Post by Scott on May 26, 2006 2:25:10 GMT
Welcome to the 1st ever addition of Republik of Mancunia: The Paper. This will be a monthly feature of the forum, and over the next few months, should be padded out with content a little better than this one is! We aim to have articles, games and websites of the month, match day write ups (during the World Cup and once next season has begun), member interviews etc. in each edition.
7even and I won’t be organising it by ourselves however, and this is where you lot come in. If you are interested in getting involved in The Paper, then send me a PM and we’ll get talking about what you can contribute, whether it’s one of the things mentioned above, or any ideas of your own. You’re more than welcome to give us any input on what you think should be changed and/or added to The Paper.
Now let us begin:
Member of the Month
A major reason for the fast growth of this forum is down to active, and well informed posters. Luckily for RoM we’ve had more than enough members who fit in to this category, so thank you to everyone who’s made an effort to be active, as well as voicing sensible, interesting opinions. It is because of this that our first ever Member of the Month choice has been so difficult to pick. Drum roll please.
Due to his massive amount of posts, on football as well as the general boards, this month’s winner is Rio’s Back Pocket. Not only has he been very active, but he has also been helping to bring new members to the site, and we’re extremely grateful to him for that. So congratulations to him.
Interview
As our community is just in the very early stages, there’s still plenty of things we don’t know about each other. Yes, we may know someone’s opinion on whether Ruud should stay or leave, and ok, we probably know someone else’s opinion on Ferguson, but we don’t know each other too much on a personal level, and so that’s what this feature is for.
So everyone, time to get to know: Donkeadrogba
Real name:
Goodfellow….Chris, Goodfellow!
Where are you from:
The great citadel of Belfast.
Who is your biggest inspiration:
Hmmm tough question, outside of certain family members, I think I’d have to say as corny as it sounds Nelson Mandella, here is a man who stood by the courage of his convictions in a society bent against him and made a change that the whole world felt then turned around and took the society that shunned him by the scruff of the neck and made it work. I hope to be like him, more in hope than expectation.
What would you like to be better at:
In all honesty football, I usually get to be ok in most things I do, I used to be a handy center back but then in my teens cos I was running a lot doing track and cross country and stuff all the other guys got bigger than me, and heavier than me so they just kept scrunching me, so I kinda gave up for a while and moved to a wide wing role and havn’t played in years and years, so if there was anything it’d be football, but hoping once I shift everything to Edinburgh I can join up with a Sunday side and get me edge back.
If you could ask anyone, living or dead, a question, who and what would it be?
This may seem like a bit of a weird thing to say but I’d love to meet Lord Denning and ask him if he’s happy that he made the last three years of my life much harder than they needed to be, then hit him, or is that weird cos he’s dead….I dunno anymore in this modern amoral world
What is your all time favourite film?
No question it’s the Shawshank Redemption, brilliant film, I don’t usually like Tim Robbins but he was great in that, excellent story of hope, makes me smile and punch the air every time I see it, true story!
If you won the lottery, how would you spend it?
I would buy my ass a small team, conference side or maybe Ryman's league and try to turn it into a business, make it profitable and spend some cash from my winnings on players, stadium etc etc, but I’d put the cash into the bank for a year or so and let the interest build up first of course.
One job in the world, what would it be?
I would love to work for the United Nations as an international diplomat based in like America or the Far east, that would be great, getting paid to do something I’ve always wanted to do, plus getting to go through all the intricate little ins and outs of politics would be brilliant. Or failing that a football manager, I reckon I'd be good at it.
What’s your biggest ambition in life?
My biggest ambition in life it to go through, stand at the end of oblivion look back and say “yeah I got here, had a hell of a time and I’ll be remembered for that’
What’s your greatest ever achievement?
I would say my law degree but I haven’t got it just yet…..god that’s a tough one, and yes I know I type like I talk, hmmm, probably when I ran the marathon in under 4 hours for charity a few years ago, such a feeling of accomplishment, or when I finished Final Fantasy VII.
What’s your biggest regret?
That I stayed in Belfast and went to the University I went to.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Hopefully in a good job, working in Los Estados Unidos, preferably in Boston still supporting the great northern reds.
Who do you hate most: City/Liverpool/Leeds/Arsenal/Other
By a country mile arsenal, I just hate them they had that nonce Viera who was such a dirty player then rolled around like he’d been shot if anyone touched him damn hypocrite I just hated him for that, and they have Henry who just stands there looking cocky some times and you're just thinking "Come on snipers where are you when we need you?” and Arsene Wenger who can’t even be honest enough to criticize his team when they’re actively working against the honesty he calls for from other teams…
Article
This month’s article is written by Crilly.
Ruud – Should he stay or should he go?
..if he stays there may be trouble, but if he goes could there be double?
The debate over Ruud’s future looks certain to dominate the back pages this summer. His much already publicised fallout with Fergie in the closing months of the season and subsequent departure before the Charlton game, have left his United career in uncertainty. Whether he was pushed or walked out is a matter of opinion, and not the question in hand.
Much has been made of his apparent disgust in being left out of the team to face Charlton and how he stormed away from the ground. It’s no secret either that he was forbidden to even enter Old Trafford on the night of Roy Keane’s testimonial. Player and manager fallouts happen all the time. But when it’s the world’s biggest club and its top striker, the papers require a story.
They would have you believe his bags are already packed with Milan the likely destination. But as the media have scrambled to deliver the latest on Ruud’s future, he has been signed sealed and delivered to a variety of clubs, as the days and weeks have passed. United’s position on the matter has remained predictably silent with the only statement coming from Ferguson on the day following the Charlton game. “I will be meeting with the board on Tuesday to discuss his future,” Tuesday came and went without further comment from the club, as was to be expected.
So what of the player’s perspective, finally after two weeks came a statement that read,
“I know a lot of people in Manchester don’t understand it, well it’s the same for me. I love United that’s why I don’t really understand it. What has happened has happened. I have a world cup in front of me so I need to try and forget it and move on. One thing I want to make clear is that I went because I had to go, not because I went myself. I have been in touch with a few team mates that was good and gave me a good feeling. But I am not naïve and the fact that I wasn’t involved in the last premiership game or Roy Keane’s testimonial was not a good sign.”
Not a good sign indeed, but then Ruud’s performances leading up to this point were a series of not good signs, and his relegation to the bench was justified. Louis Saha’s excellent form was testament to that and he deserved his opportunity in the starting XI. After Ruud’s almost criminal efforts in the FA Cup 5th round v Liverpool, Sir Alex gave him a timely reminder that nobody is irreplaceable at Old Trafford. With Saha in hot form also, Fergie made the right move in swapping them as we mounted a late challenge to Chelsea for the title.
Back to the question then should he stay or should he go? With Saha’s form, Rooney’s undeniable brilliance, Ole’s return to fitness and the emerging talent of Rossi many would say now is the time to sell. But will this leave us enough striking force to challenge for the league and in Europe next season? I would have to have serious doubts.
Saha has now had two spells in the team; before and after his injury plagued season of 04/05. He has proved he will score goals in the league, but in the champions league has looked out of his depth in his so far limited appearances. However, Andy Cole is evidence that persistence can be the key to Europe. He never looked comfortable in his early outings in Europe’s top competition yet went on to be the first to break Dennis Law’s record. A record only to be superseded by Van Nistelrooy.
Ruud’s European scoring exploits have been nothing short of phenomenal. 47 goals in 62 champion’s league appearances is an incredible return. One which belittles the records of every other striker to have played in the competition. This statistic alone is reason enough to keep him. But there other more important factors that should sway the decision.
Firstly it is clear to all that we need to buy a top midfielder this summer if not two. Our transfer dealings must be concentrated on replacing the departed Keane. To have to replace one of the worlds top strikers also, would be near on impossible. Its clear there’s a lack of suitable characters in the game that would be fit to fill Roy Keane’s boots. But I would have to argue there are even less candidates who could provide 150 goals in 200 appearances.
So back to Ruud’s temperament then, his body language in his last outing against Middlesbrough gave all the signs of a truly dejected player who knew his time may be up. And if what we read is true, he has had a number of bust-ups with team mates recently, not least of all Ronaldo. So do we want a player who is upsetting the camp sticking around?
Well yes has to be the answer. If it were different circumstances selling Ruud would not be an issue, as the saying goes; life goes on, and at Manchester United it certainly does, just ask Beckham, Stam or Yorke. But this time around the situation is critical and to sell Ruud would be suicidal. There are few if any top strikers in the game who at present are half the player he is, and there are certainly none who are not currently tied to a major club. His behaviour has been poor but that can be all forgiven with a few heart felt hand shakes. The world cup gives Ruud the perfect stage to show Fergie what he would be wasting and I for one believe he will not squander the opportunity. The only question remaining is will Ferguson break the mould and accept Ruud back next season, or will he show him the door like so many before him?
Match of the Month
This month’s Match of the Month is written by Scott.
Being honest, probably the most entertaining game of football this month was the FA Cup final. Gerrard, love him or hate him scored a couple of blinding goals, and after going 2-0 down (with an own goal by the specialist Carragher. He’s scored more goals against Liverpool than Rio has!) Liverpool won the cup on penalties (can anyone remember the last time they won something when they didn’t resort to penalties?).
However, RepublikofMancunia.org’s Match of the Month is the Champions League final. After Arsenal got passed the group stages, and were 6th in the league, Wenger declared that Arsenal were going to win the European Cup this year. We all thought he’d lost the plot when he sold their most influential player for next to nothing, and thought a kid could replace him, but now, definitely, he was barmy.
Then somehow, Arsenal make it to the final, when lying in 5th place. People start talking about how the scum won the final after being crowned the 5th best team in England (2nd best team in Liverpool) and how history might repeat itself. Everton, Liverpool’s biggest rivals, were 4th that year, and this year, Spurs’, Arsenal’s biggest rivals were 4th. Shit. Not that I’m a superstitious fella or anything, but even I was starting to feel a little panicked.
Fortunately for us, the Spurs team got hit with a tummy bug, fucked up on the last game of the season, so Arsenal finished 4th, and history could no longer repeat itself. Lehmann, one of the biggest twats known to the Premiership, managed to get himself sent off half way through the 1st half. Game on. It had pretty much been 50/50 before then, with neither team really committing themselves. Big Sol puts Arsenal one goal in front, and although a little bit of dread starts to sink in, the excitement starts. You know it’s going to be all the more painful when Arsenal lose after going 1-0 up against the best team in the world with 10 men.
The 2nd half plods along. Where is Ronaldinho? Where is Henry? Both of them manage to sink in to nothingness. Ronaldinho is double marked, and when he does get the ball, fucks up, and then flashes his big goofy teeth in a big goofy grin. Henry has two sitters which he taps against the keeper and is AWOL for the rest of the game.
Then in a magical blur, Barca score 2 goals, leaving the Arsenal team without a chance in hell. Henrik comes on and does the business, and helps out Celtic’s CL campaign for next season in the process. He was special, and made all the difference.
Aside from losing, the best part of the game for me was Henry’s interview afterwards. If someone had handed you a transcript of his comments, you would have bet top dollar on the words coming from whinging Wenger the paedophile. But no, it was from “Mr Class” Henry. Never have a heard such a bitter interview in my life. In all honesty, I don’t think there was much between the teams. It probably would have been a better game if the ref hadn’t blown so early and wasn’t forced in to sending Lehmann off, instead of allowing the goal and booking the German prick. But to hear Henry claim the ref was wearing a Barca shirt, after Arsenal’s only goal came from a dive from Eboue (which even Mr Paedophile himself has condemned) which the “Barca supporting ref” awarded a free kick for, was as humiliating for him as it was hilarious and entertaining for us.
The downside is we can no longer take the piss out of Arsenal never reaching a semi-final in Europe… but the upsides, as far as I’m concerned, is that for the first time in a few years, the best team in Europe actually won the European cup, and Arsenal were left empty handed, whilst celebrating and feeling grateful for a dismal 4th place position in the league
Website of the Month
This month's Website of the Month is written by 7even:
BadScience.net
The weblog of Ben Goldacre, a practicing NHS GP and part-time journalist, Bad Science tries to get to the bottom of some misinformation about science. From alternative therapies that make claims they can’t justify, to product manufacturers who misuse science for their own ends, the site takes a look at them all. It’s possible to comment on individual posts, so you can say whether you disagree or not.
Although there are millions of websites out there, bad science caught my eye on numerous occasions. So if you’re bored, then why not take a look as there are a lot of things to read up on, some you might know about and some I’m most certain you won’t know about. We all have our personal opinions, whether you agree or disagree on specific articles, why not post your own views.
Game of the Month
This month's Game of the Month is written by 7even:
First of all, a quick mention goes to, Command & Conquer: the First Decade
In this ever growing world of video gaming, the Command & Conquer series stands proud as one of the major milestones. Although not my personal genre choice, this pack contains the 12 games in the franchise released over the past decade, making this undoubtedly value for money.
All the games still play well and with a bonus DVD of development footage and interviews, this really should be on any strategy gamers shopping list.
Priced around £30
But this month's game of the month is:New Super Mario Bros
There are a lot of games already out and are coming out that I’d love to review, but for now, let’s kick straight into action by introducing a classic to all gaming lovers.
New Super Mario Bros is the quite possibly the biggest game of 2006.
I was lucky enough to play this game, as a mate of mine is a gaming nut and imports gamers from around the world.
The opening level doesn't really introduce any radical change, but the old school formula is just so perfect that it felt wonderful to see and experience once again. And New Super Mario Bros looks blinding. The game has been ballooned with 2 and 3D elements which work so well to form one of the sexiest games I’ve ever seen.
Good points: Brilliant control; old school game play; great presentation; evokes the original games without feeling shameless.
Bad points: Additional modes aren't as good as the main game; some levels are just not long enough, a little addictive.
Although old school memories certainly resurface in this game, it is defiantly new. You hardly see 2D plat formers around anymore, and it's even rarer when they’re done correctly. While the more experienced of players might shoot through the game quite promptly, New Super Mario Bros is still completely amazing.
Whether you were a Sega fan or a Nintendo fan back in the days, we’ve all played Super Mario Bros and it captured all of our hearts, this time around it will no doubt dazzle us even more so, and give us something to talk about for many years to come.
Although one might ask, can Mario ever be new again?
I hope you enjoyed the first ever edition of The Paper. Any comments about it please leave in the comments thread on this board
Editor: Scott
