Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs joins the Highbury & Heels squad for an epic chat. From Sir Alex Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger & that insane Arsenal rivalry to Giggsy’s coaching ambitions & his disappointment in not becoming Manchester United manager.
Plus you won’t want to miss the quickfire round where we find out his favourite cheer-up movie, his love for Game of Thrones and which Neville brother he’d choose to save! Get stuck in.
The British Soccer Diva crew are joined by Founder & Editor of Stretty News Dale O’ Donnell. Dale also writes for the Daily Mail, the Mirror & The Sun. We dissect Man Utd’s season thus far. From Pogba, to Zlatan, Rooney, Mourinho and more, we discuss it all and then some. Put the kettle on. Put your feet up. Enjoy the conversation. Follow @soccerdiva and @StrettyNews on Twitter.
Paul Pogba becomes the first 100 million pound Premier League player and the most expensive footballer in the world! Really? More than Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez and Neymar? Do you think Paul Pogba deserves the tag?
Will his return to Manchester United be different this time around? Can he become the next hero at Old Trafford? Will he ignite the Red Devils the same way he did Juventus? So many questions. Why not put your feet up and join the conversation.
Leader. Warrior. Fighter. Provocative. Brash. Critical. Fearless. Winner. Champion. These are just a few words that would describe the many layers of Premier League legend Roy Keane.
Keane won everything with Manchester United. The fiery midfielder joined the Red Devils from Nottingham Forest as a budding footballer with huge potential. It was at Forest where Keane learned the art and craft of football. Under the masterful eye of legendary manager Brian Clough, Keane evolved into an intelligent, talented and passionate player. It was only a matter of time before a big club swooped in for his services and Sir Alex Ferguson was happy to take the young Irish lad to Old Trafford.
Following the departure of fellow legend Eric Cantona, Keane was handed the captain’s armband after impressing Sir Alex Ferguson with his exceptional leadership skills. At the time the baton was passed, even Keane would never have believed how many trophies he’d lift with Manchester United. He relished the responsibility of being captain and was an inspiration on the field. He would fight for every ball. He would never give up and many times, Keane would carry the burden of victory on his own shoulders. He was always accountable, win or lose. He is one of the best captain’s the Premier League has ever seen.
There are so many highlights in Keane’s Premier League career, but there are also some low lights. The lowest being his tackle on Norwegian player Alfe-Inga Haland. It was cruel and intentional and he admitted in his autobiography that the tackle was an act of revenge following a past incident involving the two that had led to a major injury for Keane. That tackle on Haland pretty much ended the Norwegian’s career, but Keane never apologized and had no remorse for his actions. This is the darker side of a great footballer. It’s definitely a blemish on his career, but in the Irishman’s eyes, it was justice.
Keane’s passion was often misunderstood and criticized as prima donna behaviour. Whether it was the prawn sandwiches comment aimed at Manchester United fans for lack of support at Old Trafford, the 2002 World Cup tantrum aimed at Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, or the dig at Rio Ferdinand and fellow teammates on MUTV following a 4-1 whipping to Middlesbrough, Keane said what he felt and had no filter when delivering his message. Was he wrong to challenge his teammates desire to win? Was he wrong to point the finger at the fans for not throwing their support behind the team? Was he wrong to question his country’s preparations for the world’s most important football competition? Perhaps he went about things in the wrong way, but his overall message was generally honest and his ultimate point was about winning and being a winner. He was fearless and challenged players and anyone else involved at club or international level.
His brash approach however wore thin at the club where he was beyond revered. The comments against his teammates following that loss to Middlesbrough was the last straw for the one person he couldn’t cross at the Theater of Dreams, Sir Alex Ferguson. Once his mentor and once his biggest believer, Keane’s rant after the Middlesbrough game and his admission on MUTV that he would play for another club were too much for football’s greatest manager. His relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson had deteriorated to a point where it was completely irreparable. The love affair was over. His departure was abrupt. He was shown the door. The Roy Keane chapter in the Manchester United history books was closed.
Keane did go on to play ten games for Celtic and won the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish League Cup. Even he would admit that these don’t count for much and after retiring, he will always be recognized as a Manchester United player. Nothing more, nothing less.
The bottom line is Keane made 323 appearances for Manchester United scoring 33 goals. He was part of the incredible treble winning side in the 1998-99 season. He won seven Premier League titles. He won four F.A. Cups. He won the Community Shield four times and the Intercontinental Cup once. He was voted Footballer of the Year and Players Player of the Year in 2000. In 2004 he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. He became a football icon. He also won a Champions League trophy but because he didn’t play in the final due to suspension, he never truly felt he’d won Europe’s biggest prize. He actually called his medal worthless. Can you imagine John Terry saying that? You certainly didn’t see Manchester United’s captain lifting the trophy at the end of that incredible match versus Bayern Munich. Some might say that’s bitterness, but it could also be the mark of a true winner.
Since hanging up his magical midfield boots, Keane has gone into management and experienced promotion success with Sunderland, taking them to the Premier League. However, the love affair between Sunderland and Keane ended after numerous bust-ups with players and disagreements with potential new owners and the board. Eventually, he walked out. After a little time away from the game, he joined Ipswich Town in the Championship but was sacked after only twenty games in charge. It will be some time before we can discuss his managerial legacy. It all depends on whether or not he will accept another challenge. Many have questioned his methods and approach. Perhaps he learned a thing or two watching Brian Clough.
Despite his flaws, Keane was a talented and fascinating football talent. He is now fascinating fans and the media as an exceptionally entertaining football pundit with ITV. No player or manager is immune to his honest feedback and analysis. One man he did finally make nice with in his new role on TV is former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Upon retiring, Roy Keane praised Sir Alex for his incredible achievements and contributions to the game. Their relationship since his playing days is certainly not the same, but at least he took the high road and showed respect to the man who gave him his big break.
Roy Keane’s career has been captivating. Whether you are in the media, a Manchester United fan or a neutral, he has definitely provided good fodder for column inches and talk in the local pub. Whatever you think of the man, the player was one of the best we have seen. There is no doubt Roy Keane is a Premier League legend.
After losing their title on goal difference to their fiercest rivals, Manchester United are looking to bounce back this coming season. Desperate to regain what they believe to be their rightful place at the mountain top of English football, United fans are hoping for more success after having nothing new and shiny to place in the already abundant trophy cabinet.
Stretty News is one of the fastest growing Manchester United blogs anywhere in the world. In a Conversation With Dale O’ Donnell we dissect all things Red Devils. From the Glazers to Sir Alex Ferguson, the rivalry with Manchester City, Wayne Rooney, Kagawa and beyond, we cover the latest news that is happening at Old Trafford.
Dale is a leading voice for a new generation of Manchester United fans and he holds no punches when giving his opinion. Check out Dale’s work at www.strettynews.com and follow him on Twitter @StrettyNews.
Football, soccer, call it what you want. It’s just like being down the pub with your mates.
The Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee this year and 60 years of magnificent reign over England. This last season, Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated 25 years of reign at Manchester United and has clearly been the King of English football with his unprecedented success! The game has never quite seen anything like him and his legacy is solidified in football eternity.
Joining me on A Conversation With is Will Tidey, Editor and Lead Writer for the Bleacher Report, and author of “Life With Sir Alex.” With the recent 20 year anniversary of the Premier League and Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominance and milestone in the game, seems appropriate to have a conversation about the great man, with the man who wrote about him!
From the struggle chapters in the 80’s to the Manchester United revolution in the 90’s, we talk about it all. If you love nostalgia, you’ll enjoy this conversation. Grab a pint and enjoy.
Tis’ the season to be jolly. Or is it?
If you are a Manchester United fan, it feels more like the nightmare before Christmas than a holly, jolly holiday.
When it comes to English football, Manchester United have long been the epicenter of success over the last 20 years. And like Margaret Thatcher many moons ago, United have ruled with an iron fist for so long, it’s almost strange to think how life would be if their prolific reign came to a dramatic end.
Success in sports is cyclical and following Manchester United’s shocking exit from the Champions League at the hands of Swiss side FC Basel, coupled with the 6-1 thrashing at Old Trafford courtesy of “noisy neighbours” Manchester City, you could argue the football tide is turning. Is this going to be a season where United win nothing?
When the season started, nobody expected Manchester United to fail so miserably in the Champions League. They had one of the easiest groups of any big team in Europe and their failure to qualify for the last 16 was as shocking as seeing Mike Tyson hit the canvas in Tokyo back in February of 1990. Tyson was so good, you never thought he could lose. And Manchester United have been so good for so long, a defeat to FC Basel wasn’t something the fans or media were expecting.
Mentally, I don’t believe they have yet recovered from that horrific 6-1 loss to their biggest rivals. There is no doubt Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers ever. He will go down in history as a managerial pioneer of the modern game. From tactics, to mind games and handling the media, he has provided a master class for all to enjoy. But, his overall demeanour of late has not been the same and I truly believe the epic loss to Manchester City felt like a death to him and he might well still be in his grieving period.
To hear Sir Alex Ferguson apologise to fans following their loss to Crystal Palace at home in the Carling Cup was shocking. Yes they fielded a weaker team, but they still had the likes of Park Ji-Sung, Antonio Valencia, Darron Gibson and five other international players on the pitch. Regardless who plays, United look a shadow of the team we’ve seen in recent years. And let’s be honest, some of Sir Alex Ferguson’s recent team selections, especially in the Champions League have been questionable.
Granted it takes United a while to heat up their season and they are where they usually would be around this time of year. The difference however is that they are playing so much worse than they normally would at this stage. There is very little creativity in midfield and their inability to replace Paul Scholes following his retirement is clearly evident on the pitch. Yes Tom Cleverley is a wonderful young player, but how did he become so integral to their midfield after only just starting in the first team this season? Hernandez hasn’t yet captured the dizzy heights he reached last season and Rooney’s incredible start has come to a grinding halt.
Even with Nemanja Vidic in defense and the emergence of hugely talented players like Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, United still appear extremely vulnerable at the back. Rio Ferdinand is an aging defender who has lost his pace and the overall inconsistency of not playing the same group of players together more often has definitely hurt them. They also have issues with David de Gea in goal. He cost a lot of money when he came from Atletico Madrid and he continues to make expensive mistakes that should not come with an almost 19 million pound price tag.
You can never write off Manchester United, but it’s hard not to flirt with the idea this season. They are just not good enough and their history and pedigree shouldn’t be a reason to diffuse the critics opinions about the current state of the club. There’s no doubt one should beware of the wounded animal, but right now, Manchester United can barely compete with Newcastle, let alone Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
The mighty have definitely fallen and we have yet to see Sir Alex Ferguson overcome too much adversity in his illustrious career with the greatest of the Manchester clubs. He’s rattled by City and for the first time in a long time, his magic wand has eluded him in European competition too.
It probably won’t be too long before Manchester United are back to their usual best. But for now, it’s the turn of their fans to suffer in a football nightmare and just before Christmas too…
Robin van Persie is magical. Playing injury free for the first time in a long time, the delicious Dutchman is giving Arsenal fans everywhere hope. And with Fabregas and Nasri gone, it appears the shackles have been taken off his feet and he is thriving on being the main man.
For the first time since Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry, Arsenal have a true leader in their captain. Van Persie is putting this team on his back and you can see that being captain for one of the world’s biggest clubs is a role he is relishing.
He has been playing as an out-and-out striker and some would say that it’s not traditionally his best position. And just like fellow Dutchman and Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp, Van Persie has thrived in that #10 role, loving to drop off, find the killer pass and punish teams. Right now, the Gooner nation is loving where he’s playing and he’s scoring goals at will like never before.
But what would happen to the Gunners if Van Persie were to get injured? Where would the goals come from then? Sure Theo Walcott can score a few and when he finds his finishing touch, Gervinho can be a major threat. However, it’s Van Persie’s goals that are bringing Arsenal back from the dead following that 8-2 thrashing at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Arsenal have a lot of work to do at the back. And should Van Persie get a nick or bump here or there, they would also have a ton of work to do upfront, because without him, they would be lost. They need to protect him, but they also need to play him. Last week he was rested but came off the bench to score two goals in a win over Stoke.
Just a few hours ago on a sunny Saturday afternoon in London, Robin van Persie delivered another spellbinding performance against Chelsea, scoring a hat-trick and leading HIS team to victory once again. Granted Chelsea were woeful in defense, but to go to Stamford Bridge and inspire your team to a 5-3 win after facing so much adversity shows how much of a leader he has become.
Wrap him up in cotton wool Arsenal…
The Champions League is proving to be really weird this year people. Barcelona struggled to beat a team that sounds like a really delicious sandwich. Liverpool need to get their prayer mats out and hope for a miracle. Bayern Munich do not look like German giants. Inter Milan are not so special. Real Madrid really need Ronaldo back. And Manchester United should look into cloning Rooney 10 times, despite moving closer to the knockout stages.
Did one of you rival fans put something in their nutritional beverages? Or could it be the clocks going back? That always messes with one’s alignment. Whatever the problem is, these teams need to snap out of it and fast.
Bordeaux, Arsenal, Sevilla, Juventus, Lyon, Chelsea, Fiorentina and FC Porto are looking the best thus far in the competition. Arsenal and Chelsea have been regular cast members in the Champions League group stages. And if you are a player, manager, executive or fan of either of these clubs, you have to believe you have a great shot at winning Europe’s greatest prize, especially when you look around and see the big boys struggling.
I’m sure the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan will make the knockout stages. That’s not what’s in question. What’s in question is how they are playing. Real Madrid should really be beating this particular AC Milan team. They’ve been poor in the Italian league and nobody really thought they were the AC Milan of old when the season started. Ronaldo has been sorely missed by Real Madrid, but after buying so many expensive and quality players this summer, are Real Madrid really a one man team?
Inter Milan were lucky to have walked away with a win against Dynamo Kiev. The Champions League is the piece of silverware the club wants badly. You can see the reflection of the Champions League trophy in Jose Mourinho’s eyes as he observes his team from the touch line. Schevchenko almost came back to haunt the man who didn’t really give him a chance at Chelsea. But a couple of last gasp goals from Milito and Sneijder saved the blushes of Mourinho and his men. And what’s happened to Eto’o since his move from Barcelona to Inter Milan?
Manchester United – although sitting comfortably at the top of their group – just don’t seem to be the same team this season. The loss of Ronaldo has been far greater than even the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson could have imagined. They fought back once Rooney came on as a substitute. But what if Rooney gets injured? What then? Where will their inspiration come from? It’s tricky times at Old Trafford. The amazing thing about United is they are drawing or winning and not playing their best football. They don’t warm up to their sublime best until December/January. The question is, do they have the talent to shift into their usual 5th gear this season?
Liverpool are a mess. Alonso is another player who left for Real Madrid in the summer and Liverpool have not recovered. Aquilani could be the answer, but we just haven’t seen enough of him yet to compare. Voronin and Lucas are not the answer. Benayoun, Kuyt and Torres are the only players that are trying to make an impact and difference on the pitch. Carragher has been a disaster all season and with Gerrard being injured, they don’t have that final driving force in the midfield to make things happen going forward. I don’t like to talk about people losing their jobs, but Benitez is one bad result away from losing his.
Of course this could all change next week and that’s the beauty about the game we fans love! What do you think of the European giants struggling in the Champions League? Which team is looking the most dynamic for you? Is it possible that a Lyon, Fiorentina or Sevilla could win the Champions League? Did you drink wine or beer when watching the games this week?
On Sunday, we witnessed why the Premier League is the best and most exciting league in the world. The Manchester derby had everything. Passion, goals, panic, flare, heartache and pure elation. In the end it finished Manchester United 4 Manchester City 3. And it was two old geezers who stole the headlines and made the difference in the game of the week. Take a bow Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen.
United and City evolved their rivalry into war on the Old Trafford pitch. And if the players were Russell Crowe, the Theater of Dreams was the Coliseum. The atmosphere was undeniable. The fans were ready for their own battle and their singing could be heard around the world. When Manchester City fans were chanting their hearts out, the Manchester United fans would sing louder as if to say “how dare you raise your voices in our house.” Even when Bellamy shoved goals down their throats, the United fans refused to give up. And when United would score again, City fans would crank it up another notch. It was a superb display of fan support.
Manchester United bossed this game from start to finish. They didn’t give their old team mate Tevez a sniff of much. Bellamy was really the star of City’s show and Giggs was at the heart of everything good for United. In the 1st half Manchester City played really well and they stood tall against their fiercest rivals. The “wannabe top four boys” of the Premier League had a point to prove and they certainly had a fighting spirit about them in the early stages of the game. But a tactical move by their manager Mark Hughes to put Steven Ireland out on the left allowed the Manchester United midfield more space and the Red Devils took complete control in the 2nd half.
Ryan Giggs made it all happen for United. Together with Fletcher and Anderson in midfield, they totally dominated possession and created lots of chances to finish off the game. And it took several attempts to finish off the game. Just when City thought they had stolen a point after Ferdinand’s giveaway to Bellamy, Giggs and Owen combined for the winning goal. It was a delicious ball from Giggs and a sublime finish from the never say die Owen. How fitting for two old heroes. Giggs proves once again his legendary status in football and Michael Owen sends a clear message to Capello. Can he build on this? Can he really mount a case to get to South Africa?
And what about Sir Alex Ferguson. He bought on Valencia and he too helped change the game. Then he subbed Berbatov for Owen and he netted the winner. His plan worked to perfection throughout. He wanted this one badly and his team delivered. He wanted to prove that United are still the best team in Manchester. Oh and by the way…they are! With over 400 million pounds of talent on display in this game, it was the pure beauty of football that won in the end. It was the fans that reaped the rewards and the game of football was victorious.
Who was your man of the match? Did you think Tevez was a factor at all? Was the referee fair with the injury time played? Is Fletcher the answer in midfield for United? Would City have won with Adebayor? Is Shay Given one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the world? Do you think the result was fair?