manchester United rack up one of their best ever runs in recent history [having not been beaten in the League since the heavy loss against Chelsea suffered on the 23rd October, 2016!].

Even though the League campaign has at times been frustrating [with needless draws derailing our assault on the league title], there are still plenty of positives that can be taken. For a start, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contribution to the Red Devils’ cause has been monumental – the mercurial Swede has done nothing but impress since arriving and his vital goals in key games have certainly made a major difference.

Moreover, fans can feel a genuine consistency and solidity about this Manchester United team. In fairness, it’s nothing less than what we expect of a José Mourinho team and this is just what we needed.

There is a feel-good factor when United play nowadays and the notion that United are now ‘difficult to beat’ is finally being felt. After three very painful seasons, fans are finally going to matches with a positive frame of mind, buoyed by the fact that the group keeps getting stronger and stronger – and the manager ever more confident that the glory-days are right ahead of us. At the time of writing, United are unbeaten in sixteen consecutive league games and whilst the League title is all but over [Chelsea’s determination and astute tactics are certainly confirming they will shortly be lifting the Premier League trophy in April] there is still hope that the club can break in to the top four.

The panache’ United perhaps lack in the League has thankfully been made up for in the

domestic cups. Having seen off a very plucky Hull City in the semi-finals, United entered into Sunday’s fixture against Southampton weary and cautious – knowing the Saints famously beat the Red Devils in the Final of the 1976 FA Cup. One would have to feel that this United team is somewhat different.

A strong mentality has ensured the squad now has the capabilities of coping with all pressurised situations! The most important thing for Mourinho and United is winning the League Cup final – for the trophy might be the final spark that would launch United on the path of victory and consistent success!

The Cups have been positive but fans also enjoyed the Europa League campaign! The two legs against Saint Etienne showed that the team still craves European adventures (even if as a club we are still accustomed to competing in the European Champions League). The positives of competing and doing well in European competitions should never be underestimated. As Mourinho himself said after the win in France: ‘“Everybody knows it’s a long competition and we know the teams that could possibly be in the next round of 16 are very good teams. They are teams that could perfectly be in the Champions League, probably some of us are better than some of the teams in the Champions League. So the competition will be very strong and we know it’s non-stop but let’s be tired for good reasons, not bad reasons, and let’s try to win and go to the next round.” Here’s to hoping we can go far and do well in Europe!

More cup commitments also entail more fixture pile-ups. In fact United’s busy fixture congestion has also raised the ire of the manager himself. The fact that the Red Devils face Chelsea on the 13th of March [a date scheduled before the Europa League last 16 draws were made] has not impressed the management. Mourinho was quoted

as stating: “I feel really surprised that the decision is made before our draw in Europe because, in this moment, nobody knows who we play against, nor where the first and second matches are being played. We play Chelsea on Monday [13 March] then we’ve got a second match in Europe, Russia or Turkey.

This is what we have. I cannot play against Chelsea with the second team. I cannot play against Chelsea with the Under-21s, like Manchester City did – was it last year? We’re Manchester United. I cannot do that. I don’t do that!’ Wise words from the Manager but certainly one cannot help but notice a touch of Sir Alex Ferguson in Mourinho’s witty remark – perhaps the manager is trying to bring about the necessary pressure on the FA to perhaps help United balance out the fixtures? Or have the Chelsea mind-games already started? Such is the aura and enigma that the Portuguese carries around him that one never knows what his next trick up his sleeve will be!

Finally, fans were positively surprised when in January, the club was reported considering expanding Old Trafford to 88,000 – a move which would see United playing in the second biggest club stadium in Europe [right behind Barcelona’s Camp Nou]. Apparently, the increase in overall stadium-capacity would be more than 12,000, and there are rumours that a safe-standing area [like that at Celtic] may also feature – a move which certainly most United fans would be in favour of. The expansion would surely take place in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand [South Stand] and qualms that the houses and railway line behind the stadium might prove to be serious obstacles to development look to no longer be the case as new advancements in technology seem to have offered a ray of light for the club! We hope this proposed expansion will take place so that more fans can immerse themselves in the glory of Manchester United!

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Editorjal LEJN TMIEM ESSENZJALI TAL-ISTAĠUN. ‘Aħna nafdaw lil xulxin. Xi darba se nitilfu.

L‑importanti hu, li wara dik it‑telfa, nqumu minnufih fuq saqajna għaliex it‑tim qiegħed jilgħab b’mod kumpatt.’ Mimli b’kunfidenza liema bħalha wara r‑rebħa f ’Saint Etienne, kliem José Mourinho ma setax ikun verità iktar minn hekk. Sensiela ta’ prestazzjonijiet eċċellenti rat lill‑Manchester United jilħqu wieħed mill‑aqwa suċċessi fl‑Istorja reċenti [ma sofrewx telfa fil‑Kampjonat minn dakinhar li sofrew t‑telfa kiefra kontra Chelsea fit‑23 ta’ Ottubru 2016!].

Anki jekk xi drabi l‑Kampjonat kien frustranti [bi draws bla bżonn jostakolaw it‑triq għar‑rebħa tat‑titlu], għad hemm ħafna elementi pożittivi li mhux ta’ min jinsihom. L‑ewwelnett, il‑kontribut ta’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic fil‑kawża tar‑Red Devils hija monumentali – l‑Iżvediż imprevedibbli m’għamel xejn ħlief impressjona kemm ilu li ngħaqad mat‑tim, u l‑goals vitali tiegħu f ’logħbiet importanti ċertament għamlu differenza kbira. Barra minn hekk, il‑partitarji qegħdin jixhdu konsistenza ġenwina u solidità f ’dan it‑tim ta’ Manchester United. Biex inkunu korretti, dan kollu m’huwa xejn inqas minn dak li nistennew minn tim immexxi minn José Mourinho u huwa propju dan li kellna bżonn.

Illum il‑ġurnata hemm sentiment ottimist kull meta jilgħab it‑tim u l‑idea li l‑United huwa ‘diffiċli biex tegħlbu’, qegħda tinħass fl‑aħħar. Wara tliet staġuni negattivi għall‑aħħar, il‑partitarji fl‑aħħar qegħdin jattendu għal‑logħob b’ottimiżmu kbir, imħeġġa mill‑fatt li l‑grupp qiegħed kontinwament jissaħħaħ – u bil‑coach iktar konvint minn qatt qabel li l‑perjodu tal‑glorja għadu ġej. Fil‑ħin li nkiteb dan l‑artiklu, il‑United ma sofriex telfa tul sittax‑il logħba konsekuttiva tal‑Kampjonat u għalkemm it‑titlu tal‑Kampjonat huwa deċiż [id‑determinazzjoni u t‑tattiki astuti ta’ Chelsea ċertament qed juru li daqt se jkunu huma li jgħollu t‑tazza tal‑Premier League f ’April] xorta għad hemm tama li l‑club jista’ jispiċċa mal‑ewwel erbgħa.

In‑nuqqas ta’ kunfidenza tal‑United fil‑Kampjonat ġie kkumpensat għallinqas fit‑tazzi domestiċi. Wara li rajna tim determinat bħal Hull City jinqala’ fis‑semifinali, il‑United se jidħlu għall‑konfront ta’ nhar il‑Ħadd kontra Southampton b’mod kalm u kawt – konxji tal‑fatt li s‑Saints kienu għelbu lir‑Red Devils fil‑famuża FA Cup tal‑1976. Il‑United jistgħu jassiguraw li delużjoni kbira bħal dik mhux se tirrepeti ruħha? Wieħed iħoss li dan t‑tim tal‑United huwa kemmxejn differenti. Mentalità b’saħħitha assigurat li l‑iskwadra jkollha l‑ħiliet biex tiffaċċja sitwazzjonijiet pressanti, u l‑konfront li jmiss f ’Wembley żgur se jkun wieħed kritiku! L‑iktar ħaġa importanti għal Mourinho u għall‑United

se tkun ir‑rebħa tal‑finali tal‑League Cup – hekk kif it‑tazza taf tkun l‑aħħar imbuttatura li titfa’ lill‑United fit‑triq tar‑rebħ u s‑suċċess konsistenti!

It‑Tazzi kienu xi ħaġa sabiħa iżda l‑partitarji ħadu gost ukoll bl‑istaġun tal‑Europa League! Iż‑żewġ konfronti kontra Saint Etienne urew li t‑tim għadu jrid l‑avventuri Ewropej (anki jekk bħalha club għadna drajna nikkompetu fil‑European Champions League.) Il‑pożittività li jġibu magħhom il‑kompetizzjoni u s‑suċċess fil‑konfronti Ewropej m’għandhom qatt jitqiesu bħala garanzija. Kif qal tajjeb Mourinho wara r‑rebħa fi Franza: “Kulħadd jaf li hija kompetizzjoni twila u nafu li t‑timijiet li possibilment jistgħu jagħmluha mal‑aħħar 16 huma tajbin ħafna. Huma timijiet li jistgħu perfettament ikunu fiċ‑Champions League, u probabilment uħud minna huma aħjar minn timijiet oħra fiċ‑Champions League. Għalhekk il‑kompetizzjoni se tkun waħda iebsa u nafu li se tkun intensa, iżda ejja ngħajjew għal raġunijiet tajbin u mhux għal raġunijiet ħżiena.

Ejjew nippruvaw nirbħu u ngħaddu għar‑round li jmiss.” Nittamaw li naslu ’l bogħod u jkollna suċċess fl‑Ewropa!

Iktar impenn għall‑akkwist tat‑tazzi jġib miegħu wkoll akkumulazzjoni ta’ logħob. Fil‑fatt, il‑programm ta’ logħbiet f ’xulxin tal‑United qanqal ir‑rabja tal‑coach. Il‑fatt li r‑Red Devils se jikkonfrontaw lil Chelsea fit‑13 ta’ Marzu [data skedata qabel ma ttellgħu l‑poloz tal‑aħħar 16 tal‑Europa League] ma impressjonatx lill‑management. Mourinho kien ikkwotat li stqarr: “Veru sorpriż b’din id‑deċiżjoni li ttieħdet qabel ma ttellgħet il‑polza tagħna għall‑Europa League. F’dan il‑mument ħadd ma jaf min se jilgħab kontra min, u lanqas meta se jintlagħbu

l‑ewwel u t‑tieni logħba. Se nilagħbu kontra Chelsea it‑Tnejn [13 ta’ Marzu], imbagħad għandna logħba oħra fl‑Ewropa, ir‑Russja jew it‑Turkija. Dan hu dak li għandna. Jien ma nistax nilgħab kontra Chelsea bit‑tieni tim. Ma nistax nilgħab kontra Chelsea bl‑Under 21s, kif għamlu Manchester City – dik is‑sena l‑oħra kienet? Aħna Mancheser United. Ma nistax nagħmel hekk. Jien ma naħdimx hekk!” Kliem li jagħmel sens iżda ċertament wieħed ma jistax ma jinnotax l‑influwenza ta’ Sir Alex Ferguson f ’din ir‑rimarka sottili ta’ Mourinho – forsi l‑coach qiegħed jipprova jagħmel il‑pressjoni neċessarja fuq l‑FA biex forsi jgħinu lill‑United ikollhom programm ibbilanċjat ta’ logħob? Jew il‑logħob mentali ta’ Chelsea beda diġà? Din hi l‑awra u l‑enigma li qiegħed iġorr miegħu l‑Portugiż; dik li wieħed qatt ma jaf x’mossa għandu merfugħa fil‑komma!

Finalment, il‑partitarji kienu sorpriżi b’mod pożittiv meta f ’Jannar kien irrapportat li l‑club qiegħed jikkunsidra jkabbar Old Trafford għal 88,000 – mossa li jekk isseħħ tara lill‑United jilagħbu fit‑tieni l‑ikbar stadium tal‑Ewropa [wara Camp Nou ta’ Barċellona]. Apparentament, iż‑żieda totali ta’ kemm jesa’ l‑istadium taf tkun iktar minn 12,000 u hemm ukoll għajdut li jaf issir żona għall‑partitarji bilwieqfa [simili għal tas‑Celtic] – mossa li ċertament ħafna partitarji tal‑United jieħdu gost biha kieku. F’kas ta’ tkabbir, dan isir żgur fl‑istand Sir Bobby Charlton [South Stand] u l‑biża’ li d‑djar u l‑linja tal‑ferrovija fuq wara tal‑istadium jistgħu jkunu ta’ ostaklu serju għal dan l‑iżvilupp jidher li ntemm; hekk kif avvanzi ġodda fit‑teknoloġija jidhru li ġabu raġġ ta’ dawl għall‑club! Nittamaw li din il‑proposta ta’ espansjoni ssir realtà biex b’hekk aktar partitarji jkunu jistgħu jingħaqdu mal‑glorja ta’ Manchester United!

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CLUBNEWS

by James Handyside

December 2016 ecember is traditionally a very busy month for the Committee and the club is usually a hive of activity and this year was no exception.

In fact, this year was even busier than usual given that the final preparations for the setting up of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Trust and consequently the purchase of the club premises needed to be concluded before the Members’ Christmas Party.

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The Children’s party was held on Friday 16th December and was attended by over 60 children. The children were entertained

by Curtain Raiser, and from the number of positive comments received this party can definitely be considered as one of the best in recent years. As usual, Father Christmas paid a visit and surprised all the children in attendance with a gift. Thanks go to all those who sponsored an under-privileged child, to Godfrey Cassar, to Mario “tad-Doughnuts” 50 years

The Members’ party took place two days later, on Sunday 18th December, and was a very special moment for all those who were in attendance. After months of hard work by the Committee and thanks to the financial support of several investors who believed in the project presented to them, together with a special grant of €150,000 from Gary Neville, the Committee finally completed the purchase of the Club premises under trust. The trust deed and the final contract of sale were signed during the party and I’m sure this moment will be remembered by all those in attendance for many years to come.

The Christmas lottery was also drawn during the Members’ party and the winners were as follows: 1st Prize

Joe Bugeja

Ticket No.: 01931

2nd Prize Norbert Dalli Ticket No.: 01610 3rd Prize Frankie Pace Ticket No.: 01003 4th Prize Mark Asciak Ticket No.: 02646 On behalf of all the Committee, I would like to thank all the members together with their families and friends for participating in this lottery and also to the sponsors who kindly donated the prizes. who provided free doughnuts for all the children and to Committee member Kenneth Portelli who provided free popcorn.

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VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

The Committee once again recognised those members who had remained loyal to the Club by paying their membership for 25 and 50 years consecutively.

Henry Perini 25 years Andrew Bonello Joseph Busuttil Anthony Caruana Norbert Dalli Anthony Farrugia Conrad Gellel Jesmond Gerada Alan Portelli Joseph Tedesco Well done to all and once again, thank you for your continued support.

Our Supporters’ Club has always tried to maintain a sense of social responsibility and despite the many financial challenges our club faces, it always tries to help the less fortunate. This year was no different and the Committee decided to donate €1,000 to Dar tal-Providenza from the proceeds of the Christmas lottery.

January 2017 anuary is usually a quiet month in terms of activities organised by our Supporters’ Club, following on from a very busy December.

This January was very different however. In early January, we were informed that Gary Neville would be paying a short visit to our island and it was deemed appropriate that

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remembering those who lost their lives in the disaster of the crash was shown on the big screen and splendidly narrated by Dr. Patrick Critien. The Club Chaplain, Fr. Anthony Ferrante, then celebrated Holy Mass. Following the conclusion of mass, all those present were invited to free refreshments. The Committee would like to thank Club members Joe Cilia and Richard Bullock for their help and assistance in organising the mass.

A group of seven committee members recently travelled to Manchester for a number of meetings with Club officials and members of organisations who in some way or another may be of assistance to our Supporters’ Club in the months and years to come.

Committee members with representatives from CSB Trustees & Fiducaries Ltd.

an event be held at the Club to thank Gary for his very generous financial contribution towards the purchase of our premises.

On Sunday 29th January, a reception in honour of Gary Neville was held at the Supporters’ Club. Tickets were sold at €15 per person (including 2 free drinks and finger food) and €5 for under-12s.

Gary took the time to take photographs with, and sign autographs for, all those in attendance before paying a short visit to the Committee room where he reminisced over the photos of his previous visits to the Club, most notably for the Club’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2009 and his testimonial dinner in 2011.

Gary also participated in a 45-minute question and answer session compèred by Times of Malta sportswriter Antoine Dalli.

Gary answered questions put to him by those in attendance and a group of select

journalists from local media organisations.

The Q&A session was followed by the unveiling and blessing of a commemorative plaque in honour of Gary.

February 2017 n Sunday 5th February, the Club commemorated the 59th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. The Committee decided to do something different this year to make the event more poignant and put more of an emphasis on the tragic events that unfolded on that bitterly cold Thursday in the Munich snow. A short presentation, which included the playing of the Flowers of Manchester – a song synonymous with

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These meetings included meeting with officials from the Membership & Ticket Office, the Museum & Tour Centre at Old Trafford and MUTV. The group, who were accompanied by former MUSC Malta President Joseph Glanville, were also invited to attend a brief meet-and-greet meeting with manager Jose Mourinho.

The Committee presented the manager with a copy of the book produced for our Supporters’ Club’s 50th anniversary in 2009, a gold-plated medal also from our 50th anniversary, a copy of the Malta to Wembley book, and an official MUSC Malta tie. Following the 20-minute meeting with the manager, the group also had the chance to briefly meet club captain Wayne Rooney, vice-captain Michael Carrick, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Meetings were also held with the Hospitality department at Hotel Football, one of the directors of the Scandinavian branch and with the chairman of the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) Duncan Drasdo.

Mr Drasdo, kindly offered to assist with the sales of the Malta to Wembley book in Manchester from the MUST stall located on Sir Matt Busby Way, in the shadow of Old Trafford. Hopefully sales will commence in the next few weeks.

All in all, the trip exceeded all expectations and as a result the Committee have a number of events in the pipeline which will hopefully come to fruition in the coming months. The trip was made all the better by the team’s 2-0 win over Watford.

The Committee has decided to organise a tour to Manchester for the last game of the season against Crystal Palace on Sunday 21st May. We are currently busy putting together the exact details of the package which we hope will include an exclusive event at Old Trafford. The group will leave Malta on Thursday 18th May and return to Malta on Monday 22nd May. Full package details and prices will be made available soon.

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Presentation to Christmas Lottery and Door Lottery prize winners during the Members’ Christmas Party.

President Joseph Tedesco presenting a memento to Henry Perini commemorating his 50 years of continuous membership.

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Presentation of mementos to Members commemorating their 25 years of uninterrupted membership.

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GARY NEVILLE RECEPTION

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TEDDY’S corner

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is past his best, broke both Club and country goal scoring records and so he can settle in China against some kind of phenomenal wage, but the devoted ones must never ever forget this talisman’s huge contribution towards Manchester United during the 13 seasons in which he has worn the famous red shirt.

Dear All Trophy and honour number 65 done and dusted. In 7 months, José has already led the Manchester United players twice up the famous Wembley stairs, the curtain raiser against Leicester to lift the Community Shield for the 21st time and the not-so-deserved triumph against Southampton to lift the English Football League Cup for the 5th time. Factoring in the FA Cup in May, that makes it 3 in 10 months. There is still the FA Cup and the Europa League to look forward to this season. The dream to reclaim the Premier League is by now surely gone thanks to some incredibly dominated games ending up in draws but only postponed for next year I believe.

The Europa league remains the most coveted in my opinion, primarily because United has never won this competition and hence it will complete the whole set of trophies available to win in our trophy cabinet and secondly, and more importantly at this stage, it guarantees participation in the UEFA Champions League next season.

Chelsea’s current lead and form gives them a comfortable driving seat in their pursuit to win the Premier League. Conte deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done down there at the Bridge. It’s only theirs to lose now. Tottenham can play some champagne football at times but they are too inconsistent to be classified as title challengers in my opinion. The battle for the second, third and fourth places will intensify in the remaining 3 months and with United still having to play crucial games away from home against City, Spurs and Arsenal, the passport for the Champions League spot through the Premier League placing is all but certain at the moment. We have all seen the effect of too many games in a short space of time compared to fresh legs in the League Cup Final. Southampton were all over United throughout the game. I felt it was a replica of

the ‘99 Champions League final. The Saints had a couple of weeks’ rest, concentrating solely on the Final, while in the meantime United had to play St. Etienne home and away with an FA Cup tie against Blackburn away sandwiched in the middle.

With United still involved in the 3 competitions, 2 postponed games whose date has not been announced yet and not a favourable draw in the Europa League triggering an undesirable journey to Russia to play surprise package Rostov, the traffic of games will only get worse.

There will be some tired legs out there and José’s capabilities to turn around the squad members will be a decisive factor. Two low impact defeats in the last 29 games between the 4-0 humiliation away to Chelsea towards the end of October and the day after the EFL Cup Final surely says something about the Manager’s ability to juggle with the squad members and the increasing level of consistency. One has to admit that the quality of the football has not always been the best but the performance in general has been effective.

There were games where United created an abundance of chances and failed to take enough of them to win the game but there were games conquered by clinical finishing and cohesive defending.

With Zlatan being so decisive, it seems that the team is totally dependent on the goals of the Swedish hero. From the 79 goals scored so far in all competitions, he has netted 26, one third of the tally, including the two winners which rewarded the team with silverware this season.

The close second is Mata with 9, followed

by Pogba, Martial and Rashford with 7 each, Mkhitaryan with 6, Rooney 5 and Lingard 4.

At this point I can’t fail to mention Wayne’s landmark, spectacular goal against Stoke which broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal scoring record. Many feel he has now slowed down,

One other point worth mentioning is Lingard’s third consecutive goal at Wembley in 3 appearances. It seems that Jesse and Wembley are quite compatible. Going back to this season’s goal scorers, all seems to revolve around Ibra’s goals. Like in all other teams he played for in the past, the players play for him. As long as he is fit and maintains his goal scoring ratio then all is well and good.

The risk of this strategy is the dependency on one player. In the Fergie era, we remember goal sources came from all over the field. Our midfielders at the time used to have high scoring ratios but their involvement in the game was also characterised by frequent runs in the opposing penalty areas. Nowadays our game plan is different. I’ve been at Old Trafford once this season and saw how pivotal Pogba is for our game. It is not that evident from your armchair at home watching the game on the screen. Critics are vocal about his price tag against what he has delivered so far and maybe I was one of those who expected more so far. However I strongly believe he will be the main man in the coming years. Zlatan is on a year by year contract and notwithstanding he has still managed to prove himself in the fast and furious Premier League at the age of 35, one cannot surely bank on his qualities for the long term. Rumours about Antoine Griezmann joining next summer and taking over the number 7 shirt are intensifying and if this had to happen I think it will be a great move from the Club. I somehow have this gut feeling he is made for United and the Premier League.

However, like St. Thomas for the Christians, unless I see I will not believe.

I reserve my last word for Claudio Ranieri.

A top guy, a gentleman, a football manager who made history for a minnow Club, sacked because of player power and club owners with no football pedigree in their CVs. This is how our beloved game of football is changing nowadays. What Ranieri has done last year with Leicester in the Premier League had instilled in me some belief that football fairy tales could still happen notwithstanding the dominance of money and sponsors. However the way he was clearly stabbed in the back brought me soon back to earth and gave me a lot of food for thought. There is no room for the words ‘fair’ and ‘respect’ anymore in this game. Wish you all the best Claudio!

Yours United, Teddy

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VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

Michael Carrick The Midfield Maestro

by Jude Cauchi

“It’s Carrick

you know, ha r d t o believe, he’s not Scholes.” This is the chant that Manchester United fans love singing on a match day and who can blame them when considering the impact that Michael Carrick has had on United since the day he arrived at the club.

Michael Carrick was born on the 28th July 1981 in Wallsend, found in the North East of England. In terms of football, he commenced his career with West Ham United, where in 1997 he joined the academy and won the FA Youth Cup a couple of seasons later. After loans at Swindon Town and Birmingham City, the English Central Midfielder secured a place with the first team during the 2000-01 season. In total, he played 41 matches in all competitions and was voted as West Ham’s young player of the year. During that season, Carrick managed to score 1 goal for the club in a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa. The following season, the central midfielder made 32 appearances for the Hammers, scoring twice in the process against Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea. Unfortunately for him, an injury during the last part of the season prevented him from making the England squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. During the 2002-03 season, Carrick experienced heartbreak as the club was relegated to the First Division. The Hammers retained the midfielder’s services for another year but their failure to return to the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace during a playoff final persuaded Carrick to leave the club. On a personal level, he was included in the PFA First Division player of the year.

On the 20th August 2004, the midfield master joined Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of 3.5 million pounds. Given the injury setback he suffered in his early days at Spurs, Carrick had to wait until the 18th October to make his official debut for the North London club. Having said that, under manager Jacques

Santini, the player was often overlooked and had to wait until the arrival of Dutch manager Martin Jol to get a proper chance in the team and finished the season with 29 league appearances. On a club level, Spurs finished in a disappointing 9th position.

The following year which proved to be his last season for the club, Carrick scored his first goals for Spurs during the home wins against Sunderland and Manchester City. On a personal level, Carrick was one of the star performers in the team as the club aimed to finish in the top 4. Unfortunately however, the majority of Tottenham Hotspurs players fell ill just before the last match of the season and lost 2-1 to West Ham which prevented them from finishing in the top 4 above bitter rivals Arsenal.

Following the massive disappointment of non-Champions League football, Manchester United came knocking on the door and on the 28th July 2006 the player signed for the Reds for a fee in the region of 18.6 million pounds.

This move proved to be a very important step for Carrick’s career especially when considering the number of trophies that he has won at United and the important role that he still plays at the club till the present day.

On the 4th August 2006, Michael Carrick made his debut from the subs bench as the Reds recorded a 3-0 away victory at Charlton Athletic. A few days later, he made his first start for the club in a 2-1 win away to Watford.

The midfielder scored his first goal for the club against Sheffield United. In Europe, the midfielder also helped United to reach the semi-finals before eventually losing to the winners of the competition: AC Milan. Surely, his most memorable performance in the Champions League came against AS Roma as the midfielder scored twice in a 7-1 hammering of the Italians. Overall, the season ended in a positive way for both the club and Carrick as the Reds clinched back the title from Chelsea following a 3 year absence. Having said that, the Blues prevented United from winning the

double, as they beat the Reds 1-0 in the FA Cup Final. During the course of the season, Carrick proved to be a very important player that United had lacked in previous seasons.

While the 2006/07 season was a special one for the Reds, who can forget the 2007/08 season where United not only retained their title but also managed to win the Champions League beating Chelsea on penalties in Moscow. During the Final, Carrick played 120 minutes and also scored a decisive penalty.

What followed after these two seasons were more impressive performances from the midfielder. To date, Michael Carrick has made 440 appearances and scored 24 goals for the club. With regards to trophies, the midfielder has won 5 Premier Leagues, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 Club World Cup, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups and 6 Community Shields and maybe some silverware is also up for grabs this season as well.

During his time at United, the player has also played for 4 different managers in Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and current United boss Jose Mourinho. All of these managers have understood the importance of the English international to the team especially when considering that the statistics prove that whenever Carrick is in the starting line-up, United tend to record more positive results.

In terms of his biggest strengths, the ability to pass the ball and read the game makes him a very special player. In fact, I think few midfielders in the English Premier League have the same abilities as Carrick. As far as weaknesses are concerned, it seems plausible to say that the midfielder is not renowned for his goal scoring ability.

Overall, Michael Carrick is one of the most unsung heroes in United’s history but when he finally calls it a day, true football supporters will appreciate the crucial role that this legend has played in United’s history.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

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The Academy’s Promising Stars

by Silvio Scicluna

F

rom the ‘Busby Babes’ right through to ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ and the Class of ‘92, Manchester United have always followed the mantra that a player you produce yourself is often better than one bought from elsewhere. And this magical production line has given us the likes of Duncan Edwards, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Pogba down the years. This tenet is so ingrained within the fabric of the club that historians recently uncovered the fact that since October 1937 Manchester United has included at least one Academy graduate in each first team match day squad to this very day.

will be putting the spotlight on the five starlets who, in my opinion, are destined for a very bright future:

As recently as last season we had a glut of Academy graduates making their first team debuts. Granted, for most of them the opportunity was more circumstantial rather than by choice due to a crippling injury list and a streamlined senior squad but all of them showed just why the club had invested so much in them. Some of them enjoyed only a few appearances and some shone more than others but the likes of Marcus Rashford became an overnight sensation and he has become the latest pearl to roll off this impressive carousel.

Salford born Gribbin has long been touted as one to watch since he joined the club. A very skilled and technical playmaker, whenever I see him play I cannot but be reminded of a young Ryan Giggs in the way he dribbles past opponents with his silky left foot.

Although hampered by injury last season he has overcome this and has even started to fill out more in a physical sense. He was one of the first to be promoted to the Under-23, or the Reserves this season.

Callum Gribbin

Indy Boonen

Tahith Chong

Angel Gomes

Of course not all the MUFC Academy graduates end up becoming regular first team regulars at Old Trafford but many of them have gone on to carve out decent careers at other clubs. The likes of Danny Drinkwater, Tom Heaton, Michael Keane, Robbie Brady and Joshua King to name but a few are all products of this famed production line.

Every now and then, just like what happened with the Class of ’92, a group of promising youngsters end up together in the same year and possess such undoubted talent that make people sit up and take notice. Whenever possible I like to watch the Under-18s matches on MUTV and this season more than most, there is a growing feeling that Manchester United and the Academy coach Kieran McKenna have unearthed another batch of talented kids that will most probably be stars in their own right in the not too distant future. Here I

Portugal but appears committed to playing for the country of his birth, having represented England at various youth levels. He is the current captain of the Under-17 side. My personal favourite.

The Netherlands Under-17 international stole the limelight recently when he scored the only goal in the FA Youth Cup defeat to Southampton at Old Trafford. And what a goal it was. A speedy left winger by trade, he can also operate as a striker and his proposed move from Feyenoord was seen to be quite a coup by United. Just like Gribbin and Gomes he has the right temperament that convinces me that they will be unfazed with every step up the ladder that they make.

DJ Buffonge

Those familiar with social media will have at some stage come across clips or vines of this prodigious talent. The things he does with a football sometimes beggar belief. Gomes has an interesting background. His father, Gil, was part of Benfica’s famed academy with the likes of Rui Costa. He is also the cousin of our former winger Nani. He is eligible to play for Angola and

Londoner Buffonge joined United after a successful trial in 2015.

With previous stints at Fulham’s and Arsenal’s academies he quickly impressed the coaches at United. He is very technical on the ball and his skills allow him to be comfortable in a creative midfield role and he can be very versatile across the attacking line.

The Belgium Under-17 international joined United after a successful trial and is a very creative attacking midfielder who gets more than his fair share of goals. Coach McKenna has gone on record to say that he thinks Boonen is the best finisher of the group even though he is not an out-and-out striker.

At this point I feel I have to say that I purposely have not included the youngster name checked by Jose Mourinho in pre-season as the one to watch, Axel Tuanzebe. Although an Academy graduate par excellence, he has already made the step up to become the captain of the reserves and has also been included in this season’s Europa League squad. Many are itching to see him involved more with the first team and he is definitely a star in the making. But for this piece I preferred to focus on those kids from this season’s Under-18s.

So there you have it. Of course there are other members of the Academy who are just as talented and promising as the ones I have picked but I just feel that these five have that bit of sparkle in them that make them stand out in my eyes. As you would expect for their age all of them have still to develop a bit more physically and will all still experience growth spurts to become fully fledged top professional players. But as regards sheer talent and skill, they all have it in abundance. And the fact that all their coaches and staff at the Academy will ensure that their temperaments are honed correctly to ensure seamless transitions as they make their way up the ladder fills me with excitement at the prospect of seeing these kids become our future heroes. Another Class of ’92? They could well be.

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The Zlatan-Pogba chemistry

by Robert Mizzi

W

hen United finally signed Zlatan after weeks of speculation, many United supporters were looking forward to seeing the big Swedish striker in a United shirt. There were those, however, including myself, who doubted his ability to be able to cope with the intensity and speed of the English game over a whole season. At 34 years of age, Ibrahimovic was not getting any younger and the pace of the English game is not ideally suited for the new United striker – or so many of us thought!

Zlatan and Pogba. Very early in the season, following a 2-0 win against Southampton, both players were involved in a hilarious post-match interview where Zlatan kept insisting that Paul should have passed instead of making an attempt to score. Pogba did eventually pass to Zlatan – the Player of the Match award!

More recently, Pogba gatecrashed an interview Zlatan was giving to Thierry Henry and there again one could not fail to notice the chemistry between the two players.

In true Zlatan style, he dismissed the doubters by making a flying start to his United career, breaking the 20 goal barrier in his first season as a United player with the run-in still to be played. Despite a lean spell when he went around 6 matches without scoring, most of the United supporters would by now argue that luring Zlatan to OT was a real masterstroke by José Mourinho.

On a more serious note, the chemistry on and off the pitch has undoubtedly helped these two players gel together on the pitch. It seems to me that Zlatan had realised the pressure that Pogba was under from the very beginning and decided to take him under his wing and mentor him during this tough stage of his career.

Following the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against the old enemy, Zlatan was quoted as saying that he enjoys pressure and defended Pogba by stating that: “I don’t know Paul personally to be able to answer that for him. But I think he likes

Paul Pogba returned to United after spending 4 years playing for Juventus. United had to offer a five-year contract for an all-time record for highest football transfer fee at €105 million (£89.3 million) plus bonuses of €5 million to get Pogba back and this has undoubtedly divided the United faithful. Many supporters argue that no player is really worth that amount of money especially given the fact that Pogba had left United after refusing a new contract and with Sir Alex Ferguson quoted as saying “It is disappointing. I don’t think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest. I’m quite happy that if they [footballers] carry on that way, they’re probably better doing it away from us.” All this has undoubtedly piled even more pressure on Paul Pogba and the first months of his return to the Red Devils showed this.

It is fair to say that Pogba’s start to the season was not as the United fans would have expected. This has inevitably led to criticism being directed towards the youngster. It now seems that he is finally finding his best position on the pitch but he is still under a lot of pressure from the media and the fans and this has presumably taken its toll when Pogba had a nightmare display against Liverpool at Old Trafford, giving away a penalty and admittedly, playing his worst match for United since his move back to Manchester. His body language at the end of the match said it all but in that particular match, a certain Zlatan saved the day by heading in an equaliser in the 84th minute to save a point and continue United’s unbeaten run in the Premier League.

For those of us who follow United religiously, it has been practically impossible not to notice the chemistry that has developed between

it also because, without pressure, we would not be on our toes at the top level. If you want to play at the top, pressure is 24 hours and if you play well or better the pressure becomes even greater. So it’s something that we learn from and something we have to handle because we belong to the top. Paul belongs at the top absolutely and the pressure will be there.”

This bonding is clearly helping José Mourinho’s team as performances started improving after a tough first half of the season where the team seemed to be struggling to shake off the shackles of the Van Gaal era. Indeed, there were some matches this season where players seemed unable to detach themselves from the Van Gaal style of play and supporters started getting disgruntled.

While Zlatan has taken the pressure on board (he endured a two month goal drought) and replied in his own way, Pogba has had to endure a lot of criticism along the way and is perhaps still learning how to deal with being

one of the leaders at Manchester United.

At Juventus, Pogba flourished because the pressure on him was minimal. He went there as a promising youngster and established himself as a key player in a league which was being dominated by Juventus every year without too many problems. It was relatively plain sailing and he had the time to adapt and improve into a well-oiled system. His move back to United was not easy. Adjusting back to the tempo of the English game seemed a struggle at first and there were times when Pogba was caught out in possession in his early days back in a United shirt. It was clear that in Italy he was used to having more time and space on the ball and that he needed to adjust to the high tempo of the Barclays Premier League.

Slowly but surely, however, José Mourinho has worked on changing the mentality and he is doing this by relying on the two players who attracted so much media attention and who had to deal with a lot of pressure. During the month of December 2016, statistics showed that the couple had played 990 minutes together and created 16 chances. Not bad at all given that United were struggling for form at that moment in time. I am sure that this statistic has been further improved in the first months of 2017 as United’s form has improved and the results are getting better.

As if further confirmation about what I’ve written above was needed, I’ve just seen Pogba and Zlatan come on against Blackburn and guess what, Pogba has just drifted a glorious pass to Zlatan who slotted in the winner and sent United into the Quarter Final of the FA Cup. It was Pogba’s 5th assist to Zlatan and Zlatan’s 24th goal of his first season in a United shirt.

It is quite evident that the chemistry between these two players is indeed there and if anything, I would say that there is still a lot of room for improvement. Personally, I would prefer Pogba to focus a bit more on football and less on social media (he became the first Premier League footballer to have his own Twitter emoji in January 2017) and visits to the hairdresser. Zlatan’s comment on this social media phenomenon and top players using it really summed it up when he said that: “It’s part of the game now. What is too much, what is too little? We don’t know”.

He has the potential to be the next captain of Manchester United but needs to improve both on and off the pitch. I am sure he will benefit immensely if Zlatan’s contract is extended by another year. I do not think there is much doubt this will happen given that the Swedish striker has become a fans favourite in his first season and is aiming for 30 goals and hopefully more.

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BUILDING FROM THE BACK

by Julian Tabone

D

efence wins championships and centrebacks are the bedrocks of success.

They say that attack is the best form of defence. But a solid defensive partnership does no harm at all.

At Manchester United we have been blessed with various stars – some shining brighter than others.

Usually it is strikers who take all the limelight and defenders are rarely given credit.

It is also fair to say that since the days of Sir Alex, we have been missing a solid back-four.

Looking back at some of our best sides, a solid defensive partnership was always there.

From Martin Buchan and Gordon McQueen; to Pallister and Bruce; to Stam and Johnsen; to Ferdinand and Vidic. Those partnerships were safe bets.

Vidic and Ferdinand are the most decorated and perhaps the most popular. They complimented each other perfectly and were also aided by the ever reliable Evra & Brown/ Neville and of course goalkeeper Van Der Sar.

But what makes a good defensive partnership?

Most partnerships require complimentarily understanding.

The best partnerships are those that combine and adapt to each other’s strengths. And it is no coincidence either that many teams opt for a centre-back as their captain.

At Manchester United we like committed players – all over the pitch – not just at the back.

All the best sides had their foundations laid at the back.

Chelsea had Cahill and John Terry. Bayern had Dante and Boateng. Dortmund had Hummels and Subotic. Atletico Madrid had Miranda and Godin. Juventus have Chiellini and Bonucci.

Going back in time, you cannot overlook Baresi and Costacurta at Milan, Puyol and Pique at Barcelona, Desailly and Blanc for France, Adams and Bould for Arsenal and also the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and HansGeorg Schwarzenbeck of Germany.

Johnsen and Stam are equally embedded in United history as part of the famous side that won the Treble in 1999.

These players had immense self-belief and selfconfidence – and that is almost unequivocally always transposed to the rest of the team. It is no wonder then, that these players were all part of famous successful sides.

Pallister and Bruce – with their no-nonsense defending helped Ferguson assert himself and dominate English football in the early 90’s.

Where do United stand at the moment and what do they need?

Consistency – that’s what they need.

Buchan and McQueen will surely be favourites among older Manchester United fans. They led United’s defensive line in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

They need 2 centre-backs that can cement their place in the side, just like what De Gea has done and to a certain extent Antonio Valencia too.

A settled par tnership can bring back confidence and stability amongst the whole defensive unit and this will arguably be playing on Mourinho’s mind whilst plotting his next moves in the next transfer market.

A variety of reasons have contributed to this lack of consistency – loss of form, injuries and new players taking their time to bed in.

Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling star ted of f the season brightly. Blind came in briefly. Then Rojo and Jones came to the fore and did well, so well that they were un-droppable at times until Jones got injured again. Shaw went absent. Then Bailly went to the African Nations Cup. Then Smalling came back in.

In truth, we haven’t benefited from the luxury of having a consistent back four since the Evra-Ferdinand-Vidic-Brown days.

That needs fixing. Especially now that the team is getting into rhythm and recapturing that famous swagger in its play.

The feeling – albeit a cautious one – is that United aren’t far off from being contenders again. A few tweaks are still needed.

As much as finding a proper partner and possible long-term replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and an adequate replacement for Michael Carrick remains a priority, bringing back stability and consistency at the back is crucial.

If we can get that, the fear factor will be back, and we will have a marvellous chance at our hands again.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

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January transfers – how effective are they?

by Antoine Dalli

A

t the time of writing this article, almost a month has already elapsed from the end of the January transfer window. It was widely reported in the media that clubs in the Big Five Leagues (Barclays Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga and French Ligue 1) were involved in no fewer than 547 transfers for a total value of £651,638,639.

English Premier League clubs alone spent a six-year high of £215M on players in the January transfer window. Oscar’s move from Chelsea to the Chinese Super League was by far the highest fee of the window as Shanghai SIPG forked out a staggering £52M to prise the Brazilian playmaker away from Stamford Bridge.

The rationale behind the January transfer window is to help title contenders, European hopefuls and relegation battlers to improve their respective squads. By January, clubs and coaches would have a clear idea where their teams stand, their strengths and weaknesses and which positions need reinforcements. Thus, during the month-long window, clubs have the opportunity to bolster their respective squads with a view to make a final push to reach their set targets.

In general, the best players do not move in January or if they move, the sellers ask for a premium price. On the other hand, the January transfer window represents an opportunity for those who were on the fringes of the starting XI in the first half of the season to seek regular first team football elsewhere.

Some, like for example current Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, are in principle against the January transfer window because it creates instability and distracts players from giving their 100 per cent on the field of play.

Usually, the January transfer window derails small and medium clubs as they are more prone to lose their best assets. In the Serie A for instance, Atalanta’s quest for a top-five finish received a setback when Inter’s new owners Suning outsmarted Juventus in signing Atalanta midfielder Roberto Gagliardini. In similar vein, Genoa lost key players Tomas Rincon (Juventus) and Leonardo Pavoletti (Napoli).

Those teams finding the going tough and languishing in the bottom half of the standings tend to be more active during the January transfer window. This gives a clear indication that they had not done their homework properly back in summer. Many coaches reckon that ideally new signings in January should be kept to a bare minimum so that teams do not go through bumpy periods of transition until the new singings settle in their new environs.

If we had to take a look at previous years there were various mid-season transfers that went on to become the best January signings ever. Perhaps few remember Venezia’s great

escape from relegation back in season 1998/99.

Uruguayan international Alvaro Recoba, who barely featured for big spenders Inter, was key for Venezia’s strong comeback in the second half of the season, which eventually helped them retain their Serie A status.

In January 2004, Dejan Stankovic joined Inter from financially-troubled Lazio for a bargain price of €4M and proved to be a master stroke for the buyers. Since 2011, Andrea Barzagli, who formed part of Marcello Lippi’s 2006 Italy World Cup winning team, proved to be the best €300,000 Juventus ever spent. The experienced defender had helped Wolfsburg to the 2008/09 Bundesliga title. At a time when he seemed to be at the sunset of his career, Juve stepped in and drafted the former Palermo accomplished defender into a defensive unit alongside Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon.

Five years before, Sir Alex Ferguson outsmarted bitter rivals Liverpool and Serie A outfit Fiorentina to sign Serbian international defender Nemanja Vidic from Spartak Moscow. Despite the fact that the Red Devils failed to halt José Mourinho’s Chelsea from winning their second straight English Premier League title in 2005/06, Vidic’s defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand, alongside another arrival in January 2006 Patrice Evra, provided the bedrock for an era of Manchester United dominance in England and in Europe.

A decade before, Jaap Stam had only been at Willem II for six months. But he made such an impression that PSV, who at the time were seeking to end three trophy-less seasons, swooped. Stam, then 23 years old, helped PSV to lift the Dutch Cup in his first campaign and the Eredivisie title in his second season with the club, before joining Manchester United in 1998 for a then-record fee (of €18M) for a defender.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar signed for Ajax – the club he had supported as a child – in January 2006 from Heerenveen for a fee of €9M. At the time, Huntelaar was the most promising striker in Dutch football and was once on the books of eternal rivals PSV. Huntelaar was a big hit at Ajax. Three years later, Huntelaar joined La Liga giants Real Madrid for three times the price Ajax had originally paid.

In January 2007, Real Madrid signed two promising South American players. According to then-Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon, Marcelo was “a pearl that half of Europe wanted”. Many went as far as claiming that Marcelo was Roberto Carlos’ heir apparent.

Since his arrival in the Spanish capital, Marcelo featured regularly in Real Madrid’s star-studded sides that lifted three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues. The other South American player who joined Real Madrid in January 2007 was Gonzalo Higuain, who later joined Napoli for €40M before signing for Serie A holders

Juventus last summer for €90M. Originally, Higuian had joined Real Madrid from River Plate for €12M. One of the most active winter transfer windows ever was the one of 2011. Liverpool’s Fernando Torres signed for Chelsea for €57.5M. The Reds re-invested the proceeds on two strikers – one was a complete flop and the other was a star on the rise. Andy Carroll, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle, managed only 11 goals in 58 games before leaving Liverpool 18 months later to sign for West Ham. Luis Suarez became a club hero after signing for Liverpool from Ajax for a relatively bargain price of €26.5M. Suarez scored 82 times in 133 games for Liverpool before his protracted €82.3M move to Barcelona in summer 2014.

In January 2011, apart from signing Torres, who was a complete flop at Chelsea, the Blues also completed the signing of David Luiz from Benfica for a global fee of €25M. Part of the deal was that Serbian playmaker Nemanja Matic was offloaded to Benfica, who converted him into a defensive midfielder. Matic joined Benfica at the end of the 2010/11 season after his loan spell away at Vitesse in the Netherlands. In January 2014, Chelsea re-signed Matic for a staggering €25M, a year after Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea overcame Benfica 2-1 in the Europa League final in Amsterdam.

In January 2011, Atletico Madrid signed Juanfran from Osasuna for a fee of just over €4M. Originally, Juanfran, a Real Madrid youth product, was a high-flying winger but Atletico Madrid reinvented him as a right back. Juanfran has been a mainstay in Atletico Madrid’s solid defence for the past six years and was also part of the Spanish national team squad that won EURO 2012. Juanfran missed the only penalty in Atletico Madrid’s 3-5 penalty defeat vs. Real Madrid in the 2016 Champions League final at the San Siro Stadium.

Ivan Rakitic, who has only recently extended his current contract with Barcelona until 2021, joined La Liga outfit Sevilla from Schalke 04 in January 2011 for a give-away fee of €2.5M. The Swiss-born Croatian international went on to become the first foreign captain of the Andalusian outfit since Diego Maradona. In season 2013/14, Rakitic led Sevilla to the first of their historic treble of UEFA Europa League titles before he signed for Spanish giants Barcelona in June 2014.

In mid-January 2012, Gary Cahill signed for Chelsea for a relatively modest fee of £7M. The England international defender immediately became a commanding figure in Chelsea’s defence and was instrumental behind the Blues’ string of domestic and European successes of late, including the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League, 2012/13 Europa League, 2011/12 FA Cup, the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League and the League Cup in the same season.

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Transfers during the January Transfer Window

by Stefan Attard

A

fter a good run during the month of December Manchester United drew against their bitter rivals Liverpool, drew against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium and again failed to win at Hull City at Old Trafford. This together with the departures of Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay left United fans a tad disappointed not to see new faces during the January transfer window. This article covers the potential ins and outs who might be joining or leaving the Reds during the next transfer window.The article also reflects where it went wrong for our two main January departures.

POTENTIAL INS

Victor Lindelof Manchester United is understood to have scouted the Swede since the arrival of José Mourinho and for several times during the January transfer window his signing appeared to be just a formality. Without the now stumbledupon-first-choice centre Bailly and Rojo, United still seem jittery at the back. When the transfer was almost completed it was understood that Benfica were trying to renegotiate his sell-on clause with former club Vestaras. It appears that if Benfica fail to get the 20 per cent fee reduced they will inform United that they will have to make up the difference as part of Lindelof’s transfer package.

Antoine Griezmann Antoine Griezmann has long been seen as a possible target for the Premier League’s elite clubs and despite stating several times that he is happy with life at the Vicente Calderón, it is difficult for the Frenchman to refuse a club like Manchester United.

During the January transfer window, Antoine Griezmann’s brother Theo - who is a well-known Manchester United fan, has again teased the United faithful and a tweet of Old Trafford has done nothing to quell the rumours of his elder brother moving to the Theatre of Dreams. It is fitting for the top scorer and best player of Euro 2016 to wear the iconic number 7 shirt vacated

by Memphis. The French forward has shown that he belongs to the elite with 52 La Liga goals to his name in just two-and-a-half seasons with ‘Los Colchoneros’. Only Ronaldo, Messi and Suarez have scored more in La Liga than the prolific striker. Of course United fans are used to media throwing many big name players into the transfer rumour columns; however, this transfer is looking more likely to go through in the summer transfer window.

OUTS

Morgan Schneiderlin Sometimes it is just not meant to be and this has been the case for Morgan during his time with the Red Devils. Schneiderlin’s departure to Everton is perhaps of mutual benefit to both Manchester United and Everton. After all, the Frenchman has cut a frustrated figure, sat in the stands for most of the season, playing just 11 minutes in the Premier League, 135 minutes in

the Europa League, and 90 minutes in the EFL Cup. Schneiderlin’s total of 298 minutes in all competitions is less than some of the United squad have played in the last three matches alone. The fact that he is reunited with his exboss Ronald Koeman means that Morgan knows exactly what will be expected of him. After all, playing under the Dutchman’s management was what turned him from an average player to a top consistent performer.

This last statistic is key. In reality Schneiderlin was competing with the likes of Paul Pogba for a place in Mourinho’s team and the Frenchman is definitely the superior option.

However, despite his time at United being over, Schneiderlin’s football career is certainly not.

From disappointment comes opportunity. The move to Everton should provide Morgan with the opportunity to replenish Everton’s sluggish midfield. In Schneiderlin, Koeman knows that he has a player who can pass, tackle and, most importantly in modern football, press well, intercept the ball and push forward. Bon voyage Morgan, and good luck.

Memphis Depay Ahead of the highly anticipated move from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2015, many rated Memphis as the next big thing at Old Trafford. Labelled as a ‘Wonderkid’, Depay earned comparisons to football greats like Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo before the 20-year-old Dutchman had even kicked a ball in the Premier League.

Upon his arrival, Memphis got the iconic number 7 shirt, which was once worn by club legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Eric Cantona and George Best. Having asked for the shirt number himself, the winger was perhaps unaware of the pressure and expectation in the English Premier League. Perhaps the pace of the English game and the superior quality of players in the league was another factor of his downfall.

Since his arrival, the Dutchman failed to impress under both Louis Van Gaal and Mourinho and after lack of first team football it came to no surprise that the Dutchman asked to leave the club in order to get more playing time.

Soon enough, after just 18 months Manchester United sold the winger to Olympique Lyon for a fee that can rise to £22million.

POTENTIAL OUTS

Anthony Martial After a great debut season under LvG, Anthony Martial has struggled to impress José Mourinho this season and it is believed that the Frenchman is disillusioned with the lack of first team football at Old Trafford. It is however said that the manager is unwilling to let the striker leave and even rebuked his agent for talking up a possible loan move to the Spanish side Sevilla. Personally I would be very sad to see Martial leave United as the forward is still very

young and he already possesses a lot of talent.

Ashley Young Having spent a considerable chunk of the last couple of seasons on the sidelines or on the bench, there have been serious doubts about Ashley Young’s future as a Manchester United player. During the January transfer window, teams from the Chinese league targeted a number of elite players from the English Premier League. Ashley Young was one of the targeted players. However, it is understood that he ruled out a move to the Chinese Super League. Having a player with such high ability and experience seemingly transfer-listed, it could be that Ash’s long-term future will not be at Old Trafford. A couple of days before the transfer deadline, the manager confirmed that Young would be staying with Manchester United at least for the remainder of the season.

Wayne Rooney Having scored his 250th goal for Manchester United, which made him Manchester United’s all time record goal scorer, Wayne Rooney remains constantly linked with a long-haul move to the MLS or the Chinese Super League.

With the riches in the aforementioned leagues, Manchester United and Rooney could be made an offer they cannot refuse. With the striker being given less playing time under Mourinho and the fact that Wayne is reaching the twilight of his career, he might follow other veteran players and join the MLS or Chinese Super League while getting a hefty wage.

Sean Goss, Joe Riley and Sam Johnstone Academy midfielder Sean Goss has also left on a permanent deal for Queens Park Rangers in an attempt to seek regular first team football.

The midfielder was a key member of the Under 23 squad under Warren Joyce and Nicky Butt, but did not look likely to make the grade at first team level. Although United did not want him to leave the club, they accepted his desire to further his career elsewhere and the fee of an initial £500,000, plus buy-back clause, is a good deal.

Left-back Joe Riley, who made his first team debut under van Gaal, has gone on loan to Sheffield United, while Sam Johnstone has been granted a loan deal to Aston Villa and Dean Henderson had his loan at Grimsby Town extended to the end of the season. Joel Pereira was recalled from Belenenses as cover.

After the transfer window closed, Mourinho indicated that the targets for the next transfer window in summer are already set. Of course, there is still a lot to play for this season with United looking to add silverware after reaching the EFL cup final, progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup and challenging for the Champions League spot. Although United were quiet with regards to arrivals during January, it is all set to change with United set to face an interesting summer.

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Manchester United Rejects Turned Stars

by Roderick Psaila

T

he Manchester United Academy produces a vast amount of young players year in year out and although the vast majority of them do not make it into the United first team, they still find their place in other ‘lesser’ teams in the Premiership or other countries’ top division.

One can mention several very good players who cut it elsewhere after being rejected by United, such as Jonathan Greening, Robbie Brady, Tom Heaton, Danny Drinkwater and several others.

I picked three players for the sake of this article but it could easily have been others.

Gerard Pique Gerard Pique was born in Barcelona and has just turned 30 in February. He started his youth career at Barcelona but at the age of 17 moved to Manchester United for free, just before he had signed his first professional contract with Barca. With his height and built, Gerard was instantly introduced as a centre half full of promise who could easily cut it in England.

After spending a year in the youth set-up, as from 2005 he started circling around the first team at United and in line with Fergie’s culture of using kids in the League Cup, Gerard also started featuring in the odd match as a starter.

I clearly remember United’s defeat against Coventry in the League Cup when a certain Michael Mifsud outpaced Pique on the flank to score the second of his two goals against us.

In 2006-2007, Gerard spent a season with Real Zaragoza in Spain, which was his making as he played more than 20 matches for Zaragoza, something which was not happening at United, where he was often competing for scraps with Silvestre, Wes Brown, O’Shea and a young Jonny Evans and always behind Ferdinand and Vidic in the pecking order. Indeed, in his autobiography, Gerard explains his departure from United at the end of season 2007-2008

in the following manner, “I was too young, and barring my path were two of the best centrebacks in the world in Rio and Vidic, who Sir Alex Ferguson rated more highly. Vidic and Ferdinand were such an excellent pairing that I could not see a way past them.” At the end, Pique moved back to the Nou Camp for €5 million. In his first full season under Guardiola, Pique won the Spanish Cup, La Liga and also the UEFA Champions League against United in Rome. He went on to become one of the best central defenders in Europe and was a mainstay in a stellar team that won multiple leagues and Champions Leagues.

Jonny Evans Personally, I was very disappointed when Jonny was sold by Van Gaal to West Brom for a pittance, mostly because he was Manchester United all the way and at 27, Jonny was still at the right age to deliver. Jonny was born in Northern Ireland in 1988, one year Pique’s junior. He joined United’s academy aged 16 and after a couple of years in the Youth sector, he was promoted to the first team in 2006. Generally considered as a neat and ball playing central defender, Jonny made his debut with the first team in September 2007, following a couple of loan deals with Royal Antwerp and Sunderland. This was an important season for Jonny as for some reason, Ferguson saw more promise in him than in Pique and hence decided to sell the latter and continue to nurture the Norther Ireland defender. At the end, Evans did not develop into the world beater Ferguson predicted and several United supporters criticized Ferguson for letting Pique leave and retain Evans.

Still, Jonny is one of the best defenders in the Premiership today and in reality, I am not sure that at United we have a better left sided central defender than him. Hand on heart, I don’t think Rojo is better. I agree with a recent comment by Henry on Skysports where he said that Jonny would enter in the first eleven of most teams in England, and this is also shown by the interest from Arsenal at the beginning of this season. For me, another one that United should not have let slip.

Paul Pogba Paul Pogba turns 24 in mid-March and is in his second spell in a Manchester United shirt, after leaving for free in somewhat acrimonious circumstances in the summer of 2012. Paul had joined United as a 16 year old in 2009 and for those of us who follow the Academy on a regular basis, it was obvious that this kid had everything. Despite being somewhat flamboyant and immature, Paul already had an imposing physique, impressive technical ability, strength, good shot, accurate passing range and the right dose of arrogance.

During his stint with the Academy, Paul was a member of the team that won the FA Youth Cup alongside Jessie Lingard and the Keane brothers. He was also part of the squad who travelled to Malta for a one week training camp and a friendly against Hibernians. So it was clearly a kick in the teeth for United fans when Paul decided to turn down the offer of a new contract and leave Old Trafford for Italy.

Although there were accusations that money was the main reason he left, Paul always maintained that the lack of playing time with the first team and the lack of trust by Ferguson had made up his mind to seek pastures new.

Two were the events that had swayed Paul’s decision to leave. The first was when Ferguson brought Scholes back from retirement, when it seemed a natural decision to give Pogba a run in the first team. The second instance was when the manager preferred Rafael for a midfield role instead of Paul. Conversely, Paul walked in the first team of Juventus right away in his first season in Turin and went on to become a very influential player for them and one of the best midfielders in the world, also winning four Serie A titles in each of the seasons spent in Italy. Eventually, Paul came back to finish what he had started but having him back came at a hefty price, a world record fee that United paid Juventus for his services.

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OLIVER REED’S LAST PUB.

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

Mourinho the way forward

by Daniel Cuschieri

A

s soon as the rumours began a couple of years ago that the club might appoint José Mourinho to replace Sir Alex, I thought it would be a great move. I am not really into romantic stories, so the appointment of David Moyes didn’t really go down well with me. This was a manager on limited budget who did well with Everton, but did not have the capability to handle a club as enormous as MUFC. His first interviews gave an example of how affected by the limelight he was, by stating he was going to buy a number of players but ending up with a panic buy. Nevertheless he was trusted with job and in my opinion didn’t do a good job. His career didn’t fare very well after his dismissal, going to Spain and now being manager of Sunderland.

Louis van Gaal replaced him and I had high hopes for him based on his CV, and coming off a quite good World Cup performance with the Netherlands. The team under Van Gaal was quite resilient however failed to break teams down or finish games off. Van Gaal’s way of playing brought jeers from fans and also parts of the media, however it must be noted that the team rarely lost to a top four side. During his tenure, the teams suffered injury after injury which did not help his case. To add insult to injury, I think the sanctioning of the sales of Robin Van Persie and Javier Hernandez made matters worse, and then buying Di Maria and Falcao seemed to be dream buys on paper.

But under this smoke screen was a player returning from a serious injury and used to playing in a 2nd rated league in France. Di Maria came over for just a year before he was allowed to join PSG, and played the victim card that he feared for his family when his house got broken into.

In the second season, Van Gaal managed to introduce some youth players into the team due to the constant injuries. The introduction of Rashford, Mensah, Lingard and also Borthwick-Jackson and the purchase of

Martial brought a sense that youth players are becoming the foundation of a new team.

Van Gaal managed to win the FA Cup but was sacked due to the fact that the club did not qualify for the Champions League. The media did not help Van Gaal. They were constantly on his back and it got to him, affecting the team.

His dismissal paved way for the self-appointed ‘Special One’. This was a manager that football critics, fans and even United fans to an extent did not like nor appreciated his method of play. Remarks in the press went like: “Mourinho must buy players to win”, which remarks do not really tie in, as with Porto he won the UEFA Cup and Champions League against all odds, knocking out United in the process. He joined Chelsea and the club purchased players that would last a minimum of 5 years with the club. I believe a manager has his own style of players, both mentally and technically, which if the current players do not fit the bill, they would be replaced. This is not different from any other manager’s approach, He then joined Inter Milan and beat Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Final and won his second champions league with a team that again defied the odds. Moving to the circus in Spain called Real Madrid, Mourinho knew that internal politics weren’t going to help his case. The rivalry between the Spanish clubs reached a level whereby the Real vs Barcelona became Pep vs José. José did not have the team to really dethrone Barcelona. Barcelona have been one of the greatest teams to grace football and this was a fight that José took on with both hands and managed to win a few titles in Spain.

His arrival at United is a boost to the club as now players want to join the club and also play under Mourinho. Mourinho is a natural born winner, and likes to win at all costs even the ugly way. His start to his United career has begun well. We have dropped some points but he will get the club back to winning

trophies. His signings have been strategic and he has made it known no player will be left wanting. Fans have to learn to be patient, the players have gone through a number of transitions these couple of years which is not healthy, as it does not create stability. The only concern is that he might not stick around for long, however I think he is aware that this club can be his real home and also offer him the challenge of getting a statue outside the stadium. Mourinho will be known at the clubs he managed as a manager that won trophies and left. Here due to Sir Alex’s major trophy haul he can overcome that stigma and create a legacy just like Sir Alex did. The club has won a lot of domestic honours but on the European stage, I am sad to say we are the in shadows of other clubs like Milan, Bayern, Real and Barcelona. A club of United’s stature should be fighting for European honours on an annual basis, and reaching the latter stages of the tournament. Mourinho is a manager that has built a catalogue of experience by managing top European sides, and why fans wanted Pep as the manager instead of Mourinho is a question some United fans would have difficulty answering. I think Pep has had it easy at the two clubs he has managed, whereas due to his personality, for Mourinho it has not been easy. It is either due to the media or internal politics. Mourinho has two titles in the bag and could win a couple more this year, once he gets the players he wants and playing the way he wants, other clubs are going to be scared as now the club is flexing its financial muscle and Mourinho is a shrewd buyer. Testimony to that is Didier Drogba that played for Chelsea for a a great length of time and came with a big price tag, however over time Drogba was an investment and in my opinion Mourinho’s greatest purchase.

Let’s have some patience with our manager, he already has two titles, more than other clubs whom I think will finish the season empty handed.

VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

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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 (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.

32 VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

TRUE RED DEVILS BELIEVE!

by Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante

BELIEVE...

It is a 2013 sports drama starring Brian Cox as the erstwhile legendary manager of the Busby Babes. Georgie Gallagher is played by Jack Smith. The picture was billed as a story “inspired by actual events”, but in actual fact it is fiction prompted by certain truths. Yet, it is an attractive story which points to Sir Matt Busby’s mission in making young boys’ dreams materialize.

The plot is set in Manchester, in the Salford area in 1984.

Matt Busby is in retirement.

A widowed mother wants her son Georgie to attend a Lancashire school where rugby is the main sport. He is up for a scholarship if successful in an entrance exam. Georgie’s passion is football. He discovers that a regional Manchester Junior Football Cup Tournament is about to be held. There and then, he decides to go for it with his own team of young scallywags intending to beat the school bullies. Having no funds to pay the entrance fee, Georgie robs a stranger of his wallet. The stranger happens to be none other than the retired Matt Busby. Tracking the lad, Busby finds out that the culprit is a talented ball player, and offers to coach his team in exchange for not reporting the incident to the police. Still needing the money for the tournament, Georgie is caught red handed when attempting to get back the

tuition fee his mum had paid for his exam.

The young scallywags find out who their coach is. Georgie feels betrayed by his mates and Sir Matt Busby for not revealing his true identity before. He quits the team and refuses to play.

On Sir Matt Busby’s 75th birthday, Georgie sits

for the scholarship exam while his team is set to play in the final. I will not elaborate more on the story out of respect for those who would like to watch the film.

Believe...that is what is behind the whole story.

Still haunted by the tragic plane crash of 1958 which killed the “Busby Babes,” Matt Busby’s staunch belief is intact. Believing is the core of who we are, what we do, and the success that we acquire.

It is commonly asserted that if you believe that something will happen, it will. To believe is to foster inward convictions, a feeling of certainty. Belief relates to what you hold dear and is rooted deeply within, being both mental and emotional. It is embedded in the mind and in the heart. It is crucial to adopt only the beliefs that serve you and to let go of those beliefs that limit you.

Gary Neville believes that things are starting to come together for Mourinho’s side.

Rui Faria said: “We all believe the results will appear”.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic avows: “We believe in ourselves and believe in what we are doing.”

Manchester United’s hierarchy believe the football being served up by manager Jose Mourinho is “much better than last year”.

Do YOU believe?

Join us on MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

www.twitter.com/manutd_malta VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

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6th Generation Intel® Core™ Processor

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

DOWN MEMORY LANE

The Editorial Board has asked me to write about important milestones in our club’s history, but it is not possible to compress all of this in one article. So in this issue, I shall limit myself to the first 20 years, and even so, I shall only limit myself to what I consider as the main events. Maybe in a sequel, I will expand on later years.

by John Calleja

informally with t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops!

Spaghetti, rabbit, ice cream, and plenty of free flowing wine!

In November 1959, we started keeping in touch with members with the issue of the first ever newsletter called The Manchester United News.

T

he idea of setting up a local supporters club dawned on me in the summer of 1958. I was on my second visit to Old Trafford and as happened on my first visit a year before, I was overwhelmed by the welcome I got on both visits, so I decided that I had to reciprocate, and what better way than setting up a local supporters’ club? Besides, it would ensure that the memory of Munich would never be forgotten.

These were my two main aims, so I decided to discuss the idea with Matt Busby, who was very enthusiastic, probably because Busby had a penchant of wanting United to be first in everything and he liked the idea of United being the first team to have a supporters’ club outside England. Busby introduced me to Jack Crompton, who was his right-hand man, and asked him to help me. Jack became one of my greatest ever friends and more important, he helped me all the way and became a pillar of our club.

I published a note in local newspapers about an unofficial meeting which was held in December 1958 at St. Gregory’s Youth Centre in Sliema. Eventually, the first official meeting was held at Palazzo Caraffa in Valletta and the first committee was set up, with myself as President, George Kissaun as secretary, and Carmelo Dimech, John Scerri and Geo Pace Ross as members. These last three have all moved to a better life and are now watching over the club that we started from above.

This was on 4 th February 1959, and two days later we held our first official function: Holy Mass held to commemorate the first anniversary of the Munich disaster, which was celebrated at Santa Caterina d’Italia chapel in Valletta.

Meetings and other functions were held during the year at the Anglo Maltese League, also in Valletta, which became our unofficial HQ, courtesy of the committee.

In summer, we held out first ever dinner at Il Veccia restaurant in St Paul’s Bay, very

supporters were allowed to take some players out for a drink (soft drinks only) and had to return to the Phoenicia Hotel by 10. I was invited for a coffee by Busby and the other officials. The venture turned out to be a huge success, much to my relief, as the MFA had entrusted all the programme arrangements to our Supporters’ Club. The programme came to an end with an official dinner on Sunday evening, to which I was invited and MFA were the hosts.

Not everything was rosy and for some reason, interest started dwindling and membership started to fall. Then in 1964 came a lifeline! I read in the papers that a local Red Devils Fan Club was being set up by a certain Joe Glanville, whom I didn’t know back then. I contacted Joe and we decided to have a formal meeting with a delegation from both sides.

The meeting was very friendly and we reached a conclusion to merge under our original name of MUSC. This proved a blessing, interest became high again, and by early 1966 we had a then-record membership of 270 members. Joe Glanville proved a great asset to our club by his devotion and hard work. Joe is still very active today at our club.

In 1967, we had a dream come true when United were drawn to play Hibs in the European Cup, a dream which culminated in United winning the coveted honour for the first time: started in Malta and ended successfully at Wembley, a match which I was lucky to watch live, together with some other fans who travelled from Malta for the occasion.

In 1969 we celebrated our 10th anniversary at the Cafe Premiere.

Jack Crompton was officially sent to represent the club and presented souvenirs to all those who had been members for all ten years.

Two years later saw a historic event: United came to Malta and played a match against a Malta League X1, winning 2-0, with goals from Noel Cantwell and Maurice Setters. In 1959, Busby had promised me that he would bring United to Malta. At the first opportunity, true to his words, he did so on the 14th May 1961, just 2 years later. Arrangements had been agreed between me, United and the MFA, but these were kept secret till the eleventh hour, as per MFA request. The evening before the match, an oversubscribed reception was held at the Anglo Maltese League premises. After the reception,

In 1975, we obtained our own premises at 8 Old Theatre Street, which premises had been vacated by the Glanville family, eventually moving to larger ones, at 114 St. Lucia Street, officially opened on 3rd March 1979. It was a very proud moment, which eventually also ended, as the place had become too small. We moved to the present premises in Santa Venera, of which we have now become proud owners.

So much nostalgia! Our greatest achievement lies in the fact that we never closed down and are United’s oldest supporters’ club. Truly, WE NEVER DIE.

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Champions League Nights First half blitz enough to see off Austrians

by Michael Calleja

O

n the 25th of September, 1996 Manchester United took on Rapid Vienna at Old Trafford in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. The footballing ‘context’ at the time was as follows: Juventus were the dominant force in Europe and had literally humiliated United the week before with a footballing masterclass [the 1-0 score line certainly did not reflect the Italians’ overall superiority of the game]. In fact, some pundits had surmised that United were lightyears behind the Italians and other continental clubs. History has proven that Ferguson was simply getting to grips with European football and still learning certain key lessons and tactics.

Enter Rapid Vienna: a team which had previously lost the European Cup Winners’ Cup final and were Champions of Austria.

No pushover whatsoever. However, United outplayed the Austrians for most of the game, scoring two goals within the space of seven minutes. It seemed the lessons of Turin were learned after all.

The atmosphere going into the game was also different. Old Trafford had been expanded to cater for EURO 96 and for most fans, playing in the Champions League was still a novelty.

Granted, United had participated in the 199394 and 1994-95 editions but this time, there was a genuine feel around the place that this team could go places and that United could finally try and achieve something in this competition.

As a result, the place was rocking – Old Trafford was packed and fans could feel a genuine buzz that is generated from a big European night.

Having missed out on the previous year’s edition, United were back where they belonged: in Europe playing against the best. The Daily Express later acknowledged that ‘it was the sort of night United’s younger fans will only have read about in the soccer history books, when a packed Old Trafford thrilled to European triumph’.

The team that took to the field that day was: Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen (David May), Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Karel Poborsky (Nicky Butt), Eric Cantona, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Andy Cole).

United’s early dominance was evident. Like a wounded animal, they harassed and hounded Rapid Vienna going close on several occasions.

After 20 minutes of play, Roy Keane’s cross was floated into the penalty area and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer converted from close range. No sooner had Solskjaer scored, David Beckham added another. A misjudged back-pass by a Rapid Vienna player found Beckham who duly latched on the ball and converted to make it 2-0 United.

Finally, fans were able to see the real United.

Despite it being a very fledgling side, the Red Devils imposed themselves on the game entirely and began to show glimpses of a very promising future [United would finally win the Champions League in the 1998-99 season] with the likes

of young players such as: David Beckham, Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen and Ryan Giggs orchestrating proceedings with little difficulty.

So efficient and ruthless was the Manchester United performance that the Daily Mail would later acknowledge that: ‘The lessons of Turin, where United lost 1-0 to Juventus had been learned. This was a different night, a different atmosphere and a different United – one willing to display their graceful strength and not become anyone’s European patsy’.

The Red Devils then faced Fenerbahce (winning 2-0 away from home and shockingly losing 0-1 at Old Trafford) before being beaten by Juventus 1-0 at home and finally defeating the same Austrians 2-0 in Vienna. Progressing to the Quarter-finals, United defeated Porto 4-0 at Old Trafford and drew 0-0 in Porto. Fans worldwide will always remember the painful semi-final defeat to Borussia Dortmund (losing 0-1 in Dortmund and 0-1 at Old Trafford) – when in both games United spurned numerous chances to score a goal and progress to the final.

Nevertheless, the game against Rapid Vienna should be remembered and appreciated because it taught fans two things – United would always strike back and recover from a defeat [especially in Europe] and secondly, if United played with passion and determination in front of a packed Old Trafford, anything was possible – and with that mentality, United would finally establish themselves as one of the giants of European football.

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38 VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Yip Yap Stam is a big Dutch man

by Norbert Bugeja

“Yip Yap Stam is a big Dutch man, try and beat him if you f***in’ can” was part of the song which was sung by the Manchester United supporters. Supporters are not all football experts. They love the club, show passion to the club, but no other football expert would have described him better.

He was a tall, strong, no-nonsense defender and fighter with no flashy play: a real nightmare for every striker or anyone who used to see him coming towards them to get the ball. Stam stayed only for three seasons at United. Yet, in such a short time not only did he win everything with United, but also earned the club legend status and was loved by everyone.

Stam joined United from PSV Eindhoven in 1998. I must admit that when I saw him, I got a bad flashback as his face looked like a certain William Prunier and I started getting nightmares. In his first game against Arsenal in the Community Shield 1998 he looked slow and out of place, although still better than Prunier, but that was something short-lived as he developed into the player we learned to love. The Dutch Destroyer, as he was also nicknamed, played 79 times for Manchester United, scoring only once: Beckham crosses a ball from the left, Stam left his defensive duties, ran unmarked into the box and

finished with a side foot past Keller. The reaction of the goal: Fergie was laughing.

What he lacked in goals, he compensated for in tackling, defensive positioning and getting stuck in when an argument between players started. One example was when Vieira and Keane kicked out at each other and were separated, but unfortunately for Vieira, Stam was rushing from the back and had to face him: it took 8 players and a referee to hold him back.

In his 3 years at the club, Stam won 3 Premier League titles, 1 UEFA Champions League, 1 FA Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup and on a personal note he was in the Premier League Team of the Year for 3 years in a row.

Unfortunately, Stam’s ending to his Manchester United career is far from a fairytale ending. He ended up his last season with an Achilles injury and the famous autobiography controversy which saw him offloaded to Lazio. Fergie later admitted that it was his biggest mistake.

He later joined Milan and Ajax before hanging up his boots and starting his non-playing career in football.

In 2008, he became part of the scouting staff of the greatest team in the world: Manchester United. He was responsible for most of the

South America region, so most probably he was the one who spotted Chicharito when no one had ever heard about him. But Stam’s aim seems to be the managerial career. He was Assistant Manager and Interim Manager at Zwolle and Assistant at Ajax and Ajax Youths.

When he joined Reading as manager, in 37 games he got 20 wins 7 draws and 10 defeats.

One wouldn’t want to be one of the players in the dressing room after a defeat if he has learned from his mentor Ferguson. I can’t imagine a hairdryer treatment from Stam. His win percentage is that of 58.1% which is by far better than that of Klopp who is considered a great manager by his supporters.

His latest return to Old Trafford was during the FA Cup tie against Manchester United. It was a great return. It is always great to see the appreciation United supporters give to the club legends and always better when United win. Manchester United beat Reading by the score of 4-0. Stam on the touchline seemed looking forward to enter the football pitch and be part of the action, especially when some loose marking allowed United to score.

So after a brilliant career with fighting spirit and determination, we would like to wish the best of luck to Jaap Stam for his managerial career, obviously not when he is facing Manchester United.

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The Kit Sponsors

by Paul Vassallo

A

n important revenue stream for football clubs in the current day and age is kit sponsorship. By having the company’s logo featured on a successful club’s football shirts, the brand benefits from being associated with the triumph enjoyed by the team. This is the reason that deals being announced are sky-rocketing. Football being a multi-billion dollar industry is an understatement, with broadcasting deals and transfer fees following the same upward trajectory. With the number of people watching the top leagues in Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Holland reaching the hundreds of millions, football is the perfect platform to get your brand noticed.

Sponsor

Year

Sharp Electronics

1982-2000

Vodafone

2000-2006

AIG

2006-2010

AON

2010-2014

Chevrolet

2014-

Fast forward to 2014 and Manchester United agreed a $600 million 7-year deal with current kit sponsor General Motors’ brand Chevrolet.

Vodafone After the relationship with Sharp Electronics was brought to an end with the start of the new millennium, world renowned telecommunications brand Vodafone signed a £30 million four-year deal with Manchester United. During this period, United would change kit supplier again from British company Umbro travelling across the Atlantic to American brand Nike. Three years into the deal with Vodafone, it was renewed for a further four years at an agreed sum of £36 million.

However, circumstances in the marketing department of Vodafone meant that this deal would be terminated earlier. Vodafone became official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League starting in the summer of 2006 and therefore the brand opted out of its contract with Manchester United. Manchester United would famously win the UEFA Champions League two years later In Russia.

Sharp Electronics

AIG

Back in the days, things were very different from present times. The first sponsorship deal entered into by Manchester United was with Sharp Electronics, a Japanese company, which was announced on the 27th April 1982. Sharp and Manchester United ended up having a relationship lasting 18 years, during which the company was associated with the club enjoying explosive growth as a superpower in England. Having won the FA Cup in the first season of being sponsored by Sharp Electronics in 1982/83, the Japanese brand had to be patient and wait 10 years for the team it was supporting to win the first league title with a sponsored kit in 1992/93, the inaugural edition of the FA Premier League. This coincided with a change in kit manufacturer in 1992, as Umbro replaced German brand Adidas, which has now returned to be our current kit supplier in a record-smashing £750 million ten-year partnership. Yet, after this, the success floodgates had burst open, with the team winning the five more Premier League titles and the unforgettable 1998/99 UEFA Champions League, among other trophies, with Sharp Electronics emblazoned on the front of the kit.

This achievement of winning the third top European trophy in its history happened with the logo of AIG, an American insurance company, printed on the red home kit of Manchester United. It was a record-breaking $100 million deal with the world’s largest insurance firm for a four-year period. It was a financial services firm and 2008 was not the best year for this sector, with the financial crisis meaning that AIG was one of the companies that had to be bailed out by the American government. This resulted in the original deal of four years being honoured but conducting no efforts to extend beyond what was agreed. After all, there was now the element of taxpayers’ money at play. However, Manchester United was advised beforehand and could commence their search for a new kit sponsor early. It all looked as if the team was looking towards India for its new kit supplier, with Sahara Group being reported to be close to an agreement with the Red Devils. Yet, the American owners, the Glazers, who took over the club in 2005, preferred to remain in familiar territory, agreeing a deal with American-founded, British-headquartered financial services firm AON.

It was reported that ever since the sponsorship deal was terminated in 2000, the brand took a massive downturn, especially in the United Kingdom, with brand awareness taking a significant hit as well as revenue. The initial deal with Sharp was signed for two years and was worth just £500,000, being increased to £700,000 upon renewal for a further two years.

AON

Apart from the kit, AON have an eight-year deal with Manchester United for the naming rights to the Trafford Training Centre, now known as AON Training Complex until 2021, pumping another £22.5 million per season into the club’s bank account. The logo of AON features on leisure wear and trainingwear so the brand is still very much associated with Manchester United after the club decided to sell the main kit advertising spot for more than double the amount that was being received from AON when it agreed a deal with General Motors.

Chevrolet In July 2012, United announced a new partnership with American corporation General Motors, a World record deal worth $85m (£53 million) per year which would see the Chevrolet logo gracing the front of the Red Devils’ shirts.

The deal was announced by United in 2011, when AON still had two years remaining on their deal, emphasizing the heavy competition there is amongst corporations to become United’s kit sponsor. Chevrolet’s logo made its debut on the Manchester United shirts from the start of the 2014/15 season.

The deal with Chevrolet is set to run until 2021, with the American brand seeking to take advantage of Manchester United’s fan base, which is impressively over 659 million worldwide, with more than half of the fans based in the Asia-Pacific region.

Apart from the main kit sponsor, one cannot help but notice the long list of commercial partners always getting longer on the main website of Manchester United. Companies range from watchmakers to filmmakers and from winemakers to bookmakers. Worldrenowned companies like DHL, EA Sports, UBER and Aperol Spritz are all associated with the club alongside others, all pumping cash into the club’s coffers and in return sharing in the success of the glorious club with its dominant marketing appeal.

A deal with top American financial company AON was first announced on the 3rd June 2009 and it commenced officially a year later in June 2010. The sponsorship deal was reported to be worth £88 million over four years, going at £22 million per season, a fee which would be eclipsed by the next and current kit sponsor.

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The Curious Case of Anthony Martial

by Alan Abela-Wadge

I

t was the 1st of September 2015, transfer deadline day, when Manchester United bought their new Number 9. Little was known about this young prodigy that goes by the name of Anthony Martial. So little was known about him that many of the Manchester United supporters around the world were surprised when they realised the astronomical transfer fee that Manchester United paid for him. It was reported that Manchester United paid £36 million up front for Martial, but his contract contains three bonus clauses worth £7.2 million each, taking the potential fee to £57.6 million. The clauses each relate to certain accomplishments being achieved in the next four years, including if Martial scores 25 goals during that span, racks up 25 caps for France or wins the Ballon d’Or before June 2019.

Then United manager Louis van Gaal called Martial an acquisition for United’s future rather than for the immediate use, and called the transfer fee “ridiculous”, alleging that Manchester United regularly had to pay £10 million more than other teams.

Anthony Martial started his United career in explosive fashion. Many of us remember his explosive debut in which he came on late against Liverpool and scored a fantastic goal after he shimmied his way across Skrtel and just left him watching as Martial tucked the ball in to the bottom corner of the net. Martial continued his great start to his United career and he scored 4 goals in his first four matches with two goals against Southampton and another goal against Ipswich Town. Martial’s early impact was also praised by United’s Legend Sir Alex Ferguson, who stated that “he can do anything”. Martial ended September as the PFA’s Fans’ Player of the Month, Premier League Player of the Month and also won the Goal of the Month for his amazing goal against United.

On the 19th of December, Martial was also awarded the Golden Boy award as Europe’s best under-21 player. During the remainder of the season Martial was a key player for United.

This culminated in his performance in the FA Cup Semi Final in a 2–1 win against Everton at Wembley Stadium on the 23rd of April where he assisted the first goal by Marouane Fellaini and scored an additional-time winner. He finished the season as the club’s top scorer in both the league and overall competitions with 11 goals and 17 goals respectively.

Due to Martial’s performances in the 2015–

2016 season with Manchester United, he earned a spot in France’s 23 man squad for Euro 2016. In Martial’s own words, EURO 2016 was disastrous for him. He played a total of 45 minutes and spent the rest of the European Championship watching on the bench. Martial admitted that he’s still young and he will be looking forward for more tournament action in the future.

Martial started his second season at Manchester United with a new manager: José Mourinho, and surprisingly also a new number on his back. With the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United offered the #9 number to Zlatan, while Martial opted for the #11 number after this was stripped off Adnan Januzaj. Anthony Martial’s form in his 2nd season at United started to dip from the onset. Many attributed the dip in form to Martial’s personal problems and due to the dip in form Mourinho often benched Martial.

Nevertheless, on 2 October 2016, Martial came off the bench at Old Trafford to score United’s only goal—his first of the new season—against Stoke City, a game that ended in a 1–1 draw.

On 20 October 2016, Martial scored from the penalty spot as United ran out 4–1 winners over Fenerbahçe in the Europa League.

On 30 November 2016, Martial was recalled to the side to face West Ham in the EFL Cup after receiving warnings about his starting spot in previous weeks from manager José Mourinho, he responded by scoring two goals in a 4–1 win to send United into the semifinal of the competition. Being in and out of the team for a couple of months, Martial was rumoured to want to quit Manchester United in the summer, but on 6 February Martial made it clear on his official Twitter account , tweeting “the papers are wrong don’t listen to them”. Martial returned to the starting line-up against Watford at Old Trafford on 11 February by providing an assist to Juan Mata and later scoring a goal himself in the 60th minute, being later declared the Man of the Match.

The curiosity of what happened to Martial over the summer is something that many United fans have asked. We know for a fact that unfortunately Martial had a breakdown of his long term relationship and this was quite a public breakdown. As many would tell you, the breakup of a marriage is always very difficult on a couple; add with it that you’re the most expensive young football player in history and that you play for the great Manchester United and you’ve got a lethal mix of problems that could have literally destroyed the kid. Apart from that, Mourinho started to play Martial on the wing: a position that although he had played in it in the past, isn’t his most natural position. During the period that Martial wasn’t playing, Mourinho kept talking about him and that he will eventually get his opportunity. It seems that Mourinho never gave up on Anthony Martial and he helped the youngster recapture some of the form that made him so prolific last season.

Martial’s drop in form and the way he vanished from United’s first team story is something that many of us will always ask about. What’s for sure is that Martial’s personal life seems to have affected his performance for Manchester United. He’s still a very young lad and such problems are bound to affect anyone’s career.

What’s for sure however is that Martial is in the best possible hands with Mourinho, at the best possible club to nurture his unquestionable talent.

Here we are all hoping that Martial finds his very top form for the last quarter of this season. With Martial on top form Manchester United will surely be stronger.

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Chelsea vs Manchester United Strengths and Weaknesses

T

wo of the biggest names in world football joined the Premier League this football season with managers José Mourinho and Antonio Conte doing battle on the touchlines.

Both clubs had endured mixed campaigns last season that caused them to change manager and both clubs backed their new men in the transfer market. Mourinho was fighting for supremacy after United failed to achieve a Champions League place last season. Conte, meanwhile, joined a Chelsea side wounded and humbled by their 10thplace finish.

The Managers Which of the two teams has the manager that is able to make his team a success?

Mourinho is by far the most decorated manager out of the two. He boasts 23 titles, including two Champions Leagues, three Premier Leagues, the UEFA Cup, La Liga, two Serie As and two Portuguese leagues. Throw in a load of domestic cups into the equation and Mourinho is one of the most star-studded managers of the modern age. Conte, the Chelsea boss shot to prominence in Italy with three Serie A titles at Juventus. Those came after winning the Serie B with Bari. He has also won the Coppa Italia and twice the Supercoppa Italiana, taking his trophy haul up to seven.

Both teams thus have competent managers, able to make their teams winners. Both of them are pragmatic and want to win at all costs. Conte is reported to have said that it is his ‘blind faith’ that has transformed Chelsea from ‘an ugly duckling into a swan’.

Reliance on Youth Promoting young prospective players to the first team is a necessity if a team needs to look ahead. What are the respective clubs’ youth policies?

‘Do you want to know how many players I have promoted from academies? Fortynine. Sometimes you have no other choice but to promote them because you have injuries. That is one factor. The second is when you are not playing for big targets it is easier to bring them up, outside the pressure of the big moments.’

This is what Mourinho stated when asked about his youth policy at previous clubs.

Has this philosophy been ‘transferred’ to Manchester United? In spite of facing such a large first team squad, the United boss has indeed introduced youngsters in the recent FA Cup 4th round tie, playing Fosu-Mensah,

Pereira and Tuanzebe. Are young prospective players being given more opportunities at Chelsea? I do believe that the situation is similar with the Blues. In fact Ruben LoftusCheek and Nathaniel Chalobah are both given good runs in Chelsea’s FA Cup progress to date.

Tactics A stark difference between the two teams is that both are a product of different football philosophies. Mourinho does not play any specific system such as ultra defensive and counter attacking. He usually plays a combination of different styles he has learned over the years. Mourinho is highly renowned for his tactical prowess, game management and adaptability to different situations.

A usual feature of his teams is playing with three or more central midfielders, as

by Kenneth Abela

effective Antonio Valencia has been as an attacking defender.

The Attack Even though Chelsea is on top of the Premier League table, one can say that they are short when it comes to attacking options. Diego Costa is the only centre-forward Antonio Conte seems to trust given that he opted to field Eden Hazard as a ‘false’ nine ahead of summer signing Michy Batshuayi when the Spaniard was suspended for their win over Bournemouth. United have depended on Ibra but have also been winning games when Ibra has been rested or ill, thanks to players such as Mata, Marcus Rashford, Rooney and Martial. We probably don’t need statistics to tell us that Zlatan is better at heading the ball than Costa. This could of course mean that Manchester United play more long balls than Chelsea. This could also mean that Manchester United’s crosses are more accurate. With the future of Diego Costa being uncertain, with persistent rumours he could be moving to China, one would have to see what effect this would have on Chelsea’s strength next season.

Transfer Policy Mourinho doesn’t mind spending any amount on a player that he wants. He absolutely hates anything that is forced on him.

Conte on the other hand believes that even if quality is good, if the price is not right, it is not good.

Mourinho has stressed midfield superiority as crucial in winning games.

Conte on the other hand has been bred in the Catenaccio style of play, the symbol of any Italian. As a manager, Conte is known for using the 3–5–2 formation (or in certain cases, its more defensive variant, 5–3–2), fielding two wingbacks in lieu of wingers, with two outand-out strikers backed by an attacking boxto-box midfielder in a three-man midfield, in front of a three-man defensive line.

Despite only playing three orthodox defenders since October, Conte’s Chelsea play deeper than Mourinho’s side, statistics showing that they have completed more passes in their own half and fewer in the opposition’s half.

One also notes that Conte’s side produce slightly more crosses and dribbles than the Chelsea of two years ago and enjoy an almost identical average of 55% possession.

Although Mou’s tactics change from game to game and for important games, he keeps bodies behind the ball and tries to stop the opposition’s attacks. We have seen how

To conclude Chelsea has beaten United more often in the Premier League era than any other side has beaten the Reds. In 44 meetings, the Blues have won 15 times for a win rate of 33 per cent. Chelsea’s 14 wins against United have been split between eight at Stamford Bridge and six at Old Trafford. They achieved all those 15 wins in an era when United were managed by the titanic figure of Alex Ferguson and the United defeat to Chelsea last 23rd October.

Can we, the fans, do anything to help?

Antonio Conte appears to have established a good rapport with the Chelsea fans. How does Mourinho look towards the fans?

‘When I go to a club, I wear the shirt, I feel the shirt like my first one or my last one, I feel the fans as part of myself, I create internal links with fans. I become immediately one of them, and I feel that I am one of them with a privileged position to fight for the club and to try to bring to all of them happiness.’ [The Mourinho Thread, 21st August 2012]

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Manchester United: A commercial success

by Youvale van Dijk

W

hen it comes to commercial success, Manchester United is a leading example for many international sports organisations.

Valued at $3.32bn (around £2.67bn) the club came in fifth in Forbes’ 2016 annual list of most valuable sports teams, while they topped Deloitte’s 2017 annual review of highest revenue generating clubs in world football.

By generating revenue of over £515m, the Red Devils replaced Real Madrid at the top of Deloitte’s list for the first time since 2003/04.

With a combination of commercial appeal, especially in Asia, and a smart business strategy, Manchester United is setting the bar high for other football clubs.

The top of Europe The arrival of the Glazer family at the helm of Manchester United in 2005 led to a different business approach. Immediately the public’s eye was on the major debt the club accumulated by the takeover and the subsequent interest due. Over the years, the club has publicly listed a portion of the shares and debt has somewhat decreased.

are naturally the main commercial revenue generators. The 10-year adidas deal that started in 2015 is structured completely different than the previous technical sponsorship deal with Nike. The club now has far greater control over elements such as licensing and physical and online retail channels: a smart business adjustment that gives the club more freedom and opportunities to offer fans new merchandise and profit from it.

It is a given that Manchester United merchandise is popular among supporters all across the world. The club had the highest shirt sales in 2016 with 2.85 million according to reports.

The shirts of incoming transfers Pogba and Ibrahimovic were in particular popular among global football fans, and were only bettered by Messi and ex-United player Ronaldo. De Gea and Rashford were also popular choices for United fans and like Ibrahimovic and Pogba

Shirt sales Being less dependent on broadcasting revenue compared to its English competitors is the result of Manchester’s successful commercial strategy. According to Deloitte, the Red Devils received £272.1m, which is 53% of their total 2016 revenue, from commercial sources, including sponsorship, merchandising, stadium tours and other commercial operations. With £178.7m (46% of total revenue), Manchester City comes closest from the Premier League teams, but still lags behind.

United’s record breaking deals with adidas (£75m per year) and Chevrolet (£53m per year)

United stars can be seen on billboards in Japan, promoting Manda, the official nutritional supplements partner for Japan. Or in Nigeria promoting CHI, the official soft drink partner of the club there. Many of the regional partnerships are with Asian companies and this is no coincidence. The Asian market is important to United, with the club having a large fan base and high brand recognition in the area. The club even opened an office in Hong Kong in 2012 to better connect with the market.

These localised partnerships make sure United can increase their number of partners, without having problems with exclusivity, and thus increase revenue potential. Would a partnership come to end, it would not affect the club as much as had it only a handful of major partners.

However, too many partners can lead to clutter and too little exclusivity for partners making the deals worth less. With the club’s global appeal, this has so far not been a problem and they continue to attract new partners.

The Red Devils have grown enormously commercially and revenue wise over the last decade, partly due to the global growth of the sport, but also because of the commercial development the club has gone through, including the implementation of sound business and sponsorship strategies and the expansion of the commercial team.

Like the other Premier League teams, Manchester United has profited from the major £5.136bn broadcasting deal the Premier League was able to secure for the 2016-2019 period. What sets United apart from its Premier League rivals is that only 27 percent of the club’s revenue comes from broadcasting according to Deloitte. Rivals like Manchester City, Arsenal (both 41%), Liverpool (42%), Chelsea (43%) and Tottenham (53%) have a far higher portion of revenue coming from broadcasting. The Red Devils thus not only top their English counterparts when it comes to total revenue, they are also less dependent on the sale of broadcasting rights to compete financially with Europe’s elite.

financial services and telecom agreements.

An interesting global partnership is the club’s recent agreement with 20th Century Fox as official feature film partner. Different from the kind of partners football clubs normally have, fans can see promotion of films, such as Deadpool, on Old Trafford’s LED boards. Fans also get exclusive content through United’s digital channels.

made the top ten of most shirts sold in the Premier League.

Sponsorship segmentation Central to United’s commercial success is its sponsorship strategy. The club takes a proactive approach in identifying and securing sponsors. As pioneer, the Red Devils do not only focus on continuously developing their global sponsorship portfolio, they focus on segmenting new opportunities by product category and territory. Especially the focus on securing sponsorship deals in regional markets has been a major development in the football industry and one that many clubs have since copied. The club currently has over 60 sponsorship partners listed on its website consisting of global, regional, media and financial partners. New deals are frequently added. During the 2016 fiscal year alone, United added six new global sponsorship partners, five regional deals and secured three

Digital strategy Digital channels are an important element in United’s business strategy. It provides the club with a good method to communicate and engage with the global fan base and to provide value to partners. Although the Red Devils were relatively late in adopting some digital channels, the club is moving on full cylinders and constantly innovating to bring fans closer to the action. Recently the club launched MUTV app for fans (not available in the UK and several other countries due to license restrictions) to watch live streaming of MUTV programming. On social media the club aims to give fans interesting content, like around the Pogba transfer, and cooperates with sponsorship partners to realise this.

United keeps innovating and developing its commercial strategies and thereby sets the bar high for other football organisations. Their commercial success results in positive financial returns. When this is reinvested into the club, the club and fans will reap the benefits for years to come.

The Author: Youvale van Dijk is a journalist for ScoreAndChange.com, specialising in sports and business.

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Back

by Braden Galea

We are back!

E xc i t i n g attacking football is being played at Old Trafford and at away stadiums, a remarkable team of players is playing as a compact unit and a successful manager at the helm is masterminding the steep rise back after three disappointing seasons. Manchester United are still fighting on two fronts domestically (Barclays Premier League and FA Cup) and still on the European stage (UEFA Europa League), after already securing the EFL Cup against Southampton at Wembley. Thanks to healthy squad depth and a minimal injury list, José Mourinho can potentially give us reason to cheer come the end of the season. Indeed, as the chant goes, he has got us playing the way Manchester United should be playing.

The additions which Manchester United have made in the summer transfer window were concluded early, all being well planned beforehand and transfer negotiations being conducted properly with the assistance of a controversial yet top-notch agent Mino Raiola.

What is remarkable is that all additions have impressed in their first season, obviously after a few initial teething issues for some. Unlike Eric Bailly, who settled in like the perfect missing piece in the defensive jigsaw puzzle, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have initially struggled but after settling into the squad and adapting to the way in which the Portuguese tactician wants them to play are showing their true worth. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a different story. Like an expensive bottle of prime red wine, the gigantic Swede keeps getting better with age. He has been instrumental with his impressive goalscoring tally for United this season. Similar to Van Persie who scored 30 goals in 48 appearances in all competition in his first season at the club in 2012-13, Zlatan has already contributed 24 goals in 37 appearances until time of writing, with enough promise and games left to play to believe that he will surpass Van Persie’s tally.

Zlatan has scored more than 30 goals each season for each club that he has played for since 2011/12: 35 for Milan (2011/12); 35, 41,

30 and 50 for PSG (2012 – 2016). As we are still in February with plenty left to play, Zlatan has already exceeded the top scorers’ returns for Manchester United in the past three seasons: 2013/14 – Rooney with 19 goals; 2014/15 – Rooney with 14 goals; 2015/16 – Martial with 17 goals. The success that Manchester United will enjoy this season will be thanks to the manager, thanks to the squad and certainly it will be a dominant thanks to the man who wants to become the god of Manchester. History will judge Zlatan based on the success that he enjoys over these two seasons with Manchester United. UEFA Europa League this season and UEFA Champions League next season and Zlatan will be adored like a god in red Manchester.

Manchester United fans had become accustomed to success over the 26 years in which Sir Alex Ferguson was at the helm.

With 38 trophies won during his era, fans were expectant that this success would continue after the Scot retired. Yet after three years of disappointment, there is an even stronger hunger for success which we now know cannot be taken for granted. In José Mourinho, Manchester United may have found the ideal replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson. With the Community Shield and EFL Cup already in our trophy cabinet, excitement is flying sky high for further silverware this season. The most unlikely is a slip-up by Chelsea in the Premier League. The most exciting is a triumph in Sweden on the 24th May 2017. A sweet addition is retaining the prestigious FA Cup. The exciting fact is that we are still contenders for all of them, whatever is destined to happen.

The 3-1 loss to Watford, 1-1 draws against Stoke (twice), West Ham and Everton, and a frustrating 0-0 draw against Burnley are the reasons why Manchester United are not currently topping the table. Yet, after the 4-0 battering by Chelsea in October, Manchester United is unbeaten in the league race. They have also won all games played in the busy Christmas period. With the way things are shaping up, things look very promising.

Chelsea seem to have built an unassailable lead at the top of the league table, but with

Leicester City winning the league title last season and fighting relegation this season, we can now basically accept that anything is possible in the crazy world of football. The target should be winning every game between now and the end of the season. The final placing in the league title will not be solely dependent on our results with clubs ranking between 2nd and 6th being so close in terms of points. Our comfort comes from the fact that the strong winning mentality is back in the team and Old Trafford is getting back the aura that makes opponents tremble.

It is such an exciting time to be supporting the Red Devils. Preparations are in fact already underway for further strengthening in summer 2017, with some names cropping up repeatedly in the media. One player that will need replacing is the current all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney. A name that keeps being floated in the media is that of sensational Frenchman Antoine Griezmann. The fact that he is a close friend of Paul Pogba is a great lure for him, with Antoine being reported as saying that he wishes to play in the same team as his friend in the future. In terms of fee, he would cost in the same region as his compatriot’s record-breaking transfer fee, but Manchester United have the financial muscle to afford it. Apart from the forward department, Manchester United would need to find a strong defensive partner for Bailly, with Victor Lindelöf of Benfica, a Swede, being the reported prime target. Like in the summer of 2016, we expect Manchester United to finalise signings early ahead of the pre-season tour. The fact that departures are also being fairly priced, as shown by the exits of Schneiderlin and Depay, shows a level of strength in transfer dealings.

All elements look to be falling perfectly into place at our glorious club. The sleeping giant seems to have reawakened and is ready to conquer once again. Our belief has always been that Manchester United never dies. It took a hurtful wait of three years but I believe we have now found the right manager and team balance to drive us towards success.

Manchester United is back!

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MANCHESTER UNITED UNITED AT WAR – 1945-46

by Iain McCartney Part 3

O

n May 7th 1945, Germany surrendered to the allied forces in Rheims, France and twenty-four hours later at one minute past midnight a ceasefire came into effect, thus bringing to an end the war in Europe. There was still much in the way of hostilities in the Pacific, which continued into mid-August, but with the surrender of Japan, the war as a whole, had finally reached its conclusion, although many within the armed forces were still to find themselves employed overseas for some time yet.

considerably more regular basis, with the players themselves also going to benefit, as their appearance money was to increase to £4 per match.

And so Manchester United’s 1945-46 campaign kicked-off in Yorkshire, with a trip to Leeds Road Huddersfield where a 7,672 crowd watched a fivegoal thriller with the home side winning by the odd goal despite Many players, however, were being demobbed the visitors enjoying the bulk of from the forces and a much fuller and more the play, although it was only the organised fixture list was planned for the 1945goalkeeping of Jack Crompton in 46 season, although it would still be played on the final third of the game that a regional league basis for one more season. kept the home side’s tally down Most teams, however, would now find it much to three. In the return fixture at easier to field a more recognised eleven on a Maine Road, where United were still invited guests, continuing to pay their Jack Rowley way, Huddersfield celebrated the double as they made their way back over Saddleworth Moor, once again claiming a 3-2 victory.

Strangely, despite finishing the previous season relatively strongly, losing only two of their final dozen games, United failed to win any of their opening five fixtures, three of which were at ‘home’ and it wasn’t until September 20th that they recorded their first victory of the season at the Victoria Ground Stoke, where goals from Reid and Hullett secured a 2-1 win.

Two unfamiliar names on the United scoresheet in the Potteries and it was perhaps due to the somewhat unsettled line-ups which were to feature in those opening fixtures that brought

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about those indifferent results. Alongside the more familiar names such as Crompton, Warner and Whalley and the two goal scorers in the above Stoke match were the likes of Wilson, Koffman, Davie, Comar, and Landers, all names cast into the pile of forgotten names who could boast of having played for Manchester United and it wasn’t until the familiar faces of Henry Cockburn, Jack Rowley and Johnny Carey and company re-appeared on the scene that those results took on a more familiar winning look.

But that wasn’t to be until the end of October and by then United had followed that initial victory at Stoke with three consecutive draws, a 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park against Everton and another draw at Bolton.

There was one other, up until now, unfamiliar face in the United dressing room and that was manager in waiting Matt Busby, who made his first appearance at the home match against Barnsley at Maine Road on September 29th, but his presence could do little to inspire victory, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw.

Busby moved into what was his temporary office at the Cornbrook Cold Stores, the business premises of the club chairman Mr James Gibson, on October 22nd, although there was no real time-scale pencilled in for new manager’s departure, as the ground, a short walk along Warwick Road, lay in ruins with a tree growing amid the rubble of what used to be the grandstand. There was also a £15,000 overdraft at the bank. Few would have envied the genial Scot his job.

The incoming manager certainly had his work cut out, so much so, that his first venture into the transfer market was to purchase an old RAF hut so that the players could use it for changing facilities at the depleted ground, but he was upbeat as to what lay ahead, saying: “It is my intention to develop young players. I think I can do it alright and I am certain, from what I have already seen of the team, that we should have a side second to none when normal football resumes next season.”

Saturday October 27th was a landmark day in the history of Manchester United Football

Club as it marked Matt Busby’s first game in charge: a home fixture against Bolton Wanderers, where he selected a team consisting of Crompton, Walton, Roach, Warner, W ha ll e y, Co ckb u r n , Worrall, Carey, Smith, Rowley and Wrigglesworth and the winning-less streak came to a sudden halt, with Carey and Wrigglesworth scoring in the 2-1 win. Carey had played his first match in two years the previous Saturday and was soon made captain of Busby’s team, often playing in the somewhat unfamiliar position of centre-forward.

Busby’s arrival certainly made a difference to the irregular league form of late, not to mention an improvement on the 16th placing prior to his taking

over, with the team going on something of a goalscoring spree, scoring twenty-eight in his first nine games in charge, which included 6-1 victories over Preston North End and Leeds United, bringing an upward movement in the league table.

Against Preston on November 3rd, Allenby Chilton made his first appearance in the heart of the United defence, while three weeks later, 21-year-old Eddie Buckle claimed two goals against Leeds, a mere seven days after signing professional terms, having also scored against Leeds the previous week.

Attendances were also much improved on the previous season, not just for United fixtures, but around the country, averaging around 20,000, although 33,000 turned up for Liverpool’s visit to Maine Road in early February. By the end of the season, that was well beaten with 36,791 against Bradford Park Avenue, 62,144 for the Manchester ‘derby’ City, 34,000 for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday, 39,173 against Newcastle United and 37,773 on the final Saturday of the season against Stoke City. Blackburn’s visit to Maine Road on March 9th attracted 31,400, but the 6-2 failed to capture the headlines, as a few miles

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lined up alongside his manager for Scotland against England at Villa Park in February 1945. Sadly for Delaney his debut was spoiled by a 73rd minute penalty miss.

away, a crowd of some 85,000 crammed into Burnden Park Bolton for the FA Cup tie against Stoke City. Around 30,000 of those were squeezed into the Railway End of the ground, many having gained unauthorised entry having broken down a fence, the result of which caused a surge of bodies down the terracing, with thirty-three people killed and around four hundred injured. The game, which had only been in play for ten minutes, was obviously abandoned.

Liverpool’s visit to Maine Road on February 9th saw the debut of Matt Busby’s first signing, Jimmy Delaney, a £4,000 buy from Celtic and a signing that amazed many p e o ple w h o considered the Scottish international to be over the hill and slightly injury prone, a broken arm keeping him out of the game for two years.

Strangely, Delaney had

The following S a t u r d a y, Februar y 16 th , United travelled to Merseyside where Busby’s old club were to find his new one in no mood to be generous, handing out a 5-0 thumping with goals from Rowley 2, Hanlon 2 and Wrigglesworth.

The Lancs Cup on the other hand proved more fruitful. A 5-3 aggregate victory over Rochdale (5-1 at home and 0-2 away) was followed by a 5-1 aggregate victory over Bury (4-1 at Maine Road and 1-0 a few miles up the road), producing a semi-final tie against landlords City. Goals from Jack Rowley, Stan Pearson and Billy Wrigglesworth saw United into the final.

As luck would have it, United were again drawn at ‘home’ with Burnley coming down from the hills on the afternoon of May 11th and with a line– up of Crompton, Carey, Walton, Warner, Chilton Cockburn, Delaney, Aston, Buckle, Pearson and Rowley, a solitary goal from the latter was enough to give United victory and Matt Busby a trophy at the end of his first season at the helm. The future, both for Manchester United and the country as a whole, looked bright.

Jack Rowley had returned to the fore at the start of the season, scoring the odd goal, but upon his return on a more regular basis towards the end of 1945, he began finding the net in twos and threes. Stan Pearson made his first appearance in a red shirt for two years in that 6-2 win over Blackburn Rovers and he too was soon amongst the goals, as United moved up the league to a respectable 4th position, eventually finishing eleven points behind champions Sheffield United.

The FA Cup made a welcome return to the fixture lists, with United putting five past a hapless Accrington Stanley at Maine Road following a 2-2 draw away from home in the first leg. In the next round, a 1-0 win over Preston North End was to prove not enough to see further progress being made, as the journey to Deepdale resulted in disappointment and a 3-1 defeat.

2,000,000 MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

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MixedMANCUNIANPlatter

by Karm Galea

Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City are a long way to catching Manchester United.

And he claims it will take another ten years of Champions League football to put the Blues in the same class as their neighbours.

Guardiola explained that he came to the Etihad last summer to challenge himself, as success is far from certain at a club without the glamour of Manchester United or his previous clubs Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

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Real Madrid held top spot for 11 years. It is the first time that Manchester United has topped the annual Deloitte Football Money League since the 2003-04 season. Liverpool is 9th in the league, having generated ONLY 403.8 million Euro.

Do you remember Alexander Buttner, the Dutch defender? He was one of Ferguson’s final signings in the summer of 2012. We still love him, now even more since he has taken a swipe at that massive legend Stevie G.

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Buttner made 28 appearances for United. Five of those appearances came in the 2012/2013 season, a fact that Buttner is clearly very proud of. Speaking after completing a move from Dynamo Moscow to his first club Vitesse Arnhem, Buttner felt the need to make a splendid comparison.

He told the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in his homeland as to who can say that they have won the Premier League title. Well, he could say that he did and was very happy about it. He continued to press the point by indicating that even Steven Gerrard had not managed it.

Well done Buttner. You still have a niche in our collective United hearts.

José Mourinho’s wife, Matilde, needed surgery as a result of complications from an earlier operation. Mourinho flew back and forth from Portugal to Manchester twice in 24 hours to be with his wife in hospital while she recovered. He jetted via a private plane late one evening before completing the same return journey the following day. A source said that this operation had come out of the blue and knocked Mourinho sideways.

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Manchester United has been crowned as the world’s leading revenue-generating club last season, accumulating record revenue of 689 million Euro during the 2015-16 term according to a report published by Deloitte.

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Mourinho has axed all ball boys as he felt they weren’t good enough and replaced them

by Academy players as he said they would be quicker and have more football sense.

Mourinho decided to make the change after the 2-0 home win over Hull in the EFL Cup semi-finals. The Academy players were given instruction on how to deliver the ball back to players when it goes out of play and when to hurry up the process.

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Following the 1-1 drawn of United with Liverpool, the ever-enraged Klopp slated Mourinho’s tactics at the end of the match.

Seeking an equaliser, Mourinho sent on Fellaini, putting him up front and instructed his team to start pumping up long balls to the big man. Eventually, this tactic worked and the Fellaini substitution helped bring the result even. Klopp was not impressed and threw a tantrum accompanied by the usual theatrics.

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Mourinho is no stranger to controversy involving ball boys in his time at Chelsea when his team lost their first game of the season at Newcastle in December 2014. He accused the ball boys at St. James’ Park of time wasting. A year later, Mourinho laid into Leicester’s ball boys after his team suffered an away defeat that saw him sacked a few days later, claiming that Leicester fought with everything, including the ball boys.

Imagine the ultimate horror of the Anfield flock when they realised that Klopp gave Mourinho and the United fans the perfect excuse to have a laugh at their expense.

With Liverpool trailing Swansea in the last few minutes, Klopp came with his tactical masterstroke. He sent on Joel Matip, a defender, put him up front and instructed his team to start hoofing long balls to the big man in an attempt to equalise.

A Twitter text said: When Klopp criticises you for playing long balls but you score. Then he does the same a week later and still loses 2-3 at home.

Manchester United became the first club in England to employ a counter-terrorism manager in a bid to step up security around Old Trafford. There have been a couple of security errors over the last year with fake bomb-like devices from a training exercise.

All those from our Supporters’ Club who visited Old Trafford lately have surely been subjected to body and bag searches. Some fans had complained that they missed the kick-off because of the time delay during these searches, but United have added further staff in a bid to remove the problem.

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A former inspector from the Greater Manchester Police’s Specialist Search Unit was chosen for the job.

they are injured. He blanks out his players if they are on the treatment table. He would walk straight past one on the treatment table without acknowledging him. He just asks the physio what the player is down for and for how long and he’ll walk out.

United are seriously considering expanding Old Trafford’s capacity to 88,000. The increase by more than 12,000 would be likely to start with an extra 7,500 seats in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand, formerly known as the main stand.

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In years past, the railway line at the back of the structure meant expansion would require a costly tunnel and the demolition of a number of houses, but advances in technology mean that now it can be done. United would then look at adding quadrants in the two corners of the stand, which they would be able to build without reducing capacity while work was going on. The expansion would put Old Trafford second only to the Nou Camp at club level in Europe and would eclipse the Bernabeu.

Rooney’s testimonial raised GBP1.2 million for children’s charities after a draw with his boyhood club Everton. This match was the first between two Premier League teams to be streamed on Facebook, with around 3.7 million people tuning in.

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A safe-standing area may also feature in the development but this would require a change in legislation.

Rooney has set up the Wayne Rooney Foundation, which is aiming to donate a further GBP 5 million to various charities this year. All proceeds from the match went to four chosen charities which help disadvantaged youngsters.

The former United midfielder Philip Mulryne has been ordained a deacon, the last step before he becomes a priest. The Northern Irishman earned 27 caps for his country in a career that included spells with Norwich and Cardiff City. While many ex-players go into coaching or television, Mulryne has ditched his life of glamour for a spiritual existence.

The 38-year-old is now a member of the Dominican Order.

There was a fire at the Sir Bobby Charlton stand at Old Trafford on January 30th. People reported smoke was coming out from the ground’s south stand and alarms were going off. The fire was quickly put out by the Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. It was confirmed that the blaze started due to an electrical fault in the lift motor room.

The electrics were isolated and the fire was extinguished using jet and carbon dioxide extinguishers. The club said that the fire brigade attended to the incident and dealt with it quickly and effectively. There was minimal damage and there were no injuries.

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Mourinho had his 54th birthday on the day United qualified for the final of the England Football League Cup. The manager was presented with a birthday cake on the team bus as United headed home from Yorkshire following the game at Hull. He could only muster a half-smile as he was angry at the way the referee, Jon Moss, the one who had sent him off following the kicking of the water bottle incident, had awarded Hull an inexistent penalty. It seems Jon Moss was hell bent to see United out of the cup and also to irk Mourinho into some sort of reaction, which to the chagrin of the referee, did not come. This referee was the one who annulled a legitimate goal by Ibrahimovic against Middlesbrough. It seems that Jon Moss has an axe to grind in relation to Manchester United as he is interpreting the game’s laws as it suits his personal agenda.

The Middlesbrough game was labeled as the one in which the United team beat the antics of the referee.

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Twenty years ago, Mulryne made his debut for United under Ferguson and was a team-mate of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. Mulryne earned up to half a million a year during his playing days, even dating glamorous model Nicola Chapman. Now he has turned his back on that life, first enrolling at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome in 2009. He had previously spent two years studying philosophy in Italy, before undertaking a 4-year theology degree in Belfast.

It has been reported that United players will lose a part of their wages if they fail to qualify for the Champions League again this season.

Players face up to 25% of their pay packet is they miss out on the top four. Pogba and Ibrahimovic will suffer the same fate as the others. Pogba earns £290,000-a-week.

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In contrast, Arsenal and Manchester City add to their players’ wages for a top-four finish.

Manchester United have struck a deal with a landowner next to the Carrington training ground to allow their players a quicker route to work. Players had got used to using a private road to reach the training ground, which lies to the south west of Manchester, however they had been blocked from doing so recently after United’s previous agreement with a local farmer expired due to the farmer being only a tenant.

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According to John Terry, who played under Mourinho during his two spells at Chelsea, Mourinho does not speak to his players when

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Review of the Big Five European Leagues…

Chelsea, Juve & Bayern Munich within sights of glory Everything still to play for in Spain & France

determine who will be England’s remaining three Champions League representatives next season. There are no clear favourites in this mini-race involving Tottenham, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United because all five teams have had their highs and lows and none of them was consistent through and through.

I

n the last weekend of February, Chelsea continued with their steady march towards their sixth English Premier League title courtesy of a comfortable 3-1 home success against a much-improved Swansea side, now coached by none other than former Carlo Ancelotti’s right-hand man Paul Clement.

With 12 games to go, the Pensioners have 63 points under their belt and enjoy a seemingly unassailable 10 point lead over nearest pursuers Tottenham. Nonetheless, things might get just a bit tighter for Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League if third-placed Manchester City (52 points) win their game in hand against city neighbours Manchester United.

In what may potentially be Arsene Wenger’s final season in charge at Arsenal, the Gunners, currently fourth, have 50 points and desperately need to win their away game in hand against League Cup runners-up Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium to keep their chances of making a top-four finish alive. Manchester United, fresh winners of their fifth League Cup, are currently sixth with 48 points.

The indications are that Antonio Conte will follow in the footsteps of Carlo Ancelotti (2009/10 with Chelsea), Roberto Mancini (Manchester City in 2011/12) and Claudio Ranieri (Leicester City in 2015/16) by becoming the fourth Italian manager to lift the English Premier League. The remaining fixtures will

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An alternative route to attaining UEFA Champions League qualification for Manchester United could be by lifting their first ever UEFA Europa League. If this were to materialise, then the 20-times English champions will join an illustrious band of clubs, namely Ajax, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Chelsea, to have won all three of UEFA’s major club competitions – the Champions League (formerly the European Cup), the Cup Winners’ Cup (abolished ever since Lazio’s triumph in 1998/99) and the UEFA Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup).

At the wrong side of the table, no fewer than seven teams – Bournemouth (26 points), outgoing champions Leicester City (24) who had the audacity to sack Ranieri less than nine months after leading them to an unprecedented Premier League success in the club’s 133-year history after allegedly falling out with the senior players including amongst others Jamie Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel, Swansea (24), Middlesbrough (22), Crystal Palace (22), Hull City (21) and Sunderland (19) – are involved in a race against time to extend their Premier League status.

In the Italian Serie A, Juventus are firm favourites to lift a historic sixth straight Scudetto, thus becoming the first club in Italy, England, Germany and Spain to achieve such a feat. As things currently stand on the peninsula, the Bianconeri have 66 points from 26 games. Their nearest pursuers Roma have 59 points and host Juventus in the capital in mid-May (on match day 36) at a time when Juventus could have well made sure of retaining the crown.

One expects Juventus and Roma to claim the top two spots in the Serie A. Napoli, who have 54 points, have started to look increasingly vulnerable in the last few weeks as they dropped five vital points in two games played in their San Paolo Stadium against less quoted formations – a 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Palermo and an unexpected 0-2 setback against Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta (51 points) are the surprise package of this season’s Serie A and stand a good chance to make a top-five finish at the expense of more quoted sides like Lazio (50), Inter (48) and Milan (47).

The fact that the bottom three teams, namely Pescara (12 points), Crotone (13) and Palermo (15), are practically already down and out, leaves 10 teams – from eighth-placed Fiorentina (41 points) all the way down to fourth-from-bottom Empoli (22 points) with nothing really to play for. In view of this, coaches are giving more and more playing time to untried and untested young players as preparations for the 2017/18 Serie A are already in full swing for these 10 teams.

On February 25, Carlo Ancelotti celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager in style as a Robert Lewandowski hat-trick helped Bayern Munich thump relegation strugglers Hamburger SV to the tune of 8-0 to consolidate their top spot in the German Bundesliga. The five times European champions have 53 points from 22 games, five points clear of nearest pursuers Leipzig and 13 points better off than Borussia

Barcelona and Sevilla will be crowned Spanish champions come May, at the same time one also expects that the direct encounters will have a major bearing: Barcelona vs. Sevilla on April 5, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona on April 23 and Real Madrid vs. Sevilla on May 14.

If Zinedine Zidane’s star-studded side will make home ground count in the direct encounters with Barcelona and Sevilla and will win their game in hand (vs. mid-table Celta Vigo), then Real Madrid’s 33rd La Liga title – their first since 2011/12 under José Mourinho – will become an even bigger possibility.

Dortmund, the side they overcame in the season’s curtain raiser, the German Super Cup, by the score of 2-0 last August.

also fancy Bayern Munich’s chances in this season’s Champions League, apart from being genuine contenders to lift their 19th German Cup (DFB-Pokal).

Ancelotti has come a long way since making his debut for Serie B outfit Reggiana against Palermo on August 27, 1995. The former Italy, Roma and Milan sturdy midfielder has won the 1999 Intertoto Cup with Juventus; the 2003/04 Scudetto, the 2002/03 Coppa Italia and twice the Champions League with Milan in 2002/03 and 2006/07; the 2009/10 English Premier League and the FA Cup in his maiden season with Chelsea; the 2012/13 Ligue 1 with Paris SG; and the 2013/14 Champions League and Copa del Rey with Real Madrid amongst other accolades.

In similar vein, we have a three-horse title race in the French Ligue 1 with Monaco currently leading the standings with 62 points from 27 games, three points above joint-runners up Paris SG and Nice. In France, the remaining direct encounter between the top-three sides – Nice vs. Paris SG – will be played on April 29.

In the Spanish La Liga, it is a three horse title race with Real Madrid (55 points from 23 games) being the front runners and Barcelona (54 points from 24 games) and Europa League holders Sevilla (52 points from 24 games) being their nearest pursuers. Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid sit in fourth place with 45 points from 24 games, with virtually no realistic chances of title glory.

By the end of this season, Bayern Munich are hot favourites to win a record-extending 27th Bundesliga title – the fifth in a row. Many

Although consistency in results from now till the end of the season will be a determining factor to decide which team between Real Madrid,

Monaco-Paris SG will also cross swords against each other in the French League Cup on April 1.

Moreover, both Monaco (vs. Manchester City) and Paris SG (vs. Barcelona) are still very much involved in the Champions League, with good prospects of making it to the latter stages of the UEFA’s premier club competition.

Contrary to Nice, who crashed out of both domestic French cups in the December-January period, Monaco and Paris SG are also still involved in the French Cup. In this regard, Nice might have an edge over Monaco and Paris SG as they can focus on their remaining 11 league fixtures. Nonetheless, Monaco remain hot favourites to be crowned French champions for only the eighth time – the first time since 1999/2000.

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The Season So Far..

by Michael Gatt

10th Premier League draw of the season overshadows League Cup Final win

J

osé Mourinho insists Manchester United is not out of the running for a top four finish, but admits they are “losing too many points at home”. There was another case in point where as I am finishing writing this article, the Red Devils missed the opportunity to move into the Champions League places, albeit briefly, after being held to a 1-1 draw by a really lowly Bournemouth.

Seven draws at home in the Premier League is simply not good enough. The team is far from ruthless as the story of missing chance after chance is usually the headline of the day. In football the hardest thing is to put the ball at

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the back of the net and as once Solskjaer had said, “There is no such thing as a good save but only a bad finish…” and this is coming from one of United’s legends.

These 10 draws, whereby seven of them have come at home, have cost United twenty points, and it could be so different had all of these draws been transformed into wins. Hull City, Liverpool, West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley and Stoke City have also left Manchester with a share of the spoils this term.

I was there at Old Trafford when Manchester United played Arsenal, whereby we were denied a deserved win. Juan Mata had given the Reds the lead midway through the second half, arriving at the perfect time to convert Ander

Herrera’s clever cut-back, but Giroud’s 89thminute goal salvaged a draw for the Gunners.

It was harsh on United, who had dominated the game, but Mourinho remains unbeaten in his 14 league and cup matches against Arsene Wenger. This performance is very similar to the other draws, where Mourinho acknowledges that the team needs to be more ruthless, with plenty of firepower in his squad with the likes of Ibrahimovic, Martial, Mata, Rashford, Micki… not to mention Pogba.

I also watched the 1-1 draw with Liverpool where James Milner gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half after Paul Pogba had handled in the box, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed in a late leveler to give United a share of the spoils. But the

Reds’ pressure finally told six minutes from time as first substitute Marroune Fellaini’s header rebounded off the post, before Ibrahimovic headed in Antonio Valencia’s cross via the crossbar to ensure United’s second-half dominance was rewarded. Everyone thought that with ten minutes left, United would go on to score another goal, but unfortunately this would not be the case.

In the Europa league, United have so far have been impressive. United have cruised to the last 16 of the competition after coming through strong in the group stages, after a shaky start, and had an impressive away performance against St. Etienne to win the game 1-0 and book themselves a place in the last 16. The Reds contained the hosts early on and were extremely professional in quelling any initial danger. Not that it quietened the vociferous crowd, but José Mourinho will have been satisfied his message had been understood as his strong XI showed composure and quality, which in a way in my opinion signified a typical Mourinho European performance. Obviously with the Europa league there is an automatic passage to the Champions league next year, and United are doing the best thing to take the competition very seriously. At this point, we are considered as favorites and I really do hope we go all the way to Stockholm, where Ibrahimovic will have a fantastic chance to lift a European competition in his home country and qualify for the Champions League.

Just to mention the most expensive signing, Paul Pogba’s initial struggle following his world-record return to Manchester has been exceeded by a number of impressive performances as he continues to grow into his role in midfield. The Frenchman recently beat Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil in the race to 1,000 passes in the opposition half, and is now in a position to take advantage of another stat this weekend.

I was also fortunate enough to witness the League Cup Final win over Southampton at Wembley. It was my first time witnessing a game at the new Wembley, and it is a very impressive football theatre, created for the fans. The atmosphere was electric before kickoff and it was a great occasion.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was ultimately the Manchester United hero on another dramatic day at Wembley as José Mourinho claimed his first trophy as Reds manager with a thrilling 3-2 EFL Cup final victory over Southampton where the Swede struck two fantastic goals, including the winner in the 87th minute, to deny any way back for the impressive Saints.

The Swede rose to head home a very powerful header and seal a fifth League Cup triumph for United amid jubilant scenes once again at Wembley, after Jesse Lingard had put United 2-0 up in the first half. No matter how big or small a competition, if it is in Wembley, there is always a great vibe and success tasted very sweet on this occasion.

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FIXTURES 2016-2017 FA Premier League

04/12/16 Everton 1 – 1 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Fellaini – Rashford Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic 11/12/16 Manchester United 1 – 0 Tottenham Hotspur De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mkhitaryan – Pogba –Ibrahomovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Bailly – Fellaini – Rashford Scorer(s) – Mkhitaryan

15/01/17 Manchester United 1 – 1 Liverpool De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Fellaini – Mata – Rooney Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic 21/01/17 Stoke City 1 – 1 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Fellaini – Jones – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Mata – Herrera Sub(s) – Lingard – Rashford – Rooney Scorer(s) – Rooney

14/12/16 Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Manchester United De Gea – Bailly – Blind – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahomovic – Rooney – Herrera Sub(s) – Darmian – Lingard – Rashford Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic – Pogba

01/02/17 Manchester United 0 – 0 Hull City De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Rashford – Herrera Sub(s) – Mata – Rooney – Smalling Scorer(s) –

17/12/16 West Bromwich Albion 0 – 2 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Lingard – Pogba – Ibrahomovic – Rooney – Herrera Sub(s) –Fellaini – Rashford – Smalling Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic (2)

05/02/17 Leicester City 0 – 3 Manchester United De Gea – Valencia – Rojo – Pogba – Bailly – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Mata – Ibrahimovic – Rashford – Herrera Sub(s) – Blind – Fellaini – Young Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic – Mata – Mkhitaryan

26/12/16 Manchester United 3 – 1 Sunderland De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Lingard Sub(s) – Fellaini – Martial – Mkhitaryan Scorer(s) – Blind – Ibrahimovic – Mkhitaryan 31/12/16 Manchester United 2 – 1 Middlesbrough De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Fellaini – Bailly – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Mata – Rashford – Rojo Scorer(s) – Martial – Pogba

11/02/17 Manchester United 2 – 0 Watford De Gea – Valencia – Blind – Pogba – Bailly – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Mata – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Fellaini – Lingard – Rashford Scorer(s) – Martial – Mata 04/03/17 Manchester United 1 – 1 Bournemouth De Gea – Valencia – Shaw – Carrick – Jones – Rojo – Mata – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Rooney – Martial Sub(s) – Fellaini – Lingard – Rashford Scorer(s) – Rojo

Europa League

Matchday 6 08/12/16 Zorya Luhansk 0 – 2 Manchester United Romero – Young – Rojo – Pogba – Bailly – Blind – Mata – Herrera – Ibrahimovic – Rooney – Mkhitaryan Sub(s) – Fellaini – Fosu-Mensah – Lingard Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic – Mkhitaryan 16/02/17 Round of 32 1st Leg Manchester United 3 – 0 Saint-Etienne Romero – Valencia – Blind – Pogba – Bailly – Smalling – Mata – Fellaini – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Lingard – Rashford – Young Scorer(s) – Ibrahomovic(3)

19/02/17 5th Round Blackburn Rovers 1 – 2 Manchester United Romero – Young – Darmian – Carrick – Smalling – Rojo – Lingard – Mkhitaryan – Rashford – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Ibrahimovic – Mata – Pogba Scorer(s) – Ibrahimovic – Rashford

League Cup

10/01/17 Semi-Final 1st Leg Manchester United 2 – 0 Hull City De Gea – Valencia – Darmian – Pogba – Jones – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Mata – Rashford – Rooney – Herrera Sub(s) – Fellaini – Lingard – Martial Scorer(s) – Fellaini – Mata

22/02/17 Round of 32 2nd Leg Saint-Etenne 0 – 1 Manchester United Romero – Young – Blind – Carrick – Bailly – Smalling – Mkhitaryan – Pogba – Ibrahimovic – Fellaini – Mata Sub(s) – Rashford – Rojo – Schweinsteiger Scorer(s) - Mkhitaryan

26/01/17 Semi-Final 2nd Leg Hull City 2 – 1 Manchester United De Gea – Darmian – Rojo – Carrick – Jones – Smalling – Lingard – Pogba – Ibrahomovic – Rashford – Herrera Sub(s) – Fellaini – Rooney Scorer(s) – Pogba

FA Cup

26/02/17 FINAL Wembley Stadium Manchester United 3 – 2 Southampton De Gea – Valencia – Rojo – Pogba – Bailly – Smalling – Lingard – Mata – Ibrahimovic – Herrera – Martial Sub(s) – Ibrahimovic(2) - Lingard

07/01/17 3rd Round Manchester United 4 – 0 Reading Romero – Young – Blind – Carrick – Smalling – Rojo – Mata – Fellaini – Rashford – Rooney – Martial Sub(s) – Fosu-Mensah – Jones – Schweinsteiger Scorer(s) – Rashford (2) – Martial – Rooney 29/01/17 4th Round Manchester United 4 – 0 Wigan Athletic Romero – Fosu-Mensah – Shaw – Schweisteiger – Smalling – Rojo – Mkhitaryan – Fellaini – Rooney – Mata – Martial Sub(s) – Pereira – Herrera – Tuanzebe Scorer(s) – Fellaini – Mkhitaryan – Schweisteiger – Smalling

PLAYER’S APPEARANCES 2016-2017 NAME

PREMIERSHIP

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

60 VOL 44 - ISSUE 3 - MARCH 2017

25 25 26 20 (2) 23 15 (6) 14 (2) 15 (2) 11 (4) 9 (5) 11 (1) 13 (1) 9 (9) 10 (11) 10 (5) 10 (10) 13 9 (5) 9 (1) 7 (1) 0 2 (3) 0 (3) 0 (1) 0 (4) 0 0 0

FA CUP

LEAGUE CUP 0 (1) 0 (1) 0 1 (1) 0 2 (1) 3 1 3 3 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 (1) 1 1 1 3 2 0 1 (1) 0 1 (1) 0 (1) 0 (1)

4 4 (1) 5 6 4 3 5 2 (1) 2 (1) 4 4 (1) 1 3 (1) 3 (3) 2 0 (4) 3 2 (2) 2 2 1 1 1 (1) 1 1 0 (1) 0 0

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 8 5 (2) 3 4 2 7 (1) 4 (2) 5 4 (1) 5 3 6 4 (1) 3 (3) 3 (1) 3 (1) 1 2 (3) 3 3 5 2 (3) 2 1 (2) 0 (3) 0 (1) 0 0

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

TOTAL APPEARANCES 37 (1) 35 (4) 35 31 (4) 30 27 (9) 26 (5) 24 (3) 21 (6) 21 (5) 21 (2) 21 (1) 19 (11) 18 (18) 17 (7) 16 (15) 17 (1) 15 (10) 15 (1) 14 (1) 9 7 (6) 3 (5) 3 (4) 1 (7) 1 (3) 0 (1) 0 (1)

GOALS 7 26 0 1 0 9 1 1 7 2 1 0 5 7 6 2 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

MALTA MALTA

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