are we still a big club?

[redseven]

i read an intteresting article today in the NOTW by Martin Samuel, he was basically saying that we will find out if United are still a big club, not just by the players we sign, but noptabl;y if we manage to keep Ronaldo.

He mentioned that it has the trademarks of when we bought Saha from Fullham, remember Chris Coleman, he said Saha would leave 'over my dead body'. United repeatedly say no, but like Fulham will they just say no till the point where all sanity is lost and sell him?

He mentioned that years ago, at United when Fergie said no, it meant no. He says this is what happens at Chelsea, Crespo and Gallas both wantted to leave, he said No, and they discussed new contracts.

Samuel says that during the summer we will find out if United are in the same league as Chelsea, a big club, or not, and be labelled the rich man's Fulham, a squad containing very talented but disgruntled teenagers.

do you really think the Glazers will decline a 20mill bid, for a player that has said he wants to leave?

[Scott]

I dont think whether United are still a big club or not has anything to do with who we buy or sell, especially in reference to Ronaldo, a player who was never going to spend his entire career at United. Whether United win the league every season from now, I still would be surprised if Ronaldo was at United until he's 25. He wants to play in Spain, and to be honest, would be praised a lot more, and would do a lot better over there.

If this was Rooney, then yes, I can hear arguments as to how that might make us "not a big club" anymore, but as far as I'm concerned, United will always be a big club, always one of the biggest in the World, whether we keep players like Ronaldo or not.

[missunited]

United are the biggest club in the world because that's what the fans has made it.

Also... interesting article and NOTW in the same sentense... that's just weird

[redseven]

lol, well, i dont usually read the NOTW, im a sunday times man, but the NOTW was the only thing that was in the cafe this morning!

i wasnt saying that united were not a big club, i just thought it was an interesting article, Samuel also writes for The Times, so he isnt just tabloiud rubbish!
but he was one of a few tabloid journalists that defended cristiano ronaldo after the england-portugal game so, i have a bit of time for him! lol

[Busby Boy]

I've read the article by Martin Samuel and it was interesting. He was saying how José Mourinho handled Gallas, Crespo and Drogba. All three players had their hearts set on leaving SB and Mourinho told them they would stay and they just listened with all three discussing new contracts.

What he said was if Fergie can keep a hold of Ronaldo then it would signal that Manchester United can hold onto star players and thus attract more, making the team stronger and therefore challenging for the Premier League and Champions Leagues.

He had some very valid points, and I think Fergie will keep Ronaldo. Manchester United though, with or without Ronaldo, will always be a massive club one of the best. With the fan base plus our stadium added to players such as Ferdinand, Van Der Sar, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs and Ronaldo as well as youngsters such as Rossi, Piqué & Bardsley, Manchester United will always be there or there abouts when the trophies are being handed out.

[thedogs8]

i think we are a massive club but we need to make a statment with some massive signings like we did before the glazers year on year. if we buy big its a big statment that were still the force on and off the pitch

[unitedinhardcore]

i read the article and tbh i thought it was bollocks.

if one player stays/leaves then that decides whether we are a big club or not???
it doesnt mention anywhere why the player would want to leave.
if ronnie had said that he is an ambitious player and wants to further his career then that would suggest we're not a big club anymore but that simply isnt the case.

it also keeps going on about maureen being able to stand up to his players. if you have unlimited resources it doesnt half make it easier. i dont care if you are having a strop, here's millions of pounds whilst you run down your contract and i look tough!

some of the stuff martin samuel says is quite interesting but todays article looked like he had a lot of space to fill at the last minute and the easiest way to do that is talk about utd.

[rewdie]

I agree there

I was going to say the same thing but you beat me to it! They were kept at Chelsea as they wont get higher wages anywhere else, this makes Chelsea a rich club, not a big club

We are going through a minor phase of non domination, doesnt make us not a big club anymore, we will always be a big club, always raise young players into the best and will always be attractive to players, we cant help if certain players are led by money of want to play in a different league

[redseven]

well i think he is saying united are still a big club, but need to prove it....he is basically saying that if unityed manage to keep ronaldo among other players then it shoiws united are a bigger club than if they sell him


im not saying i agree, i just thoughj it was interesting.....

oh and according to almost every newspaper, and even ronaldo himself, he says it would be nigh mpossible to play in england again,,,,,,which is why we must get behind him even more

[Red Yank]

I say yes we are definitely a big club, but we need to start becoming more successful in the competitions we're involved in to keep the reputation of the club intact. It's been a little disheartening to see players we're interested not jumping at the chance to play here, but with success we'll see that change I'm sure.

[unitedinhardcore]

yeah it was interesting, but i didnt find a single article in the paper that i disagreed more with!

that is one of the reasons why i like the martin samuel column, because he will have an opinion that is original and based on his own thoughts, it's just that sometimes his thoughts are bollocks

i dont think ronaldo is going but if he does it is because
a) all opposition fans hate him
b) he doesnt like the weather
c) his style of football doesnt suit the prem (it does but perceived as not)

[rewdie]

Exactly again mate

As i have said before, supporters in Spain thrive on the way he plays, whether he cocks up or not, Ronaldinho does all the time as did Zidane, I had the Spanish league on a channel here (no English though grrr) and to be honest they could look crap sometimes

Both lost the ball, didnt always have a great end product and could showboat

But they produce magic, they have flair and do things other players wont dare to do, just becuase they know they can, they can pull something out of nowhere when its needed the most and are both 2 of the most entertaining footballers to watch

BUT THEY COCK UP.....ALOT lol Ronaldinho especially can be so frustrating to watch, you can watch him for 70 mins and think, this guys is the best player in the world? Then in the last 20 mins he proves why he is

Point is, spain are so much more open to that kind of football, he would be cheered on for what he does, not critisised for what he might not do sometimes, the fans here dont know how to appreciate certain skills, least Ronaldo makes it interesting to watch

Whenever i see him step on the pitch I think, here we go, what will we see today

Its got nothing to do with him not thinking United are a good club, he loves the club and respects it alot, but he would be ALOT more appreciated in Spain and would probably grow more as a player

if England wants to be exciting we need to adapt that attitude, let the damn players do what they want and just enjoy it, people have become so uptight about winning nowadays noone just wants to, watch the game and enjoy it for what it is, a game, let the athletes entertain and play the way they love, but we will never just watch football, we watch points and win, lose and draws.

Probs the reason Dinho went to Barca not us, possibly wouldnt have won best fotballer in the world, not because of United, but the shackles of the English league and its watchers

PS sorry for the rant

[redseven]

lol, well ive said on here before, iv read a book by gianluca vialli comparing english football to italian football, and he covers the attitudes of players (im mentioning this because italian football is similar to spanish football) and in italy (spain) the players want to play in an enviroment that will suit there play, i.e. weather, supporters etc etc

he also mentions the fans, in england we appreciate the odd bit of magic, but we prefer end product, in italy and spain they prefer magic.....

for instance, the english are more likely to adopt a fotballing hero based on effort than technique, whereas in spain and italy its thge other way round

im english, my hero is gary neville, but if i was spanish it would be Cristiano Ronaldo (this is if united were a spanish team)

[unitedinhardcore]

i love smudger because of his commitment but i want at least one player in the team the amazes me with his skills.

ok rooney does both but he's a freak!

[redseven]

lol, yeh, but i was just using the sterotypical example.........


most english supporters prefer effort and committment than technique


i mean england is one olf the few countires where players get applauded when they get sent off! lol