Foster told he isn't going anywhere

Alex Ferguson has come out and stated that Ben Foster will not be leaving the club in January and that he wants o hold on to the England international. The 26 year old keeper was the number one at the start of the season due to an injury to Edwin van der Saar but now finds himself third in the pecking order.

Foster is still in the England frame, however, and claimed his club situation was "disheartening" after playing in the defeat against Brazil last weekend.

But Ferguson said: "He is definitely staying. He will be a terrific keeper."

After playing his second consecutive game for England in Qatar, Foster expressed frustration with his predicament, pointing out that while he was playing regularly for his country he was unable to play week in week out in a Man Utd football shirt .

That led to reports that Foster could move away from United in the January transfer window in order to earn a place in England manager Fabio Capello's World Cup squad, with a loan move the most likely.

Foster made his name during two separate loan moves to Watford - but his manager insists there is no chance of another switch in the New Year.

"He has had a couple of bad mistakes in games but his performance level has been very good," added Ferguson.

"Ben is a strong lad. Without doubt he is England's best goalkeeper. Without question he has the best presence and he is the quickest. He is also very brave.

"But for a lad of 26 he has not had much game experience. That is the negative part for him and that is where maybe it will cost him his England position at the moment.

"However, I am not protecting the lad because he is my goalkeeper but when I look at the abilities of the goalkeepers in the league who are English, I don't think they are as good as Ben Foster. It is as simple as that."

Written by Mark Ferguson, a sports writer who blogs about cheap football kits

OWEN: We Can build on Chelsea Display

Michael Owen believes events at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago will help inspire Sir Alex Ferguson’s men when Everton visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

But it’s not just a sense of injustice that will fire the Reds. Owen says United will take heart from the way the team dominated at Chelsea despite the 1-0 loss.

“We don’t have that desperate desire to get out there again and prove anything to anyone,” Owen told United Review .

“When we lost at Liverpool it was a different story – we didn’t perform well at Anfield – but there was no way we deserved to lose at Chelsea. We walked away with our heads held high. There were plenty of positives to take out of that performance.”

Positive sums up Owen’s start to his United career. The 29-year-old has scored in the league, Carling Cup and Champions League since his summer arrival and choruses of “Michael Owen is a Red” have rung out around Old Trafford since his winner in September’s Manchester derby.

“I’m not sure Gary Neville’s too pleased with me nicking his song!” he joked.

“To be honest, 10 years ago I wouldn’t have dared dream I would one day play for United, so it’s a nice surprise. I’ve been very fortunate to end up here and there’s no better feeling than playing, scoring, winning and hearing the fans sing your name.”

Source: United Review

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Could Mourinho be the next United manager?

The story linking Jose Mourinho with a move to Manchester United as manager one day continues to rumble on. Mourinho has in the past hinted that he would like the job, and again this week, that he sees his long term future in England.

It would seem unlikely that a return to Chelsea would be on the cards and, going on the assumption he would only go to a top 4 club, unless there is new ownership at Arsenal then his style of play wouldn't exactly be welcomed at the Emirates which leaves Man Utd or Liverpool. Liverpool are certainly in need of a change at the moment but whether the financing would be available for Mourinho under the current owners is uncertain.

The other apparent option for Mourinho is the Man City job, where he would certainly have the financing made available to him, but the main aspect of that job that would appear to potentially rule it out is that it is unlikely it would be a long term job which according to Mourinho is what he is looking for next in his career. That leaves only Manchester United as the type of club that Mourinho is looking for. There is no doubt that he is a top manager and 5 titles in 7 seasons in 3 different countries is an impressive record for anyone, but would he be welcomed by the fans at Old Trafford?

The initial reaction by many fans would be no, but the reality is Sir Alex can not go on forever. Most of us can't really remember Man Utd without Sir Alex but there will be a day when he is no longer in charge. There have been a few names linked with possibly taking over one day including David Moyes, Martin O'Neil and Steve Bruce, but the reality is none of these guys have won titles before and are very unlikely to at their current clubs so would a risk like that be one worth taking or does the experience of Mourinho not make him an ideal candidate?

There is no doubt in my mind that Mourinho has the managerial talent to win the league at United but for him to be accepted by the fans he would need to adapt to the culture of the club. If Mourinho was in it for the long haul he could be an excellent United manager and although it would take him a while to win over the whole support he would be a success as at Man Utd. Whether the club would choose to appoint someone like Mourinho I think will very much come down to Sir Alex who will almost certainly have major say in whoever is appointed.

Written by Mark Ferguson, a sports writer who blogs about cheap football jerseys

Rio Ferdinand is out until New Year

RIO FERDINAND will not play for Manchester United again this year.

The England centre-back has been told he needs another six weeks of rest and physio work before his back will be strong enough for Premier League football.

Ferdinand, 31, had been playing with back problems since last season - leading to a calf injury this term.

After a series of poor displays he decided to get the problem sorted out for good.

Rio had hoped to be back by the start of December. But by the time he plays again, he will have missed at least 15 matches.

United's medical staff have been baffled by his constant injury problems.

One theory being looked into now is that he might need his hip realigned.

If the hip is slightly out it will lead to strain on other parts of the body, including his back.

Ferdinand's last game for United came in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on October 25 when he was out-run and out-muscled by Fernando Torres for the opening goal.

At least there was good news for United boss Alex Ferguson about Ferdinand's defensive partner Nemanja Vidic.

Vidic is ready to start against Everton on Saturday after coming through Serbia's 1-0 win over South Korea unscathed.

Vidic missed United's 1-0 defeat by Chelsea 11 days ago with a calf injury but played 60 minutes of yesterday's international at Craven Cottage.

United's Korean midfielder Park Ji Sung also played an hour as he continues his recovery from a knee problem.

Source: The Sun

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Ben Foster disheartened at United

England goalkeeper Ben Foster is "disheartened" by his Manchester United status - but has no plans to leave.

At the start of the season he stood in for Edwin van der Sar, but a series of errors means he is third-choice behind the Dutchman and Tomasz Kuszczak.

"I'm third choice for United yet I'm playing for my country," said Foster after England's 1-0 defeat by Brazil.

"It's very disheartening not even to be on the bench, but I can't go saying 'I want to leave' or anything like that."

With Van der Sar absent through injury in the early months of the season, Foster was handed the gloves by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, only to make embarrassing mistakes in the derby win over Manchester City and the 2-2 draw with Sunderland.

"I thought I started off well but then there was a period of two or three games where I made a few mistakes," added Foster.

"But they were the only ones I made really and I was disappointed to find myself out of the team."

But while his club form dimmed, Foster's international prospects brightened due to Robert Green's suspension following his dismissal against Ukraine, allowing the United keeper to play against Belarus and Brazil.

"It is everything for a footballer to go to the World Cup but I can't go saying 'I want to leave' or anything like that," said Foster, reflecting on his chances of going to the World Cup in South Africa if he is not playing in the United first-team.

"I have just got to see what happens."

Fabio Capello is expected to take three keepers to South Africa, with David James, Green and Foster the Italian's preferred stoppers.

Source: BBC Sports

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The rise and rise of Darren Fletcher

The football world’s eyes are at last wide open to what the boss knew all along – Darren Fletcher is pure gold. The 25-year-old’s emergence as one of English football’s finest engine-room controllers has surprised a few, but his displays have vindicated Sir Alex’s faith in him. We spoke to Fletch – proud father whose twin toddlers make his on-field challenges seem a doddle – about his hard-earned authority as a top-class midfielder...

A year ago you said you were playing your best football, but you’ve stepped it up yet another level since then…

I’m enjoying everything at the moment because the team is successful. Last season was great, despite the disappointment of the Champions League final. That low was partly because it was the last game as well, but if you look back on what we achieved right throughout the season it was fantastic. I played in a lot of big games and was given a consistent run in the side. The most important thing for me this season has been to kick on and not sit back and take my place for granted. At United you’re proving your worth in every game, there’s always someone who wants to take your shirt. That drives you on. I want to keep improving as a player, as I feel I have done in every season I’ve been here. You look at Giggsy, Scholesy and Gary Neville – as they’ve got older they’ve improved through their experience, knowledge, maturity and application of what they do off the pitch as much as on it.

The coaches have spoken of your determination to improve. Does the hard work you’ve shown to get where you are now bring added satisfaction?

This is a level that I’ve been striving to reach. The way I’m playing now, I’m the player I’ve always wanted to show people I could be. I’m not saying I’ve worked harder than anyone else, I’ve just tried to make sure I improve my game – and things have really paid off. Doing weights is a big thing for me now, whereas before it didn’t seem to have much effect. But just because you’re in the gym, that doesn’t make you a great player. It’s small percentages of improvement that help you become a better athlete and player. Becoming a father has really helped, too. Having two lads [twins Jack and Tyler] has matured me as a person, and that helps on the pitch as well.

What difference has having the boys made to you off the pitch and on it?

Having the boys has helped take my mind away from football, which is no bad thing. When I was younger I was intense and uptight about how well I was playing. I was constantly thinking about situations in games, what I could do better, or a bad performance would play on my mind. If you’re sitting at home with nothing else to do it’s easier to think about those things. Whereas now I go home to my children, who take up lots of my time, and it puts everything else into perspective. It gives you a great outlook on life. Now I know there’s a time to work and be focused on that. But I’ve also got my family, who are the biggest part of my life now. It allows me to relax much more, and because of that my game and outlook on everything is more balanced and more mature.

Mike Clegg [United’s strength and conditioning coach] says you’ve struck the perfect balance between football fitness and gym work. The only other person he’s seen do that is Cristiano Ronaldo. Quite a compliment...

Fitness has never been a problem, but in terms of strength and power my gym work has made a real difference. Striking the right balance is important. There’d be no point in bulking up if that was to the detriment of being able to get around the pitch, which is a big part of my game. I wanted to get to a level where I had strength, but also the stamina to keep going over 90 minutes. I’ve found a good balance, although I reckon I could still do a little more and put on more weight without affecting my fitness. There’s room for improvement but, like I said, I’m always looking to develop the little things. It’s not just the physical side – it’s a mental thing as well. I have more experience now, and simply being at this club improves you as a player; being in this team, around these great professionals. It’s been a gradual progression for me, but I’m really enjoying myself and I want that to continue for many more years to come.

When Ronaldo left in the summer, Sir Alex said it was a chance for other players to step up. Did you see it as your opportunity to stamp your mark on the team?

The players all knew we were losing a massive player, and a big gap in how and where we got our goals. We knew other players would have to rise to the challenge – we needed everyone to raise their game. Maybe there were times when we expected Ronaldo to come up with the goods, whereas now everyone knows we need to produce, individually or collectively. We’re a different team now, with a different style. Ronaldo was brilliant for us as much as we were brilliant for him, but now we have a new style and new players. We try to find the best way to win a match as a team. That’s United’s secret and a lot of the players have learnt that from Giggs, Scholes and Neville. There’s more than one way to win a match. We’ve shown already this season that we can win playing brilliant, attacking football. But sometimes it has to be ugly. They have the know-how to do it and the rest of us are learning. There will be times in games when we might not be on top, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to lose. That’s what makes this a good team, a championship-winning team.

Source: manutd.com

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Who can replace Ronaldo?

It doesn't take a genius to work out that we are not the team we were last year with the only loss to the team being the genius that was Cristiano Ronaldo. Wayne Rooney has been given much more of free role and is playing better than he ever has but he can't do it alone. Just like Ronaldo needed Rooney in the team Rooney needs a Ronaldo and Antonio Valencia just isn't it.

Valencia is not a bad player and has shown glimpses of why he was brought to the club. However he is not the world class player that Ronaldo was and the world class player that we need in the team. At times the side seems to lack creativity and imagination, particularly in the midfield, but trying to find a replacement for Ronaldo is much easier said than done, not only financially, but also in finding someone who offers the same quality.

There have been a number of players who have been linked with Man Utd and with puling on the famous red Man Utd shirt but so far we have not seen any of the names linked with a come to fruition.

One of the names continually linked with a move to the club is Franck Ribery. He appears to be one of the most sought after players at the moment but Bayern were keen to keep him in the summer and did but if the rumours are true they could now be willing to cash in on their star man.

Another two players linked with the club are David Villa and David Silva, both of whom appear to be top quality players. Silva is not quite the quality of Ronaldo but is certainly a top class player whilst Villa is one of the best forwards in the game. Both players seemed reluctant to leave Valencia but with the increasing financial problems at the club they could be forced to move.

Atletico Madrid's Argentinean forward Sergio Aguero is a player linked with a move to the Premiership, and although there is no doubt the lad has talent I am just not convinced he can do it as regularly as we would want and need him to.

For me the Ribery, Villa and Silva would certainly add to the quality of the team but I feel more is needed. A top quality central creative midfielder is what we need at the club but these are not easy to pick up. A player with the qualities of Diego, though I am not necessarily saying him though you could do worse, is what we need. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have served the club magnificently over the years but we can't depend on them forever. We need to sign someone sooner rather than later but I don't see any big money move being made until the summer which I fear may be a little too late.

Written by Danny Watson, a sports writer who blogs about cheap football jerseys