www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Wed Nov 25 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Man U ground go-ahead
2. BEWARE BARCELONA SAYS CRUYFF
3. BARCELONA, Spain, Nov 24 - Wednesday's European
4. Survey #27 results "Schmeichel's Replacement?" & "Should Andy Cole play for England?"
5. Manchester United Search Made Easy!
6. Re: What's the big problem?
7. Keeper of the faith loses self-belief (Guardian)
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Wed 25th November:
25/11/1957: Tom Connell born in Newry, Northern Ireland. Deputising for Stewart
Houston he made his United debut at Bolton Wanderers in December 1978,
but Connell's 2 appearances both ended in 0-3 defeats. The hard-tackling
Full-back was eventually sold to Glentoran for £37,000 in 1982.
1978: In Division 1 United win 1-0 at Chelsea with a Jimmy Greenhoff goal
watched by 28,162. Team was: Bailey, B.Greenhoff, Houston, McIlroy,
McQueen, Buchan, Coppell, J.Greenhoff, Jordan, Macari, Thomas.
************
Barry Daily Comment:
Fingers crossed for a win tonight.
That would be excellent and almost a 100% ticket to the quarter finals
Rest of 1998 games:
Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
Today! Barcelona (A) CL 19.45
Sun 29/11 Leeds (H) PL 14.00 Sky Sports
Wed 2/12 Tottenham (A) (Worthington Cup 1/4 final) 19.45
Sat 5/12 Aston Villa (A) PL 15.00
Wed 9/12 Bayern Munich (H) CL 19.45
Sat 12/12 Tottenham (A) PL 15.00
Wed 16/12 Chelsea (H) PL Sky Sports time 20.00
Sat 19/12 Middlesbrough (H) PL 15.00
Sat 26/12 Nottm Forest (H) PL
Tue 29/12 Chelsea (A) PL Sky Sports time 19.45 UK
UNITED Stats v Leeds:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsleeds.htm
*** 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
Prem Table 21/11:
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Aston Villa 13 5 1 1 13 8 3 3 0 7 2 10 28
2 Manchester United 13 5 2 0 18 6 2 2 2 9 8 13 25
3 Arsenal 14 4 3 0 10 2 2 3 2 4 4 8 24
4 Chelsea 12 4 2 0 10 3 2 3 1 11 9 9 23
5 Leeds United 14 4 2 1 10 3 1 6 0 10 8 9 23
6 Middlesbrough 14 3 4 0 12 5 2 3 2 11 11 7 22
******
Champions League:
**Nov 4 Barcelona 1-2 Bayern Munich
**Nov 4 Man Utd 5-0 Brøndby
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Man United 4 2 2 0 16 7 8
Bayern Munich 4 2 1 1 6 5 7
Barcelona 4 1 1 2 6 6 4
Brondby 4 1 0 3 4 14 3
To be played:
Nov 25 Barcelona v Man Utd
Nov 25 Bayern Munich v Brøndby
Dec 9 Brøndby v Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd v Bayern Munich
******
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Man U ground go-ahead
Manchester United have been given the green light to
turn Old Trafford into the biggest club stadium in
Britain.
United say they have been given planning permission
to increase the stadium's capacity by 12,400 to
67,400.
Work will begin on extending the East Stand at the
end of this season and is expected to be finished in
time for the start of the 2000/01 season.
The increase in capacity, which will see Old Trafford
(around 55,000 seats) overtake Celtic Park
(60,300) as the largest British club stadium, will cost
£30million.
Meanwhile, Man United arrived in Barcelona today
with Alex Ferguson convinced they can qualify for
the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a
win at the Nou camp.
United have more points than any side in the
competition and top Group D after two wins and two
draws. With six group winners and the two
highest-placed runners-up going through to the
knock-out stage, Ferguson says victory could book
United's place with a game to spare.
"We could qualify as the highest second-placed side,
and that is a surprise when you consider the group
we are in.'' he explained.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Barcelona and United -- a real battle of the giants
By Kevin Fylan
Subject: BARCELONA, Spain, Nov 24 - Wednesday's European
Champions' League clash between Barcelona and Manchester United brings
together two giants of the game, each with compelling arguments for being the
biggest club in world football.
In terms of silverware, there are teams whose on-field achievements dwarf both of
them, each having won Europe's premier club competition only once -- United in
1968, Barcelona in 1992.
Even in their own countries there are clubs with more impressive records -- Real
Madrid and Liverpool have more domestic titles and both have enviable European
Cup pedigree.
But both Barca and United can claim a more intangible appeal, a worldwide
fan-base drawn by style as well as success, romance rather than results -- as well
as a vision far grander than any of their rivals.
If sheer size is the only criterion then it would be hard to better FC Barcelona, as
much an ideal as a football club: a source of pride for the Catalan people and a
symbol of past and present struggles.
Barcelona can count on over 100,000 members, more than 1,300 official supporters
clubs around the globe and one of the finest stadiums in the world: the magnificent
120,000 capacity Camp Nou that has hosted the opening match of a World Cup and
the final of the Olympic games.
The club, which fields teams in 12 sports as diverse as roller hockey and rugby,
have won more trophies than any other, while the football team have never missed a
season of European competition.
The Barcelona museum welcomed visitor number 2 million more than six years ago,
with a total of 800,000 expected to take a tour of the stadium this year alone.
But for all that cache United have overtaken Barcelona in two important respects --
the greater financial muscle and a more compelling history on the field.
United's international appeal -- and for all the Catalans' superior organisation, from
Ankara to Beijing to Copenhagen United are just as likely to be acclaimed outside
their own country as Barcelona -- is rooted in tragedy.
The Munich air disaster of 1958 took the lives of eight of a United team that had
been on the cusp of greatness.
The rebuilding of that team won United enormous sympathy outside their own fan
base and the side that won the European Cup in 1968, with George Best, Bobby
Charlton and Dennis Law at its heart -- although Law missed the final through injury
-- was one of the greatest ever produced by a club side.
To a large extent, the last 30 years at United can be seen as a mission to recapture
that greatness.
Managers, from Wilf McGuinnes to Ron Atkinson, came and went without ever
recapturing the magic and it was not until the Alex Ferguson era that a team worthy
of that legacy was created.
The successors to the Busby Babes are, largely, local lads, or careful acquisitions
rather than star buys.
Ryan Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville and Paul Scholes were all brought up in
Manchester, while David Beckham was brought in as a youngster, still unknown.
A second European Cup success now would be a triumph of the Old Trafford ethos,
of the commitment to excellence on the field, and a triumph as well for Ferguson,
whose restructuring of the youth set-up has borne valuable fruit.
But if that European success is to come it will be in spite of a financial strategy
that, for all its undoubted success, has limited Ferguson's options.
Since their stock market flotation in 1991, United have become the undisputed
heavyweight champions of footballing finance, with a massive merchandising
operation that is the envy of Europe and saw them become, earlier this year, the
first club to set up its own daily TV channel.
In the 1997 survey by accountancy firm Deloitte and Touche, United were ranked
higher than any other European club in terms of turnover, with 53.3 million pounds
($88.15 million) -- a figure that leapt to pounds 88 million pounds ($145.5 million) the
following year.
That hard-nosed business policy has had its effect on the playing side as a rigid
wage structure has effectively ruled out the signing of Ferguson targets such as
Patrick Kluivert -- who signed instead for Barcelona -- and Marcelo Salas.
At Barcelona the story is different. Although the club, even under Johan Cruyff, have
never produced a team of the calibre, or the romance, of United's 1968 vintage, the
two greatest players of the last two decades -- Maradona and Ronaldo -- have
graced the Camp Nou turf, while the likes of Michael Laudrup, Rivaldo and Sonny
Anderson have been bought at vast expense.
And while the Catalan club continue to expand -- the recently mooted Barca 2000
project for a 190,000 square metre, $264 million leisure complex connected to the
ground by monorail is nothing if not ambitious -- the playing side of the club remains
untouchable.
The Barca 2000 company, which could be floated on the stock market, will be a
separate entity from the football club but will exist to provide money for team
building.
"The likes of Rivaldo don't come cheap," as a member of the club's commercial
department said this week.
While United, as a public company, have a duty to their shareholders, Barca, owned
as they are by their members, will always put the team concerns first.
With or without Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul bidding to buy the club, United
will undoubtedly continue to grow stronger in financial terms, with the renegotiation
of Champions' League TV rights set to swell the coffers still further.
But when the moneymen move out of football, to cash in on the next big thing,
Barcelona will retain its self-generating strength, its commitment and its vision.
Time will tell if the same is true of Manchester United.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Survey #27 results "Schmeichel's Replacement?" & "Should Andy Cole play for England?"
Week of Nov 15
Now that Schmeichel has decided to leave United, which 'keeper
would you prefer to replace him?
Wright (England) 31 18.9%
Van Der Saar (Holland) 27 16.5%
Barthez (France) 23 14.0%
Bosnich (Australia) 23 14.0%
Chilavert (Paraguay) 22 13.4%
none of the above 18 11.0%
Given (Ireland) 14 8.5%
Van Der Gouw (Holland) 5 3.0%
Culkin (England) 1 0.6%
Moens (Holland) 0 0.0%
Total 164 votes Question closed 22/11/98 23:59 EST
Barry Comment:
Cool voting, with a fairly even vote for Wright, Saar, Barthez, Bosnich &
Chilavert.
It looks like it will be one of these 5, with Saar coming out on top right
now.
VanDer Gouw and Culkin voted as no hopers? Only 4% of the vote between them!
NEW SURVEY Survey #28: Week of Nov 22
Should Andy Cole play for England?
Question now open: http://www.red11.org/miva/survey.mv
Thanks for voting!
MUFC Hon. Executive CP Cheah
Webmasters: Barry Leeming & Bill McArthur
Graphics: Sam Hayward Stats: Paul Hinson
Site Design Diana Low
Webmaster Mail: barry@www.red11.org
Url: http://www.red11.org
World of Manchester United Football Club.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Manchester United Search Made Easy!
You can now EASILY search the whole www.red11.org site
over 200 megs of RED stuff:
NEW SEARCH ENGINE NOV 98
Click on links at
http://www.red11.org/searchsi.htm
http://www.red11.org/mufc/mu.htm
ENJOY!
or you can just paste this into your browser:
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 12:37:59 -0800
From: "Duncan Drasdo"
Subject: Re: What's the big problem?
BSkyB/Murdoch will not invest (net) a penny in United. Not even the current
United board are pretending that they will actually put more money in than
they will take out. The reason BSkyB are trying to buy United is because
they can see the massive potential profits from future TV revenue -
especially Pay Per View (PPV). This is money United could earn for
themselves as an independent business using a media company (like BSkyB)
simply to deliver the service. That way at least we know that our money is
going into the club not someone elses pocket.
BSkyB plans to buy the club outright - then any money we pay goes to BSkyB
and any investment back into the club is optional and limited - unlike the
current scenario.
This is the only reason they are prepared to pay so much for United. They
want to buy us - the fans - because we are captive customers. We can't start
supporting another club because we don't like what they're doing. Football
fans are loyal and this is a major weakness that Murdoch exploits to the
full. He can crank up the charges - and what can you do? Go and support
Liverpool?
The only single defence of this takeover that was put forward by the
Manchester United board at the recent AGM was that this "link up" would be
beneficial because of BSkyB's TV expertise. That's all they said. No other
arguments. They didn't dare say there would be any net inward investment
because that was just (Murdoch) paper talk to sell the deal to the fans.
There is no reason why any business should want to give money to an already
highly profitable business which has profits in excess of it's investment
requirements - there is no point is there? These board members that
vociferously defended the deal are nearly all receiving back handers in the
form of contracts they've negotiated with BSkyB on top of massive profits on
their shares. The notable exceptions are Greg Dyke and Sir Roland Smith -
the former being the only board member left with any integrity at all. So
can we trust their judgement in view of their financial incentives - can we
****.
So the only argument they could put forward was this vague idea of "linking
up" with a media company and benefiting from their expertise. Well I say
let's "link up" by all means - but let's not be taken over! There is no
reason why we have to be taken over in order to benefit from media
expertise! The best deal for United (and the fans) in the future is to stay
independent and sell our own TV rights - either to the highest bidder or by
employing a media group as service provider to deliver the broadcasts. That
way the profit is retained in the club - not in some media conglomerate.
Many United fans around the world would like the option of PPV so that they
can see every match live. There is no reason why United need to be owned by
BSkyB (or anyone else) to do this - it's a myth. I want to pay my money to
United - not to BSkyB or any other owner - there is a world of difference.
Incidentally - the director on the United board who was signed up because he
is a lifelong United fan and an acknowledged expert in TV was against this
take over from the beginning. Greg Dyke is an expert in broadcasting media -
none of the others on the board have a clue - but they all voted in favour
while he voted against - why? Greg Dyke said United would be better off
remaining independent as described above but he was out-voted and eventually
had to cave in because of his legal duties as a director of a publicly
quoted company. However he has continued to signal his disapproval as much
as he is allowed to. Mr Dyke has publicly stated that he will give all his
profits from this deal to Manchester charities! None of the others would do
this because they are only accepting the deal for the money it makes them
personally.
They are prepared to sell the independence of our club to line their own
pockets. They are a disgrace to the name and the history of Manchester
United. We will not let them win.
One of the most interesting facts that came out of the AGM was that Murdoch
requires 75% of shares or he will pull out. One of the directors - I think
it was Edwards (it usually is) - accidentally let this slip out. Small
shareholders (mainly fans) already hold 23% of shares and before the last
bid failed 75% of these small shareholders had rejected the bid. This
rejection rate is expected to be substantially higher in the event of a
rebid because these shareholders are much better informed now. The offer
document sent out in the previous bid said there were three options - all of
which involved giving up your shares. They did not explain you can reject
the offer! If you rang the help line number they said they could not advise
you how to reject the offer! These are the kind of underhand tactics we're
dealing with. To reject the offer you just had to ignore it but they
wouldn't say this! Can you trust these people to tell you the truth?!
If we get 25% of shares into the hands of true supporters who will never
sell to the likes of Murdoch then they will not rebid - even if the
Monopolies and Mergers Commission allows them to. This is a lot of shares
and a lot of money - but there are a lot of us!
I can't think of a better Christmas present for United fans this year than
shares in your club.
I'm dreaming of a Red Christmas.
Duncan
Duncan Drasdo (These are my own opinions - I am not an official spokesperson
for IMUSA)
IMUSA - Independent Manchester United Supporters Association - opposes the
BSkyB takeover of MUFC
IMUSA website - www.imusa.org IMUSA discussion mailing list
To subscribe, send a blank message to imusa-subscribe@egroups.com
Virtual Manchester -www.manchester.com - sign the email petition
http://www.manchester.com/guest/guestadd.html
Try this if you need a laugh:
http://www.urban75.com/Punch/murdoch.html
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Subject: Keeper of the faith loses self-belief (Guardian)
By Jim White
Tuesday November 24, 1998
Peter Schmeichel has enjoyed many occasions which have increased his
reputation - if not as the world's best goalkeeper, then certainly as
the one with the reddest nose.
There was the save he produced against Rapid Vienna in the Champions
League, a scooping dive to rival Gordon Banks's Pele-buster. There was
the night at St James'Park in 1996 when he single-handedly undermined
Geordie self-belief.
And then there was the moment early in his Old Trafford career, a save
against Sheffield Wednesday captured in a great photograph as he hangs
horizontal in the air, four feet above the ground, and apparently about
15 feet long. The most striking feature of the snap, however, is that
his mouth is wide open, as he yells vitriol at a round leather thing
for having invaded his personal space.
But the game which gave the Schmeichel legend its biggest boost was one
he sat out. It was the previous occasion, almost four years ago to the
day, that Manchester United travelled to Barcelona in a Champions
League game.
Then, as now, the fixture at Old Trafford had been a pulsating score
draw. Back then there was a heady whiff of optimism in the United
party, a scent picked up by the travelling press; in the pre-match
sweepstake only two among more than 20 British journalists backed
Barcelona to win - this despite the fact that in those days of rules
governing the number of foreign players allowed in European
competitions Alex Ferguson was never at his best wrestling with his
permutations.
Certainly the United squad looked happy the night before the game when
they trained at the Nou Camp, Ferguson even relaxed enough to allow
Mick Hucknall to kick a ball around with the lads. And Hucknall, whose
chest measurement seemed about half the circumference of Roy Keane's
calves, loved his moment, particularly when he scored past the reserve
keeper Gary Walsh.
"Bloody hell, Walshy," joshed Ferguson. "You're in big trouble if you
let him put one past you."
Little did observers know at the time that Walsh was going to play the
next night, with Schmeichel the unlucky foreigner to sit in the stands
- although, as it turned out, perhaps not so unlucky. It was a good
game to miss because United were taken apart by Barcelona. Walsh was
not directly at fault but in the autopsies the implication was clear:
without Schmeichel, Ferguson had half a team.
Indeed there were plenty who pointed out that there is a fundamental
football rule the manager broke that night: always field your strongest
keeper.
The Barca rout cemented Schmeichel's status as crucial to his team's
welfare. For the next four years he remained virtually a constant, his
spells of absence through injury often coinciding with blips in team
form.
He brought to his team-mates the confidence to know that, if they made
a mistake, it was unlikely to lead to a goal, the worst consequence
would be a volcanic eruption of abuse (for a Viking Schmeichel's grasp
of Anglo-Saxon is exemplary). Even this, frankly, was not too much of
a problem as he routinely gave them a bigger bollocking for doing well.
Schmeichel was not, however, infallible. As the cricketers engaged in
hostility in Australia will tell you monotonously, sport is all about
mental toughness. And he seems to be a player who, on the rare
occasion he falters, does so first in his mind.
For a man of such huge physical advantages, he can look suddenly
vulnerable, particularly when carrying an injury. His error against
Bayern Munich in the Champions League in September was not his first
mistake of the season but it has obviously taken on a wider
significance in his head.
Like his erstwhile chess partner Eric Cantona, he does not want to be
diminished by waning physical powers, hence his announcement of
impending retirement. It is taking him longer and longer, he said, to
prepare for the hurly-burly of the Premiership, something which he
proved on Saturday when he got himself ready in time only for the
second half against Sheffield Wednesday.
Throughout the first half he played as if the seed of doubt in his head
was developing into a forest. And tomorrow Schmeichel returns to the
Nou Camp, the place from which he emerged so enhanced. Let us hope
Signors Anderson, Rivaldo and Luis Enrique do not make him wish he had
retired before he actually had to play there.
"Peter Schmeichel's last season at OT" Click on image for more!"
Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
Barry
J. Leeming Digest Prgram
by 
William
McArthur Canada
