Uh Oh! Fergie

From Fergie's perspective, I'm sure the way the club has been run under the Glazers has been preferable to how it was run as a PLC. Don't forget that Martin Edwards went behind his back regarding the signing of Dwight Yorke back in '98, that the board tried to stop him from selling Paul Ince, that they tried to low-ball him on his potential ambassadorial contract when he was thinking of retiring back in 2001, how Kenyon £#%&!ed up innumerable transfer negotiations... And there are countless other examples like this as well.

So having owners who keep their distance, who have lessened the amount of bureaucracy and oversight that existed under the PLC, who appear to back Fergie's judgement in terms of transfers and contracts, and who basically don't get involved with the football side of things is probably an almost ideal situation ideal for him. And I'm sure it looks even better to him when he sees what's going on at the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

From Fergie's perspective, I'm sure the way the club has been run under the Glazers has been preferable to how it was run as a PLC. Don't forget that Martin Edwards went behind his back regarding the signing of Dwight Yorke back in '98, that the board tried to stop him from selling Paul Ince, that they tried to low-ball him on his potential ambassadorial contract when he was thinking of retiring back in 2001, how Kenyon £#%&!ed up innumerable transfer negotiations... And there are countless other examples like this as well.

So having owners who keep their distance, who have lessened the amount of bureaucracy and oversight that existed under the PLC, who appear to back Fergie's judgement in terms of transfers and contracts, and who basically don't get involved with the football side of things is probably an almost ideal situation ideal for him. And I'm sure it looks even better to him when he sees what's going on at the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Then why not say that? Bringing the debt into it and then trying to pretend it doesn't matter was totally un called for. He specifically brought up the debt and said the people who were against were basically wrong.

Originally Posted by Spiffy

Then why not say that? Bringing the debt into it and then trying to pretend it doesn't matter was totally un called for. He specifically brought up the debt and said the people who were against were basically wrong.

Well, the amount of leverage that the Glazers used in the takeover is obviously by far the biggest criticism that people have made of them, so if Fergie is as happy with the current situation as he appears to be, I'd imagine that comments about the debt are about trying to placate the fans and keep the Glazers sweet.

And providing the debt service burden doesn't negatively affect the day-to-day running of the club, I doubt Fergie is too bothered about it really. Think about it, if the firm you work for got taken over in a LBO, and your working conditions improved significantly as a result, would you be particularly concerned about the level of gearing in the company? I doubt very much that most people would.

Things were so bad under the plc that we won the treble and had top class players like van nistelroy, ronaldo and rooney signing for us as well as Veron who many regarded as one of the best players in the world at the time.

Funny, fergie said that he wants refs to be accountable, yet he didnt much like having to be accountable under the plc. there's so much hypocrisy in what he says you really have to just stop listening.

I never have and never will doubt his abilities as a football manager and i've enjoyed some fantastic times while he has been in charge but there came a point when he started to think he was manchester united and introducing those irish @#%&!s to the club kick started the whole sorry glazer afair so i'm afraid that although he is a legend as a football manager, he is also going to do down as one of the catalysts for the inevitable downfall of this great club. I accept that, many cant. Despite his plans to get out just before it happens (next few years) he will be tarred with that regardless.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

Things were so bad under the plc that we won the treble and had top class players like van nistelroy, ronaldo and rooney signing for us as well as Veron who many regarded as one of the best players in the world at the time.

Funny, fergie said that he wants refs to be accountable, yet he didnt much like having to be accountable under the plc. there's so much hypocrisy in what he says you really have to just stop listening.

I never have and never will doubt his abilities as a football manager and i've enjoyed some fantastic times while he has been in charge but there came a point when he started to think he was manchester united and introducing those irish @#%&!s to the club kick started the whole sorry glazer afair so i'm afraid that although he is a legend as a football manager, he is also going to do down as one of the catalysts for the inevitable downfall of this great club. I accept that, many cant. Despite his plans to get out just before it happens (next few years) he will be tarred with that regardless.

You'd love a good tarring wouldn't you?

Originally Posted by armchair

You'd love a good tarring wouldn't you?

yep

So, erm, is Ronaldo staying then?

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

And yes, saying United's manager should £#%&! right off is in fact anti United.

Nope.

That's like those dicks a few years ago in the US saying slagging off George Bush was un-American. Ferguson is not Manchester United.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Nope.

That's like those dicks a few years ago in the US saying slagging off George Bush was un-American. Ferguson is not Manchester United.

He's been in United's best interests though. I remember when the anti-fergie people were celebrating the 99 questions.

Originally Posted by armchair

He's been in United's best interests though. I remember when the anti-fergie people were celebrating the 99 questions.

I didn't celebrate the 99 questions but there were plenty who thought many of them were valid. In hindsight, when SAF had the spotlight shown on him, he seemed to stop using his family and we got back to winning ways.

Getting back on topic - if Ronaldo wants to go & Real offer a decent amount for him, he'll go.

You REALLY think the gimps will fork over hundreds of thousands of pounds a month, for years, for him to sit on his arse and do £#%&! all?

%@#$&!s. They'll take the money, every time.


And I am still of the opinion that had Fergie threatned to resign if the Glazers took over, then they either wouldn't own the club now, or if they did, the debt would have been massively less.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Certainly, without him United would be in far less stable position right now imo. This point is widely accepted by even the Glazer obsessives, and arguably lies at the heart of most of the ABF rhetoric we see.

Ferguson represents Manchester United like no other figure has represented them since Matt Busby. Indisputable fact is that. imo, obviously. though obviously not just mine.

I agree with every word of that, but the fact remains that Alex Ferguson is not, and never will be, Manchester United. The club was there long before him and will be there long after, astonishing and brilliant manager though he undoubtedly is.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Ferguson is saying that those who predicted the end of United's world were talking out of their arse.

You mean like David Gill?

"The club has 126 years of History and is recognised as as one of the most successful football clubs in the world. I don't think any sensible person would think we could recommend a proposal that that could jeopardise something that has been built up over so many years. Well it's not so much that Glazer's plan isn't sensible-it's insane."

You'd best go and tell Gill Fergie's been slagging him off.