It’s depressing to wake up at half past three in the morning hoping to catch a Manchester United victory and the first two names you see on the teamsheet are Ben Foster and Gary Neville. It’s even more disheartening trying to get back to sleep two hours later having seen them lose their first Champions League group match at home in eight years to a team who lost 8-0 to Liverpool on their last visit to England.

Still, Besiktas should be allowed to enjoy their moment, which undoubtedly their maniacal supporters will be doing. After all, smaller sides seldom feature in the Champions League headlines and a win at Old Trafford is a remarkable achievement considering that no Turkish team has won in England for eight years.

Top spot in the group should have been sealed last night but Fergie’s fledglings, in baseball terms, stepped up to the plate and struck out. There was a real lack of urgency and pressure from the men (or boys) in red which translated into a flat, disjointed performance against the Turkish champions. I guess Wolfsburg’s defeat in Moscow just prior to kick-off gave the players a false sense of confidence.

Gabriel Obertan and Danny Welbeck were the only ones to really emerge with any credit on a night when Anderson showed the world that having bags of potential alone is not enough to make one a quality footballer. He was the senior man in the central midfield and should have stamped his authority on the game but was time and again let down by his poor touches and wayward passing. I wonder if we will still be talking about how the Brazilian could be a great player when he is in his thirties.

Someone who is in his thirties but no longer a great player is Gary Neville, who looked as lost as Kanye West at a Taylor Swift concert. Today’s game, today’s players and today’s balls are all too fast for the club captain and retirement sooner rather than later is the inevitable option.

One thing that Neville can teach Federico Macheda is that you give 110 percent for that badge on your jersey situated above your heart. The young Italian displayed a defiant and petulant attitude that would even put Mr Grumpy himself – Dimitar Berbatov – to shame. It looks like he thinks he’s better than he actually is. It will be a waste to see a player with so much undoubted talent fall by the wayside and I hope Sir Alex Ferguson will be able to polish this gem and maybe add some detergent to clean his mouth.

A week after Ben Foster describe his life at United as frustrating, I would use that very same word to describe his performance on the night. The Turkish champions had two shots on goals in ninety minutes and he let one of them in. It might have taken a slight deflection off Rafael but he was nonetheless flat footed and not quick enough to get across the goal, not helped by his dubious starting position. It’s a testament to just how dire the England goalkeeping situation is that he still looks a certainty to be on the plane to South Africa next summer.

A bright spark on the night was Obertan who, despite some misplaced passes, provided good width and penetration down the right flank. It was a positive performance from the former Bordeaux starlet who not only displayed some excellent off the ball movement but also the confidence to want the ball played to him at every available opportunity.

I don’t agree that there was very little at stake in this match. Finishing as group runners-up not only increases your chances of facing Barcelona or Real Madrid in the next round but also means that United plays their first leg at home, where away goals could play a big part.

Of course, winning the group could still see United being paired up with either of the Milan sides. But compared to last season, I cannot confidently say that the Red Devils can get a goal or two at the Nou Camp or San Siro.

The youngsters whom Sir Alex placed his faith should have grabbed this opportunity on the big stage by the scruff of the neck. Instead, we are left wondering about the long term futures of the likes of Darron Gibson, Macheda and most alarmingly, Anderson. There is definitely potential in these players but what differentiates the Messis and Kakas of this world from the rest is the realization of that ability and performing when it matters most on the pitch.

This defeat has made it a somewhat drab Thanksgiving for Sir Alex as he gathers for dinner with wife Cathy and his three sons. Still, it’s a much happier place to be than at the Benitez household.

Well, i read today from The Sun that Tottenham is planning for a 6mil swoop for Ben Foster this January. And Foster responded that he might need to leave to keep his place  in the England squad. He further commented that he felt weird being a country’s top keeper and yet being only the 3rd choice keeper for his own club.

Hmmm, to Foster, you had your chances! And what a bummer and mess you have made of your chances. When Edwin VDS was injured, you were assured of starting  in games and yet you allowed your butter fingers to do the talking and so who else you can blame except yourself for falling down the pecking order at OT? I find it weird as well that after a series of blunders you have made, Fabio Capello still prefer to start you rather than other keepers available out there.

Anyway, it doesn’t really bother me if you choose to leave or choose to stay, but one thing that i want to make it clear as a United fan is that no one is to be blame other than yourself for not making the full use of the chance you get earlier. I personally witness your blunders at United games and i would have drop you from the bench myself had Ferguson not done so. Go to Tottenham by all means if that will help you but I hope that you don’t turn into a crying baby and whining that you were never given the opportunities… yes, not opportunity, but opportunities!

Full report here: Tottenham want to sign England keeper Ben Foster

The draw for the Third Round of this year’s FA Youth Cup has been conducted today, with United landing a home tie against Birmingham City.

As with the FA Cup, the Youth Cup sees the big boys enter at the Third Round stage, and United were first out of the hat when the draw was made earlier today at FA HQ. Clubs like St Albans City, Bishops Stortford and Atherstone Town remained in the competition but for the second straight season, the Reds were paired with another Premier League side at this stage.

Home advantage will mean Paul McGuinness and his side should be confident of progressing, but the last two seasons provide cautionary tales. Two years ago Carlisle United visited the Marstons Arena in round four and pulled off one of the bigger Youth Cup shocks of recent times, while last year saw the Reds fall at the first hurdle after an agonising 3-2 loss to Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Birmingham’s academy side aren’t to be underestimated either – their Academy League record (5 wins, 6 defeats, a current four-game losing streak following on from a four-game winning run) paints a picture of an inconsistent side capable of beating anyone on their day, and the presence of England U17 goalkeeper Jack Butland and England U19 squad members Ashley Sammons, Mitch McPike and Jordon Mutch in their ranks hints at there being some real quality available to coach Terry Westley.

One plus point to drawing strong opposition is the likelihood that the tie will be staged at Old Trafford, which would be a terrific experience for all involved. Indeed, the last meeting between these two teams at academy level came in a Youth Cup tie at Old Trafford, the 2006/07 Quarter Final, where two goals from Sam Hewson sent United through to the semis and eventually a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the final.

Third Round ties must be played no later than December 12th, so news on the date, time and venue should be available pretty soon – we’ll have that information for you as soon as it’s known.

Quite  a funny topic this week, following the revelation that Newcastle United have sold the naming rights to St. James’ Park and for the rest of the season will be playing at the sportsdirect.com@St. James’ Park stadium. Catchy isn’t it?!

I don’t especially have a problem with naming rights (how could I as an Arsenal supporter) but I think you should go either the whole way or not at all. Either call it the sportsdirect.com stadium or stick with St James’ Park. Don’t try and force it all into one joint effort. Can you imagine the Emirates@Ashburton Grove or Aon Insurance@Old Trafford. Doesn’t work does it. Typical Newcastle though, always doing things cack-handedly.

Anyway, in terms of this week’s entry, my lack of internet meant I had to do it in Paint and Word at work. I got the opportunity to redo it below but you can see the original rubbish version on the Guardian site, not that this one is that much better. Jack is Jackie Milburn, 2nd highest Newcastle goalscorer btw.

Put sportsdirect.com@St James' Park into an anagrammer and you get this. I would think that a very dyslexic signwriter might come up with something similar.

This week’s gallery can be found here.

T.

Archive.

23 years ago today, Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed Manchester United manager. Since then he has gone on to become one of the most successful and longest serving coaches in the game.

However next season is rumoured to be his last, leaving someone the unenviable task of replacing the Scot at Old Trafford.

Let’s examine some of the favourites to take on one of the biggest jobs in football…

The candidates

Jose Mourinho (46, Inter Milan)

‘The Special One’ made his name at Old Trafford back in 2004, celebrating along the touchline as his Porto side knocked United out of the Champions League.  Since then he’s guided Chelsea to back to back league titles and led Inter to Serie A glory in his first season in Italy.

Jose recently hinted at a return to England with United: “I would consider going, but they have to consider if they want me to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson. If they do, then of course.” However therein lies the main problem, would United want a man like Mourinho as their manager? And would the fans? Jose has the experience and confidence to cope with the role but question marks still remain as to whether his style of football would fit in at the Theatre of Dreams.

Martin O’Neill (57, Aston Villa)

O’Neill has emerged as one of Britain’s best managers in recent years with impressive stints at Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa adding to his reputation as a player. Ferguson is also an admirer, tipping O’Neill as his possible successor back in 2001: “Martin’s a no-nonsense manager – just what you need at a big club. You don’t mess this man around,”

Sir Alex’s comments will stand O’Neill in good stead, however his ability to manage at the very top level of the game has yet to be tested and at 57 he may be considered too old in two to three years time.

David Moyes (46, Everton)

Fellow Glaswegian Moyes has impressed in his seven years at Everton, most notably guiding the Toffees to fourth in 2005. Like O’Neill, Ferguson has been quick to praise Moyes for his success at Goodison Park:  “David hasn’t got the credit he deserves,” He said.“When you take everything into consideration, he’s done an incredible job at Everton.”

Moyes has shown his ability to successfully manage players and finances at Everton however his lack of experience in the Champions League and his failure to deliver silverware may hamper his chances.

Steve Bruce (48, Sunderland)

One of Ferguson’s most reliable players, Bruce’s 11 year career in management has embodied the spirit and resilience he showed at Old Trafford when he became the first English player of the 20th Century to captain a team to a League and FA Cup double in 1994.

Bruce learned his trade in the lower divisions before twice leading Birmingham to promotion and then helping Wigan Athletic establish themselves in the top flight. Now at Sunderland, Bruce has the financial backing to prove himself as a realistic contender for the job.

Carlos Queiroz (56, Portugal)

Sir Alex’s former no.2 has the experience at Old Trafford to be considered as a possible manager in the future, however poor spells at Real Madrid and Portugal have led many to question Queiroz’s ability to succeed on his own.

Queiroz was praised by Ferguson for his tactical nous and the medical changes he made at the club. “Carlos is improving a lot of things,” said Ferguson. “The entire medical side is fantastic. That is all down to Carlos’ vision of the future which I would not have had.”

Verdict

Finding Ferguson’s replacement will be a question of timing.

The Scot came close to calling it a day in 2002 before realising he wasn’t prepared to face a life without football. At that time Dutchman Luis Van Gaal was being lined up to take over. However at the start of the 2011 season he will turn 60 and by then his chance may have gone. The same can be said of possible candidates Fabio Capello, 63, Marcello Lippi, 61 and Guus Hiddink, 62.

So if Ferguson is to stay on for another few years then perhaps United will turn to a younger coach who has proven himself to be reliable enough to stabilise the club and appease an inevitably concerned fan base.

Two to three years is a long time in football, but one of the more likely candidates to emerge at that stage would be Steve Bruce. If Bruce can continue to gain experience in the Premier League and push Sunderland into Europe over the next few years then his time at Old Trafford will stand him in great stead in attempting to replace the irreplaceable.

Ferguson on Bruce: “If you go through Steve’s career, he’s had exactly what you need to manage at the very top.”

A word of advice for Rio Ferdinand: you will have plenty of time to attend movie premieres, start a music label and run your very own magazine when you decide to hang up your boots. Until then, as long as a fat cheque comes to your house every week signed by Manchester United Football Club, kindly concentrate all your energy and effort on the pitch.

Ferdinand attended a premiere in London just hours after flying back from the CSKA match in Moscow. The movie he attended was called Dead Man Running (which is how some people would describe the way he’s defending now), which he co-produced with Ashley Cole. A few days later, he was up against Fernando Torres at Anfield and we all know what happened there.

There is no doubting the England international’s quality. On his day, he is the best defender on the planet. Sadly, during the night, he thinks he’s a hip-hop artist.

He has mentioned his desire to continue playing into his late thirties. With his persistent back problem, if he wants to be the English Paulo Maldini, he certainly needs to look after himself and stick to the special core-based training regime United has set out for him, which includes massage therapy several times a week. Most men would give their right hand to get free massages every week.

Sir Alex Ferguson might be regretting his decision not to sign any defensive reinforcements over the summer. He thought, as many of us did, that United’s first choice backline was in good shape and the likes of Jonny Evans, Wes Brown and the da Silva twins would provide more than adequate reinforcement when injuries and suspensions kicked in.

These squad players have not disappointed when called upon. It’s the established personnel like Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and even John O’ Shea, who you could count upon to give a 6.5/10 performance every week in almost any position, that have not stepped up so far this season.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Was it a mistake to let Gerard Pique leave for Barcelona? He’s in the Spanish first XI now but he had struggled with the pace of the English game, one of the reasons why he never made the step up from the reserves and was let go for a paltry six million pounds. Would he have been able to stop Torres from scoring that first goal at Anfield?

Form is temporary, class is permanent. United desperately need Vidic and Ferdinand to re-establish their brick wall at the back. A solid central defensive pairing breathes confidence into the rest of the team. After all, the best offence is a good defence. I’m on a roll with all these sporting clichés!

A bigger problem for Sir Alex has been the lack of a dictator (not the Mussolini kind) in the middle of the park. At this moment in time, no one in a United jersey is in the mould of Cesc Fabregas or Xavi and this has hurt the Red Devils attacking play, especially against the bigger sides. It’s been a long time since the slots of Captain Courageous (Roy Keane) and Captain Creativity (Eric Cantona) were taken up.

Paul Scholes, for all his cross-field passes and terribly mistimed tackling, has looked out of place and breath trying to keep up with the fast paced nature of the game today. A lot of faith seems to be placed on the shoulders of young Gabriel Obertan, who could turn out to be the next Franck Ribery. Put him under too much pressure and he becomes David Bellion.

The risk of being dominated by teams employing packed midfields is greater now that Sir Alex has reverted to the 4-4-2 formation of yesteryear. It has suited the pure wing-play of Antonio Valencia but has heaped plenty of responsibility on the two central midfielders to dominate proceedings.

Whilst Anderson and Darren Fletcher have shown themselves to be up for the task, questions are still being raised over the supply to the forwards through the middle. Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov have dropped back many times out of frustration for the lack of chances being created for them. Would someone like Daniele de Rossi or Yoann Gourcuff be the missing jigsaw piece of the United midfield puzzle?

Again, in hindsight, should Fergie have splashed the Ronaldo transfer cash on David Silva from Valencia? The Spaniard oozes quality and would have been a good fit in the United team. He could rotate the left wing and forward position with Rooney, just as the latter does on England duty with Steven Gerrard to such great effect.

What makes Sir Alex stand apart from all of us is his tremendous foresight. It has served him so well in the past and this season will be no different – I hope. Or else Rio Ferdinand’s music career may be starting sooner than we expected.

If you hadn’t already guessed I support the Manchester team (yes I know their home is in Trafford) – and well I’m not a born and bred Mancunian so it goes without saying!!! Therefore I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate Mr Wayne Rooney and, the former queen of ASDA, Coleen Rooney on the birth of their first son Kai Wayne Rooney.

The bookies are already offering 125-1 on whether Kai will play for United… after last nights performance at Old Trafford I’d get his boots ready for Chelski on Sunday.

c/o toksuede licensed under Creative Commons.

Manchester United booked its passage to the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League in dramatic and somewhat embarrassing fashion. If a side like CSKA Moscow can come to Old Trafford and score goals in the manner they did, I don’t think the Special One at Inter Milan or Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola will be having sleepless nights worrying about United’s threat to their title hopes.

It seemed that Wayne Rooney was not the only one suffering from insomnia in the last few days. He had a legitimate excuse with the birth of his son and future England international Kai Rooney. On the other hand, United’s backline, Wes Brown and Jonny Evans in particular, were time and again caught napping by a fluid Russian offence.

United really made heavy weather of a game that with better defending ought to have been a stroll in the park. The opening goal from bright prospect Alan Dzagoev was a case of Evans being outdone by the youngster’s pace. The Northern Ireland international should have got closer to him and Edwin Van der Sar’s lame attempt at a save would have seen him being slaughtered in the media if his name was Ben Foster instead.

Michael Owen’s equaliser a few minutes later seemed to restore normality to the proceedings. A flick from Nani, intentional or not, preceded a cool side-footed finish from Owen, whose predatory instincts kicked in. He once again displayed his positional awareness by staying onside, although the CSKA defence did help in part by playing a deep line.

Milos Krasic, who has now turned in two commendable displays against United in this campaign, gave Fabio da Silva such a torrid time that I wonder if Sir Alex Ferguson subbed in his twin brother Rafael without anyone knowing during the break to give him a rest. Krasic’s goal was well-taken as he breezed past Evans and took it around Van der Sar for the tap-in. Darren Fletcher should have done better to track Krasic’s run as he ran onto Dzagoev’s pass.

But the goal that has got Carlo Ancelotti brimming with confidence going into Sunday’s crunch encounter was Berezutski’s header just after the break. Ferguson described the marking, or the lack of, at the back post for the set-piece as “unbelievable”. As he rightly points out, they will be slaughtered if they carry on defending in this manner at Stamford Bridge.

Federico Macheda, who was making his first European start, was quick to point the blame at others when the ball went into the net but the Italian was the one caught flat footed as the cross came in. The Italian could learn from watching Chelsea ace Didier Drogba in defending set-pieces. He will get a chance to watch it up close this weekend and I hope Drogba will be a useless teacher and score an own goal!

CSKA were probably too embarrassed to be leading by two goals at the Theatre of Dreams. The Russians added to the “How not to defend set-pieces” instructional DVD by giving Paul Scholes the freedom of Manchester to head the ball in from a Gary Beckham, I mean, Neville free-kick.

And that is why I love this club so much because inspiration is found from somewhere to not only get a goal back but also make you believe that all three points are a possibility. Antonio Valencia, who is the complete opposite of Cristiano Ronaldo by passing too much and not shooting enough, finally decided to have an attempt that was heading for row Z in the Stretford End before the law of physics decided to intervene.

There was not enough Fergie time to get all three points but the Ecuadorian’s deflected equaliser showed that if you don’t buy the ticket, you won’t win the lottery.

So I suggest you keep buying your 4D and Toto tickets. And if you win, please don’t forget to make out a cheque to yours truly.

Qualification is secured, United’s eight-year unbeaten Champions League home record is still intact and the Red Devils will top the group with a win over Besiktas in the penultimate group match.

United fans have probably become accustomed to the team playing in fits and starts this season. I just hope key players like Nemanja Vidic and Ryan Giggs are FIT to play against Chelsea this weekend and United can START to play like the champions they are.

Obecnie w bramce Manchesteru United numerem jeden bezapelacyjnie jest Edwin van der Sar. Jednak ma on już swoje lata. Niedawno, bo 29 października wychowanek FC Foreholte obchodził 39. urodziny. W żadnym innym klubie z najwyższej półki nie ma tak dojrzałego bramkarza, który jest podstawowym bramkarzem swojej drużyny…

Już dwa lata temu nie było wiadomo, czy Edwin po ówczesnym sezonie będzie kontynuował karierę. Ostatecznie przedłużył swój kontrakt o kolejne dwa lata, czyli do końca bieżącego sezonu. Czy w czerwcu odejdzie na zasłużoną emeryturę? Tego dowiemy się najprawdopodobniej w grudniu, gdyż van der Sar zapowiedział, że decyzję o swojej przyszłości podejmie w święta.

Gdy z Old Trafford w 1999 roku odszedł Peter Schmeichel, wszyscy zastanawiali się, kto będzie w stanie zastąpić świetnego Duńczyka, który w barwach Czerwonych Diabłów grał aż 8 lat. Sir Alex Ferguson szukał godnego następcy, jednak niewiele z tego wychodziło. „Nowych Schmeichelów” było wielu, jednak nikt z nich nie był wystarczająco dobry. I tak między słupkami United mogliśmy oglądać m. in. Roya Carolla, Tima Howarda, Ricardo czy Fabiena Bartheza. Ten ostatni rozegrał w barwach Man Utd aż 94 mecze, jednak w tym czasie po wielu jego interwencjach kibice łapali się z niedowierzaniem za głowę. W końcu Fergusona zainteresowała gra bramkarza Fulham, Edwina van der Sara. Zainteresowała do tego stopnia, że szkocki manager postanowił ściągnąć go do swojego zespołu. Holender szybko stał się podstawowym bramkarzem zespołu z Old Trafford.

Co, jeśli van der Sar zdecyduje się na zakończenie kariery po sezonie 2009/2010? Po odejściu Schmeichela Ferguson przez lata miał problemy ze znalezieniem odpowiedniego zastępcy. Czy podobnie będzie z przypadkiem holendra? Miejmy nadzieję, że nie.

Wybiegnijmy troszkę w przyszłość i przenieśmy się do czerwca 2010 roku. Załóżmy, że Edwin van der Sar w wywiadzie właśnie poinformował, że odwiesza buty piłkarskie na kołek i chce od tego momentu poświęcić się rodzinie. W klubie i wśród kibiców nerwowa atmosfera: kto teraz dostanie bluzę z numerem 1? Kto na nią zasługuje? Kogo będziemy teraz oglądać między słupkami? Bena Fostera czy Tomasza Kuszczaka? A może trzeba sięgnąć do klubowego portfela i pozyskać nowego golkipera? Jeśli Ferguson postawi na kogoś dwójki Foster – Kuszczak, możemy się domyślać, że wybór padnie na tego pierwszego. SAF zawsze wolał tego Anglika. A może lepiej kupić kogoś nowego? Tylko kogo?

Może Igora Akinfiejewa?

Ten urodzony w 1986 roku rosyjski bramkarz byłby na pewno dobrą alternatywą dla van der Sara. Jest godny uwagi, to na pewno. Gdy miał 20 lat interesowała się nim sama Chelsea Londyn, jednak on wolał zostać w ojczyźnie. Później wielokrotnie udowadniał, że jest godzien grania w najlepszych klubach Europy.

A może poszukajmy jeszcze gdzie indziej? Osobiście bardzo chciałbym między słupkami Manchesteru zobaczyć Steve’a Mandandę. Wg mnie ten chłopak z Marsylii ma papiery na świetną grę, i jest w stanie bronić dla najlepszych klubów Europy.

Najlepiej będzie, jeśli odstawimy spekulacje na bok i poczekamy na rozwój sytuacji. Co się wydarzy, zobaczymy w czerwcu.

Autor: damianS10

A book fell off my shelf yesterday. It was a guide to the first-ever Premier League season, which was also the first year that I was aware of the existence of football. I don’t remember the old First Division, league games on ITV, Italia ‘90, Sweden ‘92. Never saw Lineker play, never saw John Barnes play well. No, actually I have one memory of Gary Lineker, and it’s of him missing – and I mean really atrociously missing – a penalty against Brazil at Wembley. That, for me, constitutes the career of England’s greatest striker since Kerry Dixon.

A younger Richard Keys, in those more innocent times when Rupert Murdoch was just a chummy little Aussie who we were all delighted wasn't Robert Maxwell. I say we. I was six, I didn't give a shit.

More trivia: one of the contributors to this book was Boyd Hilton, now the TV editor of Heat and all-round gay egg.

1. “Old Trafford. Capacity: 36,000″
2. “Of course, ticket prices are still a significant source of income. Stamford Bridge will be the most expensive ground to watch Premier League soccer – the cheapest adult seat will now cost £20″
3. “Oldham lack the financial muscle to compete with the Big Five”
4. The multiple references to Sky’s “space-age gadgetry”, culminating in:
5. “Tension will be heightened by a clock running constantly in one corner of the screen”
6. “After each match, Joe Kinnear asks his players to vote for the worst member of the side. Last season, the offender was despatched to see Uncle Vanya at the National Theatre (‘the most boring play running in London’)”
7. “There’s still plenty of quality at Tottenham. Dean Austin has the class to vie for a full-back slot in Graham Taylor’s international squad”
8. “Chelsea: Strikers: Tony Cascarino, Dennis Wise [??], Graham Stuart, Eddie Newton, Joe Allon, Andy Myers”
9. “Arsenal: Midfielders: David Hillier, Ray Parlour, Paul Davis, John Jensen, Jimmy Carter, Perry Groves”
10. Players that were still playing: Gordon Strachan, Peter Reid, Ray Wilkins, Cyrille Regis, Trevor Francis, Bryan Robson

Over Dh 1.5 million raised at charity ball

Source article from Khaleej Times

# Actor Jeremy Irons is pictured arriving at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the event, ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix. Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News

1 November 2009, 2:44 PM
ABU DHABI- Guests at Saturday’s star studded Grand Prix Ball Abu Dhabi donated more than AED 1.5 million (US$411,000) to the event’s international charity partner, fresh2o, as some of the biggest names from business, stage and screen turned out to support the inaugural showcase.

The bulk of the donations came from the event’s charity auction, with the rest made up from private donations.

“fresh2o would like to extend a massive thank you to all the people involved with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Ball and in particular the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. The generosity of our partners who donated auction prizes, including of course Janet Jackson, has meant we have raised an extraordinary amount of money that will have true impact in the communities we support,” said Andrew Dent, Head of Communications, fresh2o – one of the world’s leading NGOs for providing clean, safe drinking water to the more than one billion who need it globally.

“It is fair to say that because of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Ball thousands of people around the world will now be able to have clean and safe fresh water for drinking and sanitation.”

The biggest single bid of the night of AED350,000 came from Dr Hitesh Bodani for the one-of-a-kind 1939 Cadillac LaSalle, which had been given a unique makeover as part of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA) Art Cars Exhibition. The LaSalle’s custom artwork was designed by leading Singaporean artist, Vincent Leow, and blends his unique street style with the visual, mass pop art movement of the 50s and 60s. The ADTA was the event’s destination partner.

“I have a personal charity Vision Africa and I understand the plight faced by millions on the continent as I am myself from Kenya. As a family, we have been actively helping those in need for decades. It really only takes a little contribution from people to make a big difference,” said Dr Bodani.

Grammy-award winning singer, Janet Jackson, who attended the ball, made a personal donation of a once-in-a-lifetime meet and greet with the US star – one of the greatest selling female artists of all time and sister of the late Michael Jackson.

An initial bid of AED125,000 won the chance to go backstage during one of Jackson’s tour concerts, however a second bidder matched the cost, and Jackson agreed to accept both and will now host two lucky guests.

“The tears in my wife’s eyes after we watched the fresh2o video were too much to bear. Africa is very dear to me and I cannot stand by while people suffer such hardship,” said Makesh Vaswani from Ghana, one of the two successful bidders.

And one lucky guest took home an all-expenses paid trip, including two first-class tickets from anywhere in the world, to the Virgin Galactic Space Ship launch in Palo Alto, California.

With a winning offer of AED 250,000, Indy Chhina dedicated her pledge to her recently deceased father.
Other top bids included:

* AED85,000 for a private round of golf with five time Major winner, Sir Nick Faldo.
* AED 110,000 for a private meet and greet with Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, which includes a tour of the Old Trafford training grounds, match day hospitality and a signed shirt from the entire 2009-10 squad.
* AED 125,000 for the Platinum Vision home theatre system, which is used by the likes of David Beckham, Stevie Wonder and Robbie Williams.
* AED35,000 for an exclusive shoot with Oscar winning Photographer and founder of fresh2o Candice Farmer
* AED90,000 for two Water for Life campaign photographs signed by the artists, Candice and fashionista Kimberly Stewart.
*
AED120,000 donated by guests to help build wells for communities for life

Guests at the Grand Prix Ball Abu Dhabi had the chance to rub shoulders with some of the world’s biggest names including Indian tennis superstar Vijay Amritraj, up-coming fashion-icon, Kimberly Stewart – the daughter of Scottish rock legend, Rod Stewart – Oscar winning stars, Jeremy Irons and Marisa Tomei, US actress, Neve Cambell, US singer, Janet Jackson and her sister Latoya Jackson.

Crowds were also treated to a night of musical entertainment from Latino legends The Gipsy Kings and operatic tenor, Jean Luc Viala – the first time they have taken to stage together – and Peter Grant, the rising musical star from the UK who draws his influences from Frank Sinatra.

Source article from Khaleej Times

Carrick, dal 2006 faro del centrocampo dello United

Per l’impegno dei Reds all’Old Trafford, sabato, Michael Carrick cercherà di trarre ispirazione da un’altra partita giocata in casa contro il Blackburn Rovers

Il centrocampista è stato uno dei quattro giocatori dello United che avevano segnato nell’incontro del marzo 2007, dopo che gli ospiti erano sorprendentemente passati in vantaggio nel primo tempo con un gol di Matt Derbyshire.

Michael, parlando a con Red View, ha ricordato: “E’ stata una di quelle incredibili partite… Eravamo andati sotto 0-1 ma poi abbiamo ribaltato il risultato e alla fine abbiamo anche vinto il campionato. Era la mia prima stagione allo United e il mio gol uno dei primi fatti qui. E’ un bel ricordo.”
Quella vittoria per 4-1 è considerata un passaggio fondamentale nella corsa al titolo del 2006/07 e Carrick si sente che lo United potrebbe ripetere la cosa benché siamo ancora molto indietro nella stagione.

“Ogni volta che perdiamo, soprattutto se contro un rivale come il Liverpool, la cosa ha un’enorme risonanza,” spiega.

“Ma martedì abbiamo reagito bene in Carling Cup – credo che i ragazzi abbiano giocato alla grande – e vogliamo continuare così, tornando a vincere anche in campionato. Sarebbe ottimo iniziare una striscia vincente, adesso, e fare un bel po’ di punti, esattamente come abbiamo fatto in passato dopo aver perso un incontro.”

Lo United ha sempre battuto il Blackburn in casa da quando Carrick gioca coi Reds e l’ultima volta è stata a febbraio. “So che alla fine ce l’abbiamo fatta [2-1] ma è stata dura. E ci aspettiamo che sabato sarà lo stesso.”

servizio del sito ufficiale del Manchester United

http://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/124a5709841d6ae6

Things I love about October in Manchester:

1) Huddling over a liquid lunch at the Soup Kitchen

2) Kicking through leaves on lazy Sunday walks through Heaton Park

3) Consuming Wigan’s finest export, Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls, to keep me all aglow in the North Stand at Old Trafford on a Champions League night

4) One month to go until cheeky mugs of gluvine at the Manchester Christmas Markets… let the countdown begin!

c/o BinaryApe licensed under Creative Commons.

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BetRepublic Premier League Preview Show for 24-25 Oct 2009

It’s another busy weekend of football at online sports betting community. Members of fast-growing sports betting community are looking forward to a great weekend of football.

Sunday sees the annual “grudge match” between Liverpool and Man Utd which normally provides sports bettors with several very exciting betting prospects.

Where is the betting value to be had? The answers are provided by former professional footballer Steve Claridge and football betting expert James Eastham, who guide BR members through each game of top flight football in their weekly Premier League Preview Show.

On every match bookmaker’s price up over 100 betting markets which can be a bit of a minefield for sports bettors. But there is always a great value bet to make and this is where Steve and James come in. They are able to use their knowledge and insight into the game to select the bets they think make the best sense to football bettors.

“We trawl the entire market for the best bets to make,” says Eastham. “There is always a smart play to make and we usually manage to root out the value.”

Punters who have followed Eastham and Claridge’s picks every week so far in the 2009/10 season have made a decent profit to level stakes.

Below are the matches they are covering in their Premier League Preview Show this weekend. BR members can log on to bet republic to see the show from 10pm on Thursday evening.

They can also view 3-minute previews for each game on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/slicker66.

SATURDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2009

BIRMINGHAM v SUNDERLAND

Birmingham have lost three games in a row and five of their last six

Blues have scored in their last four and in five of their last six as well

Sunderland’s home form is a lot better than their away form – they’ve won their last four home matches but picked up just one point from their last possible nine on the road

Recommended Bets:

Sunderland +0 Asian handicaps (17/20)

Under 2.5 goals (4/5)

BURNLEY v WIGAN

Burnley’s home form has been magnificent this season – four wins out of four, including victories over Man Utd (1-0) and Everton (1-0)

Wigan have been unpredictable but their away form has been consistently poor – since their opening-day 2-0 win at Aston Villa they’ve lost at Everton (1-2), Arsenal (0-4) and Hull (1-2)

Recommended Bets:

Draw (12/5)

Both teams to score (4/6)

CHELSEA v BLACKBURN

Chelsea have lost two of their last three league games but have a 100% home record – victories over Hull (2-1), Burnley (3-0), Tottenham (3-0) and Liverpool (2-0)

Blackburn really need to improve on the road – they’ve lost three out of three against Sunderland (1-2), Everton (0-3) and Arsenal (2-6)

Chelsea have won four and drawn one of the last five head-to-heads, scoring 13 goals in the process while conceding just two

Recommended Bets:

Blackburn +2 Asian handicap (4/5)

Both teams to score (7/5)

HULL v PORTSMOUTH

This is a vital clash between two sides caught in the relegation zone

Hull’s two wins this season have come at home to lowly opposition – 1-0 v Bolton and 2-1 v Wigan

Portsmouth’s only win of the season came in their last away game, 1-0 at Wolves

Both games ended in draws between the sides last season – the final score in Hull was 0-0, and the result in Portsmouth 2-2

Recommended Bets:

Portsmouth +0 Asian handicaps (21/20)

Under 2.5 goals (17/20)

TOTTENHAM v STOKE

Spurs’ nine league games this season have all had over 2.5 goals. Both teams have scored in seven of those games, with Tottenham managing to keep a clean sheet only once, v Burnley (5-0)

Stoke have won just two out of 23 away games since promotion to the Premier League last season. They’ve drawn three out of four on the road this season (v Birmingham, Bolton and Everton)

Recommended Bets:

Over 3 goals (21/20)

Both teams to score (4/5)

WOLVES v ASTON VILLA

Wolves lost their last home game v Portsmouth (0-1) having gone W1-D1-L1 at home before that

Six of Wolves’ nine league games have had under 2.5 goals

Villa have won five and drawn one of their last seven league games, including victories over Liverpool (3-1) and Chelsea (2-1)

Recommended Bets:

Aston Villa (6/5)

Aston Villa to win to nil (13/5)

SUNDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2009

BOLTON v EVERTON

Bolton are still seeking their first home win of the season. They’ve lost twice (0-1 v Sunderland and 2-3 v Liverpool) and drawn their last two at home (1-1 v Stoke and 2-2 v Tottenham)

Everton have drawn their last two games v Wolves and Stoke (both 1-1) at home – but won their last away game, at Portsmouth (1-0)

Everton have an excellent record at the Reebok – they’ve won four, drawn four and lost just two of 10 games in the Premier League era

Recommended Bets:

Draw (12/5)

Both teams to score (7/10)

LIVERPOOL v MAN UTD

Liverpool has already lost four league games this season and are seven points behind league leaders Man Utd

Liverpool did the double over Man Utd last season, winning 2-1 at Anfield and 4-1 at Old Trafford

That was Rafa Benitez’s first home win over United since taking charge – Liverpool had lost three and drawn one of their previous four league meetings at Anfield with the Spaniard in charge

All four of those head-to-heads leading up to Liverpool’s 2-1 win last season had under 1.5 goals

Recommended Bets:

Draw (12/5)

Over 2.25 goals (17/20)

MAN CITY v FULHAM

Games between these two teams in Manchester are nearly always high-scoring – six out of eight Premier League head-to-heads have had over 2.5 goals, with four of those games having over 3.5 goals and both teams scoring in seven of the eight clashes

Man City has won three out of three at home this season – 1-0 v Wolves, 4-2 v Arsenal and 3-1 v West Ham

Fulham have won one, drawn one and lost two of their four away games

Recommended Bets:

Man City -1 Asian handicap (19/20)

Over 2.5 goals (19/20)

WEST HAM v ARSENAL

The Hammers lie next to bottom in the table, having lost four and drawn one of their last five league games

Arsenal’s form couldn’t be more different – they’ve won four games on the run since their 4-2 defeat at Manchester City, beating Wigan (4-0), Fulham (1-0), Blackburn (6-2) and Birmingham City (3-1)

Arsenal has an excellent record at Upton Park – they’ve won seven, drawn five and lost just two of the 14 head-to-heads between the sides in the Premier League era

Recommended Bets:

West Ham +1 Asian handicap (11/10)

Under 2.75 goals (19/20)

Back when I first started in the world of press photography I was working for a lovely little weekly paper the Coventry Observer. The paper was really a training ground for me and allowed me to get my feet wet in all sorts of different situations and events.

One of the highlights of working in Coventry was the local team Coventry City FC. It is a fairly large team in Uk football, but one that suffered a few poor seasons while I was there.

Taking pictures at an average sport job is a fairly simple affair, you generally turn up, mention who you are (if there is a gate) and stand somewhere along the side of the pitch and hope it’s not too cold.

Taking pictures of Coventry City was a different matter altogether. First issue is where to park as parking generally costs a small fortune. One option was the local retail park, which was perfect for those days where I had shopping to do, or I was only attending for one half of the game due to other jobs on the day. The other options was to park miles away and walk in or pay for the parking. After a while I got to know the owner of a local pub who gave me parking almost a stones throw from the ground in return for a few shots from the game.

Once arriving at the ground you then travel to the main entrance to the Ricoh Arena (conveniently located as far as possible from you) to pick up your pass from the media reception, and then travel back round to the other side of the ground to get inside the ground proper. This is sometimes more tricky than others, as on occasion I was forced to arrive for only the second half, and by this time there was no one manning the gates forcing me to hammer away in the hope that people will hear.

Once you are inside the ground, you are on the floor faced with the pitch in front of you and thousands of fans taking their seats around you. You move into a maze of passages below the stands where you find the photographer’s room (not an easy task first time). The photographer’s room is a tiny little box of a room where you find a bib, programme, team sheet and several other photographers from local and national newspapers agencies and me who hasnt got a clue what is going on.

This is the work involved in getting onto the pitch, once their life gets much easier. You find a spot along the touch-line you are happy with, where the team you are shooting will be attacking, set up a little camp stool (no chairs for photographers and no standing either) and settle in for the game.

As far as taking the shots go, im no expert but it involves predicting the plays, keeping focus as best you can and a little bit of luck that events go your way. I was always a little short on kit at these games, as most photographers carried at least two camera bodies, one with a really long lens, another for close in action and possibly a third on a remote behind the goal. I had one body with an 80-200mm lens attached meaning that I could shoot about a quarter of the pitch, as a result I was often seen on Sky Sports looking a little bored when the action was out of my range.

The following shots were taken at an away game visiting Manchester United at Old Trafford. This was a very different experience, not just because the ground was so much larger seating over 76,000 people but also in the media rooms. The photographers room for example was not just a cupboard but a large room with internet access, power points, plus free food and drink. Also we had benches on the pitch! nothing fancy just a piece of wood with photographer printed on, but this was luxury. The final score? Coventry won 2-0!

There are lots more photos form my time at the Coventry Observer and more sport here Images of news.

The first 45 minutes between CSKA Moscow and Manchester United was an insult to the legend that is the Luzhniki stadium. Less than two years ago, it was the scene of United’s dramatic (with the Red Devils, when is it not so?) European Cup triumph over a tearful John Terry and company. Now, it will have to settle for being the place where the Sir Alex Ferguson’s men equalled Ajax Amsterdam’s record of 14 away matches without defeat in Europe.

It was actually a typical United performance away from Old Trafford. It took them an entire half to get accustomed to the 4-5-1 setup that Fergie insists on using during their European excursions. He will continue to stick by it as he said, ‘There is a way of playing in Europe, you saw it tonight.’ That means it’s only worth watching United in the second half during UEFA Champions League games.

Gary Neville’s speculative left-foot effort, which grazed the top of the crossbar, was the closest that the English champions came to getting on the scoreboard before the break. Everyone was surprised by this attempt, even Neville himself, who realised that his left foot is better than Nani’s.

All credit to the very poor man’s Ronaldo though. Nani was a constant threat throughout the game, to the CSKA defenders and his own team as well. With the 22-year-old, you’re not sure whether he’ll put in a decent cross into the box, which he is capable of, or if he gives the ball away, which he is just as fond of.

He could have learnt a thing or two (maybe three) in the art of wing play from the man next to him but in a different jersey. He goes by the name of Milos Krasic and he specialises in Andrei Kanchelskis imitations as he darts past defenders and puts in dangerous balls into the box. Nemanja Vidic was close to tears by the end of the game because his Serbian teammate gave him a real hard time as he swerved in, out and around the United backline. Not the present he was looking for on his 28th birthday.

Krasic would tell him that it was for his own good as they might be wearing the same red jersey (I don’t mean Serbia) soon. Vidic should be more worried about his place in the side for the crunch match at Anfield this Sunday. He has been shaky and inconsistent this season and one wonders whether speculation linking him with a move to Spain has affected him, just as it has with Javier Mascherano.

Young Fabio da Silva was a livewire down the left flank and linked up well with Nani. United’s main threat going forward were orchestrated by them as they seemed to adapt to the artificial surface far better than their teammates. Fabio’s tireless work ethic and bursting forward runs showcased that he’s identical to his brother Rafael in more than just looks. The twins are well on their way to sealing the full-back spots at United for many years to come. It’s only a matter of time before someone comes up with a flag that reads, ‘da Silvas > Nevilles’.

Paul Scholes had a tough time asserting himself in the centre of the park and it was no surprise and to the great relief of United fans the world over that Fergie chose to revert back to the tried-and-trusted 4-4-2 system when Michael Owen came on. He was probably worried by the lack of quality showed by his side in the final third.

Dimitar Berbatov was clearly not enjoying his lone role up front, which only served to highlight just how important Wayne Rooney has become to the team. It really is a thankless, horrible task being isolated up front. He is not the kind of striker who bullies centre-halfs or runs the channels so the service to him needs to be spot on from the midfield. You could tell what he thought of this by the number of times he was gesturing and complaining during the match.

The goal itself was an outstanding strike from Antonio Valencia, who caught Igor Akinfeev cold at a tight angle. It was textbook stuff from Fergie’s men; cross from the wing, flick from the centre forward and finish from the winger drifting in from his flank. If memory serves me correctly, some guy called Cristiano Ronaldo used to score loads of goals this way.

On a bizarre note, the post-match meals for United players (specially flown in from Manchester!) were destroyed by Russian customs officials. Fergie could not celebrate his first victory over Russian opposition on their soil with a nutritious meal as, apparently, the officials were offended at this slight to its local cuisine. What they didn’t mention was that a cheque had just arrived at their office. It was sent by Rafa Benitez.

It pains me to have to agree with Rafa Benitez. But Mr Zonal Marking is probably right. Not about zonal marking. But on the notion that the top teams will be losing more often this season as the league becomes more open and clubs realize that it’s not illegal to play two forwards against the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.

As Bob Dylan said, “The times they are a-changin’”. Andy Reid is losing weight, Darren Bent is scoring goals for fun and a Sunderland victory over Liverpool is not a surprise anymore. When Benitez can’t find excuses for a defeat, you know there weren’t any.

The big four have lost nine times between them already, compared with four defeats collectively a year ago. Of these nine defeats, only one is marked under Manchester United’s column. Results wise, it’s been a very good start to the season for a team that was supposed to crumble when You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named left for Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively. They have ridden their luck in true United fashion – at least that’s what opposition fans like to think as they come up with conspiracy theories to explain each victory chalked up by Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

The Red Devils are simply a team that never gives up until the fat lady sings. Or the fat man blows the whistle. Whether it’s the players’ fear of a rollicking from Fergie after the match or that the win bonuses are considerable at Old Trafford, this has been the difference over the years between the champions and the pretenders, between Ryan Giggs kissing a league trophy and Steven Gerrard kissing a television camera.

Another hallmark of United is making things harder than it needs to be. Fans certainly get value for money at the most expensive matchday seats in England. Included in the package are near-heart attacks from Rio Ferdinand’s carelessness, sore throats from screaming at Nani’s passing and loss of faith in humanity whenever Ben Foster is in goal. It was astonishing to see Fergie’s men having to resort to time-delay tactics in the final minutes of a match at Old Trafford – against Bolton Wanderers no less.

With You-Know-Who gone, the media’s doomsday analysts have been incessantly highlighting the issue of replacing the glut of goals he provided. Only five of United’s 21 league goals thus far have come from midfield. Antonio’s Valencia first goal over the weekend will no doubt be a confidence booster for a player many liken to a raw diamond. With polishing (Paul Scholes’ shooting lessons) and thorough cleaning (composure on the ball taught by Professor Dimitar Berbatov), he could turn out to be a gem of a player.

If matches lasted for only an hour, Anderson would be amongst the best players in the world. I can’t think of another player whose performances dip so alarmingly when he starts to tire. If Darren Fletcher shares his endurance pills with the Brazilian, Fergie has another gem in his hands. The 21-year-old is well capable of lining up alongside Juventus’ Felipe Melo in the samba boys’ central midfield at next year’s World Cup. This could be a breakout season for him, just as it has been a breakdown one for Nani so far. It would help if he joined in at Scholes’ shooting class. It also wouldn’t hurt if he started learning the English language!

A real worry (already picked up by said doomsday analysts) is a leaky backline which just a few months back was heralded as one of the best in the game. Matt Taylor’s ‘ridiculously soft’ (according to Fergie) goal was the seventh conceded at home in the league. Last season, United took until March to reach that tally with that most unmemorable 4-1 thumping from Liverpool.

Ferdinand’s relaxed demeanour when dealing with the ball, for so long a strong attribute of his, is now being exploited by nimbler forwards to the point that the England international is finding his place challenged for the first time in his career by young Jonny Evans. Edwin Van der Sar’s return could not have been better timed for a sloppy and lethargic defence that has been more characteristic of the club in the blue half of Manchester.

However, it’s the return of Owen Hargreaves that all United (and England) fans have been waiting for. The protection he offers in front of the back four has been missed, together with his curly hair. His return (in a matter of weeks hopefully) may not be publicized as much as the return of Eric Cantona after his long suspension, but it’s just as important for club and country.

As for the now infamous ‘boy in Adidas jumper’ who threw the Liverpool beach ball onto the pitch, he is welcome at Old Trafford anytime, where he knows Messrs Ferdinand and Nani will guarantee him ninety minutes of heart-stopping action. If he was at the Bolton match, he would have joined 75,000 reds in breathing a huge sigh of relief at the end. Still, it was a much happier place to be than the away ends at the Stadium of Light and Villa Park over the weekend.

The beach ball has now scored more goals than Andriy Voronin this season. Sunderland manager Steve Bruce might have been tempted to present it with the ‘man’ of the match award. The last I heard, Real Madrid scouts were interested. The ball’s agent has refused to comment.

The Official Man Utd Maths Workbook, which covers sums for practising Key Stage Two maths for 7-11 year olds. This has been introduced as part of the Government’s maths campaign.

1. ACCELERATION. Wayne is 78 yards away from the referee at Old Trafford and Gary is 65 yards away. If Wayne can run at 21 mph and Gary can run at 16 mph, who will be sticking their vein-bulging forehead into the hapless whistler’s face first, assuming Wayne does not stop to stamp on an opponent on his way.

2. TELLING THE TIME. If one minute of time is taken up in a game for substitutions and one minute for injuries, how much injury time the referee will add on if Man Utd are losing at home?

3. PROBABILITY (1). Ryan Giggs is a Welshman. Express, as a percentage, the number of internationals he has missed on a Wednesday evening, compared to the miraculous recoveries he made for the following Saturday.

4. SUBTRACTION (1). Manchester United are one of the giants of world club football. How many more European Cup Finals have they appeared in than Steaua Bucharest? (For one extra mark; How many more than Reims ?)

5. SUBTRACTION (2). How many more times have Man Utd won the European Cup than Nottingham Forest ?

6. DISTANCE. You are the referee at Old Trafford. How near to a visiting defender does a tumbling Christiano Ronaldo have to be to earn a penalty if he goes down in the box? (Note: Round your answers down to the nearest 10 yards.)

7. PROBABILITY (2). Express the statistical probability of visitors to Old Trafford being awarded a penalty. Compare this with the probability of opponents of Man Utd being awarded a penalty home or away, and then discuss if a penalty awarded to Man Utd would be awarded to their opponents in identical circumstances.

8. BASIC ACCOUNTING (1). Mark The Red lives in Guildford . How much does it cost for him and his two sons to travel to the Theatre of Silence every other weekend, including limited edition matchday programme, a few drinks and a prawn sandwich all round? How much could he save per week if he watched his local team instead? (Note; round your answers down to the nearest thousand pounds.)

9. BASIC ACCOUNTING (2). Alex had a hotel room booked in Athens for the Champions League Final. How much money did he lose when cancelling his reservation?

10. WEIGHT AND PRESSURE. Christiano is 6ft tall and very strong and fast. How much pressure need be applied to make him tumble over in the opponent’s penalty area? (Note: answers should be in lbs per square inch. However, answers such as “The same pressure as Alex applies to referee” are acceptable.)

11. MONEY. Juan was a lazy boy and often went missing. Alex was very cross and wanted to sell him. If Juan cost £28m to buy, how much do you think Alex sold him for? How many pennies did Alex lose?

12. SIMPLE ARITHMETIC. The average Man Utd fan can shriek at 35 decibels; the average visiting supporter can shout at 65 decibels. If, during a match, 5% of Man Utd fans are munching prawn sandwiches, 10% are stuck on the M1, 2% are asleep and 15% are still trying to work out which team is which, how many visitors are needed to out-shout 60,000 reds?