Edwin van der Sar given leave after wife suffers brain haemorrhage

Edwin van der Sar has been given compassionate leave by Manchester United to be with his wife after she suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Annemarie van Kesteren has been described as "very poorly" after collapsing on 23 December. She has been in hospital ever since and United have told Van der Sar to take as long as he needs before returning to play in goal.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has been keeping in regular contact with the former Holland international and the club have explained his absence from their Christmas programme as being because he is still troubled by the knee injury that had kept him out since the 3-0 defeat of Everton on 21 November.

In the meantime, Ferguson will choose between Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster to compete for the vacant goalkeeping slot in place of the man Ferguson recently described as rivalling Peter Schmeichel to be recognised as the greatest goalkeeper in the club's history. United's next game is at home to Wigan on Wednesday.

Ferguson prides himself on looking after his players in emergency situations and has stressed to Van der Sar that there is no pressure on him to return before he is ready. Rob Jansen, the agent who represents the 39-year-old Van der Sar, declined to comment, saying it was "private business," but Van der Sar is said to be deeply shocked by what has happened. Relatives have joined him as he looks after the couple's young son, Joe, and daughter, Lynn.

Van der Sar, the most capped footballer of all time for Holland with 130 appearances, met Annemarie when he was shopping at her brother's grocery store. The couple were married in Amsterdam in May 2006, with Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Real Madrid striker who has been a team-mate of Van der Sar with United and Holland, among the guests. They live in Cheshire, where Annemarie deliberately tries to shun the celebrity lifestyle.

Van der Sar has recently been contemplating an offer from the Dutch football authorities to come out of retirement to play for his country in the World Cup in South Africa next year, where they will compete in a group with Japan, Cameroon and Denmark. He had turned down their initial approach, but further talks were planned in the coming months.

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Fucking hell.

I only started to watch football/follow United properly during 2006 so my favorite goals will mostly be from that period up to now..

Here are my favorite goals from that time:

1) Scholes goal vs Barca..so beautiful and so fitting.




( Lets look back fondly on our favorite goals.. )

Cristiano Ronaldo has urged Real Madrid to sign former Manchester United team- mate Wayne Rooney.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has got Rooney, Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero and Valencia’s David Villa on his hit-list as next summer’s superstar signing, according to reports in Spain.

England striker Rooney has already insisted he is happy at Manchester United and is poised to sign a new deal at Old Trafford.

But Ronaldo believes that it is Rooney who could be the biggest sensation of all at Real Madrid.

Ronaldo, who quit United for Real Madrid last summer in an £80million switch, says Rooney has all the attributes to succeed.

“He can be a spectacle and sensation at Real Madrid and has all of the qualities to succeed in La Liga," he said.

Real are planning a major shake-up, although their attempts to get Villa will scupper Manchester City’s attempts to sign the Spain forward. Chelsea also want Aguero.

Rafael van der Vaart, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Royston Drenthe are all set to depart the Bernabeu.

The Mirror.

Please NO.I dont think Roo would leave us anyway!

Manchester United winger Nani could soon be on his way home to Portugal, with the Red Devils apparently set to offer the player to Benfica as part of a potential deal to bring Angel di Maria to old Trafford.
( Read More )

Congratulations with good result today ;)

(1) How much does a year's TiVo subscription cost in Canada? I know it's $12.99 a month but I can't find anywhere online that tells me the cost for a year. How much is a lifetime subscription? The TiVo Canada page is woefully out of date (it doesn't appear to have been updated since TiVo was made available in Canada) and it doesn't give the price of a lifetime subscription. It says the yearly price is $129 "until February 2008."

(2) Is there a way to get programs from a TiVo on to my computer or any other way of archiving shows? There doesn't seem to be any TiVo with built-in DVD recorder available in Canada. Found this info on the community resources page.

(3) Does TiVo have an editing feature? For example, can I edit out commercials? My current hard-drive DVR lets me combine shows, divide shows and delete parts of shows that I've recorded on the hard drive.

Frey linked with Manchester United

Manchester United Football Club are reportedly interested in Sebastian Frey.

With Edwin van der Sar possibly hanging up his gloves at the end of the season and Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster failing to convince, the Reds are in the market for a new goalkeeper.

Sportmediaset.it claim Sir Alex Ferguson has set his sights on 29-year-old French shot stopper Frey, who is under contract at Fiorentina until the summer of 2013.

However, to sign the Viola star won’t come cheap for the Premier League champions, as his release clause in his current deal stands at €18million.

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Bit unfair really when PIG has done perfectly well in Van Der Sar's absence.

Pep Guardiola targeted as next Manchester United boss

Barcelona based newspaper El Mundo Deportivo have claimed that Manchester United have targeted Pep Guardiola as the long term replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford dugout.

The Premier League champions have reportedly offered Guardiola a lucrative contract and would be willing to give him the freedom Ferguson enjoys currently at Manchester United .

The reports in Spain suggest Manchester United are eager to secure Guardiola by April 2010, intimating he could work with Ferguson before the veteran Scot retires. Guardiola’s contract at the Nou Camp expires at the end of this season and president Joan Laporta is hopeful of renewing his deal after Barcelona’s unprecedented sweep of six trophies in 2009.

Pep Guardiola famously led his Barcelona side to a 2-0 win over Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final.

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It'd be interesting but I doubt it's true.

And for you folks in the UK I saw on Soccer AM's Twitter this morning that Rio is gonna be on doing teammates on boxing day. I'm sure it'll be on Youtube not long after too.

Real Madrid After Jonny Evans But Manchester United Want Karim Benzema - Report

The rumour mill is already churning as Madrid are reportedly after Jonny while the Red Devils have been keeping an eye on Benz...
Dec 21, 2009

According to English tabloid publication, People, the winter transfer window could yield some action between Manchester United and Real Madrid as Los Blancos are reportedly keen on signing central defender Jonny Evans whereas the Red Devils are on the trail of Madrid star striker, Karim Benzema.

England's Sunday Express has also reported on the story claiming that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson would seek the Frenchman's services at Old Trafford and could shell out a sum of €40 million in the coming January transfer window.

While both Evans and Benzema are stars in a new generation of rising footballers, the likelihood of a deal involving the Madrid No.11 has to be called into question: Benzema has only just made the move to the Spanish capital this past summer from Lyon and while the French striker has not seen regular minutes, he continues to be an important player in coach Manuel Pellegrini's squad.
Goal.com

France Internationals Hugo Lloris & Hatem Ben Arfa Coveted By Manchester United – Report

The Red Devils have honed in their radars on le Championnat to bolster their squad during the January transfer window.
Dec 21, 2009

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson continues to be closely associated with Olympique de Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa and reports also suggest he could make a swoop for Olympique Lyonnais goalkeeper Hugo Lloris too.

Rumours surrounding a potential January move to Old Trafford for out-of-favour Ben Arfa first began to circulate late on Friday, but the speculation has stepped up in intensity on Sunday, when radio station RTL confirmed that the former Lyon youth’s agent had held talks with representatives of the Premier League titans.

It is suggested that the 22-year-old could join the Red Devils in the coming weeks for around €9 million before being loaned out to either Birmingham City or Everton. Ferguson supposedly wants the Parisian-born talent toughened up a little before regularly turning out at the Theatre of Dreams.

The People suggests that Lloris is also a potential target for the Scottish manager. With Edwin van der Sar in the twilight of his career, the young France international goalkeeper would seem an ideal replacement as he has been in stunning form with les Gones as well as his country.

Turning 23 years old on Boxing Day, Lloris’ has already demonstrated his consistency at a top level, although he is still considered a youngster by goalkeeping standards.

No fee has been suggested for his services, but it would be in excess of the €8.5m Lyon paid Nice for him in the summer of 2008.

Reports in Italy, meanwhile, has pin-pointed Fiorentina's Sebastien Frey as a potential successor to van der Sar.

So Messi wins World Player of the Year, ultimate shocker, the important bit is in bold.

Lionel Messi is named Fifa World Player of the Year

Lionel Messi, the Barcelona and Argentina forward, has been named the Fifa FIFPro World Player of the Year at a ceremony in Zurich.

Messi, who has finished runner-up in the past two years, to Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and Kaka, then of AC Milan, in 2007, had been widely tipped to win the award.

The 22-year-old thus completes a notable double, having collected the Ballon d'Or as European Footballer of the Year at the start of the month.

Messi was the top scorer in last year’s Champions League with nine goals, one of which was his superb header in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final. It caps an incredible year for the player, who just two days ago scored the extra-time winner against Estudiantes de la Plata to earn his side the Fifa Club World Cup.

“It is beautiful to achieve a year that cannot possibly be improved,” Messi said through a translator. He called the award “the icing on the cake.”

John Terry and Steven Gerrard were among five Premier League players named tonight in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI.

The others were Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, the Manchester United defenders, and Fernando Torries, the Liverpool striker. The full side was: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Patrice Evra (Man Utd), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Fernando Torres (Liverpool).

Terry said: “There is no higher accolade than to be voted for by your fellow professionals so we are all very proud.” Ronaldo won the Fifa Puskas award for the best goal of the 2008/09 season - his long-range thunderbolt for Manchester United against Porto in the Champions League in April.

Marta, the Brazilian, was named the Fifa women’s player of the year at the same ceremony, which featured Arsenal Ladies' Kelly Smith among the finalists.

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6964466.ece

Go Vidic and Evra <3


EDIT: Just noticed Times typo, who is Fernando Torries????

The Serbian defender was substituted during Tuesday's win over Wolves at Old Trafford, after straining a calf, but Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful of a swift recovery.  "

We're waiting on Nemanja Vidic," said the manager at his pre-match press conference. "Hopefully he'll be okay for tomorrow but he needs to train today."

Wes Brown will also miss Fulham, and presumably the Christmas weekend trip to Hull City, given the manager's assessment that "he should be available in ten days" following the hamstring injury which kept him out against Wolves.

Gary Neville could be back for Hull - "he's not far away, maybe seven days" - as could fellow right-back Rafael, who started training this week.

Edwin van der Sar will not be available to play against his former club - the boss revealed his first-choice goalkeeper has flown to his native Netherlands for a consultation with the national team doctor regarding his knee injury.

Nani is also ruled out for a couple of weeks, due to an ankle injury sustained against Wolfsburg on 8 December.
 
The news on longer term injuries is that Rio Ferdinand is "a lot better" and may be fit within the next two to three weeks.
 
However, John O'Shea and Jonny Evans are not expected to play until "well into January" and there's a similar timescale for Owen Hargreaves. "

Owen's doing a bit better this week, and he's coming along slowly," said Sir Alex. "Hopefully he'll be back at the end of January."

Welcome to old Trafford, David.
P.S. I prefer to see CSKA or Olympiakos. It would be not so easy to beat Milan :(

unitedrant.co.uk

With Manchester United having suffered five defeats already this season, Rant looks at ten players who could boost the club’s domestic and European ambitions in 2010 and beyond. As silly season approaches, each of these players will move to the club in a multi-million deal, according to the media that is!

( Read more... )

Just wondering what opera might have a rabbi among the cast of characters. The only two I can think of are Halevy's La Juive and Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz. Can anyone fill out the list?

Benitez guarantees top 4 finish for Liverpool

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he "guarantees" that they will finish in the top four despite their poor form so far this season.

Having begun hoping to challenge for the title Liverpool lie seventh in the table, 13 points behind leaders Chelsea and out of the Champions League.

"I am sure we can do it because I know we are better than the team you are seeing on the pitch," said Benitez.

"I can guarantee we will finish in the top four."

On Sunday, Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal, despite scoring first.

That result, their sixth league defeat of the season, left them five points adrift of the Champions League places. And it extended their run of poor results to only three wins in the last 15 games, their last home victory having come against champions Manchester United on 25 October.

Benitez is facing the most difficult period of his five years in charge at Anfield, but insists he will not compromise his principles to get out of an uncomfortable situation.

606: DEBATE
I don't think he was wise to say this, has he just heaped even more pressure on his threadbare squad, is it a big mistake or will it show the squad he means business?

dependabledennis

"For five years I think we were doing well," he said. "So we have to keep going in the same way because the club is stronger now in everything: the squad, the value of the club is better than five years ago.

"Yes, it is a bad moment but I still think we can improve.

"I think it is very important for any manager, but especially here in England, to be strong.

"You have to show you have an idea, you have your own people that you can talk with and analyse things and say 'This is the way to do things' and we have to keep going.

"The main thing for me is to come here early in the morning, do my job, go home still working a little bit and try to be ready for the next day.

"That is the way to do things and that is an example for the players - and they are doing the same thing.

"Everything can be improved and if we make mistakes we keep going.

"There are still 22 games to play so we know we have to change our target. Now it is to get three points against Wigan and then start thinking about Portsmouth (at the weekend)."