Echoes from Old Trafford - October 2019 by Manchester United Supporters' Club Malta

NEWSPAPER POST

Volume 47- Issue 1, October 2019

“He is a natural footballer. He comes alive when you get closer to the goal.” Ole Gunnar Solskjær

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club. VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

In this issue  EDITORIAL ENGLISH................................................................................

 EDITORIAL MALTESE...............................................................................

 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT............................................................

 CLUB NEWS.............................................................................................

Official publication of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta editorial team Clint Camilleri · Braden Galea · Michael Calleja advertising executive Glenn Lucas

 TEDDY’S CORNER.................................................................................

 SUMMER DEPARTURES........................................................................

 WHICH PLAYERS SHOULD UNITED SELL THIS SUMMER......................

 HARRY MAGUIRE..................................................................................

 A LONG SEASON AHEAD OF US...........................................................

 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NIGHTS .............................................................

 THE EUROPA LEAGUE OPPONENTS.....................................................

 Y & Z UNITED PERSPECTIVES..............................................................

 THE TRAIL............................................................................................

patron Sir Alex Ferguson

 WAYNE ROONEY - WILL HE FOLLOW IN OLE’S FOOTSTEPS?...............

 AARON WAN-BISSAKA........................................................................

club founder John Calleja

 MASON GREENWOOD.........................................................................

 STARS..................................................................................................

 TAHITH CHONG....................................................................................

contributors Michael Calleja Clint Camilleri Joseph Tedesco Stefan Attard Alex Dudley Jude Cauchi Iain McCartney Braden Galea Kevin, Justyn & Wayne Tabone Karm Galea Antoine Dalli Alan Abela-Wadge Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante Julian Tabone Silvio Scicluna Robert Mizzi Martin Calleja Urry Kenneth Abela

printing Progress Press

club president Joseph Tedesco club committee Joseph Tedesco

President, Match Tickets Coordinator

Joe Catania

Vice President, Souvenir Shop Manager

 DANIEL JAMES .....................................................................................

Clint Camilleri Kevin Tabone

Treasurer

 RISING FROM THE WRECKAGE............................................................

Braden Galea

Assistant Secretary

 UNITED’S TRANSFER WINDOW - A REFLECTION.................................

Egidio Sciberras

Assistant Treasurer

Antoine Portelli

Membership Secretary, Social Activities Coordinator

 MIXED MANCUNIAN PLATTER............................................................

Nicholas Warren

 FIVE MAJOR EUROPEAN LEAGUES ROUND..........................................

Secretary, Media & Publishing Coordinator

Public Relations Officer

Glenn Lucas

Advertising Executive

Robert Muscat

Tours Coordinator

Matthew Portelli O’Toole

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

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 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.

Venue & Facilities Coordinator

United Club Gozo Archbishop Pietru Pace Street, Victoria, Gozo. E‑mail: crismic@live com Telephone: +356 99825090 translator Tiziana Caruana club chaplain Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante (Carmelite) business partners

THE VIEWS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY THE CLUB. VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

Editorial D

espite the slow start to the season, Manchester United fans should be reasonably optimistic that a new and brighter dawn is just around the corner. For starters, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is finally getting rid of the ‘driftwood’. With underperforming players such as Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Alexis Sanchez & Romelu Lukaku shown the door, a mini-revolution is taking place at Old Trafford [albeit very slowly] with hungrier and more willing players finally being recruited. In Daniel James [from Swansea City], Aaron WanBissaka [from Crystal Palace] & Harry Maguire [signed from Leicester City], Solskjaer has managed to recruit three players who will form the spine of United’s backline. The outing against Chelsea proved to be very pleasing with a couple of young players starting to shine, before a string of disappointing results against Wolves, Southampton and Crystal Palace. Solskjaer had stated that United were still ‘works in progress’. We just didn’t want to face the bitterness of reality – that it will take time for this new team to gel. The recent win against Leicester City was most welcome – considering the fact that United had to win this game to cement their fourth place position. To what extent can United kick on from this slightly disjointed start remains to be seen. Time will tell whether Solskjaer’s policy of minimal recruitment, coupled by the over reliance on fresh youngsters, will pay dividends. Come December 2019, fans will be in a much better position to conduct that much-awaited mid-yearly assessment. Our Europa League draw has presented the club with a very interesting group. Fans of a certain generation can remember Manchester United’s 1966 Champions Cup semi-final against Partizan Belgrade [where United narrowly lost 1-2 on aggregate] and the Red Devils will also be travelling to Kazakhstan to face Astana and to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar. On paper, the Reds should qualify rather comfortably especially if they successfully navigate the

home games and gain some positive results away from home. Nevertheless, it is not the first time that a so-called ‘easy group’ ended in United being eliminated. In this connection, Solskjaer will surely be treating each fixture very seriously – especially since a good run in Europe always helps boost the club’s morale. For Maltese fans, some excellent piece of news was recently witnessed when the Malta Tourism Authority managed to secure an official deal with the club ensuring Malta became the official destination partner of Manchester United for the next three years. As already evident during the game vs Leicester, ‘Visit Malta’ signs appeared on the advertising boards with Sean Jefferson (Director of Partnerships at Manchester United) stating that the club was looking forward towards ensuring its supporters were able to experience the ‘culture and adventure’ the Maltese Islands had to offer. The Hon. Minister of Tourism Konrad Mizzi stated: ‘“It is an honour for our country to partner with one of the greatest brands

in the world, not only in football,” he said, “Manchester United’s partnership with Malta is certainly filled with tradition and love towards the club. But there is also a common vision for the future,” Dr Mizzi said. “This comes at a special time as Malta’s United community celebrates its 60-year anniversary since the Malta Manchester United Supporters’ Club, the oldest Manchester United supporters’ club in the world, was founded.” The move will certainly help in ensuring Malta gains further visibility especially now being aligned to the biggest football club in the world. With Malta’s name now plastered all over Old Trafford, the deeply rooted connection between the club and the island can only morph into something stronger and an indelible link may be forged! Enjoy the read and this issue! Glory Glory Man United!

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Editorjal M

inkejja bidu kwiet tal‑istaġun, il‑partitarji ta’ Manchester United għandhom ikunu pjuttost ottimisti għall‑fatt li l‑bnazzi jinsab wara l‑kantuniera. Biex nibdew, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fl‑aħħar qiegħed jeħles mill‑‘ħaxix ħażin’. Bi players li m’għamlux l‑almu tagħhom, bħal Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Alexis Sanchez u Romelu Lukaku jintwerew il‑bieb ta’ barra, qed isseħħ rivoluzzjoni żgħira f ’Old Trafford [avolja bil‑mod ħafna], bl‑akkwist, finalment, ta’ players aktar ħerqana u ta’ rieda tajba. Permezz ta’ Daniel James [minn Swansea City], Aaron Wan‑Bissaka [minn Crystal Palace] & Harry Maguire [minn Leicester City], Solskjaer irnexxielu jġib tliet players li se jiffurmaw l‑ispina tad‑difiża ta’ United. Il‑prestazzjoni kontra Chelsea kienet pjaċevoli ħafna, b’xi players żgħażagħ jibdew jibbrillaw qabel is‑sensiela ta’ riżultati diżappuntanti kontra Wolves, Southampton u Crystal Palace. Solskjaer kien qal li l‑United kien għadu ‘works in progress’. Sempliċement ma ridniex niffaċjaw ir‑realtà diffiċli – dik li se jeħtieġ iż‑żmien biex dan it‑tim il‑ġdid ikun b’saħħtu. Ir‑rebħa reċenti kontra Leicester City kienet sabiħa ferm – meta tikkunsidra li l‑United kellu jirbaħ din il‑logħba biex jaċċerta r‑raba’ post fil‑klassifika. Iżda wieħed għad irid jara kemm il‑United se jirnexxielu jkompli jimxi lil hinn minn dan il‑bidu daqsxejn imqanżaħ. Iż‑żmien għad jurina jekk il‑politika ta’ ftit akkwisti ta’ Solskjaer, ikkumbinata ma’ ħafna fiduċja fiż‑żgħażagħ friski, hiex se tissarraf

fi profitti. F’Diċembru 2019, il‑partitarji se jkunu f ’pożizzjoni aħjar biex jagħmlu l‑evalwazzjoni tant mistennija ta’ nofs is‑sena. Il‑poloz tal‑Europa League poġġew lill‑club fi grupp interessanti ferm. Il‑partitarji ta’ ċertu ġenerazzjoni jiftakru s‑semi‑finali taċ‑Champions Cup ta’ Manchester United fl‑1966 kontra Partizan Belgrade [fejn il‑United tilfu bi skor minimu ta’ 1‑2 bl‑aggregate] u r‑Red Devils se jkunu qed imorru wkoll il‑Kazakhstan biex jiffaċjaw lil Astana, u l‑Olanda biex jilagħbu kontra AZ Alkmaar. Fuq il‑karta, ir‑Reds għandhom jikkwalifikaw bla ebda diffikultà, speċjalment jekk jirbħu l‑logħob f ’darhom u jakkwistaw riżultati pożittivi barra minn darhom. Madankollu, ma tkunx l‑ewwel darba jekk l‑imsejjaħ ‘grupp faċli’ jispiċċa jara l‑eliminazzjoni tal‑United. F’dan ir‑rigward, Solskjaer żgur se jkun qed jieħu kull logħba b’serjetà kbira – speċjalment meta esperjenza pożittiva fl‑Ewropa dejjem tgħin biex tagħti spinta lill‑moral tal‑club.

Għall‑partitarji Maltin, għexna daqsxejn aħbarijiet eċċellenti dan l‑aħħar, meta l‑Awtorità Maltija tat‑Turiżmu rnexxielha tilħaq ftehim uffiċjali mal‑club biex tassigura lil Malta bħala d‑destinazzjoni uffiċjali assoċjata ma’ Manchester United fit‑tliet snin li ġejjin. Kif diġà deher, matul il‑logħba kontra Leicester, tabelli ta’ ‘Visit Malta’ kienu esposti, b’Sean Jefferson (Direttur tal‑Partnerships ma’ Manchester United) jistqarr li l‑club kien ħerqan biex iwassal lill‑partitarji tiegħu l‑esperjenza ta’ ‘kultura u avventura’ li joffru l‑Gżejjer Maltin.

L‑Onor. Ministru tat‑Turiżmu Konrad Mizzi stqarr: “Huwa ta’ unur għal pajjiżna li jissieħeb ma’ waħda mill‑aqwa ditti fid‑dinja, mhux biss tal‑futbol,” hu qal “Is‑sħubija bejn Manchester United u Malta hija ċertament mimlija tradizzjoni u mħabba lejn il‑club. Iżda hija kkaratterizzata wkoll minn viżjoni waħda għall‑futur,” kompla Dr Mizzi. “Din qed isseħħ f ’mument speċjali, hekk kif il‑komunità tal‑United f ’Malta qed tiċċelebra s‑60 anniversarju tagħha minn meta twaqqaf il‑Manchester United Supporters’ Club, l‑eqdem Manchester United supporters’ club tad‑dinja.” Din is‑sħubija żgur se tgħin biex Malta jkollha iktar viżibilità, speċjalment issa li tpoġġiet fuq l‑istess pjattaforma tal‑akbar club tal‑football fid‑dinja. B’isem Malta issa mnaqqax f ’kull rokna ta’ Old Trafford, ir‑relazzjoni soda ta’ bejn il‑club u l‑gżira tista’ biss tevolvi f ’xi ħaġa iktar b’saħħitha, u rabta permanenti taf tkun issiġillata. Gawdu dan l‑artiklu u din l‑edizzjoni! Glory Glory Man United!

2,000,000 MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

Thank you VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members The football season is what gives life back to our Supporters’ Club. The summer months are always quiet at our premises in Msida. The weather and our lovely beaches help to keep us all entertained during the footballless months. This year, being an odd number (19), there were no World Cup or European Nations Cup to deflect our attention to football again, so the interest of the passionate ones was more focused on the transfer market. In the case of United fans, this transfer market was one of the most crucial ever, considering the crossroads we ended up in at the end of last season. To sum it up I would give a 7.5 mark out of 10 to the outcome of the Man Utd transfer market activity. We still lack a striker in my opinion and although a lot has been done, there are still players who should not be sitting in that dressing room. However the philosophy from Ole is clear. He knows how to do things the Man Utd Way. The rebuilding project is on its way: investing in young players, academy players are featuring once again in the strategy, focusing on fitness and playing with courage and no fear. Last season was a memorable season for our Supporters’ Club. The 60th anniversary celebrations were a huge success: the Legends game in September, the Malta 60 Years of Loyal Support streamer hanging in the East Stand to this day, the unveiling of the Club’s portfolio in pictures on the columns of the main hall at the Supporters’ Club premises, the dinner at Hotel Football in January, the I Love United event, the Good Causes weekend, the UEFA Europa League trophy in Malta, the launch of the Gozo Branch and the grand finale with that dinner at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in June. The name of our Supporters’ Club, the oldest standing Man Utd Supporters’ Club in the world, has been broadcasted and acknowledged all around the globe via the Man Utd website and app, via the home match program, via the streamer in the stadium, via our 2 million+ likes on our Facebook page, via our newly launched website and via social media comments and appraisals from all the people from so many

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different countries around the world who have attended one or more of our activities. It is truly an honour to represent this famous entity, set up by our beloved founder John Calleja in 1959 together with a number of founding members and developed by so many different Committees over the years. Thanks to the hard-working Committee the Club is blessed with today, we promise to keep delivering with the best of our ability. The recent Visit Malta deal with Manchester United will open doors for new opportunities and hopefully the Club members will benefit even more during the coming 3 years. During the past AGM we gave a very clear picture of the current stable financial situation at the Club. We discussed the challenges and how we plan to tackle them. In the coming season we are plotting the launch of the documentary film about our Supporters’ Club. We have been working with our good friend John Gubba for 5 years on this project: a first of its nature and we are very much looking forward to the premiere which is due in the coming months. We are also in discussion with the United academy about a potential tournament to take place in Malta next year. We have some great activities to look forward to. In the long term we are on track with the loan repayments and in 7 years the loan shall be fully settled. Our next huge infrastructure projects include the maintenance of the Club façade, replacing the new electricity system, refurbishing the Committee room which in itself is a museum of the Club’s history and installing a stair chair lift. With your continuous support we will get there. Supporting United does not entitle us to be supporting a team who must always win. Most of us got used to winning during the Fergie era but there are others who spent 26 years waiting for the League title. So let’s support the team, in the good and in the bad times, and like Fergie said, ‘If you can’t support us when we lose, don’t support us when we win.’ Joseph Tedesco MUSC Malta President

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CLUBNEWS

by Clint Camilleri

A new Committee has been formed. For the 3rd consecutive time, no election was required since the number of nominees was 11 (same as the number of Committee members as established in the Club’s statute). The Committee welcomes two new faces in Nicholas L. Warren and Glenn Lucas, replacing Charles Cauchi and James Handyside. Charles has been a Committee member for an incredible thirty continuous years and deserves our immense gratitude. Thank you to both Charles and James for the amazing support and service you have given to the club during your years of serving our members! 60th Anniversary Grand Dinner 16th June 2019 is a date that will be remembered for years as MUSC Malta brought to a close the year-long 60th Anniversary celebrations with a Grand Dinner at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta. We were honoured to have ex-Manchester United legends Bryan Robson, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt in attendance for the event. We were also proud to have guests from all over the world as 91 guests in total came from abroad for this magnificent dinner.

• Joseph Tedesco - President, Match Tickets Coordinator • Joe Catania - Vice President, Souvenir Shop Manager • Clint Camilleri - Secretary, Media and Publishing Coordinator • Braden Galea - Assistant Secretary • Kevin Tabone - Treasurer • Egidio Sciberras - Assistant Treasurer • Antoine Portelli - Membership Secretary, Social Activities Coordinator • Glenn Lucas - Advertising Executive • Nicholas Warren - Public Relations Officer • Robert Muscat - Tours Coordinator • Matthew Portelli O’Toole - Venue and Facilities Coordinator

IZIBET Sponsorship Agreement During the last week of July, our Supporters’ Club signed a sponsorship agreement with IZIBET, a local betting company. Both parties were delighted with this agreement as our members will benefit from offers when registering to play online with IZIBET in 3 simple steps. Step 1: Register • Go to www.izibet.com and CLICK register from the homepage; • Insert MUSC and the first 4 digits of your membership number as your IZIBET username (Example: MUSC1234) • Validate the email that Izibet send you once registration is complete. Step2: Deposit Money • Before you can start playing log onto the website and CLICK DEPOSIT. • Enter your payment details and the amount you want to transfer.

Annual General Meeting On Friday 26th July, the Annual General Meeting was held at the club. A minor Statute change was agreed whereby the major Committee roles of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer were set as mandatory roles while the other five roles could be adapted in line with Committee requirements.

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Step 3: Place your BETS • Choose the sports event of your choice and enjoy the best sports betting odds in Malta. • Izibet provide odds on all Manchester United games

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

new responsive website on 08th August 2019. The website URL is the same as it was before www.manutd-malta.com. The website is very user friendly and one can pay his Membership

online very easily, follow the club’s news, apply for match tickets, book accommodation in Manchester and purchase online from the club’s souvenir shop.

Photos: DOI -Pierre Sammut

New Website After months of hard work and dedication in a process managed by committee member Braden Galea with our website partners Webee, we are delighted to have launched a

President Visit On the 9th August, members of MUSC Malta had the honor to meet His Excellency, The President Dr. George Vella at his Palace in San Anton. The meeting was very fruitful as we discussed the way forward on the contribution that the club can give in charitable events.

Puttinu Cares Football Marathon The 15th edition of the Puttinu Football Marathon was held between Friday 13th September and Sunday 15th September. As always, our Supporters’ Club was present as we had booked a pitch and spent 1 hour playing football in aid of charity. After the match, we presented Puttinu Cares with a donation of €500.

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60TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND DINNER

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60TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND DINNER

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TEDDY’S corner

Dear All The football is finally back! The first game transmitted great hope but the high expectations of some were soon grounded with a bang following an unexpected defeat at home to Crystal Palace in the 3rd game. It was great to see the improved fitness levels, the high speed of play and finally some unity in the squad but the result was not realistic. Thankfully I did not let myself get carried away because I am realistic and deep down I know we are in a process. Manchester United, like many other football giants, went through a process, a rather lengthy one to become what Manchester City has become in the Premier League today. Manchester City were not in the giants’ category at all before 2012. They were more the laughing stock of the city. It took them decades to reach the status they have today, years full of bad decisions and wrong strategies. In came Abu Dhabi United Group, in came Mancini, in came Pellegrini and now probably the best manager in the world in Pep Guardiola. In 8 seasons they won the league 4 times, broke the highest tally of points in one season going past the 100 mark and became the first Club ever to win the domestic Treble. It’s not about buying expensive

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players but about buying the right players. All this reminds us of our happy days in the Fergie era. Now City are considered as one of the best teams in Europe and United are going through a process again. They will never get any near to the following and the popularity of United around the world, but they have surely increased their income. Notwithstanding this, they do not yet seem to have solved the empty seats problem in their stadium during games. Nowadays I get flash backs and remember so called United fans complaining about Fergie if we unexpectedly lost a game or had a bad performance during our elite years. I used to be disgusted with this kind of approach. Obviously, during the past 5 years, the same so called fans are still complaining, now much louder of course. To rub it in, some still blame Fergie for the current situation, even after 5 years and 4 managers, accusing the great manager of leaving United with an ageing team in 2013. Get a life please! That’s football for you and in the modern world taken over by social media, everyone has become an expert. Some even think a whole team could be changed during one transfer market without realising the modern complications behind any football deal. To be honest, I consider the last transfer market activity at Old Trafford as the best we have had post Fergie. Ole brought in what I refer

have your say on info@manutd‑malta.com

to as the Man United type of players in Daniel James, Aaron Wan Bissaka and Harry Maguire. They were all playing with ‘lower’ clubs, have great potential and showed they possess that eagerness to succeed in a Manchester United shirt, an achievement world class players like Di Maria, Falcao and Sanchez failed to attain. Pity we have not managed to sign a prolific striker. The manager also managed to get rid of some ‘dead wood’ which had been accumulating for some months and years in our dressing room. I am happy to see Sanchez moving to Inter, notwithstanding he is only on loan and the club is still paying a substantial amount of his salary. His presence in the dressing room had become toxic. Lukaku never proved himself to be the Van Persie we were, and are still, looking for. We also seem to have obtained a decent sum of money back in this deal. I never had any grudges towards Chris Smalling but have to admit he was becoming a liability. I started to share the same opinion about Phil Jones now but he had a contract extension so there must be something I am not aware of. I am sorry to see Darmian going because I think that apart from being a great professional he had the quality to succeed but never had the chance to show it consistently. If there was one player I would have turned all

stones to keep, it was Ander Herrera. He will not qualify in the list of the best midfielders we ever had but he played with his heart. The critics blamed the Glazers for this. I always reserve the right to say that I am not aware of what actually goes on behind the scene but from outside the scene, seeing him leave literally broke my heart. Antonio Valencia has been given the release from the Club after 10 years of loyal service. No words could describe the faithfulness of this player during his career in the red shirt. Thank you Antonio! It was also a pity to see Dean Henderson move on loan for another season to Sheffield United but he had no chance to prove himself at United with De Gea and Romero in front of him. I have to say though that I am very disappointed to see Paul Pogba still wearing a Man United shirt. He admitted he wants to leave the club towards the end of last season but for what I believe are purely commercial reasons, he is still pestering our dressing room. On a more positive note, there were contract extensions to our young generation players namely Garner, Rashford, Pereira and Tuanzebe. This clearly shows that Ole is including the home grown talent in his strategy to rebuild Manchester United. The inclusion of Greenwood, Chong and Gomes in the first team squad is also a sign of the trust Ole has in the Man Utd academy products. Recently we all took a big sigh of relief when hearing that De Gea extended the contract. It’s only fair to say that the Glazers deserve some praise here since no one bothered

to give them any. There were also important extensions to Mata and Lindelof contracts. We are not in a position to challenge for the title yet and I believe we need a few more years before we can get there. It’s all about the process. All now depends on patience, determination, sticking to the strategy plan

and, as always, a bit of good luck. I would be very happy with a top four finish and a cup to add to our silverware…and City to win the league again (since we cannot win it). Whatever happens…GGMU! Yours United Teddy

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Harry Maguire Future Man Utd Captain? by Jude Cauchi

emanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Jaap Stam, Gary Palister and Steve Bruce were all different types of players but besides being world class centre-backs, they had one thing in common: all were leaders in the team who always honoured the Manchester United shirt and played crucial roles in helping the club to dominate English football in the 1990s and 2000s. Fast forward, six years since Nermanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand left the club, the Red Devils have been crying for a world-class centre back and it was only on the 5th August 2019 that the club finally made a statement and signed Harry Maguire from Leicester City. Playing for Manchester United should be a privilege for any player but it is imperative that every player appreciates the fact that playing for the biggest club in the world brings with it a lot of responsibilities, and it is those characters who appreciate what it takes to play for the shirt that will succeed and always be remembered by the club. So far, Harry Maguire seems to have settled well at Old Trafford and in contrast to previous Galacticos signings like Di Maria and Alexis Sanchez, the England international was desperate to play for United, which helps a lot in the process of getting fully integrated in the Manchester United way of doing things. In contrast to the previous season under Jose Mourinho, the Reds commenced the season in more positive mood. In fact, after a very good pre-season, the team opened the campaign by demolishing Chelsea 4-0 at Old Trafford and drew 1-1 away to Wolves. On the other hand, a recent defeat at home to Crystal Palace as well as the 1-1 draw at Southampton was hard to digest especially in view of the fact that every point counts in such a competitive league. One positive aspect was that the Reds at least at some points in the games looked more solid at the back. However, there were moments of uncertainties

and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to ensure whether Victor LindelĂśf is the right partner for Harry Maguire or whether players like Tuanzebe should be promoted to the first team. So early in the season though, one must not panic and things have to be analysed objectively. In fact, Manchester United supporters should learn to appreciate more that this is a long term project. Analysing the present, can Harry Maguire be the leader/future captain that Manchester United is so desperately looking for? Whilst it is early days, the England international seems to have the right qualities and attitude to become a future captain in the team. In fact, the player is calm and composed, can properly defend, play out from the back, score a goal especially through his aerial ability and properly communicate with team mates. In fact, the hopes and expectations are that Harry Maguire can fill the shoes of United legend Rio Ferdinand and that would be quite an achievement. Moreover, in terms of international football, the 26 year old has already participated and impressed in a World Cup tournament, where he was an exceptional defender for England which ultimately helped the team to reach the semi-final last summer in 2018. This can only serve to boost his confidence especially as Manchester United players have traditionally always been key players for their respective countries. Despite the positives however, the fans have w it ne sse d t ha t u n t il t h e defence gels out pr op er l y, t her e will be mistakes commi t te d . A n example was the miscommunication during the Chelsea match which could have cost United a

couple of times, as well as the first goal that was conceded against Crystal Palace. It is very important at this stage that Manchester United establish a regular strong back four as without a strong defensive line, it will be difficult to compete with other teams. Additionally, looking at the current Manchester United players, there seems to be a lack of leadership throughout the team. Case in point was the confusion surrounding the penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers which still baffles me. Whilst, one can appreciate having more than one regular penalty taker, it would benefit the team more if the designated penalty kicker is not changed according to the circumstances. If one analyses the history of Manchester United, there was always a designated penalty kicker such as Denis Irwin, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, which helped to avoid confusion on who should be taking penalties for the team. It is acceptable that every player will miss penalties once in a while as happened to Rashford against Palace but it is vital that the most reliable of penalty takers are the ones which should take the responsibilities of converting such chances. So it is time for Ole to step up and establish his authority on the team. After a positive pre-season and a brilliant start against Chelsea, the team suffered two draws and a defeat at home to Crystal Palace which once again showed that the team is lacking in key areas of the field especially in midfield and attack. Realistically, this season should be about promoting youth in the team and establish a strong base. Hence, realistically, whilst Manchester United will always have ambitions to win the Premier League every season, this team still needs an extra couple of signings in order to go on full throttle with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool FC. Consequently, while the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history shows that investing in youth is likely to bring success, this can only happen if the players are nur tured and developed in the right way and patience from the manager and the fans will play a crucial role. These are testing times for the club and the fans especially when considering that this great club has been in transition for more than six years. This is the time for real leaders to step up and show the world that Manchester United can compete again.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

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A long season ahead of us by Julian Tabone I must admit, at times this season and in the past few months, I’ve been lost for words trying to understand what is currently going on at Manchester United. We are all hurting and the worse thing about it is that there is no quick fix. In my misery to find possible answers to what is going on, it is always good to reflect on what professionals recommend. According to Laureen Penny for example, who is a former South African International Hockey Player, Performance Coach & Mentor, there are 5 main steps with how we should deal with disappointment in sport. Step 1: Accept what has happened. It is useless trying to find excuses. Ok, Pogba and Rashford may have missed penalties but the truth is that we dropped 2 points at Wolves and that we lost at home to Crystal Palace and then away to a very-average West Ham side. The sooner we accept that we are no world-beaters any more, the better. Step 2: Do not dwell on the past. Comparing the present Manchester United side to some of the most glorious teams we have had in the past is criminal, to say the least. There is no point in keeping on dreaming about Scholes, Beckham, Keane, Rio, Vidic or Ferguson. Those were special players and for a long time we were blessed. Now, it’s a different era with a different set of players who are nowhere near that level in terms of commitment, loyalty and talent. Step 3: Use setbacks as opportunities. Ideally, yes. The wounded animal, remember? The bouncing-back standard reply, remember? But when confidence is short, experience so scarce and leadership so missing, it all becomes a lot harder to achieve. At least, watching our

players not celebrating the penalty-shoot out win against League One Rochdale was good to see and was kind-of promising. Step 4: Change your perspective. No matter how bad it is, there is always something positive to look out for. The kids may be inexperienced. But some of them – Greenwood and Tuanzebe in particular – are gaining valuable game-time and may all possibly be stars in the making. If that is not enough, there is always quality family-time over watching football, we can always argue. Step 5: Set future objectives. We will rise again, surely. We keep hearing, after all, that this is all a work-in-progress and that it will come good. It has to, but the build-up needs time and for that matter it also needs a plan. Some of the kids will remain with us for a long time, others won’t, but we need to give it some time. We have sorted out the defence in this summer’s transfer window and we must hope we will be addressing other areas as well. Panicking, surely, is not an option. Let us hope there is indeed a strategic plan in place with the right amount of budget. These 5 steps can help us navigate through what looks like a very bleak period in the recent history of Manchester United. It is ok to blood in youngsters but they are not ready yet and it is not their fault if the team is under-performing. So, it makes absolutely no sense at all to vent our frustration by judging or dismissing any one of them so early in their fledgling careers. It is not fair and I think it shows a huge lack of class from our fans who resort to knee-jerk reactions and start pointing fingers at some of our youngest players who have been plunged into the first team.

Manchester United as a football club may be going through troubled times at the moment, but abusing our own players, especially the young players who have played just a handful of games is absolutely disgraceful. Dwelling on the players we should have brought in will get us nowhere, either. Manchester United fans should stop looking at Bruno Fernandes or Paulo Dybala and grimacing about what could have been. That said, we need reinforcements – especially in attack. We need a point of reference that can provide comfort and strength to the young players around. Mason Greenwood for instance – a star in the making unquestionably – but can he perform week in, week out? Certainly not. He is going to go through blips because he is still young and just like any other striker, he is going to have his bad days in front of goal. That is why trusting him with leading the Manchester United attack is, for me, shocking. It reminds me of Sven Goran Eriksson’s inclusion of Theo Walcott in the 2006 World Cup. We will not be missing any one of those players that have left us this summer and the new recruits – Maguire, Wan-Bassaka and James – fit our style of play and at least are a testament of where the club is heading . It is going to be a long season but let us all give it some time without going into panic mode. Let us all view this season as an opportunity to rebuild – as long as that may take. In the mean time, let us brace ourselves for what’s in store.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

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Champions League Nights Rangers vs United

by Michael Calleja

‘When Phil Neville stunned Ibrox’. We do not normally discuss Philip Neville in the context of match-winning scenarios but on the 22nd of October 2003, Neville’s pivotal goal after less than five minutes ensured Manchester United bagged the all-elusive three points in a titanic ‘all-British’ encounter against Scottish Champions Glasgow Rangers. Sir Alex’s Red Devils had been pitted against VFA Stuttgart, Rangers & Panathinaikos in a rather tricky UEFA Champions League Group E. Despite comprehensively outplaying the Greeks’ at Old Trafford [romping to a 5-0 win] on Match Day 1, United had come undone in Stuttgart going down 1-2 to the Germans. In this connection, it seemed as if a double header with Rangers would have a huge bearing on the overall group stage proceedings. In the build up to the game, incessant hype was generated by Sir Alex’s connection to not only Rangers FC but Glasgow itself. Born and raised in the suburb of Govan, Sir Alex had also spent a rather tumultuous time as a Rangers player [despite growing up as a staunch ‘Gers fan] and was also offered the managerial role in the 1980s. Therefore, his connection to Scotland coupled by his

Glaswegian roots added to the feistiness that was already simmering in the cauldron that is Ibrox.

proved to be vital as the Reds could now settle down and play the much-vaunted ‘counterattacking’ system.

Pre-2011, Rangers FC were certainly one of Europe’s most daunting sides. Their lineup boasted an array of stars such as: Mikel Arteta, Michael Mols, Peter Lovenkrands & Shota Arveladze…hardly a pushover. On the other hand, United’s line up consisted of: Tim Howard, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Mikael Silvestre, John O’Shea, Phil Neville, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Quinton Fortune, Ruud Van Nistelrooy & Ryan Giggs. Two great and exciting British sides were all geared to provide the crowd with a thunderous encounter.

Rangers’ two best chances throughout the proceedings fell to Paolo Vanoli and in the second half Peter Lovenkrands [on ’80 minutes with the latter’s shot going agonisingly close]. In most instances, United were also forced to dig deep and defend rather valiantly as the rapturous crowd ensured that the Blues continued to pile up pressure on the Red Devils’ goal right till the very end. At the end of pulsating 90 minutes of ebb and flow football, Sir Alex summed up the encounter by stating: ‘It was a great game of football, the atmosphere was terrific, the pitch was great and Rangers gave it everything.’

Added to the hype, there were approximately fifty arrests before and during the game for minor public order offences and the Blues certainly added to the heated atmosphere by going close on several occasions, constantly threatening Sir Alex’s men. No sooner had the game started, Philip Neville picked up a pass from Ruud van Nistelrooy, was allowed almost a free channel into the box and evaded some quick challenges before slotting past the hapless Stefan Klos. An early lead at Ibrox [despite the deafening noise]

Notwithstanding the fact that United managed to win a decisive encounter, words simply cannot justif y the overall atmosphere experienced on this special night. It would be worth revisiting this fixture in full if ever available on contemporary media platforms. Games against Scottish opposition never fail to disappoint and throughout United’s history, our rivalry against both the Blue and Green halves of Glasgow has always generated plenty of memorable occasions and feisty encounters.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

The Europa League Opponents by Stefan Attard

he UEFA Europa League draw was made on the 30th August and saw United being drawn in Group L. The Reds will face Astana of Kazakhstan, Serbian side Partizan Belgrade and AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands. After a mixed start to the Premier League season, the Europa League could provide a good distraction and an opportunity for United to find form. United might need to win this competition in order to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. This article will look at our opponents’ style of play and how they have fared in their respective domestic leagues so far this season. AZ Alkmaar (Dutch Eredivisie) Having won the league with our former manager Louis van Gaal in the past, AZ Alkmaar finished fourth in the Eredivisie last season. The Dutch team has already played 10 games this season and is in the group stage after defeating Mariupol, BK Hacken and Royal Antwerp. The Dutch side is probably the strongest opponents for United in this group as they play in the competitive Eredivisie. Of course, expect no Ajax-like fairytale, but they have enough quality to cause their opponents all sorts of problems throughout the group stages. Boasting some promising Dutch youngsters and experienced different national team stars, they possess the pedigree to put up a resounding fight to United. Ole probably has them pin-pointed as their biggest threat in Group L. In recent years, their best record in Europe was reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League in 2014 and 2012. They last played in the Champions League in 2010 when they finished bottom of the group. After playing four games in the domestic league, AZ won two games, drew one and lost the last game after conceding a last minute winner against Vitesse before heading to the international break. AZ Alkmaar are currently in the 7th place in the league with a game in hand. AK Alkmaar doesn’t boast the consistency of Champions League-dwellers Ajax or PSV Eindhoven, but have been the hub of promoting talented players in recent years. United’s number two Sergio Romero earned the spotlight at AZ. Considering he’ll be playing most of the Europa League games, he’ll also make a homecoming to the Dutch club. However, Alkmaar is quite a tough nut to crack. They defend deep as in a narrow formation, something which United have struggled

against this season. Moreover, their young forward line is packed with pace, skill and that lethality capable of troubling any backline. United might have to play their biggest stars to unlock their rigid defence and tone down their youthful exuberance in the attack. Only relying upon his own youth to push aside the Cheeseheads could backfire badly. FC Astana (Kazakh Premier League) United will have to endure a 6,000-mile round trip to Astana, which is based in Kazakhstan’s capital city Nur-Sultan and fans taking the journey can expect a flight time of at least nine hours one-way. FC Astana are only 10 years old having been formed in 2009. Since then they have risen exponentially as Kazaksthan’s top club. They operate as a spirited attacking side, using their physical strengths to their advantage. With some promising attacking players like topscorer Marin Tomasov, skillfull Doran Rotariu as well as the formidable Roman Murtazayev, they’re clearly a side not to be taken lightly. United should manage to overpower them mainly due to their sheer strength in numbers, but the game at Nur-Sultan would be a challenging test of will-power and also one where Solskjaer must handle his players accordingly to avoid any injuries. This undesirable long trip to Kazakhstan will see Astana in good condition with their domestic season being well underway. Before last season, FC Astana had won the Kazakhstan Premier League for 5 years on the bounce. This year, they have already played 23 league games before the international games and are currently sitting fourth after winning 15, drawing two and losing 6 with two games in hand. The Kazakh team was knocked out of the qualifiers for the Champions League group stages by FC Cluj in the first round of qualification. Then they secured themselves into the Europa League group stages by beating FC Santa Coloma, Valletta and BATE Borisov. Before now, their greatest season in Europe was in 2017-18 when they reached the round of 32 in the Europa League where they were knocked out by Sporting Lisbon. Partizan Belgrade (Serbian SuperLiga) Partizan could potentially be another tricky tie with the Serbian side being still undefeated in their domestic league. Partizan finished third in the Serbian SuperLiga last season,

having last won the title in 2017. To reach the Europa League group stage, Partizan defeated the Welsh side Connah’s Quay, Yeni Malatyaspor and Solskjaer’s previous team Molde. The Serbians are still undefeated in their domestic league after playing five matches. With four games of the season played so far, they are currently sixth, but have two games in hand on teams above them. United will be facing their ex-player Zoran Tosic. The latter is a sparky, electric little player with a real creative eye for creating as well as scoring goals. Former Arsenal man Takuma Asano is also a fiery little winger who could expose Luke Shaw’s vulnerabilities. This match should also see a sweet homecoming for United’s experience midfielder Nemanja Matic, who spent a year at FK Partizan during his youth days. However, nobody else other than him will get a rousing reception in the intimidating city of Belgrade. How will United approach the Europa League? The Premier League has always been a priority at United; however, this is evidently now being regarded as a longterm target. This leaves our three cup competitions as the realistic targets to add silverware to the Old Trafford cabinet. Without any doubt, another Europa League trophy will certainly be a good addition. Winning the cup in 2017 was certainly the highlight of United’s recent history. Perhaps the biggest incentive of aiming to win this competition is the automatic qualification that comes with winning the title. The prize of automatic qualification to the Champions League has revolutionized the competition since its introduction back in 2015/16 and this is certainly a great avenue for English clubs who are finding it difficult to break into the top four. The competition can also be used to unleash United’s young exciting talent and Ole might play the likes of Tahith Chong, James Garner, Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood to name just a few. Exposing them to such high standards of football might see them break into United’s first team and play regular football for the senior side. With a depleted squad and the fact that the other teams in race for the top four in the league this season are much stronger, this could be United’s best way of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

Y & Z United Perspectives by Kevin, Justyn & Wayne Tabone

I see, Ole wants to completely remove this. In my eyes, Ole’s first transfer season was exactly along these lines. Incoming - 3 young players, 2 of which are United supporters, British, and targeting areas which needed to be looked at. Outgoing – 2 whose attitude was questioned more than once and didn’t fit the new style of play Ole was looking for (Lukaku & Sanchez), 1 who had given sterling service but during the last couple of years was nowhere near the standard of a United player (Valencia) and another who personally I would have loved to have kept (Herrera). I would have liked another player to have been sold during this window but hopefully this will be completed soon. But, in general, I am very happy and satisfied with the deals done. How do you rate the start of the season so far? Wayne: The season could have started better but it’s still early days. Of course, we are expecting an improvement from last season but then again, we always say this as Manchester United supporters! I would rate the season so far as 6 out of 10 with a win, two draws and a loss. Considering that most of the games we played we dominated, I’m hopeful results will improve. Justyn: I don’t think that we have had a good start to the season. Our only win was against Chelsea which obviously is a good result. However, a loss against Crystal Palace and

t the time of writing, we’re only 4 matches into the season and already there’s difference in how the season went so far. Whilst the more experienced are willing to wait and acknowledge that what Ole is building will reap the benefits in the long term, the juvenile ones want instant success and are not patient to wait. What is your opinion about the transfer market activity by Manchester United during the last summer? Wayne: I think that the transfer market has been quite successful. Wan Bissaka is an amazing right back as he fights for every ball and is even willing to fight for his club. Daniel James is also a young talent and could prove to be one of the best the club has. Harry Maguire is a proven very good central defender. But then there are the players that were sold, like Romelu Lukaku who has been sold to Inter, which in my opinion we shouldn’t have sold. However, I think that Sanchez’s transfer was a good one as he could get a little more playing time elsewhere. Justyn: My opinion on Manchester United’s transfer window is full of mixed feelings. On one hand, I think that all our summer signings are very good. Promising players that will only help the club move forward. Defensive

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additions like Wan-Bissaka and Maguire give us that extra solidity that we have been lacking over the past few seasons. Also, James seems to be quite an amazing acquisition as he stunned everyone with his performances in the first few games of the season. However, the departures of players like Lukaku and Sanchez leave the club a bit short in squad depth when it comes to attacking options. Moreover, Manchester United are still in need of finding replacements for midfielders like Herrera and Fellaini. All in all, I think that our squad still needs a lot of work when it comes to squad depth quality. Kevin: When Ole said that we will not be looking at quick fixes and each transfer season will be a continuation of what he would like to see built, I think he hit the nail on its head. I feel that the club has realized that since Sir Alex retired, the club has lost quite a bit of its identity. There were, and still are, players who are not playing for the shirt and from what

draws to Wolves and Southampton aren’t even close to good results. To make things worse, we dominated most of those games and were the better side during the majority of the matches. We definitely need to be more clinical and effective when teams decide to drop back and defend. Unfortunately, most teams are going to opt for that system and we cannot afford to drop a lot of points if we want to get back to where we once were. Ke v in: W i t hin m y expectations really. I will delve deeper into my expectations in the next question, but there was a press question during the pre-season which Ole answered perfectly. He said that during this season we will have ups and downs and we have to make sure that we know how to deal with them. Well, the start so far, after 4 Premier League matches played is exactly that – 1 flattering win, 2 improved-performances which ended up in an undeservingly dropped 2 points in each and 1 dominating yet non-effective performance loss. In all honesty, I’m more interested in how the team will react after suffering losses this season. Will we collapse, like we had done last season, or will we react to adversity and come out with all guns blazing after a defeat? Only time will tell but I’m hopeful we will see improvement. What are your realistic expectations for this season? Wayne: I think that this year’s team is strong and under Ole these are my expectations; I think that we should be able to reach top three in the Premier League as we don’t have the

best team nor the worst in the top six teams. With regards to the Europa League, I think we can make it to the final and even win it. The FA Cup, I think we could reach the quarter final and the League Cup I think we could reach the semi-final. Justyn: I think that top 4 is still what we should be expecting, given that we find form and keep consistent throughout a number of games, I think we can achieve it. Teams like Chelsea and Arsenal are the other teams looking to break into the top 4 and aren’t the most consistent. Arsenal tend to have a leaky defence and that will most definitely come to haunt them as the season progresses. In my opinion if Ole finds the best 11 that will give everything for the shirt and fit his system very well we can still expect to have a chance at top 4. Kevin: As I just wrote, seeing how we will react to bad results is the most important aspect I am looking for and expecting

improvement during the season. If, during this season, we manage to react better to bad performances and results, that, in my eyes, would be progress. This season I’m not expecting ending up having winless runs of more than 2/3 matches. As far as league positioning is concerned, I hope our supporters have lowered their expectations by now. I know the club is always expected to be a challenger for trophies but the reality is that the gap between the top 2/3 clubs in the country, let alone Europe, is quite evident. My expectations are to challenge for the 4th position in the League till the last day of the season. I’m not saying achieving but at least be within touching distance. I don’t think that competing with Chelsea and Arsenal is beyond us really. As for the cup competitions, I would put extra focus on the Carabao Cup. I know this trophy is the least of our priorities but I feel that giving the players that winning feeling is important and will give them the drive to achieve more.

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

THE TRAIL T

his is not in my usual trend of choosing a subject. Reading, hearing recent various arguments delivered by die-hards, pessimists and optimists, regarding the fate of Man Utd, I thought of challenging every reader to conscientiously apply the described “story” to his own belief and support. Although it does not speak directly of it, it may be a way to make of us better and true supporters. Some time ago, I came across “Le Train de Ma Vie” written by Jean d’Ormesson. The following is by no means a translation. Jean’s writing served me as an inspiration. Read slowly and carefully for it to sink in, and may it help you to be always proud to call out: GGMU! Here goes... Smiles and cheers all around. Everybody seems to be affected. You know, it was all on account of my being born. I remember that I myself was equally happy. I could not foresee my future, but then, it was a kind of liberation. I had been enclosed in what looked like a bag for nine whole months! Then I came out to a new and larger world. I was doubly happy for being welcomed; otherwise I would have been perplexed and lost! It was the day when I first met the two persons responsible for my conception, the

couple I then learned to acknowledge as Mum and Dad. Both of them were happily kissing and caressing me. It made me feel not only like they were welcoming me with fervour, but they were loving me. Without beating around the bush, I will admit that was immediately attracted to them. I started imagining that I wanted and believed that these persons, my Mother and my Father, were to be alongside me for all my lifetime. Regretfully, that only proved to be a dream which would not materialize! I could not believe it was really happening, though I was utterly shocked. There came the day when both my parents, one after the other, did not accompany me any more on the road. Ugly moments of grief and apparent cruelty! They abandoned me to trudge heavily along in my loneliness. All alone...in a solitary environment. It was obvious that time elapsed relentlessly on, until I came to my senses and realized that after all, the experiences of life were still there and I was not alone. Along the trek of my life I started noticing that there were many other persons who were walking on the same trail. They were brothers and sisters, friends, and not forgetting her

by Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante who was to be “the Love of my Life” as well as the kids that later on were the joy of my immediate family. Again there came those days when I had to concede that time is relentless. I have to acknowledge that the day will dawn when even all of these people will have to stop and change direction. Those will be the days when grief strikes again and my heart will become void. Who can predict? Maybe, the Love of my Life will also go, one way or another! Sometimes, I seem to forget certain persons who used to walk with me, even to the point of randomly not noticing that they were no longer on my same trail. The trail of life is dotted with a variety of happiness, sorrow, expectations, health and separation. That makes me bring to mind that I have to walk along in esteem, friendship, appreciation of all who walk on my same way. After all, I must not fool myself. The same destiny lies ahead for me too. I can not say when or how, but I also will have to change direction, therefore it is important that I leave behind me salubrious memories that will help others who will be following on the Trail of Life. I sympasthize, I am grateful, I thank all those that walk along on my same road.

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Wayne Rooney Will he follow in Ole’s footsteps? by Alan Abela-Wadge

s we all know, our former striker, United and England’s leading record goal scorer Wayne Rooney and Derby County have jointly confirmed that Wayne will join the Championship club as a player-coach in January from MLS side DC United. He’s going to join the Rams on an initial 18-month contract. The 33-year-old legend has already scored more than 20 goals in just 40 appearances since signing for Washington-based DC from Everton in July 2018 and obviously he can’t wait to open a new chapter in his career. It’s no secret that Rooney will be following most closely in the footsteps of Lampard, who last season took the team he is set to join all the way to the Championship playoff final. Lampard has now taken over at Chelsea. Steven Gerrard is in charge of Scottish side Rangers. Former Manchester United team mate Phil Neville has also impressed as England’s women’s team boss, having recently guided the Lionesses to the World Cup semi-finals. Our very own boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was a teammate with whom Wayne played for several years. Rooney is definitely eyeing the opportunity to test his skills as a coach, while continuing doing what he does best, banging them in upfront in England! Being a coach with Derby will also give him the ideal place to

learn. If there’s one thing that Rooney was always good at, it was learning. Let’s face it, we all know that physically Rooney was never a natural athlete. Wayne Rooney had to train hard ever single day to ensure that his natural talent flourished. Rooney trained and focused and he learned how to overcome his weaknesses and exploit his wide variety of strengths in order to become one of the world’s best players. He managed to do this because apart from being adorned with great natural talent, Wayne Rooney is also a great student of the game. He studied, he learned and he achieved. Another advantage that Rooney possesses is that in his career he had the opportunity of being coached by some amazing managers and most of all, by managers that not only exploited his talent to achieve the results, but also managers that loved teaching. David Moyes, the great Sir Alex Ferguson & Louis van Gaal are all managers that love football. They love to teach and I’m sure that Wayne Rooney would have learned a lot from them. In Rooney’s own words he said that, “It’s great to see them (Lampard & Gerrard) going into management. But it’s not just because of that, I’ve always had an ambition to go into management. It’s great these young English managers are getting the opportunity. Over the past 20 years we haven’t seen it so much. When the time is right, hopefully that’s what I can move into.” At Derby, Rooney will work

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under Phillip Cocu, and according to Rooney himself, he said it was a conversation with the Dutchman that convinced him to cut short his stint in the MLS, where he still had two years left on his deal. “I think once this opportunity arose and I had a decision to make, I spoke with Phillip on the phone. After that I was happy with the situation and wanted to come here,”. Rooney wants to learn off Phillip and his staff to gain experience for when he does stop playing and take that next step and become a manager. Cocu confirmed that Wayne Rooney will be working both with academy players and also the first team. The big question however is this. Does Rooney have what it takes to succeed at the highest level in world football management? A question that always lingers on Rooney’s doubters is that they tend to question his intelligence. Is Rooney smart and intelligent enough to become a good football manager or was his footballing brain wired that way because he has an abundance of natural talent? Whilst we as United fans can be a bit biased with our response, I trust that it’s safe to say that just natural talent isn’t enough to help you reach the levels Rooney reached during his United career. As we said before, Rooney is a fantastic student of the game and he always pushed himself harder to learn more. Becoming a player/coach at Derby is his final hurdle before he’s ready to becoming a manager himself. He’s definitely not doing this for the money because had he wanted more money he would have gone to China and earn much more than he used to earn at United, but he is going down to the burdens of the Championship and grind it out in there to become a better football coach. My verdict is this. Sooner rather than later, we’re going to see Mr. Wayne Rooney as a Premiership manager. Will it be with United? Who knows! I’d like to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with us for many, many years before we start discussing his successor!

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w w w. m a n u t d - m a l t a . c o m

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Aaron Wan-Bissaka Premier League’s Best Right-Back

by Alex Dudley

he summer of transformation at Old Trafford saw a lot of excitement over the arrival of Harry Maguire from Leicester City. The world record amount for a defender was undoubtedly a headline-making move and the signing has undoubtedly increased the options available to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the centre of his defence. However, it could be argued that the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka was the biggest over the summer months. The right-back position has been a problem area for United since the retirement of Gary Neville in 2011. There have been a variety of players tested in the position, with the notable names including Rafael Da Silva, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Diogo Dalot. But, aside from one season with Rafael, the club have suffered from a lopsided defence for the last eight years. This has created problems for United going forward, with the left-hand side consistently the preferred avenue to start attacks, and meaning the days of the Neville and David Beckham interchange was well and truly in the rear mirror. The signing was vital in order for United to start again. The modern full-back position is essential, with Pep Guardiola spending the best part of £150 million in bringing in four full-backs since he arrived at Manchester City. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s foundation for their Champions League success last season was built on the strengths of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson. United have failed to move with the times on an array of factors and the development of the importance of full-backs is one of them. United’s Best Full Back There is no doubting that Wan-Bissaka is now the best full-back at the club. Fans have become disillusioned over the past couple of seasons seeing Valencia and Young playing at full-backs. The fact that these players were wingers and just happened to fit the bill of being able to play in the position was a problem and meant United weren’t able to move onto the next level. Young, in particular, has come in for a host of criticism; some of it justified and some a bit harsh.

The former Aston Villa man has been a fantastic servant for the club since he arrived, but the days of him as a full-back for United should have been over years ago. Wan-Bissaka brings with him a vast talent, but experience in the Premier League, never mind playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs, is sparse. Young will be instrumental behind the scenes in helping Wan-Bissaka adjust to life at United. The young full-back has only played one full season at the top level and many people argued that the move was premature. However, many of these critics were not United fans, as the vast majority of us know that the £50 million price tag that came with bringing the Englishman to Old Trafford will be justified in the long-term, and probably fans would have forgotten about the transfer fee by Christmas due to his impact in making United a more formidable side. Comparison to Other Right-Backs Of course, we live in a day and age when everyone must compare players to others in their position. I was recently locked in discussion with a friend about the abilities of Wan-Bissaka compared to Alexander-Arnold, and I stick with my point that there is no better defensive right-back in the league that the United man. The stats back that up. The defensive stats that Wan-Bissaka boasted last season were superb. He was part of a Palace defence that kept the same amount of clean sheets as Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool, which put into perspective that the Reds were chasing the title and the Eagles were battling against relegation is an unbelievable stat. Not only that, but the United man made more clearances, more blocks and had a higher tackle success rate. The 129 tackles that he made last season were more than AlexanderArnold and Kyle Walker combined. His one vs one ability is something that no other defender can claim they are better at. Wilfried Zaha constantly referred to the difficulty he had in beating Wan-Bissaka in training and that he wasn’t looking forward to coming up against him in a competitive game. That is striking praise from a winger that has very few concerns in beating defenders. He is a defender that just loves to defend, and my point to my friend was

an old fashioned opinion that I like my rightback to defend more so than be useful in the attacking areas. The defensive duties are the fundamental assets that separate the best rightbacks from the mediocre ones, and if he can attack too, then that only adds further strings to his bow. His 70% success rate in tackles last season, along with 206 recoveries and 249 winning duels ensures that his defensive game is already solid for somebody at such a young age. These numbers will certainly increase the more he plays and that should be exciting for United fans around the world. Areas for Improvement As I’ve mentioned throughout, the modern era of full-back is expected to be as good in the attacking third as they are in the defensive areas, and this would undoubtedly be an area where Wan-Bissaka will be keen to improve on. His numbers were way below that of Alexander-Arnold last season, especially in the assists. The Liverpool man recorded 12, while Wan-Bissaka recorded just the three; which incidentally is still two more than Walker. His crossing accuracy wasn’t as accurate as the Reds’ man as Wan-Bissaka had a 21% success rate compared to Alexander-Arnold’s 29%. But these are factors that given time and practise with better players will increase the more he plays and gets used to his new teammates. The fact that Wan-Bissaka was a winger during his early career at Selhurst Park shows that he does have that ability, and a first goal in the top-flight would seem certain to open the floodgates for more during his time at Old Trafford. There is a sense that this season could be the one that makes the young right-back a household name, and his time at Old Trafford has already been noticed by Gareth Southgate as he was called up to the England senior time for the first time in August. It could be argued that for international football, WanBissaka should be the preferred option for Southgate due to his superior defensive abilities. Regardless, for United, he will be number one for the coming seasons, and this will just be the first year of a very successful and long career at Old Trafford.

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Mason Greenwood by Kenneth Abela “He is one who we believe is going to be a big part of this squad going forwards and we’ll see a lot of him.” So claimed United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when asked on the future of United starlet Mason Greenwood. The 17-year-old is competing for a place in attack, after Romelu Lukaku joined Inter Milan earlier this season. However, although Mason has been assured of plenty of senior action after making his first start in the final fixture of last season against Cardiff City, his appearances in the Premier League have been very limited to date with no first team starts to date and only appearances as a sub, at times too late in the game to make much of a difference.

goals in 21 games In May 2018. Greenwood was named Player of the Tournament as the youth side won the ICGT Trophy in the Netherlands.

to put this into context, that would make him the second-best outfield player at the club, just behind Pogba’s ability (174).

On the 2nd October 2018, he signed his first professional contact with United.

But, how does his high finishing (15) attribute compare to his United teammates? According to the same Football Manager 2019, no one has a better finishing ability than Mason Greenwood at United, with Martial, Sanchez and Mata all having the same finishing ability as the 17-year-old, whilst Rashford, Pogba and Lingard have slightly lower ability in this attribute when compared to the youngster. For better comparison, Lionel Messi - 20 out of 20 and Cristiano Ronaldo, Mauro Icardi, Harry Kane - 19 out of 20.

The teenager made his senior debut as a late substitute in United’s 3-1 magical win against PSG in March 2019 before making his full debut in a home loss to Cardiff two months later. Greenwood travelled on both United’s 2018 and 2019 pre-season tours.

Worth asking how Mason Greenwood’s ability is viewed by his team mates and the Boss.

The Boss explains: “It’s one of the big decisions you have to make when you’ve got such a talented player coming through.” Greenwood has outstanding attributes for someone so young; he doesn’t even turn 18 until October!

McTominay told Sky Sports, earlier this season: “Mason is another one who has just grown and grown and in every single training session you’re seeing more from him.”

Watching his performances on the limited opportunities he has been given as well as on film and TV, one notes that he is a complete forward, capable of playing anywhere along the front line. He has good body mass ratio that allows him to feel comfortable in physical duels and gain advantage. He is a creative player with great technique on the ball, mobility, acceleration skills, fast direction shifts, short-dribbling and good passing ability. He seems to prefer to play in a free attacking role granted the freedom to roam the pitch and find space. Although naturally left footed, he is a composed finisher capable on both feet. He has shown great ambidexterity using his right weaker foot. Says Clayton Blackmore: “He’s great on the ball and very good with both feet. He’s the first person I’ve seen that takes penalties and free kicks with his wrong foot. I’ve never come across anyone like that.” Mason Greenwood often drops deep to pick up the ball, participates in the build-up of play, and create chances for his teammates, courtesy of his good vision and passing ability . All in all, an exciting striker who has been well ahead of schedule in terms of his progress through the ranks at United. Greenwood was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He joined Manchester United at the age of just six, playing at the club’s development school in Halifax. After progressing through the academy ranks, he joined up with the Under-18 squad for the 2017–18 season, despite being eligible for the Under-16s, and finished as top scorer of the U18 Premier League North with 17

Rashford opines: “Mason is quite laid-back. He just likes to enjoy his football. I always think to myself that he’s not someone who you would necessarily give loads of information to. Just tell him a few bits and let him just play; that’s how he gets about with his football.” Solskear believes: “I think his movement, his cleverness, he’s going to be a very good player, the young boy.”

He scored twice in pre-season for the first team. The highly respected ‘Football Manager 2019 database’ currently contains data on more than 800,000 individuals and 45,000 active clubs, with data sourced from their international on the ground scouting network which numbers roughly 1,000 people. Among their ranks are some who are involved in football in professional capacities, including scouts and coaches. This database rates Mason’s current ability as 95, with his best attributes, out of 20 being Acceleration (16), Finishing (15), Natural Fitness (15), Pace (15), First Touch (14), Composure (14), and Determination (14). These attributes match some of United’s best players. Football Manager 2019 has also given the youngster a potential of 85 which means he could reach an overall current ability of 170,

The teenager is largely considered to be a striker, but against Leeds United, in pre season, he was deployed in an alternate role to permit Marcus Rashford to lead the line. Greenwood operated on the right flank in Solskjaer’s 4-23-1 formation, and many performances would have suffered as a result of the role change, but he seemed to embrace the challenge. The talent only played one half of football, but managed to score and generally contributed productively. Given Solskjaer’s preference for quick vertical football as opposed to slow build-up play, Greenwood’s directness and willingness to run seemed to impact the team positively. Greenwood has represented the England national under-17 football team, making six appearances in 2017–18, and was part of the squad in the Algarve Tournament in Portugal. Transfermarkt.co.in estimates his current market value at seven million euro. United fans sincerely hope that Mason Greenwod will be given the opportunity to show his talent , if not in the League, then in the Europa, FA, and League Cups.

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Stars Stars

do not fall from the sky. They are born and they develop with time and under the right conditions, while carefully nurtured to shine. Some stars shine brighter than others, while others disappointingly fade into oblivion. In football, like in any other sport, youth potential is not the only factor affecting whether a player turns out to be world class or end up playing in the lower tiers of the league system. It takes anything from family background, luck in finding the right people to coach them at the right time, the opportunities to start gaining competitive experience, the

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influence of other players within the squad, the timing of entry into a squad that already has established first-team stars, the impact on the person’s life of the media attention and lucrative salaries, as well as the physical development of the person’s body. Ferguson used to say that if you are good enough, then you are old enough. This holds true especially for a club like United which is renowned for developing its own stars, with the legendary examples being the Busby Babes and the Class of ’92. This is ingrained in the

by Braden Galea

culture and ethos of Manchester United and it has been decades since a first team lineup, including the substitutes bench, did not have a player that came through the club’s academy. We have living proof that at the club, youth is given a chance, with current firstteam mainstays Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay. They were both at the right place at the right time, when the squad needed a player of their quality and no incoming external transfer was required or made. Really and truly, at the moment, the club has

little choice other than relying on youth. It is a known fact that once the name of Manchester United crops up among the list of suitors for a particular player, the market price of that player gets notched up by tens of millions. Had WanBissaka joined Everton or West Ham instead of Manchester United, his price would have likely been closer to £25 million, yet United had to pay twice that amount to secure his services. It is human nature that when other clubs see United posting record revenues with a massive global fan base reaching close to 600 million, they bump up the price of their stars in the knowledge that United can afford it if they really want to sign the player. Prices of players in recent times have been shooting through the roof with the sugar-daddy owners of clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. United is one of a very limited number of teams that can still compete with their financial muscle. Yet, as any sensible businessman would do, the current owners of Manchester United do not want to pay astronomical and unrealistic fees just to be able to sign players. Supporters can argue as much as they like against the Glazers or Ed Woodward, but it is a fact that they are presently the owners of the club. They took the risk when they took over the club and now they are rightfully reaping the rewards. A Director of Football would definitely assist Woodward in looking at the transfer market from the football perspective as well, not purely a business perspective, because the two are not necessarily aligned. However, as things stands, I do not fault Woodward in not

moving when he does not see financial value in the transfer market. As much as I would like my team to have the world’s best players donning the red shirt, most of these players are unattainable due to smart chairmen at their present clubs who can recognize a cash-cow from miles afar when they see one. Like in any other market, prices cannot keep increasing as the market self-regulates. We have seen players who moved for mammoth fees becoming unhappily stuck at their club because no other team could afford them. This holds true for world-record Neymar as much as it does for our Sanchez and Lukaku. When a record transfer is made, the future of the player is already priced into the transfer fee, so the future resale value will not be hugely different from what is currently paid. So then you have these situations where a risk is taken and things do not work out. What happens then is that the club would have to lower their demands just to get an unhappy, overpaid star away from their dressing room and off their payroll. No human being is realistically worth £200 million, no matter how excellent commercially or on the field he is, nor is any kid like Mbappé or João Félix, no matter their potential, worth £120 million. Yet, such transfers distort the whole market as they tend to inflate the prices of unrelated players. An unknown hot prospect from France or Portugal, with the help of some media attention and YouTube videos, suddenly becomes worth a good £70 million with nothing to justify the amount. The sensible strategy adopted by Manchester

United is to go British whenever possible, most probably due to the homeland attachment that would deter the player using the club as a stepping stone to seek a future transfer elsewhere, and to nurture their own stars through the academy. This is a responsible strategy, yet one that inevitably takes time and has no guarantee of success. Players from the academy cannot be expected to perform consistently or to react like established stars in the face of adversity. Instead of making low-impact mistakes out on loan at some Championship club, they will do the mistakes when playing against City or Liverpool. It is a learning experience for them which require patience and understanding from our end as supporters. Greenwood, Chong, Tuanzebe and Angel Gomes would be worth at least £40 million each had they played for another club, showcased their abilities and got Manchester United interested in moving to secure their signatures. This transfer fee cost is saved, but it will take the right coaching and mentoring conditions, an element of luck and numerous on-field disappointments until we see the end results. Our future stars, the fruit of an excellent scouting network, require our patience and until we get there, we should adjust our expectations accordingly. We are entering a new era – it may prove to be a well-calculated risk or it may go belly-up with no success in the next decade. Regardless of the positive or negative outcome, they are our stars, not mercenary stars with their hearts in their pockets. Let’s keep faith in our stars.

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Tahith Chong W

ith feet like Messi and hair like Fellaini, Tahith Chong certainly stands out among the crowd, both for his outrageous hairstyle as well as his footballing skills. Born in Curaçao, the Dutchman made a name for himself with Feyenoord’s academy and was snapped up by United 3 years ago, at the tender age of 16. He’s touted as one of the brightest young talents in Europe and has been terrorizing defences across the continent at reserve level. Since his arrival, he’s risen through the ranks along with other bright prospects like Greenwood, Garner and Gomes, all of whom shined with the U-23 squad. His progress had not gone unnoticed, with Chong clinching the Young Player of the Year in 2017/2018 and the Jimmy Murphy Youth Team Player of the Year in 2018. He’s already had to overcome a major injury in his short career, with the Dutchman, who is of Chinese descent, sustaining a cruciate ligament injury in early 2017 that kept him on the sidelines for 10 months. Fortunately, he came back even stronger than before and went on to score 7 goals in 15 appearances the following season: a great goal-to-game ratio for a winger. He made his debut for United as a substitute in the 2-0 victory over Reading in the FA Cup in 2018 and went on to play in 3 other games last year, including the 3-1 victory versus Paris Saint Germain. This season, he played a minor role in United’s pre-season tour, with a starting berth in the 2-0 victory against Perth Glory and 3 other substitute appearances versus Leeds, Inter and Kristiansund. Other than that, he’s yet to play in the main team so far, but everybody behind the scenes believes he’s ready to take it to the next level. As a left-footed winger who prefers the right flank, Chong’s style of play revolves around his ability to quickly cut inside onto his preferred foot, but he’s also deadly when delivering a cross into the box. In traditional fashion for a winger, he loves to isolate defenders in order to use his electric pace and trickery to his full advantage. He personifies what it means to be a United player and would fit perfectly with Ole’s current rapidfire, counter-attacking philosophy. In a quick transition from defence to attack, Chong is a viable option on the flank who enjoys running with the ball at his feet at full sprint.

He’s not without his flaws, however, as Mourinho himself pointed out that he has a tendency to take one too many touches with the ball. At six foot one, he’s no push-over, but lacks the upper-body strength that most defenders in the Premier League possess. As far as his long-term role in the team, he could be the player we’ve been looking for to consistently deliver deadly crosses into the box. In previous seasons, we’ve lacked a reliable crosser of the ball from wide positions. With time, perhaps Chong may develop into an all-round winger capable of beating a man and bagging his fair share of assists from out wide. He’s also clinical from a set piece, in fact, he’s scored a few free-kicks with the reserve team that Ronaldo and Beckham would have been

by Martin Calleja Urry

proud of, emulating the body shape of some of the world’s best free-kick takers. A lack of game time so far has lead to rumours of a loan move, but reports claim he’s determined to break into the first team as soon as possible. While a stint elsewhere may prove critical in his long-term development, United need someone with his level of skill and attacking prowess to step up to the plate and deliver the goods sooner rather than later. Fellow winger Daniel James has definitely hit the ground running with 3 goals in the first 4 games for the Red Devils, but besides the Welshman, none of our offensive players have hit a rich vein of form yet. Furthermore, losing two big players like Lukaku and Sanchez means that on paper at least, our squad is a lot weaker going forward. Despite bouts of horrible control and missing easy chances, Lukaku still provided a respectable amount of goals in a United shirt, while Sanchez at the very least was a viable replacement should someone become injured, despite the insane wages. As far as the current squad, Martial has looked dangerous at times, Lingard puts in a good shift but goals and assists are rare to come by for him, and Pogba and Rashford have also had their ups and downs. This means that Ole has all the more reason to give exciting, young attacking players like Chong and Gomes a few more minutes. If the early days of our season so far are anything to go by, the opposition have figured out Solskjaer’s tactics, and many teams are simply defending deep, with our midfield and attack struggling to break down teams that throw ten men behind the ball. While one could argue that speed means little when facing teams that are happy to play without the ball, if United can press with purpose and improve the speed at which their attack begins, Chong could prove invaluable. If he can impress Ole enough to solidify his spot in the team, he could be the missing piece to our attacking puzzle. Fellow academy graduates Rashford and McTominay are living proof that turning to the next generation of footballers is a lot more than a desperate attempt at revitalizing the main squad. With Chong at the forefront of an interesting mix of young players about to break into the first team, United’s reputation of fielding youth will be preserved with some style. If Chong can move away from his reliance on his leftfoot, as well as improving on his all-round physicality, he could become a mainstay in the team for years to come.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

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DANIEL JAMES by Silvio Scicluna

hen rumours were doing the rounds in the close season that Manchester United were interested in signing winger Daniel James from Swansea, many were surprised since this was not a name familiar to many. I must admit that I did a YouTube check myself. What I saw from the clips encouraged me and I did recall watching him tear Manchester City apart for Swansea in the FA Cup last season. So, when it was reported that he’d done a medical at Carrington and United subsequently announced that a deal ‘in principle’ had been agreed with Swansea, I was pleased. On 12th June, the deal was officially announced, the fee being a modest £15 million. The journey that has brought this shy, likeable 21-year old to Old Trafford is nothing short of meteoric and probably a call of destiny. For if you had told James two years earlier, when he had just had a loan spell at League One side Shrewsbury terminated by mutual consent after having failed to make even one senior appearance, that in two years’ time he’d be joining Manchester United he’d ask you to stop pulling his leg. And, as if his move to Old Trafford was simply meant to be, a deal to take James to Leeds United on transfer deadline day of January this year fell through at the last minute when Swansea pulled the plug. All this after James had completed a medical, did signing interviews and also posed in a Leeds kit for photoshoots! So, he stayed at Swansea and his strong performances in the second part of the season were eye-catching. He had already made his full international debut for Wales by this time and in only his second appearance he scored his first goal against Slovakia. His manager at international level is none other than our own legend Ryan Giggs and rumour has it that it was he who encouraged United to buy James. Most probably, Giggs sees in James a young version of himself when he was playing. After all, the similarities in playing style are there for all to see: pace and skill in abundance and an ability to play across the forward line. When pre-season started this summer, James made an immediate impression on the coaching staff at United as well as his new team mates. He had already previously gone to Dubai to work on his fitness with a specialist team and when the long and short sprint tests were held in the first few training sessions at Carrington, he topped the charts and apparently broke all previous statistical

records. He is that fast. He followed this up with a good showing on United’s pre-season tour matches and there was quiet optimism at Old Trafford that in Dan James, United had unearthed a gem. But nobody could have anticipated the way in which James was to announce his arrival to the Premier League in the manner he did. He was named on the bench for United’s opening match of the season against Chelsea at Old Trafford. And with United already 3-0 up he replaced Andreas Pereira in the 73rd minute, probably just grateful to be eased in for his

debut without any pressure since the result was hardly in doubt. But by this point, United were on fire and James helped himself to a debut goal to round off the scoring. His wild celebrations for the goal brought a tear to the eyes of many since everyone knew how much it would have meant to him. For Daniel’s father, who had played a huge part in his upbringing and in the early days of his football career, had passed away suddenly just a few days before he sealed his move to Old Trafford and Daniel clearly dedicated the goal to his memory, pointing to the skies. Probably as a consequence of that impressive cameo he was then named in starting eleven to make his full debut in the next match away to Wolves. In stark contrast to a week earlier

he had a match to forget as he was literally brought back down to earth with a bump. He was repeatedly fouled by some tough tackling from the Wolves players and ended up being yellow carded for apparent simulation. He struggled to make an impact in general and was eventually substituted. He was criticised somewhat in the aftermath of this match and some were questioning his end product and even doubting his ability to play at this level. Despite all that, he retained his place in the side for the next match against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. He performed much better than he did at Molyneux and did manage to score another peach of a goal in front of the Stretford End to equalise momentarily late on, although United went on to concede a sucker punch at the death. Unfortunately he was again booked for apparent simulation. Video replays of both incidents, however, showed that contact was indeed made by the players tackling him so he can count himself unlucky to be treated so harshly by the match officials. He might be earning himself an unfair reputation but, as the boss rightly explained in the aftermath, James is so quick and is fouled so regularly by defenders that he sometimes has no choice but to take evasive action to avoid injury when tackled, looking as though he dived. In the next match at Southampton he was again one of our best performers on the day and even opened the scoring with what is now becoming his trademark, cutting inside from the left and curling a beauty into the top far corner. At the time of writing, during the season’s first international break, Dan James is Manchester United’s top scorer with 3 goals to his name already. It is still very early days for Daniel James at Manchester United. Let’s not forget he is still a raw talent who has much to learn. But he is surely at the right place to develop and will surely flourish under the tutelage of Solskjaer and his fondness for playing fast, attacking football. James will always have a place in history as the first signing of a new era at United. The era of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who knows a thing or two about making dreams come true at Old Trafford. And for those of you looking for omens, when United clinched title no. 20, the player credited with being crucial in that season was the player with the number 20 on his back, Robin van Persie. Who knows, maybe our new no. 21 can be instrumental in title no. 21 coming to Old Trafford in the not too distant future!

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

RISING FROM THE WRECKAGE SEASON 1958‑59 by Iain McCartney Part 5

Football in the 1950’s was obviously a far cry from the game we know today. The switching of the kick-off time for the game at Wolves from afternoon to early evening caused much furore, with other occurrences that we simply take in our stride today bringing cries of anguish and raising considerable debate.

attempt at stopping his opponent, Matthews went down in the penalty area and Fenton scored from the resulting kick. To the majority of spectators on that particular side of the ground, they thought that Matthews had made a meal of things, taken a dive even, although the ‘Guardian’ correspondent appeared to side with the visiting winger, writing: “anyone would have thought the outside right had made the decision instead of the referee.” The winger had been subjected to some vocal abuse early in the game, but following the penalty incident the volume was certainly turned up a few notches and whilst the press had plenty to say on the matter, Matt Busby and Chairman Harold Hardman remained tight lipped about the whole episode. Never ones to keep their thoughts to themselves, the United support were once again on their soap-boxes a few weeks later prior to the club’s friendly against Weiner Sports Club, with the decision to show the game on television at the heart of problem. affected due to the televised showing, but due to United’s intentions being revealed by the Football League, who had informed Accrington Stanley that their forthcoming fixture against Swindon Town would have to be postponed because of United’s plans, the final decision regarding the proposed showing was put on hold.

January 3rd brought Blackpool to Old Trafford and United continued their fine run of form with a 3-1 victory which consolidated their position within touching distance of leaders Wolves. But it was not the performance in a “bubbling, boiling Football League match” which captured the headlines, but the fact that sections of the 61,720 Old Trafford crowd actually had the temerity to boo Stanley Matthews! W. R. Taylor, writing in the ‘Guardian’ penned: “A similar lamentable experience can never have befallen the incomparable Matthews and before the match it would have seemed as unlikely as the pelting of Sir Laurence Olivier with rotten eggs for fluffing a line.” But what was behind the condemnation of the Blackpool icon? Shortly after the interval, with United leading 2-0, the Seasiders’ winger brushed past Carolan and moved towards the United goal, but as the United full back made a second

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Plans to show the whole game live were soon dropped, although Granada voiced an interest in televising at least some of the ninety minutes and following discussions with United, it was decided that the second half would go out live, although to do so, the kick-off would have to be changed to 7.45 to fit in to their planned schedule. It was to be shown between 8.30 and 9.30, following ‘Criss-Cross Quiz’. Having initially asked the joint committee of the Football Association and the Football League if they had any objections to the Wiener friendly being shown on television, the positive reply (would it have been anything else following the fiasco surrounding the European Cup entry?) saw the club approach both the BBC and Granada Television in confidence to see if either were interested.

With not every household having the luxury of a television, a good gate could still have been expected, but many supporters felt that the price of a stand ticket was a little expensive at 10/- (50p). Secretary Les Olive, however, was quick to reply to those critics, saying: “Our ground charge is 2/- (10p), which after all is the bulk of our capacity, and remains the same.

The reason behind the hush-hush approach was to ensure that ticket sales would not be

“The primary consideration was to get a top team here and to do that, we had to make an

attractive offer. We had to make a big guarantee to cover two matches in this country. “We are not out to make a big profit, but we are looking to the future.

Harry Gregg - the hero of Munich.

“United undertook a guarantee of £1,500 for their match and £1,200 for a second, or fifty percent of the net gate, whichever was the greater.

“The captaincy was a job I never wanted. It’s a worrying job at the best of times. In the critical months on our road back, it was doubly so. It got me down and in no small way, was responsible for my loss of form.” But the Munich survivor was soon back in the spotlight when Mel Charles, a name linked with United on numerous occasions during the past twelve months, handed his current club Swansea Town a transfer request and their manager, Trevor Morris hinted at an exchange deal.

“The 5/- (25p) seating is up to 7/6d (37p), while the 6/6d (32p) seats are up to 10/- (50p). 10/- is still cheaper than some First Division clubs charge.”

It was a transfer that was doomed from the start and never entered the head of either Foulkes or Busby. “We don’t want Mel Charles or any player” declared the United manager. “There are a lot of suggestions, through no fault of my club or the players concerned, that United are signing certain players. My directors and I wish to state that we have decided to make our challenge for the championship with the present staff of players, who have got us into this happy position whether we are successful or not.”

Despite ground admission charges being kept the same, the Wiener fixture attracted a mere 37,834, some 11,000 less than had attended the match against Newcastle United just over a week previously. It was a game won by United thanks to a solitary Dennis Viollet goal, but it was a guideline as to how far United had progressed over the past few months, as the Austrian club were far from being some ‘unknown’ club side, as they were one of the quarter-finalists in the European Cup (due to face Real Madrid) and had previously defeated both Dukla Prague and Juventus. A further test awaited Busby’s team ten days later when League leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers travelled to Manchester for what promised to be an intriguing top of the table encounter.

Wolves plodded away admirably, but it was not until the sixty-fourth minute that they managed to breach the United defence, Mason shooting past a partly unsighted Gregg from twenty-five yards.

Against the league leaders, play flowed from end to end as the game gathered momentum, with play of a standard that would not normally have been expected on the slippery surface amid some heavy drizzle. But, as the visitors began to gain the upper hand, it was Dennis Viollet who gave United the advantage five minutes prior to the interval.

As the minutes slowly ticked away, both sides continued to miss chances and as the sands of time ebbed away, Bradley, a revelation on the United right since his step up from the amateur ranks, waltzed down the touchline, pushed the ball to Viollet, who in turn found Charlton, who on this occasion found the target to give United both points.

He had long since thrown the crutches away, with the walking stick now in the back of a cupboard. There was barely a hint of a limp when he walked. Stairs could be taken briskly, while the old football boots had been slipped back on, passing the ball to his players during training sessions.

Twelve games without defeat and there was a distinct buzz around Old Trafford once again.

In a rare moment away from football, he told Donald Gomery of the ‘Daily Express’: “Surely

With the first anniversary of Munich having passed, United, as they had been at the time of the crash, were in an ideal position to challenge for the First Division championship as the final weeks of the season appeared on the horizon. Matt Busby, had struggled over the past twelve months, fighting an often lone personal battle, mentally as well as physically.

But for one individual, February was something of a testing time. One year on since the disaster, Matt Busby relieved Bill Foulkes of the club captaincy and left him out of his starting line up after a run of eighty-eight consecutive appearances, stating: “I have given him a rest to help him regain his form. “Foulkes has led the side over the past twelve months in very trying circumstances and seen us through some difficult times. Now he feels he would like to concentrate on his own game and that is what we shall let him do.”

Starting the move which led to his goal, Viollet pushed the ball out to the right and from Charlton’s centre, which was nodded down by Harris, he quickly pounced to half-volley the ball through the narrowest of gaps and into the net.

“I must admit I had grave doubts about my future with the club the day the boss decided to drop me” admitted the former St Helens miner. “I’d been playing under a strain as right-back and captain and I knew I’d had a bad game in our last match (a 4-4 draw against Newcastle United at Old Trafford), but I still had to swallow hard when I knew United were dropping me.

Bill Foulkes whose goal took United to the European Cup Final.

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Dennis Viollet 32 goals in 36 games during 1959-60.

“When I knew it all, I was in despair. It was the end. There was nothing left. It was the doctors who told me off, who shook me out of that despair, who made me – forced me to – realise that I had to build again and succeed for the sake of those who had died.” Through those darkest of days, there had always been a rock at Matt Busby’s side, someone who had shared the strain and also the triumph of the last twelve long months: his wife Jean, a woman who kept herself out of the spotlight, but who was always there. Speaking about her husband, when he wasn’t within earshot, she told Donald Gomery: “He has this tremendous determination to get better, completely better again. “He never talks of being in pain. But I see it in his face. Only the next day, perhaps, he will say – “didn’t feel quite so good yesterday.” “Matt and I never talk of the crash, though we often talk of the boys. He always calls them his boys. He lives for his team, but I suppose it is like that with all football managers. “Last week-end (the anniversary of the crash) I saw the terrible upset on his face.”

it is the purpose of life to build, to create, to conquer set-backs when they come, to hope. If everything goes smash, then there must be the will to build again and again.

Busby also spoke of the aftermath of Munich in a more revealing interview with another ‘Daily Express’ journalist Herbert Kretzmer, telling

the South African: “There was a time when I gradually became aware that some of my boys must have been killed. I did not know for certain. I just knew something dreadful had happened. I was in that tent, barely alive myself. “Twice I had been given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church. I just wanted to stay inside that tent and die there, rather than come out of it and learn the truth. So I prayed for the end to come quickly. I have never said this to a living soul before….. “Strange how you hold on, the things you clutch at. In the middle of it all I found myself seeing visions of the ones I loved most in the world. Then I would fight back.” He also spoke of life back in Manchester. “Deep down, the sorrow is there all the time. You never really rid yourself of it. It becomes part of you. You might be alone, and it all comes back to you, like a kind of roundabout and you weep…… “The first time was when I went to the football ground at Old Trafford after the accident. I don’t know. I just looked at the empty field and I tell you I have never in all my life felt such a terrible vacuum. And so I cried, and afterwards, I felt better for the tears and because I had forced myself to go back there. It was something I’d done, something I’d conquered. The first rung of the ladder…”

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

United’s transfer window – a reflection. United’s transfer window – a reflection.

by Robert Mizzi

stating that the player was offered a better contract but he refused and so United did the right thing and let him go. Be that as it may, and I say this because I truly believe it, United have only themselves to blame as they set up a precedent with the Sanchez deal. The signing of big names and stratospheric salaries has not been beneficial to the atmosphere at the club and the results on the pitch are a reflection of these decisions. With Herrera gone, Pogba not really sure if he wants to stay or not, and Matic seemingly not in Ole’s plans, most of the supporters expected some sort of replacement coming in the form of a midfielder. Despite an enormous amount of speculation, mainly focusing on the arrival of Bruno Fernandes (but not only), the addition of another midfielder did not materialise.

he transfer window in the UK this year had an earlier closing date than usual. Whether this is a wise decision or not is open for debate. There are those who agree that the transfer window should close before the commencement of the official domestic competitions as in this way the teams would have made their acquisitions in time for the new recruits to settle in before the season kicks off. Others argue that there should be a standard deadline for all European leagues as the different deadlines can cause disruption. Personally, I am more inclined to favour a common deadline for all the European teams but that might imply a hardly feasible notion - that all the European leagues start more or less on the same weekend. In the current scenario, I feel uneasy about the prospect of players leaving their respective club following the closure of the transfer window. In an ideal world, teams should close their transfer business, all ins and outs, by the established deadline. Assuming that whoever is reading this is presumably a United supporter (or maybe not!), I believe we are more or less now accustomed to things not working out as planned! Hence my

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uneasiness. Let me try to depict an imaginary scenario – imagine if De Gea or Pogba had insisted on leaving after the UK transfer window had closed. I am aware that there are contracts and clauses and that the manager should have a very good idea of what’s happening around him. But the possibility of this happening exists - and that scenario would have left our squad with a massive gap that cannot be filled until the next transfer window. As we all know, none of the players I mentioned left, and now that the European transfer window is also closed, we can actually reflect on how our beloved club has fared in this most recent opportunity to strengthen our squad.

Daniel James, the young Swansea winger was the first signing of Ole in this transfer window. As we all knew from his Swansea videos, the 20-year-old is tremendously quick. What we did not anticipate was that James has an eye for goal, and that by the end of August he would have played more or less regularly, scored 3 goals and been named Player of the Month! An excellent start to his United career but let us not get carried away as the season has just started and we need to see if he can be consistent and improve along the way. James has added pace to our attacking options and with Rashford and Martial not exactly slow, we are definitely well equipped going forward in terms of pace.

Moving away from hypothetical situations – let me discuss what actually happened during this most recent transfer window and share my opinion on where all this leaves our beloved club in terms of aspirations for the coming season. The first departure announced was that of Ander Herrera on a free transfer to PSG. In my opinion Herrera was one of our best midfielders and allowing him to leave for free was a mistake. I’ve seen some arguments

Antonio Valencia has also left United after 10 years at the club during which he had 339 appearances and scored 25 goals. He had his critics, of course, but in my opinion Valencia has given sterling service to the club over the years, first as a winger and later on as a converted full back. With Darmian seemingly not in Ole’s plans and eventually joining Parma, and Dalot not seen as ready for a permanent place in the starting 11, it was expected that United

would go hunting for a right back and despite some toing and froing, Aaron WanBissaka (AWB) eventually joined United on the 29 June 2019 for a reported fee of 45 million GBP. As was expected, he was immediately drafted in the first 11 and has had a very positive start to his United career. The 21-year-old is fast, has good composure and can tackle. As with James, there is room for further improvement but is definitely a good signing. The signing of Harry Maguire was a neverending saga that was tiring and exasperating for all of us supporters. There were times when social media pundits proclaimed a done deal, only for other sources to claim that no agreement had been reached. All very frustrating for the United supporters and all this, in my opinion, was playing right in the hands of the selling party. Eventually Leicester got their requested amount and Harry Maguire joined United on the 5 August 2019 at a reported fee of 85 million GBP. Overpriced? Definitely. Needed? Absolutely. As the season kicked off in the best possible way with a resounding 4-0 home win against Lampard’s Chelsea, a good number of United supporters got a bit too excited and some thought that all our problems had suddenly ebbed away. The following 3 matches in August were a reality check if one was ever needed! United collected only 2 points from a possible 9 against opposition that we could (but shouldn’t) classify as beatable. But I digress; the focus of this article is the transfer window. As the season kicked off, 3 other first team players left United. Romelu Lukaku joined Inter Milan on the 8 August 2019 after just 2 seasons at United. I think there is a general consensus that Lukaku never managed to conquer the United supporters’ hearts. His critics referred to his poor first touch and that he always bottled it against big teams. Others criticised his fitness and his work rate during the matches. An in-form and fully fit Lukaku is a handful for any defence, there is no doubt about it, but consistency was lacking during his short spell with United

and this must have been the deciding factor in United opting to sell him to Inter Milan. There was still time for 2 other exits (albeit not permanent) before the Italian league deadline. Sanchez joined Lukaku at Inter Milan on loan for one season. There was a whole cacophony about the terms of the loan and how much of Sanchez’s salary are United still going to be paying while he plays (if he plays!) for Inter Milan. My opinion is that the Sanchez story was one of the big mistakes, if not the biggest mistake, since Sir Alex left United. Not only was he not needed, but his salary was announced to all and sundry setting a dangerous precedent and reportedly a good deal of discontent in the dressing room as well. In return, Sanchez delivered practically nothing despite various promises that he is fit and raring to go. My gut feeling was that he was signed as a marketing ploy more than anything else – a very expensive one, if I may add. My opinion is that I’d rather give the opportunity to up and coming talent in the form of Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood than continue hoping that Sanchez eventually comes good. Chris Smalling has also left United to join AS Roma for a one season loan. I am not sure I agree with this strategy if I am completely honest. Granted that Ole seems to have decided that Lindelof and Maguire will be his preferred choice of centre backs, my first preference as an alternative would have been Smalling ahead of all the other options. We’ll have to see how the season pans out and who will come in when needed but both Rojo and Jones are injury prone and erratic. I am hoping that the returning Tuanzebe can rise to the occasion if and when called upon. Other fringe players have been sent out on loan or transferred permanently. Ole seems to have a plan on what type of players he wants to bring in. He has also started moving out players who do not fit in with his plans. The clear-out most of us supporters anticipated has in fact started but we have to be realistic and accept the fact that this is going to be yet another transitional year. My

opinion, and that of many other supporters, is that we are short of options in midfield and that strengthening the defence is tackling part of the problem. This transfer window has once again confirmed that United are slowly but surely losing the capacity to lure players to the club in the way they used to. The now famous Gordon McQueen (info update for the millennials - he is an ex United centre half who played for United between 1978 and 1985) quote that 99% of players want to play for Manchester United and the rest are liars is sadly fading away. With no Champions League football on the cards this season and possibly also next season, it is difficult to attract top tier footballers. This makes the acquisition of players identified as possible United signings infinitely more complex. Other clubs know this, players’ agents know this, the board knows this (or maybe not!)....and yet we have not appointed an experienced DoF (Director of Football) to implement a long term strategy and ensure that we avoid speculation and buy players that fit into the strategy of rebuilding the ethos of Manchester United. To end on a positive note, it seems that the three signings made this summer have had a good start and all of them seem to have settled down immediately. We have addressed some of this issues that had been pending for years – mainly the arrival of a centre half. There are a group of young players waiting for their chance and I am hoping that Ole gives them time on the pitch to prove themselves. Greenwood, Garner, Chong and Gomes are in the squad and could make or break this season in my opinion. Am I entirely happy with the current scenario? The quick answer is no but I live in hope that we are now moving in the right direction despite the Glazers and Woodward. What worries me is that unless Ole can start putting some results together, the pressure on him will start piling up. The last thing we need this season is to have yet another change of manager half way through the season. Numquam Moribimur.

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MixedMANCUNIANPlatter by Karm Galea

aving nicknames for each other is usually a sign of friendship. Manchester United players are calling each other some bizarre names while training at Carrington.

with the club, Crystal Palace agreed to give Wan-Bissaka a three-month trial. He impressed the powers that be and was offered a four-year deal shortly afterwards. Why is he called ‘The Spider’. “It’s about the range and length of my legs when I’m lunging to tackle the ball. That’s where the nickname comes from”, Wan-Bissaka explained earlier this summer.

Sticky/Sticky Gloves Some years back, De Gea, his cousin and a friend went to a well-known store and in the process took a donut each and ate it in the aisle. When about to buy more things De Gea realised he had left his wallet in the car and exited the shop to get it. Later he was approached and held by the store’s security. He had difficulty explaining what had happened as his English was not good at the time. In the end, a Spanish girl arrived, explanations were submitted, apologies presented and accepted and the matter turned out into an amusing incident. Later, a few of his colleagues gave him doughnuts as a joke and De Gea took it in good humour. Why Sticky/Sticky Gloves (cour tesy of Rashford)? Some say it’s because of his goalkeeping ability but it might be a banter nickname for the doughnut incident.

Slabhead His full name is Jacob Harry Maguire but he goes for Harry. At the time of Euro 2016, Maguire had just won promotion to the Premier League with Hull City and he travelled to France with his mates to support England. Two years later he was in the 2018 England squad for the World Cup, where he performed superbly. Following his World Cup great showing, a fan launched a petition to get a picture of him riding an inflatable unicorn on the new £50 note. The petition eventually received 50,000 signatures but was not selected. Why is he called ‘Slabhead’? This rather unflattering nickname was given to him by Jamie Vardy, who gate crashed the press conference (after Maguire scored his goal with his head against Sweden in the World Cup) and said to his team-mate: “What is the diameter of your head?”

and so he tried his luck at Middlesbrough, who it is understood, had been keen to agree a price of £5million for the physically-imposing youngster. The deal fell through though for some reason, which eventually worked out well for him and United who paid six times more for him. Why ‘Iceman’? Lindelof struggles to explain how he got his nickname but he thinks it’s a mix of his Nordic descent and how people see him on the outside as he is a very private person, not very fond of sharing too much. Possibly it is also because he is quite calm on the field.

The Six Million Dollar Man Shaw’s f itness has been questioned throughout his United career but he has been given the nod ahead of Ashley Young for his club and country. When asked what he put his resurgence down to, Shaw said that on the nutrition side he did not make massive changes, but he had cut out some of the silly things he was doing. Why ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’? His United teammates have nicknamed him to the former astronaut rebuilt with bionic implants in an American 1970 television show after he had suffered a horror leg break during the Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven. He was set to miss the whole season but the pace of his recovery astounded the club’s medical staff.

The Spider Wan-Bissaka’s dreams of playing for Crystal Palace almost came to an end when he was 14-years-old as he attended training late or tired having eaten the wrong types of food. In an interview with a UK tabloid, his father Ambroise revealed that when his son was dropped to the bench, he considered leaving Crystal Palace with Chelsea and Arsenal being keen on him. However, following a meeting

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Iceman At some point, while Lindelof was lost in the wilderness at Benfica, with a first-team future at the Estadio da Luz looking less than likely, he underwent a trial at Stoke. Stoke did not want to fork out the reported fee of £260,000

McSauce, the McTominator, Scotland He signed his first professional contract in July 2013 but struggled with his relatively small size due to stunted growth and development

issues which inflicted internal injuries on him. Later, a severe growth spurt meant that he added 14 inches to his frame within two years. This came about after intensive treatment and rehab and his 6ft 4ins stature came after his tissues were repaired. This, coupled with a great on-field performance, led to a senior call-up under Mourinho. Scott McTominay has all these nicknames bestowed upon him by his companions at Carrington. The McTominator was bestowed upon him after his performance against Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinal game at Old Trafford which helped overshadow the likes of Messi and which established him in the United midfield. Scotland is because, though born in Lancaster, England, he chose to play for Scotland because of his parents’ lineage.

time at his former club was ‘Johnny Kills’, a literal translation of his name. The 30-year old is known for being one of the impressive characters in football, both in the way he conducts himself and for his part in the Common Goal project, encouraging athletes to donate 1% of their salary to charity. Juan is a popular figure inside the dressing room as his teammates appreciate his quality and intelligence. Why Wizard at Manchester United? Because the Spaniard is a joy to watch when he’s at his best, says Bailly. He is someone who has talent and technique as shown by his two goals against Liverpool at Anfield on the 22nd of March, 2015.

was the foundation to a start to his career. When did ‘The Kid’ come about? It was after Rashford scored the winner in extra time against Anderlecht in the Europa League semifinal. Many United players tweeted their joy and addressed Rashford with his nickname. And what about ‘Beans’? Is it because he is as ‘tall as a beanstalk’, as the saying goes? Or is it some idiotic thing that Lingard came up with? (What’s new?) ‘Rash’? Most probably this is the nickname Marcus responds to.

(Couldn’t help showing my glee while dancing a little gig after writing the score result).

‘Sauce’ is essentially a label applied to those who show flair. McTominay’s smooth calm on-the-ball performances, his handsome face and eye-catching stature are, well … sauce. Hence … McSauce.

The Flash When one watches Daniel James on the pitch, the first thing you’ll notice is his terrifying pace. He once clocked 36mph, which is almost identical to Arjen Robben’s worldrecord speed. Andrew He is using his first name on the back of his United shirt because he wants to escape from the shadow of his father and carve his own destiny. His father played for a series of Belgian clubs from 2001 to 2010.

Why is he called ‘The Flash’? Apparently, this nickname was bestowed upon him by his United teammates and refers to the fictional superhero known for his incredible speed.

How did the nickname ‘Andrew’ come about? It was banded about by Dalot, whose first name is Diogo. Pereira incorrectly referred to Dalot as ‘Diego’ in a social media post. To jokingly get his back, Dalot bestowed the nickname of ‘Andrew’ on Andreas.

The Wizard He plays table-tennis in his spare time and enjoys sightseeing. His nickname during his

The Spoiled Brat My nickname for Pogba. The dictionary describes ‘spoiled brat’ as a child who exhibits behavioural problems from being overindulged by others. Such a child may be described as thinking himself ‘grandiose’, ‘narcissistic’, or ‘egocentric’. Does this hit the nail on the head?

Seagulls Eric Cantona has been presented with the 2019 UEFA President’s Award in Monaco with UEFA President Ceferin describing Cantona as “a person who had done a lot of good”.

The Kid, Beans, Rash He started kicking a ball at the age of two as he played with his brothers in the garden, in the house, anywhere. He broke things. His mother always shouted her anger. He was banned to play only outside the house and found a way of adding enjoyment to his kicking about by kicking the ball on to the roof of his home’s garage and trying to control it as it came down. His father was watching his actions and insisted that he should join a youth club to play with the boys instead of having to kick balls on the garage roof. That

We all remember what a catalyst Cantona was to the United squad, helping the team win their first Premier League title in 1992/93 and continuing his magic with another three titles at Old Trafford. Since retiring from football at the age of 30, Cantona has committed himself to charitable causes, earning widespread praise for his efforts. Like the UEFA President, Cantona is a committed supporter of the Common Goal initiative, which funds high-impact football charities worldwide. The pair contribute 1% of their annual salary to the project, which was co-founded by Juan Mata.

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Major European Leagues Round-up… New season… few, if any, surprises so far! by Antoine Dalli

If the first six English Premier League games of the 2019/20 season are anything to go by, then it is pretty evident that Liverpool and Man City are still heads and shoulders better than the rest and are expected to be the main (probably the only) protagonists in this season’s title race.

are, so far, the surprise packages of the new season and one would not be surprised if they outsmart other more quoted teams to claim one of England’s Champions League berths. In contrast, Wolves, who finished seventh last season, are still winless with only four draws to show from their first six games. Newly promoted Aston Villa, who were amongst the biggest spenders in summer, also have four points to their credit. Even worse, last season’s FA Cup runners-up Watford, who like Wolves are still winless, are bottom with only two points under their belt.

In particular, Liverpool have been on top of their game winning all their first six games, scoring 17 goals and conceding just five in the process. The reigning European champions also lifted the European Super Cup after beating Chelsea after a penalty shoot-out in Istanbul. On the other hand, defending English champions Man City, who are currently second, five points behind Liverpool, confirmed their defiant domestic dominance after beating the Reds 5-4 after a penalty shoot-out at London’s Wembley Stadium to win the Community Shield. Man City have, so far, dropped vital points against Tottenham (2-2) and Norwich (2-3) but eventually bounced back by demolishing Watford to the tune of 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium, in a game where Man City scored five times in the opening 18 minutes – the fastest any team has ever scored in the English Premier League! Arsenal (11 points), last season’s Champions League runners-up Tottenham, Man United and Chelsea (eight points each) seem to be too inconsistent to be considered genuine challengers for the title. These teams are going to have to move up a gear if they want to challenge for a top-four finish. In the meantime, the likes of Leicester and West Ham (11 points each) and Bournemouth (10 points)

The Bianconeri, now under the charge of exEmpoli, Napoli and Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri, are two points adrift of the early leaders after dropping two points in a colourless 0-0 away draw with Fiorentina on the third day. Juventus are still considered the team to beat in Italy but so far, they have not been the dominating outfit they used to be until the recent past. Napoli have nine points under their belt after winning all their games except for an away defeat against Juventus by the odd goal in seven. Although these are still early days, Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli, who have been Juve’s nearest pursuers in the title race in recent years, are also expected to have their say in what promises to be a three-horse title race in the Italian Serie A.

In Italy, Antonio Conte’s Inter have started the new season firing on all cylinders. The Nerazzurri were not convincing in all their games (particularly in their scrappy 1-0 home win against 10 man Udinese on the third day) but still managed to collect maximum points from their encounters vs. Lecce (4-0), Cagliari (2-1), Udinese (1-0) and Milan (2-0). Like Juventus and Roma, Inter – who have not won any major silverware since lifting the 2010/11 Coppa Italia at the expense of Palermo – are still undefeated and are expected to give Juventus, winners of the last eight straight Italian league titles, a good run for their money this season.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

At the wrong side of the table, one finds Fiorentina. Italian American billionaire businessman Rocco Commisso has, in June 2019, taken over the reigns of Fiorentina from the Della Valle family. Last season, Fiorentina had the second-youngest squad in Europe’s Big Five Leagues. The Viola were eighth as late as February 2019 but then towards the second part of the season Fiorentina experienced a dip in performances and results as they failed to win any of their last 14 games, narrowly avoiding relegation. In summer, Commisso resisted to the temptation of parting company with €70M rated Italy international striker Federico Chiesa, who was consistently linked with a big money move to either Juvetus or Inter. Not only that, but Commisso had a busy summer assembling a strong outfit with the intention of challenging for an Europa League berth as the Viola signed amongst others Martin Caceres (free agent), Franck Ribery (free agent), Erick Pulgar (Bologna), Kevin Boateng (Sassuolo), Gaetano Castrovilli (Bari), Dalbert (Inter), Milan Badelj (Lazio). The two-times Italian champions were off to a miserable start as they were beaten by Napoli (3-4) and Genoa (1-2) in succession before showing signs of recovery thanks to important draws with Juventus (0-0) and Atalanta (2-2).

In the Spanish La Liga, reigning champions Barcelona endured a stuttering start to their 2018/19 season as they managed only

52 VOL 47 - ISSUE 1 - OCTOBER 2019

two wins and a draw from their opening f ive outings. Defeats against Athletic Bilbao (0-1) and Granada (0-2) exposed Barca’s defensive frailties and left them in a disappointing seventh place, level on points with unfancied Levante and Osasuna. Before the league season got underway, Barcelona edged Sevilla 2-1 to win their 13th Spanish Super Cup. Zinedine Zidane’s new-look Real Madrid are not the strong team they used to be but were still good enough to go top, level on points with two-times Europa League runners-up Athletic Bilbao with 11 points. Granada, Real Sociedad, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are joint-second with 10 points each. The first impressions is that Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are still in search of their best form, so it is very difficult to predict who will emerge as the early front-runners in the Spanish La Liga.

In the German Bundesliga, RasenBallsport Leipzig are the early pace-setters with 13 points from their first five outings. Defending champions Bayern Munich are currently second with 11 points. The German giants are, like RasenBallsport Leipzig and Wolfsburg, still undefeated but have already dropped vital points against minnows

Her tha BSC (2-2) and RasenBallspor t Leipzig (1-1). Borussia Dortmund, who were surprisingly beaten by newly promoted by FC Union Berlin 3-1 on the third day (so far the minnows’ only win), are three points behind the leaders after recording three wins vs. Augsburg ( 5-1), Cologne ( 3-1), Bayer Leverkusen (4-0) and a draw with Eintracht Frankfurt (2-2). The 1997 European champions, who have beaten Bayern Munich (2-0) in the season’s curtain-raiser – the German Super Cup – are currently level on points with Freiburg, Schalke 04, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen.

In the French Ligue 1, Paris SG recovered from a shaky start (a 1-2 away defeat vs. Rennes on the second day) to go top with 15 points from the first available 18. It was a turbulent summer for Thomas Tuchel’s side with Brazilian stalwart Neymar linked with a big money move to Barcelona, only for the deal to be called off at the eleventh hour. Paris SG also lifted the French Super Cup at the expense of Rennes to avenge themselves for last April’s unexpected defeat after a penalty shoot-out that enabled Rennes to lift their first French Cup since 1971.

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Volume 46- Issue 1, October 2018

Volume 45- Issue 4, June 2018 3, Volume 45- Issue March 2018

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Volume 46- Issue 4, June 2019 Volume 46- Issue 2, December 2018

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