It was annoying me a little bit. I didnt really care about it, I just wanted to win the league again. The unbeaten season was the special bit, not the entire run.Originally Posted by Burney
I'll be honest p and say I have blocked them from my mind and have no wish to see them again. The year before was another factor but also plays along with the United knew they could push the limits. As much as I despise Riley, I would much rather save the majority of my contempt for United
A bit like love, contempt isn't like a finite resource; you can hate Riley and United in equal measures.
Go on. You know you want to ...
“Other clubs never came into my thoughts once I knew Arsenal wanted to sign me.”
Of course. I dont think Riley was corrupt but he was known to be hopelessly inept atOld TRafford and almost physically incapable of giving a decision against them. You do have to ask why he was appointed for that game. The course of the match was decided the minute he was appointed.
United were always going to go after us but they would have been rubbing their hands the moment they knew he had been appointed. Without question, it ramped everything up a notch for them.
Reyes was always going to be the target. Nobody in their right mind would think they could intimidate Vieira, or Bergkamp, or Henry. Reyes was the obvious weak link in that respect.
At the very least, I was disappointed that nobody really even mentioned that it was quite sad that United, at that time the richest club in England by far with their greatest ever manager, had to resort to kicking us off the pitch and diving just to cope with us. Corruption aside, that part is undeniable but was viewed by too many as just part of the english game.
Thank you I. Sort of valuable advice one expects from HR
But.... if they know they are going to get away with it, why wouldn't they do it? I have to admit, I would.....
For me the disgrace is that they knew they could get away with it. Its beyond 'pushing your luck'.... they KNEW.
those interviews when Wenger (ahem) left The Arsenal and the United talking heads were saying how they changed the way they played (only) for The Arsenal.
How they would physically target players and intimidate the ref , then bragging about how they were the best in the league at it :fume:
though for me, it only confirmed what a massive Hampshire fan Paul Scholes is.
“Other clubs never came into my thoughts once I knew Arsenal wanted to sign me.”
Right. THere is not much to 'being good at it'. Any idiot can do it. The art is in getting away with it andthey didnt getaway with it because they were clever, or cute, or subtle. They got away with it because refs were scared of them and their manager.
Not really anything to boast about, is it.
oh, nail and head, p.
and the real question is 'why?'
“Other clubs never came into my thoughts once I knew Arsenal wanted to sign me.”
Oh, that's very easy. Ferguson very carefully cultivated the football press to ensure that his views were always given the highest possible prominence. He ran the press by using a carefully-measured balance of carrot and stick, with those who pleased him given increased access and those who displeased him being cast into outer darkness.
This gave him enormous power. It meant that simply by making the right noises he could make sure a referee came under extreme scrutiny if he dared to make a decision that displeased Ferguson. Equally, he could say something about an opposition player that would ensure that player came under referees' increased scrutiny or suggest that United were getting too many penalties given against them or that one of his players needed more protection from referees. Or he could encourage the old 'joke' about Scholesy and his 'forwards' tackles' that meant the dirty cùnt didn't get sent off half as much as he should have. Or he'd say Arsenal were a dirty team, but didn't like it up 'em. Etc.
He managed the press and media beautifully and this meant he got to control things.
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