United have reported Madrid to FIFA

[Rashid]

What fucking cunts!

Have they forgotten Mexes (Christmas Cards), Torres (Cristmas Cards and openly speaking with his agent during the last World Cup only for the player to turn it down), Stam (Speaking to him before speaking to his club), Hargreaves (openly courting him through the media and England get togethers at carrington) and the rest?

Ferguson you are an utter cunt.

[hamstrung]

They send Xmas cards to players they want to buy?

That's funny.

[t1971]

Hypocritical bastards.

[davelfc]

They'd better get used to being a selling club.

[Vincent Vega]

Brian Reade from last week's Mirror:

Reade On Sport - Columnists - Sport - Mirror.co.uk

Fergie's old tap-dancing routine makes me cringe
Brian Reade 31/05/2008

In moments of triumph blind eyes are often turned to cringeful behaviour by the victor (think John Prescott's jiving to Things Can Only Get Better on Election Night 1997).

But surely not even Stevie Wonder would turn his head away from Alex Ferguson's accusation that Real Madrid, like their old mate Franco, are lacking in morals.

Because as everyone with the tiniest of smattering of football knowledge can tell you, when it comes to transfer dealings, Fergie is in no position to lecture others.

As for United's threat to urge FIFA to investigate Real Madrid for tapping-up Cristiano Ronaldo, can I, on behalf of world football, say: "Please Sir, bring it on".

Put simply, if Madrid were to ask FIFA to turn the same spotlight on Fergie it would open up a can of worms big enough for Bob Nudd to empty every river in the land of its pike population. The only question to be asked about Ferguson and tapping-up is where do you begin?

Let's stick with the last decade and start with the most publicised example: Jaap Stam detailing in his autobiography the precise methods employed by Fergie in 1998 to tap him up when he was still at PSV Eindhoven.

Ferguson wasn't investigated but Stam was shipped out, according to the Dutchman, for spilling the beans.

Remember in 2003 when United tried to sign Ronaldinho from Paris St Germain? Here's what their president Francis Graille said: "Manchester have not played the game in line with FIFA regulations.

"They have negotiated directly with the player. Even if they have got agreement from the player, they haven't got agreement from his club."

In the January of that year Sunderland chairman Bob Murray described Fergie's approaches to David Bellion as "shabby, despicable, disrespectful, arrogant and unprofessional".

And the previous summer United were accused of tapping-up Rennes full-back Julien Escude, after the France Under-21 international player claimed Ferguson had spoken to him on his mobile phone.

Ask Leeds and Everton about the behind-the-scenes connivance with Rio Ferdinand's and Wayne Rooney's agents before they moved to Old Trafford. Ask Fulham's Mohammed Al Fayed why he raged about Fergie "constantly unsettling my players" as he pursued Luis Saha. Ask Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge why he said in 2006: "We have told Manchester United that they should stop trying to tempt Owen Hargreaves. If they don't, then we will have to turn to FIFA."

But best of all, ask PSV Eindhoven's chairman Harry van Raaij about Fergie's behaviour in courting Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2000. Specifically his quote "he has crossed the line of decency".

Then ask him why, in 2004, when Arjen Robben was given the red-carpet treatment at United's training ground while still a PSV player, van Raaij flew into a rage and said: "It is Ferguson's way of doing business. A leopard never changes his spots."

I could go on but you get the picture. Before Ferguson conjures up images of the Madrid dictator Franco he should look hard into his mirror. For him to question the morals of another club when it comes exerting psychological pressure on a player he's set his sights on, is laughable.

To think a FIFA inquiry into deals which haven't gone strictly by the book would put another club in a worse light than his own, is dangerously deluded.

It must be down to the ease with which he has run rings around the petrified English authorities (as currently exemplified by the FA appealing against themselves for bizarrely letting Fergie and his assistant Carlos Queiroz off an improper conduct charge after attacking referee Martin Atkinson and his boss Keith Hackett).

Fergie knows better than anyone that one of the major reasons for his phenomenal success has been an ability to tie up deals with some of the world's best players.

Deals which, for every club in the world, often mean stretching the rule-book to the limits.

Hypocrisy, eh? Bloody hell.

"Fergie knows better than anyone that one of the reasons for his success has been an ability to tie up deals with some of the world's best players"

[Ulysses Everett McGill]

"parp"

[Section_31]

Brian Reade is fucking ace - fact.

I love all this panic stations shit from their end, the reason they're panicking isn't just because of the calibre of the player involved, it's because if he's poached then it blows all the 'biggest club in the world' and 'everywhere else a step down' bullshit out of the water for all to see.
The whole ethos of man utd is built on smoke and mirrors.

[Judge]

Great article from Reade.

United reporting Madrid must be one of the most laughable and hypocritic acts ever commited in the world of football.

[RedKnight]

I really hope that Ronaldo does go to Madrid, it proves that a) United aren't as big as they think they are and b) it'll give Ferguson his just desserts.

[Rashid]

I remember Mexes saying how much he loved Fergie and then spilt the beans about the birthday gifts and xmas cards. He was young and naive. I fucking hate that Fergie cunt. Reade has it spot. PSV in the past have been treated disgracefully.

[shanks59]

Originally Posted by Vincent Vega

Brian Reade from last week's Mirror:

Reade On Sport - Columnists - Sport - Mirror.co.uk

[t1971]

Wasnt there something dodgy going on with Robben too before they cocked up the deal?

[Mr T]

Class from Reade there.

You just couldn't make up some of the stuff Ferguson has pulled over the years and got away with.

[RSM]

The man has moral issues!

[greenoak]

If theres a god he will see to it that gayboy has a double ICL is is out of football for a year, where manc pay his massive wages and then he buggers off to madrid for cut price.

But we all know God cant touch the mancs

[shanks59]

Originally Posted by Vincent Vega

Brian Reade from last week's Mirror:

Reade On Sport - Columnists - Sport - Mirror.co.uk

[Kopite]

Originally Posted by Section_31

Brian Reade is fucking ace - fact.

I love all this panic stations shit from their end, the reason they're panicking isn't just because of the calibre of the player involved, it's because if he's poached then it blows all the 'biggest club in the world' and 'everywhere else a step down' bullshit out of the water for all to see.
The whole ethos of man utd is built on smoke and mirrors.

This appeared on my Newsnow feed. Haven't read it but it gives me a buzz to think how obsessed they are with us:

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