i smell a rat

[anny road]

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/sport/fo...fa_respect.html

 

Fergie has Rafa respect

 

SIR ALEX Ferguson has praised Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez ahead of Saturday's FA Cup clash at Anfield.

 

The United boss reckons Benitez is a "straightforward guy", and that his qualities helps win over players.

 

While there is historically intense rivalry between the two clubs, there appears to be nothing but respect between the two bosses.

 

"I enjoyed his company in the last UEFA coaches' seminar, it was good," Ferguson told www.leaguemanagers.com.

 

"We sat beside each other on the coach going to the meeting and I think he's a straightforward guy.

 

"That's good to see and it does your players good, because they can see the quality of the person in terms of success has not changed him.

 

"That is vital in modern day football because the one thing we don't like to see is people change within our own confines.

 

"I don't like to see United players change and I'm sure that Rafael is the same. He doesn't want to see his players change.

 

"Managers like Rafael put the marker down about what they are and hopefully it transfers itself to the players."

 

Ferguson was at Anfield in midweek to honour Bob Paisley, who died 10 ten years ago this week.

 

Memories

 

The United boss has nothing but good memories of the former Liverpool manager and a picture of the two men graces the wall in his office.

 

Ferguson recalled: "The photograph was taken when he came to one of our games here and I'd gone up to do the press.

 

"Somebody said `Bob Paisley would like to meet you and have a chat with you.' I'd just arrived (in England) and I think he was welcoming me.

 

"The thing that came across about Bob Paisley, of course, was his humility, he was an ordinary man who didn't quite fit with the glamour of success too well.

 

"He would have been quite happy with his slippers and his pipe, or his pint of beer and not bother with all the trappings of what Liverpool FC could offer, because they were very successful under him."

 

Ferguson added: "When I was manager of Scotland I used to talk to (Graeme) Souness, (Kenny) Dalglish, (Alan) Hansen and (Steve) Nicol about Bob.

 

"They used to laugh about how ordinary a guy he was and that he was running this big football team.

 

"They loved him and he was very well liked by the players, because he was sort of a cuddly granddad type for them. I think that was the thing that really impressed me."

[realtarragona]

He often is.

[Stevie H]

back on our perch you b*****d.

[anny road]

He often is.

 

 

still dont like it

[Stevie H]

still dont like it

 

he's going to brief his team to try and kick f*** out of us saturday.

 

plus there's the gary neville factor.

[Nerik]

Well they are nice words nonetheless.

[anny road]

Well they are nice words nonetheless.

 

 

whatever

[Barnesy_10]

they had an interview with him on SSN where he said that the main reason he took the job at Man Utd 19 years back was to basically to try and stop Liverpool from winning stuff...

[Falconhoof]

they had an interview with him on SSN where he said that the main reason he took the job at Man Utd 19 years back was to basically to try and stop Liverpool from winning stuff...

 

 

Nah, he's said it loads of times. What he actually says is to take over from Liverpool and become the top team.

[anny road]

Nah, he's said it loads of times. What he actually says is to take over from Liverpool and become the top team.

 

 

so he never said the perch thing then

[sutty]

Dave Ricketts loves

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Dave Ricketts loves

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

[anny road]

Dave Ricketts loves

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Dave Ricketts loves

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

 

 

David Sutton loves

geting a good hiding

getting a good hiding

getting a good hiding

[Falconhoof]

so he never said the perch thing then

 

He didn't say that this week, but yeah, you've jogged my memory. He has said it in the past.

 

I distrust everything he says anyway.

[DaveLFC]

Time to stand back and see that this is one manager showing respect for another. He also says some nice things about Rafa. I am sure Rafa has some nice things to say about him.

 

Quite separate we fans have our own opinions which are not based on knowing the other person but on our support for our team and our immense dislike of man utd.

 

To us he quite rightly is a t***..

[Mad_Fer_It]

You can hate him all you want, but after all... and im scared im going to say this...

 

He's not sure if the word is honorable or fair, or just a man's man...

 

But he's not a teenage girl like maureen or a little spoiled boy like Whiner is....

 

if hes been at a club that long he deserves some sort of respect....

 

 

he's still SLUR ALEX though!

 

i feel dirty now!!

[anny road]

You can hate him all you want, but after all... and im scared im going to say this...

 

He's not sure if the word is honorable or fair, or just a man's man...

 

But he's not a teenage girl like maureen or a little spoiled boy like Whiner is....

 

if hes been at a club that long he deserves some sort of respect....

he's still SLUR ALEX though!

 

i feel dirty now!!

 

 

whatever

[Mad_Fer_It]

dont make me look like im on his side now!

[Spike]

The cynic in me says that he's positioning his team etc so that when they get the dogs abuse they will get (particularly birthday boy) we'll look unsporting

[Archangel]

Fergusons only crime as far as I can see is for managing a succesful rival. The words are genuine and said from one man who lives for football, its a compliment and a mark of respect for our club and its traditions

 

Sure he's been a b*****d and a pain in the a*** for years, even a figure to hate but it was our managments inability to meet the challenge that was the real problem Benitez has it and Ferguson knows that and acknowledges it.

 

Ferguson has always admitted that games against Liverpool were special why? because this craggy faced curmudgeon from glasgow understands history and footballs core values, light years away from the frothy headed Beckham and the new galacticos with whom he obviously feels uncomfortable and the iconic rise of Chelseas special one

 

Hate him if you like but deep down he's at lot closer to our traditions than some would like to admit. Ferguson was a winner and his record speaks for itself. I believe his era is drawing to a close but I respect what he's done at United that so many managers failed miserably to acheive before him

 

Ironic that the decline of our era was marked by the rise of his only for the decline of his reign to be marked by the re-emergence of ours

[anny road]

Fergusons only crime as far as I can see is for managing a succesful rival. The words are genuine and said from one man who lives for football, its a compliment and a mark of respect for our club and its traditions

 

Sure he's been a b*****d and a pain in the a*** for years, even a figure to hate but it was our managments inability to meet the challenge that was the real problem Benitez has it and Ferguson knows that and acknowledges it.

 

Ferguson has always admitted that games against Liverpool were special why? because this craggy faced curmudgeon from glasgow understands history and footballs core values, light years away from the frothy headed Beckham and the new galacticos with whom he obviously feels uncomfortable and the iconic rise of Chelseas special one

 

Hate him if you like but deep down he's at lot closer to our traditions than some would like to admit. Ferguson was a winner and his record speaks for itself. I believe his era is drawing to a close but I respect what he's done at United that so many managers failed miserably to acheive before him

 

Ironic that the decline of our era was marked by the rise of his only for the decline of his reign to be marked by the re-emergence of ours

 

 

if you like

[hideNseek]

His usual button us up before his lot beat us, if our lot fall for it, which they often do.

 

He's a drunken t***. Can't stand him and so want our lads to beat his bunch of pansie boy prima donnas.

[ajit]

Much as it hurts to say this - Fergie is a great football manager - one who can be mentioned ALMOST in the same breath as some of our Greats. What he did to get ManU out of our huge shadow was truly a feat.

I also feel he has a lot more respect for LFC than he has for any other club in the land.

[Romario]

You can hate him all you want, but after all... and im scared im going to say this...

 

He's not sure if the word is honorable or fair, or just a man's man...

 

But he's not a teenage girl like maureen or a little spoiled boy like Whiner is....

 

if hes been at a club that long he deserves some sort of respect....

he's still SLUR ALEX though!

 

i feel dirty now!!

I think he's a c*** but lately he's mellowing and I hate to say it but I don't hate him as much as that blow in pretender at Chelsea. I dispise ManU but he's earned his place with all those penos and extra time in games refs have given him as well as the free flow of cash to blow on turkeys like Veron

 

and we are a striker and a winger away. So What?

4 strikers and a winger

[Flight]

Utd are only a couple of centre midfielders away from being a very strong force.

 

Easy words to say, but its the hardest part of the team to get right. Don't forget this isn't a new thing - they've been trying to buy players for those positions for 7 or 8 years and repeatedly failed.

 

They also need replacements for Giggs and a top keeper. Then Neville can't have many years left.

 

 

They remind me massively of us in the early nineties. Still considering ourselves far and away the biggest team, playing some of our key players just a year too long, not buying well in some key positions - on the slide and kidding ourselves.

 

 

Bottom line is all their player purchases over the next couple of years have got to be spot on. And the interesting thing is Arsenal need key players in all the same positions.

[floyd]

I'd love to know what Taggert wrote in his letter to Rafa after Istanbul? Wonder if that was complimentry?