Archive for the ‘European Cup’ Category
Besiktas v Manchester United
September 16, 2009Frequent Flier Miles
August 28, 2009MANCHESTER United admitted that the draw for the Champions League was not exactly as they wanted it when it was made yesterday. David Gill, present at the draw, declared the outcome for his side was “interesting” because it featured the league Champions of Germany and trips back to Turkey and Russia.
It’s at times like this we can be thankful we have David Gill at the club at all, after all it is he and the Americans that plan very long trips to Asia for Pre Season when it makes no sense to anyone but those in charge of the bank books at Old Trafford. David Gill said yesterday that it was easy to get bogged down and scared by the thought of travelling huge distances and get “psyched out by that sort of thing”. He is quite confident that this will not happen to United. Well he should because United does, after all, cover such distances as a matter of routine. It comes with being a successful football team and a football brand that needs to sell its image in all corners of the world.
If you would like more background on the travelling issue within Manchester United, GtS suggests reading the August edition of Red News when in the Hot Gossip section RN takes David Gill “to task for talking of the fustrations of cancelling the Indonesian Leg of the Far East tour”. United fanzines Red News and Red Issue both “warned against touring a destination with such history of terrorist incident”, especially after other teams had cancelled such games in the area. The world and his dog was advised not to travel there but United, possibly spurred on by the financial rewards of appearances there were all set to go. Then, the experts told United that it was not safe after all, leaving United ‘fustrated’.
So yes, Manchester United are confident that long away trips to Turkey and Russia will not bother the squad. They just keep racking up those frequent flier miles and this time it’s in the name of European Glory.
United’s group stage fixtures
Tuesday 15 September: Besiktas (a)
Wednesday 30 September: Wolfsburg (h)
Wednesday 21 October: CSKA Moscow (a)
Tuesday 3 November: CSKA Moscow (h)
Wednesday 25 November: Besiktas (h)
Tuesday 8 December: Wolfsburg (a)
August 2009 Issue of Red News available now. UK 10 issue sub £30.00 inc Post and Pack. Europe 10 issue sub £35.00 inc Post and Pack. ROW 10 issue sub £40.00 inc Post and Pack. For more details see the Red News Website by clicking HERE or on our contact page.
The United Trinity
June 1, 2008
HISTORY is something you cannot buy. It occurs; it is not created in the wallets of billionaire owners signing chequebooks with a stamp for quickness. It is about the ups and the downs and acknowledging them both equally.
John Terry: England Captain
June 1, 2008CHEAP shot? Never let it be said that Given to Score is above taking the low ground when it isn’t appropriate, necessary or at the very least, really really funny.
When John ‘Mr Chelsea’ Terry strode forward to take the penalty to win the Champions’ League for his team. Who truly 
expected him to miss in such spectacular fashion? I certainly didn’t. He should have hit the back of the net, the first European Cup victory should have been delivered by the man who bleeds blue and white.
Something did strike me as odd on the run up for the Stamford Bridge captain. Watch the footage again and you will see on his way to the penalty area, he’s looking determined, his chest is puffed out and he’s pushing his captains’ armband into full view. Moving it round to the front so that the watching world are in absolutely no uncertainty as to who is about to achieve history for this club. He believed it, and he wanted everyone else to believe it as well. Confidence in taking a penalty and believing you will score is one thing. Hyping up the moment yourself is a dangerous game to play because there is every chance that in such circumstance, a person can be hoisted by their own petard.
Burn Me Out or Bring Me Home
June 1, 2008 
SILVERWARE should not be the reason someone follows a team. It is accepted that it is the reason some players join a club but at the most basic and important level, that of supporters, it should be something deeper. Make no mistake, however, silverware is the chocolate sprinkles on the icing on the cake.
That thought occurred to me as I cringed watching John Terry stride forward to take a penalty to win the European Cup for Chelsea. He was going to win it, I was hearing as much from my brother who could not have cared less about the result and barely even remembered there was a game for some sort of cup. My brother was whispering that belief as I turned away. So I had to rationalise it in my head. It is not life or death, it really is more important to fans. At that moment I was trying to find something that I could cling to in defeat, and there was nothing. It was about to hurt.
I remembered the tears I cried when Aston Villa beat us to win the Coca Cola Cup final, the one where Les Sealey played in goal for us and Kanchelskis got sent off for a hand ball. That was some third rate cup domestically, THIS was the European Cup for crying out loud. It was going to hurt – no-one should ever believe that football support was rational.
Just as John Terry strode forward I noticed his confidence and I thought to myself that it would be very funny if, given his outward stride, he completely bumbled his effort. Luckily he did and we were still in it. Cut to Nicolas Anelka and completely the opposite happened, he didn’t look confident at all and as Edwin flew across the goal to make the save I jumped the highest on the bed as my Dad and brother sat next to me. I got some major height and I punched the air because we had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
