www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Tue Dec 22 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Youths earn Goodison replay ««
2. FERGUSON MUST REPLACE SCHMEICHEL NOW - FOR HIS AND UNITED'S OWN GOOD
3. Manchester United 2-3 Middlesbrough: The Chamber of Horrors
4. Bruce latest ««
5. Stam hopes for return ««
6. Fergie ready to read riot act ««
7. Number 2 surprise on cards ? ««
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Tue 22nd December 1998:
22/12/1969: Mark Robins born in Ashton-under-Lyne. A regular goalscorer, Robins made
his debut against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup in January 1989. In 1990 he
won an FA Cup Winners medal, scoring the goal that took United to Wembley.
Between 1989-92 he made 69 appearances, many as substitute, and scored 17 goals.
Robins moved to Norwich City for £800,000 in August 1992.
1990: United win 3-1 at Wimbledon in the Premiership watched by 9,744 with
2 Steve Bruce penalties and a goal from Mark Hughes. Team was: Schmeichel,
Blackmore (Wallace), Donaghy, Bruce, Phelan, Pallister, Robson, Ince, McClair,Hughes, Webb.
***************
Barry Daily Comment:
Have a RED Christmas
Fluky win by Villa last night puts them 3 pts clear for Christmas.
Fine by me, the leaders around the festive season do not win the championship!
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
Remaining 1998 games:
ALL Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
Sat 26/12 Nottm Forest (H) PL 15.00
Tue 29/12 Chelsea (A) PL sky sports time 19.45 UK
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED ***
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/08/98 Leicester City Home D 2-2 11 55,052
22/08/98 West Ham United Away D 0-0 11 26,039
09/09/98 Charlton Athletic Home W 4-1 9 55,147
12/09/98 Coventry City Home W 2-0 5 55,193
20/09/98 Arsenal Away L 0-3 10 38,142
24/09/98 Liverpool Home W 2-0 3 55,181
03/10/98 Southampton Away W 3-0 2 15,251
17/10/98 Wimbledon Home W 5-1 2 55,265
24/10/98 Derby County Away D 1-1 2 30,867
31/10/98 Everton Away W 4-1 2 40,079
08/11/98 Newcastle United Home D 0-0 3 55,174
14/11/98 Blackburn Rovers Home W 3-2 2 55,198
21/11/98 Sheffield Wednesday Away L 1-3 2 39,475
29/11/98 Leeds Home W 3-2 2 55,172
05/12/98 Aston Villa Away D 1-1 2 39,241
12/12/98 Tottenham Hotspur Away D 2-2 1 36,079
16/12/98 Chelsea Home D 1-1 2 55,159
19/12/98 Middlebrough Home L 2-3 3 55,152
******
Champions League:
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Man United 6 2 4 0 20 11 10
Barcelona 6 2 2 2 11 9 8
Brondby 6 1 0 5 4 18 3
Dec 9 Brøndby 0-2 Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
******
CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Manchester Utd v Inter Milan
Real Madrid v Dynamo Kiev
Juventus v Olympiakos
Bayern Munich v Kaiserslautern
Ties to be played on March 3 and 17
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Youths earn Goodison replay ««
United's youngsters fought back to earn a draw against holders Everton in
the FA Youth Cup Third Round on Saturday at Gigg Lane.
The Reds went ahead when Luke Chadwick accepted a George Clegg pass in the
20th minute before hitting a right-foot shot into the back of the net.
Everton equalised five minutes later through Francis Jeffers, his effort
sneaking under keeper Paul Rachubka's dive, then took the lead before the
break thanks to Tony Hibbert's screamer.
But United upped the pace after the interval and deservedly snatched a
replay in the 65th minute when winger Chadwick took advantage of an Everton
slip-up to poke the ball home.
The rematch will be held at Goodison Park in the New Year, Wednesday
January 6.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: FERGUSON MUST REPLACE SCHMEICHEL NOW - FOR HIS AND UNITED'S OWN GOOD
365 Opinion by Ian Cruise
MANCHESTER UNITED manager Alex Ferguson will have to take one of the
toughest decisions of his Old Trafford career if his side are to realise their
ambitions of success in Europe and the Premiership this season - replace Peter
Schmeichel as soon as possible. The big Dane has been a cornerstone of United's
success during the Nineties but he has now become a liability, and he's a
liability Ferguson and his team cannot afford.
Schmeichel was at fault for two of Middlesbrough's three goals in their 3-2 win
at Old Trafford on Saturday and his blunders have become a regular occurrence in recent
weeks. Since announcing that he will leave United at the end of the season, his form
has dipped dramatically and he is no longer the dominant presence he once was. And as
a result, the defenders in front of him, who for so long relied on his brilliance to get them
out of trouble, have lost confidence in their goalkeeper and their nervousness is clear for
all to see. That is apparent when you look at their recent run of just one win in nine
games.
Ferguson simply cannot let the situation go on. After all, if the likes of Brian Deane and
Hamilton Ricard can pull United's defence apart, imagine what Ronaldo and Ivan
Zamarano will do to them when they meet in the Champions League quarter-finals in
March. The United chief has to move quickly to solve the problem before it becomes a
crisis and destroys his side's title chances, as well their European dreams.
He has been linked with a move for Aston Villa's Mark Bosnich, but
the Australian seems much more likely to join Roma when his contract
expires in the summer. Instead, Ferguson could make a move for
Holland's first-choice goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. The Ajax ace has
forged a big reputation in the past couple of years and it is believed
that Jaap Stam has suggested him to Fergie. With Ajax already out
of the Champions League and planning to rebuild under a new
manager, they may find it hard to resist a substantial offer for the
28-year-old.
And his arrival at Old Trafford would allow Ferguson to take
Schmeichel out of the firing line. After eight glorious years at United,
it would be an injustice if the Dane was to be remembered for a
season of mistakes rather than for the brilliance of previous years. He
deserves far better than that for his service to the club and, if Van
Der Sar is brought in, it would allow Schmeichel to become the
number two goalkeeper and, as such, he would still share in any
success they have this season.
Should Ferguson replace Schmeichel to save him from further
punishment? Or is the big Dane still the best in the business?
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Manchester United 2-3 Middlesbrough: The Chamber of Horrors
Monday, December 21, 1998
The days of cowering in a corner at Old Trafford and trembling with trepidation at
the ordeal lying in wait have been consigned to the past.
The visitors' dressing-room has resembled a condemned cell for many a victim
of United's rampage through the Nineties. Not any more.
Alex Ferguson's team used to wear a cloak of invincibility on home territory, but
have been disrobed. Enough to feel the icy blast of reality that howled round Old
Trafford on Saturday as Middlesbrough threatened to inflict the biggest
humiliation of Ferguson's reign.
A rousing, late fightback that almost salvaged a point shouldn't be allowed to
mask a glaring home truth. Home being the operative word.
For an hour, United bore not the slight-est resemblance to the side who have
dominated the past decade.
The Theatre of Dreams was more like the Chamber of Horrors.
Never in all Fergie's 12 years at the helm have so many passes gone astray, so
many key players looked a burnt-out shell of their normal selves, so many
basic defensive howlers handed the initiative to their opponents.
It was impossible not to feel some sympathy for reserve-team boss Jim Ryan
after Ferguson selected the side then relinquished control on Friday night
following a family bereavement.
Assuming Fergie's temporary No.2 was not guilty of demoralising each player in
turn in his pre-match team talk, it is difficult to
see how he could be blamed. Each goal was a shambolic indictment of
defensive shortcomings and United were little better in between as
Middlesbrough notched their first victory at Old Trafford in almost 69 years to
guarantee a searching inquest.
Third in the Premiership and a quarter-final place in the Champions League
scarcely constitutes a crisis. But there are growing signs that United's
well-oiled machine is beginning to seize up. Without the injured Jaap Stam -
who aggravated an ankle knock against Chelsea in midweek - they were a soft
touch at the back, lacking the strength and authority to deal with the physical
presence of Brian Deane and Hamilton Ricard.
Midfield was just as flawed as David Beckham and Ryan Giggs blundered from
one misplaced pass to another, piling the burden on Roy Keane's shoulders.
That may not normally perturb United's powerhouse midfielder but even he was
affected by the malaise that gifted Middlesbrough their first League win at Old
Traf-ford since January 1930. Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen
and Phil Neville were all culpable as Ricard, Dean Gordon and Deane fired them
3-0 in front.
Nicky Butt and substitute Paul Scholes breathed life into United and Andy Cole
should have rescued a point after bursting clear three minutes from time.
But the fact remains that they have now gone six League and Cup games
without a win.
Reinforcements are needed as a matter of urgency - particularly in the centre of
defence - if they are to avoid last season's fate when they lost out on all fronts.
Even more alarmingly for Ferguson, the fear factor that always accompanied a
trip to Old Trafford has gone missing.
Gary Pallister argued that it need not be a dreaded prospect and that United
can be vulnerable if you carry the fight to them.
Former Old Trafford favourite Pallister - whose calm authority wouldn't have gone
amiss at the heart of United's chaotic attempts at defending - said: 'We spoke
before the game about not being intimidated. Too many teams come here
thinking of nothing more than survival. You've got no chance with that approach.
'We set out to be positive and we showed it can pay dividends. United have
never had a settled back four this season because of injuries and that has cost
them. 'You need the same two playing alongside each other in the centre of
defence on a regular basis, otherwise the goals are going to go in.'
Ryan conceded that defensive frailty was 'a problem that needs addressing' and
cannot have been too happy with another show of indiscipline from Beckham as
he lunged at Ricard.
Boro's Argentina-style blue and white stripes may have fleetingly unhinged him.
There was more than a touch of Diego Simeone theatricals about the way
Ricard rolled around clutching his ankle.
But Beckham still deserved at least the booking that duly came his way and did
Ryan, not to mention himself, no favours with a petulant show of dissent when
he was substituted soon after.
No such problems for a jubilant Boro, who are now just one point behind United
and likely to prove a banana skin for other top teams if Ricard continues to
thrive on a diet that has challenged the culinary skills of their club chef.
'He is mad about bananas,' explained skipper Andy Townsend. 'He has them in
everything, even his soup. If he reached into his pocket for a pen, he would
probably pull out a banana instead.
'It is obviously doing him some good, though. He is quick and is forming a very
important partnership with Brian Deane.'
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Bruce latest ««
Sheffield United officials say they have not received an Old Trafford
approach for Steve Bruce.
The ex-United skipper continues to be linked with the vacancy while Alex
Ferguson's temporary assistant, Jim Ryan, has indicated that he is not
likely to be in the running for the job.
Another man tipped for the post at the time of Brian Kidd's departure was
Brian McClair.
But he has taken up an offer to join Kidd at Ewood Park.
Blades Chief executive Philip Wood, who was quizzed after yesterday's
defeat at home to Ipswich, insisted that Bruce has the full backing of the
board.
And he stressed that any approach for him would not be welcome. But Wood
refused to discuss whether or not Bruce has a clause in his contract which
would allow him to take advantage of an offer from the Premiership.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Stam hopes for return ««
Jaap Stam, badly missed against the aerial threat of Midlesbrough on
Saturday, hopes to be fit enough to make an immediate return when
Nottingham Forest visit Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Dutch defender hurt his ankle during the 1-1 draw with Chelsea last
Wednesday and failed to respond to treatment despite an all out effort to
get him ready for the Boro clash.
Stam's absence was one of the reasons Gary Pallister later gave for
United's demise at the hands of Bryan Robson's side, suggesting that
chopping and changing in the back four never helps.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Fergie ready to read riot act ««
Alex Ferguson will be back on the training ground before the end of the
week, ready to sort out the defensive shambles which has led to United
dropping nine Premiership points in December.
The manager missed Saturday's debacle because of the sudden death of a
close relative but was stright on the phone to assistant Jim Ryan after the
final whistle.
The United players may have a quieter time than usual at the staff
Christmas party tonight in the knowledge they will be in for a roasting on
Fergie's return.
Gary Neville and Ronny Johnsen imparticular may find the cocktail sausages
a little hard to swallow, knowing Ferguson will be watching a video nasty
of their weekend performance imminently.
Ryan also appears to have had a flea in his ear after Saturday, judging by
his comments yesterday where he seemed to rule himself out of a succeeding
Brian Kidd on a permanent basis.
Incidentally when United were 3-0 down to Middlesbrough in the second half
it was only the third time since the start of the Premiership that the side
has been three behind at home, although one of the previous occassions came
in a cup competition. Answers on a postcard.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Number 2 surprise on cards ? ««
According to sources, Alex Ferguson could be planning a major surprise when
it comes to appointing a new assistant manager to fill the vacancy left by
Brian Kidd.
It is now felt that the manager may be prepared to look abroad for his new
number two - backing up the feeling around the club that European success
has become the all-consuming priority.
The benefits of a European coaching perspective brought in to training
would be far reaching and Fergie came close to finding a backroom role for
Ruud Gullit when the Dutchman was sacked by Chelsea last season.
It is now believed he is ready to use his foreign contacts, including Eric
Cantona, to find a fresh assistant boss with new ideas on tactics and
training methods.
Many United fans would love to see King Eric return in that role but such
suggestions would seem fanciful at the moment.
With up to 17 Champions League matches possibly on United's fixture list
next season and the spectre of a Super League still mooted for some time in
the next Millenium, Ferguson may be proved right in going abroad for a
shock appointment.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
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They deserve to be knighted