altooooon

Foster 'can be the best'

Sir Alex Ferguson reiterated his belief that Ben Foster will soon be England’s number one after the United stopper kept a clean sheet against Orlando Pirates in Durban.

It was Foster’s first full 90 minutes in the first team since he made his United debut against Derby County in March and he was twice called upon to make sharp saves.

The Reds’ boss was delighted with the 24-year-old’s performance and expects big things from the goalkeeper this season.

“With the ability he has, Ben is certainly going to be challenging for a first-team place,” Sir Alex said.

“That’s also good news for England. They’ve brought David James back in and if they’ve gone back to an experienced goalkeeper it tells you there’s an opportunity there for Ben.

“Edwin will start the season as number one. Remember, Ben’s in competition with one of the best goalkeepers of all time. There’s no way I’d discount Edwin van der Sar after his performances for us.

“The potential of Ben Foster is there for all to see and if he’s patient he’ll get his chance. Goalkeepers can have longer careers than outfield players – Edwin can easily play until he’s 40. Ben’s only 24 so he has 14 or 15 years left. There’s no need for the boy to panic. His time will come.”

Foster knows how difficult it will be to break into the starting XI, but he told MUTV he’s determined to keep working hard.

“I have to be confident,” he said. “Like Edwin and Tomasz, I want to play. All I can do is go out on the training pitch and work hard, and when I get a chance in games I need to do as well as I can.

“I’m looking to push Edwin and Tomasz all the way – it’s going to be a good fight for the goalkeeper’s jersey.

“[The match on Tuesday in Durban] was my first game in four or five months, so it was nice to blow the cobwebs out.

"I was a bit rusty at times but it was good to keep a clean sheet. The key to being a good United goalkeeper is to be on your toes for 90 minutes and expect the unexpected. They had a shot at the end but that was about all I had to do."

altooooon

Scholes excited by the future

Staging a repeat of last season's double triumph is not out of the question for United during the upcoming campaign, according to midfielder Paul Scholes.

As one of the Reds' elder statesmen, Scholes is well placed to assess the future potential of United's young guns.

And he's convinced that having scooped the double last season, the team's starlets will continue to go from strength to strength.

"It's an exciting time and a good time to be involved," insisted the 33-year-old.

"The young players coming through are only going to be better next year for the experience they’ve had. Everyone who came in to the team last year played a massive part in our achievements.

"It is a big ask [to retain the Champions League], but I feel we can only go from strength to strength."

Scholes saw enough from United's young players last season to convince him that they are more than capable of coping when the going gets tough.

"It is one thing having the talent and doing it in training every day but you have got to do it where it matters," he insisted.

“Thankfully we have the players who can do that - young lads who do not seemed to be fazed by anything. They are very confident and look forward to the big games.

“Hopefully we can get off to a good start and a good finish by winning more trophies.”

altooooon

Reds pledge cash for goals

Manchester United Chief Executive David Gill has pledged to match Vodacom’s contribution of R50,000 (approximately £3300) for every goal scored in this year’s pre-season tournament in South Africa.

All money raised in the Vodacom Challenge Goals For Miracles campaign will help fund cataract operations performed through the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), the Pretoria Eye Institute’s Sight 4 U Cataract Project, and the Netcare Vodacom Sight For Life Programme.

Speaking at a gala dinner held in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, Mr Gill praised the initiative and said United would be honoured to match the tournament sponsors’ generosity.

He said he also hoped it would inspire Sir Alex’s side to find the net in their third and final match, to be played in Pretoria on Saturday 26 July.

The tournament total currently stands at R150,000 after the Reds drew 1-1 with Kaizer Chiefs and defeated Orland Pirates 1-0. The two South African clubs meet on Wednesday 24 July, with the winner earning a spot in the final alongside Manchester United.

altooooon

Papers: Scholesy's quit plans

Scholes reveals retirement plans
In the aftermath of Manchester United's Champions League Final win over Chelsea, Sir Alex Ferguson's jubilant players queued up to speak to the waiting media. With the exception of one notable absentee. Scholes gave eager reporters and TV crews the slip in Moscow and headed straight for the team bus. "You think about winning trophies for maybe a day or two," he says, "but then it's gone." It was typical Scholes. As he chatted on United's pre-season tour of South Africa, the 33-year-old revealed he has a maximum of two years left at United before ending his distinguished career. "I think I've got two years left at the most," he said. "I can't say I can't wait to finish, but I'm looking forward to finishing and everything that goes with it. I will definitely miss the football. But with the general life of a footballer, people are very invasive, always wanting to know what you're doing."
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror

Sir Alex Ferguson was "given a red card" by the Help The Aged charity for comments about Chelsea's players, reports The Sun. The Reds boss said: "It's hard to see where there’s going to be a big improvement with a [Chelsea] team that's very experienced. How can they accelerate beyond what they've done? I don’t see outstanding progress in a team that's in its 30s." Help The Aged say Sir Alex - 66, don't forget - shouldn't write people off because of age. Wasn't Sir Alex merely questioning how Chelsea could improve any further, compared to United's young, developing side?

The Sun says United and Portsmouth players must "cover up at night" and take malaria tablets to avoid contracting the disease after Arsenal's Kolo Toure was bitten by a mosquito in his native Ivory Coast.

altooooon

Feb aims to emulate Fraizer

Febian Brandy is hopeful his second loan spell at Swansea City will help him emulate the improvement of fellow striker Fraizer Campbell.

While Brandy impressed at the Liberty Stadium in the latter half of last season, it was the form of Campbell at Hull City which represented the Reds' biggest loan success.

Campbell is now heavily involved in the Reds' senior pre-season exertions, and Brandy would love to be in a similar position in a year's time.

"I didn't play as much as I would have liked to last season and Sir Alex Ferguson said he was disappointed when I went back because he'd wanted me to play more," Brandy told the South Wales Evening Post.

"But Roberto Martinez is the manager and he knows much more about management than I do, and the gaffer at United was pleased with everything I did at Swansea last season.

"He said that if I can play a bit more this year and score some goals, I can force my way into the first-team picture at United.

"That's what Frazier Campbell has done and my aim is to try to do something like that this season."

"After winning the title with Swansea, I went back to United and was part of the Premier League celebrations,'' he explained. "Then I travelled with the club to the Champions League final in Moscow, which turned into a third celebration.

"I was proud of playing a part for Swansea last season, and now I can't wait for the Championship. It's going to be a bigger challenge, but it's one I'm looking forward to."

Diminutive striker Brandy has rejoined the Swans until January 17, 2009, and he is hoping to build on the successes of last season, in which he helped Swansea gain promotion and also took part in United's Double celebrations.

altooooon

The future is bright



United's conveyor belt of young talent is in good shape, according to Reserves manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Reds' opulent history of producing players from within is much-fabled, but no homegrown talents have established themselves as senior regulars at Old Trafford since Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea.

Having experienced first-hand the talent within Carrington's current crop of youngsters, however, Solskjaer is adamant that the future is bright.

"There are people with first-team potential that I am working with at the moment," he told the Manchester Evening News. "United do have a history of getting players into the first team from their own ranks.

"In the last few years we've had Gerard Pique and Giuseppe Rossi come through, though they are now at other clubs. There are the likes of Darren Fletcher, John O'Shea and Wes Brown who have all come through the system, so there is a chance. It is up to every individual. It is not impossible.

"The difficulty here is you have the demand of winning almost every game at United so you cannot just put a player in to see how he is doing just because you can afford to take a chance on a particular game. It's not like that here because you have to win so they have to be ready."

Although first team openings remain few and far between given the enduring demands for success at Old Trafford, Ole is adamant that no heads have dropped among the youth ranks.

"It is no problem to keep these lads motivated," he said. "They are so positive and dedicated. They know if they are good enough they will get a chance. If not they know they will get a good career somewhere else. That is what we have said to them.

"We want to get as many as possible into the first team here, of course, that is the aim but for the rest we want to make careers for them at other clubs.

"I have had discussions with the manager about who is going to go out on loan. Maybe after one year they are ready to go somewhere else. You don't want to stay in the Reserves for three years because the boat is starting to sink and perhaps you should then be elsewhere."

[ 本帖最後由 altooooon 於 2008-7-25 04:27 AM 編輯 ]

altooooon

Trio join senior squad



United have flown three promising starlets out to South Africa to join the senior squad for the remainder of the pre-season trip.

Midfielders Rodrigo Possebon and Tom Cleverley and defender Craig Cathcart have linked up with the first team party ahead of the Reds' final game in the Vodacom Challenge on Saturday afternoon in Tshwane and the friendly in Nigeria against Portsmouth on Sunday evening.

All three are Reserve team regulars with Possebon and Cathcart, both 19-years-old, also holding senior squad numbers.

Possebon joined the club in January 2008 from Brazil's Sporting Club Internacional, while both Cathcart and 18-year-old Cleverley signed in 2005.

[ 本帖最後由 altooooon 於 2008-7-25 04:24 AM 編輯 ]

altooooon

Owen: Fans deserve parade



Owen Hargreaves is looking forward to taking part in the Reds’ double trophy parade at Old Trafford on 6 August, a celebration he feels is 10 weeks later than it should have been.

The midfielder was as disappointed as anyone when United were forced to shelve plans for an open-top bus tour around Manchester because of trouble between fans in the city centre after the UEFA Cup final on 14 May.

But he is now urging fans to take a one-off chance to see the silverware and celebrate United’s historic 2007/08 campaign ahead of what promises to be a high-quality pre-season friendly against Italian giants Juventus.

“It’s a belated but great opportunity for the fans to see the trophies,” he told ManUtd.com. “We didn’t have a celebration after the Champions League final and this is something that should have happened earlier, straight after we came back from Moscow.

“The players, staff and fans who put so much work into the season were disappointed not to go on a parade. It’s a shame that it was cancelled because of other people’s actions at the UEFA Cup final.

“The double was a crowning achievement and it should be celebrated - it doesn’t happen very often.”

An hour before kick-off against Juve, the United players will walk out with the Premier League and Champions League trophies, for photos at all four stands.

Hargreaves, who is recovering from a recurrence of the tendonitis which disrupted the start of his United career, is keen to be involved in the evening’s events.

“I hope I get to carry out a trophy!” the 27-year-old added. “Obviously it’s not the same environment as it would have been, but it’s probably too late to have a bus parade now.

“It’s nevertheless a wonderful chance for everyone to see the trophies again. Hopefully we’ll have a good game against Juve and the fans will enjoy a great evening.”

Juventus ticket news

Tickets are on open sale online or on 0161 868 8000. Prices start at just £10 for adults and £5 for seniors while all junior seats are £5.

Hospitality packages are also available priced at £150 + VAT including a South Stand seat, 2-course chef's table and access to a cash bar.

For more details, please call 0161 868 8000 (option 2 then 3).

[ 本帖最後由 altooooon 於 2008-7-25 04:26 AM 編輯 ]

altooooon

Blog: I'm loving it - O'Shea



Reds defender John O'Shea took time out from United's hectic pre-season schedule to check in with fans via ManUtd.com...

I'm having a great time down in South Africa. I was here in 2006 as well and that was equally enjoyable.

It’s slightly different to the other places we tend to go – Asia, America, Scandinavia – and we all get different things out of different trips.

I really enjoyed the coaching session we did with the local kids in Cape Town. I think the club are very good at making sure we give back to the community, whether it’s visiting orphanages, coaching kids or signing autographs. All the boys and girls were really keen to improve themselves and I had a fantastic time. I was glad to be a part of it.

I didn't really have any opportunities to meet professional footballers when I was growing up. It’s something that’s only started happening in earnest since I’ve been a player myself. It’s great to see it – it gives kids such a boost when big clubs come along and show an interest in what they’re doing.

As for the football side of things, every professional will tell you that a good pre-season – one that’s injury free and one in which you get a bit of luck – is a great boost. If everyone makes the most of pre-season then the manager will have a few headaches when it comes to getting down to business. But that’s a headache I think he’s happy to have.

While we're here in South Africa, fitness is the main thing we're looking for – we're not too concerned about results. But if we’re scoring goals and making chances then it can only breed confidence. And anyway, the manager doesn’t like losing... none of us do!

[ 本帖最後由 altooooon 於 2008-7-25 04:25 AM 編輯 ]

altooooon

Duo visit UNICEF project



UNICEF UK Ambassador Ryan Giggs and Chris Eagles took time out from the Reds' pre-season tour of South Africa to learn about the impact of HIV/AIDS and violence on the country's children and young people.

HIV/AIDS are having a devastating effect on children in South Africa and continue to be among the biggest challenges facing the country today. Approximately 5.4 million South Africans are living with HIV (14% of the world’s total AIDS population). Over 250,000 of those are young people under the age of 15, with a further 1.5 million children orphaned as a result of AIDS.

The visit enabled Ryan and Chris to see for themselves the kind of work that has been funded by the ‘United for UNICEF’ partnership, which has raised over £2million to date and helped 1.5 million children worldwide.

The players visited the UNICEF-backed Sonke Gender Justice project in the Township of Gugulethu in Cape Town. They spent the afternoon with a group of young people and took part in a lively classroom workshop aimed at tackling the attitudes and behaviours that can lead to HIV infection.

Violence and abuse towards young women and children plays a key role in perpetuating the spread of HIV, with those most vulnerable often children who themselves have lost one or both parents as a result of AIDS related illnesses. The UNICEF backed Sonke Gender Justice programme aims to tackle this issue head on through education. By challenging traditional behaviours, encouraging greater respect for women and educating young people on safe sexual practice, UNICEF is working to give young people the knowledge they need to stem the spread of the virus and prevent new HIV infection.

altooooon

Chiefs in Vodacom final



United will play Kaizer Chiefs in the Vodacom Challenge final after the Amakhosi defeated Orlando Pirates 2-0 in Port Elizabeth on Thursday night.

Tricky Chiefs winger Siphiwe Tshabalala was involved in both goals – first crossing for Jose Torealba to head home in the 14th minute, then laying on Kaizer Motaung Jr’s goal just after the break.

Thanks to Vodacom and Manchester United, the two strikes raised R200,000 for the Goals For Miracles campaign,  (the Reds have pledged to honour Vodacom’s contribution of R50,000 per goal for the duration of the tournament). The tally (including United’s contribution) now stands at R500,000.

Sir Alex will be hoping for even more goals on Saturday when his side meet Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus Stadium, Pretoria (kick-off 14:30BST). The two teams played out a 1-1 draw when they met last Saturday in Cape Town.

Follow, follow, follow

Fans can watch United's pre-season clash with Orlando Pirates live on MUTV and MUTV Online on Saturday (kick-off 14:30 BST).

ManUtd.com will also have full match coverage, including report and post-match reaction after final whistle.

altooooon

Ferdinand is Europe's best



Maturity and leadership are the qualities which Sir Alex Ferguson feels have helped shape Rio Ferdinand into the best defender in Europe.

The England international's outstanding displays alongside Nemanja Vidic at the heart of the defence last season resulted in a club record for the lowest number of goals conceded in a Premier League season - just 22 in 38 games.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his attacking cohorts may have received most of the plaudits for their contribution to United's glorious double, but Sir Alex feels Ferdinand, in particular, deserves special recognition.

"Rio has been the best defender in the country, if not Europe for a couple of years," declared the boss. "His maturity and leadership have been key factors in his and the team's success.

"He is someone that young players learn from and that more experienced players respect.

"I have not seen a better defensive pairing than him and Nemanja for a long time."

Ferdinand skippered the Reds to a 1-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in Durban on Tuesday night having missed United's opening two pre-season games with a back injury.

altooooon

Ben won't be put on the spot



If scores are level after 90 minutes when United meet Kaizer Chiefs in the Vodacom Challenge final on Saturday, the match will be decided on penalty kicks.

That was the scenario that occurred in the 2006 competition, with the Reds ending on the losing side.

United have since experienced a change of fortune when it comes to settling matches from 12 yards, although Ben Foster isn’t so sure he’ll be trusted to take one this time around.

“We lost the final on penalties two years ago and unfortunately I missed one,” he told MUTV. “I don’t think the manager will let me step up again. He said to me the other day: ‘If it goes to penalties you’re not taking one’!”

Although improving fitness levels is the number one aim on pre-season trips, Foster said the Reds are keen to lift the tournament's trophy.

“It would be nice to get a win under our belts this time,” he said. “It’s been a good experience so far – the two games we’ve played have been testing and very good for the side.”

altooooon

Last few ST's remaining



The Reds will soon be beginning the defence of their double crown and we'd like to invite you to be a part of it.

A limited number of 2008/09 One Year Season Tickets are available and can be purchased with immediate effect on a first come, first served basis by calling 0161 868 8000, selecting option 1 for the ticket line and then option 4 to speak to a customer service advisor. And if you choose to buy a One Year Season Ticket, you will be top of the list for a full season ticket for the 2009/10 campaign.

Alternatively, if you live locally you can visit the Ticketing and Membership office at Old Trafford, where the club's customer service advisors will assist you. Opening hours are from 8am - 8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday.

Ticket prices for the 2008/09 season can be found at manutd.com/ticketprices, while fans will also be required to agree to the new Terms and Conditions when purchasing a One Year Season Ticket.
Please note that the club can request to move your seat or enter you into a ballot for home cup games. This may occur, for instance, if away supporters are given an unusually high number of seats. This happened just twice last season (for the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and the FA Cup fifth round tie with Arsenal). In these particular cases competition rules forced the club to ballot One Year Season Ticket holders and 52% and 53% were successful, respectively. We will always try to work with the competitions' governing bodies to try and eliminate this need, but you should be aware it's always a possibility.

altooooon

Blog: The final countdown



So United will play Kaizer Chiefs in the Vodacom Challenge final.

In truth, it’s what most people expected. The Chiefs made the Reds fight hard for a draw last weekend in Cape Town and proved too strong for Orlando Pirates on Thursday night. Sir Alex will be anticipating another tough contest… in more ways than one.

The Chiefs like to put themselves about, but as Wayne Rooney said yesterday at the team hotel, it’s probably for the best. After all, the lads don’t want these pre-season games to be too friendly.

Here in Johannesburg, a 45-minute drive from Loftus Stadium, the Chiefs rule the roost. They’re the best supported team in South Africa and their fans will surely make themselves heard on Saturday. We've already seen how passionate South African crowds can be.

United trained at the ground this morning, beginning with some light running with fitness coach Tony Strudwick before breaking into two groups to play keep-ball in boxes (seven players form a circle and try to keep the ball away from the two inside). Meanwhile, goalkeeper coach Richard Hartis put Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Amos through their paces.

An eight v eight match and some shooting followed, with youngsters Tom Cleverley, Rodrigo Possebon and Craig Cathcart all impressing. The trio flew into South Africa yesterday and will certainly see some time on the pitch – if not on Saturday then on Sunday in Nigeria when United play Portsmouth. Two games in two days is a tough ask for any professional footballer, so expect Sir Alex to ring the changes.

This afternoon, the players will spread themselves around various events – some meet-and-greets, a coaching session, a Unicef visit to a facility specialising in HIV prevention. These sorts of activities are always a feature of Manchester United visits, and it's not just the fans who enjoy the chance to meet their heroes.

Most players really relish the opportunity to do something different. In fact, when some of United's stars conducted a coaching clinic for local children in Cape Town, it was Paul Scholes who smiled the most.

“I had a really good time,” he said. “These kids aren’t as fortunate as we were when we were young, so it’s nice to put some smiles on faces."

My afternoon will be spent attending Sir Alex’s press conference, so stay tuned to ManUtd.com this afternoon for the latest news ahead of Saturday's Vodacom Challenge final.

Oh, and don't forget you can watch the match on MUTV or MUTV Online (kick-off 14:30 BST).