Ruud, here next season? (2)

[Nicodemus145]

^ The club and supporters have been patient with him through slumps of form as well. SAF showed great faith in him through some dark times that frustrated me.

> Just saw this on Soccernet.


Ruud's future set to be decided in next 48 hours

Ruud van Nistelrooy's Manchester United future should be determined within the next 48 hours by a conversation between Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill.
.......
If history is anything to go by, the `discussion' will be more like Ferguson telling Gill he no longer wants Van Nistelrooy, who has two years of a contract worth an estimated £90,000 a week still to run.

In a situation remarkably similar to the one which saw David Beckham depart for Real Madrid three years ago, Gill will then be forced to try to attract the most amount of cash possible for a player who cost £18.5million when he arrived from Holland in 2001.http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=367384&cc=5901

[Dutch_Master]

^ The club and supporters have been patient with him through slumps of form as well. SAF showed great faith in him through some dark times that frustrated me.


Yet he scored 20+ goals per season, except for the 2004/2005 because of his injury. If that's not paying off, what is :confused:

[sitati_kituyi]

Ruud deserves what he got because he didn't look happy on the bench in your opinion?

I don't believe this.

Over and over they showed Ruud smiling, signing autographs, and in the interviews post-Carling Cup, he said:

1. "I don't want to talk of leaving United, because it's not going to happen"
2. "I want nothing else but to fulfill my contract at United till 2008"
3. "The reason I want to stay at this club is my partnership with Wayne Rooney"
4. "Louis definitely deserves his chance"

I think it is utter rubbish for some of you, the press or anyone else for that matter to decide that Ruud was sulking on the bench and took it negatively. And even if he did, come on, are we forgetting... HE'S RUUD VAN NISTELROOY. Sitting on the bench when Thierry Henry is fast approaching his season total and when the team is playing it's best stuff isn't exactly going to please him, is it?

He comes back and scores against West Ham and again in the weekend (Birmingham, IIRC), and doesn't start the next games?

Here's my take on it: Fergie has made a decision that he's very justified in making: that United should no longer rely on a 30+ Striker as our main source of goals, and as with Kanchelskis, Stam and Becks, it's time to move on.

Sure, there'll always be alternative takes on it in the media, but for the fans on this board to accuse van Nistelrooy and bring his professionalism into question without any evidence to back them rather that celebrate his excellent years at the club and hope (pray even) for more is disappointing.

[Nicodemus145]

So, I wondered if I had seen Ruud in the CC Final celebration and after watching the video again, I don't think I saw him. Somebody posted the link in another thread, but I'll put it here. Perhaps my vision is all wrong, but I don't see him. Maybe he took a taxi ride out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqIvPSpKHPU

That is heart-breaking! I can't see Ruud, but then I can't see SAF either. Maybe they're off chating. These are strange days we're living....

but - LOL @ Park getting soaked. And Ronaldo sure likes the munchies, dont he? :D

[Zosas]

Yes it's time for a change at ManUtd.
No it should not be RvN
Yes, SAF it's time to retire.

How come ManUtd forces their topplayer to move away from the club and no prices are won after this?

Keane, Beckham, Stam and now van Nistelrooij. How stupid must you be to sell these players.

Except for Keane, both Stam and Beckham show their qualities every week at topclubs. Stam at Lazio and AC Milan. Beckham at Real Madrid.

Ruud can pick out of many clubs: liverpool, chelsea, Inter, Spurs, PSV and probably Barcelona who lossed Larsson and is looking for a new striker.

Netting 20+ goals a season. Breaking all records a striker can achive and for thanks being put on the bench.

I understand his frustration. With Rooney injured, RvN was expecting first team football again. But being placed on the bench AGAIN en 19 Rossi getting first team football (who still has to prove his qualities), then I would be pissed to!

Ruud, come back to the dutch squad, play a hell of a worldcup en become topscorder, then move to a club wich DOES appreciate your goalscoring abilities!!

SAF, YOU SUCK! If you want to win prices, you need bigname player with that additude. Guys like RvN only want 3 things: PLAY, SCORE and WIN.
You are denying him 2: to play and score.... :mad:

[qazwsx]

Yes and how stupid he was to buy them in the first place...........right?..........ok maybe not.

I don't think theres anyone who is going to do a radically better job than SAF.

[Fandando]

I find it both amusing and troubling that certain members of our support are happy labelling SAF as some kind of subversive autocrat without really looking a recent events within their given context. Let’s just break it down shall we? Whats really happened here? Well, Ruud (as is widely acknowledged) suffers a dip in form and is replaced by Saha (himself a player who has been benched for much of the season) whose fine form becomes a catalyst for an upturn in the clubs fortunes. Certainly no blame apportioned to the manager thus far right?

What next? Well, Ruud, I think it's fair to say, handled his omission badly; failing to acknowledge the fans or his team mates achievements at Cardiff, spiritless performances when called upon to make a contribution to the utd effort, refusing a place on the utd bench and reported fracas with several team mates is most certainly not the way to go in terms of winning back his place in the first 11. Time to blame the manager?

Dont get me wrong, I think Ruud is a wonderful player and a massive asset to this football club and I'm certainly amongst those who would hate to see him leave but I'm happy conceding that any player's place in the first team is conditional and that form is a factor when picking any starting 11 (if this very simple premise is unacceptable to any of the players currently on utd's books then they do not have my support). To my mind, Ruud either has to buckle down, find his best form and start contesting a starting spot outright or leave with our best wishes; certainly no blame should be dished out to our manager in this instance.

[Joep]

A couple of points some of you maybe would like to comment about

About his `spiritless´ efforts in the chances he was given. Some of you claim that when van Nistelrooy did get to play, he sulked and struggled and did not display enough effort. That is what some of you claim right?

He came from the bench to score two against Blackburn. When he finally got to start again against Bolton he scored the 1-0, the winner. Game after that, he is on the bench again, OK, he gets his chance and comes on to score the winner.

After all the heart he has shown for your club, now all of the sudden he looks spiritless, aparrantly even while doing what he should do, namely score goals.

He could have gone everywhere, Madrid wanted him, Milan wanted him. He chose to stay. Why? because he genuinly loves Man U. he has stated time and time again that he wants to stay with Man U, somebody here earlier posted some quotes. And after all that loyalty, this is what his manager says about him

´On such an important day, I just felt that Ruud should be left out´

Instead, he opts for a 19 year old who, while no doubtedly talented, is hardly a proven player.

After all the loyalty he has shown to you club, some of you still dare to question it. Why? I don´t think because he stuck with Man U for five years when he could have moved everywhere he damn well pleased, was it?. But because he didn´t celebrate hard enough when your team won the carling cup, cause someone on here can´t find him on a youtube video.

About him walking out. It´s unprofessional. It´s wrong and there are no excuses for it, so I´m not even going to try and make them. But don´t, like some of you have here, for the love of god do not completely turn on a man who gave everything for the club you support while he was there, who broke records.

Just don´t, cause it´s wrong.

[Fandando]

A couple of points some of you maybe would like to comment about

About his `spiritless´ efforts in the chances he was given. Some of you claim that when van Nistelrooy did get to play, he sulked and struggled and did not display enough effort. That is what some of you claim right?

He came from the bench to score two against Blackburn. When he finally got to start again against Bolton he scored the 1-0, the winner. Game after that, he is on the bench again, OK, he gets his chance and comes on to score the winner.

After all the heart he has shown for your club, now all of the sudden he looks spiritless, aparrantly even while doing what he should do, namely score goals.

He could have gone everywhere, Madrid wanted him, Milan wanted him. He chose to stay. Why? because he genuinly loves Man U. he has stated time and time again that he wants to stay with Man U, somebody here earlier posted some quotes. And after all that loyalty, this is what his manager says about him

´On such an important day, I just felt that Ruud should be left out´

Instead, he opts for a 19 year old who, while no doubtedly talented, is hardly a proven player.

After all the loyalty he has shown to you club, some of you still dare to question it. Why? I don´t think because he stuck with Man U for five years when he could have moved everywhere he damn well pleased, was it?. But because he didn´t celebrate hard enough when your team won the carling cup, cause someone on here can´t find him on a youtube video.

About him walking out. It´s unprofessional. It´s wrong and there are no excuses for it, so I´m not even going to try and make them. But don´t, like some of you have here, for the love of god do not completely turn on a man who gave everything for the club you support while he was there, who broke records.

Just don´t, cause it´s wrong.

I don’t know if this post was in response to mine but I’ll say it again; Ruud's place in the starting 11 is not (nor should it be) unconditionally guaranteed....if that’s unacceptable to him perhaps the time is right to move on (with the best wishes of everyone who had the great pleasure of watching him grace the red shirt). Disagree?

[Joep]

I don’t know if this post was in response to mine but I’ll say it again; Ruud's place in the starting 11 is not (nor should it be) unconditionally guaranteed....if that’s unacceptable to him perhaps the time is right to move on (with the best wishes of everyone who had the great pleasure of watching him grace the red shirt). Disagree?

Part of it was in response to your post yes, namely the first part. You wrote
spiritless performances when called upon to make a contribution to the utd effort and I believe you´re wrong about that. I believe he did prove himself when he was given a chance and I listed the occasions in which I believe he did so.

[Fandando]

Part of it was in response to your post yes, namely the first part. You wrote
and I believe you´re wrong about that. I believe he did prove himself when he was given a chance and I listed the occasions in which I believe he did so.

Ok, I can accept that to a point but what of the form of Saha and Rooney? Ruud will always be good for goals but it's a fact his general form has suffered at times this season (leaving the manager every right to mix things up....successfully 2 I might add).

[billyireland]

Ferguson is a ********. Ruud is a professional and all he wants is play and score goals. He's sitting on the bench for a long time now and didn't really complain about it until now. I fully agree with Ruud, he's fed up with that crap being benched all the time. He wants to play and score, no more no less. He's has shown that he was very patient but enough is enough! Ruud is a very nice guy and loyal too, you don't treat people like that. And to all those people that say he isn't a professional, that's easy for you to say sitting behind your PC :rolleyes: If he goes, I really hope Man U will feel his loss, what a bunch of sell outs... Trying to get rid of a player that scored lots of goals for them (even this season). Ruud has been very loyal to his club, now the fans are being disloyal to him. I hope Ruud bags 3 goals if Holland is to play England in the upcoming WC, that would be a sweet revenge :)
Our form without Ruud this season has been incredible, though. Regardless of how well a player is doing, if the team is performing better and getting more points-per-game without him, then why force him back into the squad? All that you are doing is fixing something that isn't broken.

BTW, I don't exactly think Ferguson would really be too bothered about England losing in the World Cup.

[Nicodemus145]

But because he didn´t celebrate hard enough when your team won the carling cup, cause someone on here can´t find him on a youtube video.
mk I think you're just trying to add bullet points to your argument here. Can't believe you lumped me in with all those you were talking about, and how you concluded that I was saying anything negative agout RVN or SAF (if it was me) I dont understand.

[Dutch_Master]

Our form without Ruud this season has been incredible, though. Regardless of how well a player is doing, if the team is performing better and getting more points-per-game without him, then why force him back into the squad? All that you are doing is fixing something that isn't broken.

Then sell him, Ruud shouldn't be a benchwarmer. He's to good for that. I'm disagreeing with the way how they treat him and I fully understand his reaction after everything that happened to him.

BTW, I don't exactly think Ferguson would really be too bothered about England losing in the World Cup.

I know, but what I meant is that Ferguson can then see with his own eyes that Ruud is still top notch. Don't think he would care though, clown.

[DigitalTron]

Like many of you, I place the utmost respect in SAF and his judgement. If one side has to be believed over another, we go with SAF, he's the reason Manchester United has been so fantastic for so long, SAF and really only SAF. But, we haven't heard the other side of the story, and really, we've only heard a whisper of SAF's side, so this speculation is just crazy. Let's give Ruud--one of the best forwards on the planet and surely capable of being one of the top 3 forwards in the Premiership next season--the benefit of the doubt ... IMHO, he's certainly earned it.

Facts:
1. SAF isn't happy with Ruud. This smoke usually means there's a problem ... but we don't know what that problem is fully yet, nor whether it's correctable.

2. Ruud stormed out. This usually means the player is unhappy, but I think any of the top 10 forwards in the world would be unhappy about being benched ahead of the World Cup. Rossi singled Ruud out for helping him progress as a player, so with Rooney out it must have stung particularly to see Saha and Rossi starting and Ruud yet again on the bench. Many forwards have that obsession with scoring/winning/etc. and it is part of w hat makes them great. Ruud is no different.

3. Rags love Manchester United. They sell papers, and nothing is better than a scandal, particularly one where nobody knows the details giving them license to make junk up. This is a field day for them ... so don't believe the hype.

4. SAF made Ruud Captain for a bit, and Ruud responded well. After that the Captaincy was given to someone else, that can't make Ruud too excited, then when Saha came back from a lengthy injury and performed well, Ruud's whole role at OT came into question, which is hard to take.

5. Ruud scored goals by the bunches when he has been playing this season, despite a makeshift midfield, lack of Hienze, etc. Even without the typical Manchester United service, he was and is insanely productive. He's impossible to replace goal for goal.

6. United have a history of offloading older players while they're still at their peak ... so the timing isn't necessarily bad from that point of view.

7. Rooney and Ronaldo are the future of the club. No team will be built that doesn't take advantage of those two players to their fullest. If the personal rift has caused irreparable animosity between Ruud and Ronaldo, Ruud may be the loser there.

All in all, there simply aren't enough facts to know. I, for one, am with Achtung, let's give Ruud the benefit of the doubt. He's not a good striker, he's a great striker who is Manchester United through and through. He always says exactly the right thing in the press, and every other team in the world would love to have him. Let's not pizz away such a good servant to Manchester United simply because he is unhappy about not playing, finishing second, and getting rusty before the World Cup. Until we know more facts, I'm certainly not going to condemn Ruud.

-Digital

[Dark Savante]

A couple of points some of you maybe would like to comment about

About his `spiritless´ efforts in the chances he was given. Some of you claim that when van Nistelrooy did get to play, he sulked and struggled and did not display enough effort. That is what some of you claim right?

He came from the bench to score two against Blackburn. When he finally got to start again against Bolton he scored the 1-0, the winner. Game after that, he is on the bench again, OK, he gets his chance and comes on to score the winner.

After all the heart he has shown for your club, now all of the sudden he looks spiritless, aparrantly even while doing what he should do, namely score goals.


Ruud will always score goals. Why do people who blindly defend him keep making the same point over and over when it is totally irrelevant? Ruud is a top 5 striker in the world, no one in his right mind will question that, he will score goals wherever he goes as long as he is catered for. Do you or anyone else blindly defending him think that is the issue here? If you do, you've missed the boat completely.

Ruud is a senior player, he has senior responsibillities, he was vice captain, even captain for a time, he is supposed to lead by example and application both in matches and in training. There is a reported 3 bust-ups with fellow first teamers! That's an absurd amount if true. He was told he was not in the squad due to a discplinary matter. The behind the scenes incidents are clearly paramount. If it was only about goals Ruud wouldn't have even got benched in the first place so your arguement has no legs.


He could have gone everywhere, Madrid wanted him, Milan wanted him. He chose to stay. Why? because he genuinly loves Man U. he has stated time and time again that he wants to stay with Man U, somebody here earlier posted some quotes. And after all that loyalty, this is what his manager says about him
So what? Rio, Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs (last tw could've) could have go anywhere as well. That's part of being a star. It is not news wothy of being part of your argument. Loyalty is also irrelevant as you're talking about the one manager who stood by the player even after a serious knee injury and still signed him, as promised, when he was rehabilitated with absolutely no proof this was the same player he would have gotten before the injury.


´On such an important day, I just felt that Ruud should be left out´

Instead, he opts for a 19 year old who, while no doubtedly talented, is hardly a proven player.

See first part of my post. Ruud is not guaranteed anything, you pull your weight you get the gig. That goes for anyone who suits up for Manchester United and it's hardly a new thing.


After all the loyalty he has shown to you club, some of you still dare to question it. Why? I don´t think because he stuck with Man U for five years when he could have moved everywhere he damn well pleased, was it?. But because he didn´t celebrate hard enough when your team won the carling cup, cause someone on here can´t find him on a youtube video.
This is the first time Ruud's starting position has genuinly been challenged and the only time he's seen the bench, so your point is again moot.


About him walking out. It´s unprofessional. It´s wrong and there are no excuses for it, so I´m not even going to try and make them. But don´t, like some of you have here, for the love of god do not completely turn on a man who gave everything for the club you support while he was there, who broke records.

Just don´t, cause it´s wrong.
No one has turned on him as far as I can see. If this can be resolved and he can be kept here you won't see any complaints on this board I'm sure. But blind loyalty is unacceptable. If Ruud is disrupting camp as reported, then that is a serious problem that will need resolving. If he also can't accept being rotated or benched at 30yrs old, then he should go and leave on good terms and be remembered as a legend.

[Joep]

mk I think you're just trying to add bullet points to your argument here. Can't believe you lumped me in with all those you were talking about, and how you concluded that I was saying anything negative agout RVN or SAF (if it was me) I dont understand.

Hm, I don't actually think I was talking about you. I'm not quite sure. If it was you who said the youtube thing but did not mean anything negative about RVN about it, excuse me for including you (did I?) with the people I truly mean. Like I said, the first part was largely directed towards Farnando and others who have said he didn't prove himsel (mind, that is a valid opinion, just one I disagree with)

The second part of my post was directed towards people (I'm gonna look up some names now to avoid this kind of confusion), well upon looking up names I found out it was largely mhtwins113 who I have a serious issue with, particularly this little gem

Thanks for the goals Ruud, but good-bye and good riddance you twat.

On to some of the replies..well, one really, by Farnando it was. Yes, Rooney and Saha have been excellent. It gives you a different look up front and it works. But what I do believe is that when someone who has shown time and time again what he can do, is for whatever reason put in a situation that basically comes down to a 'you have to prove yourself'-type situation, and he does, which I believe he did, should be given the nod over at the very least an unproven (yet talented, I think?) 19-year old in such a crucial match.

[Joep]

Ruud will always score goals. Why do people who blindly defend him keep making the same point over and over when it is totally irrelevant? Ruud is a top 5 striker in the world, no one in his right mind will question that, he will score goals wherever he goes as long as he is catered for. Do you or anyone else blindly defending him think that is the issue here? If you do, you've missed the boat completely.

Yes, indeed I am blindly defending him. Which is why I said him walking out was inexcusable. Read.

Ruud is a senior player, he has senior responsibillities, he was vice captain, even captain for a time, he is supposed to lead by example and application both in matches and in training. There is a reported 3 bust-ups with fellow first teamers! That's an absurd amount if true.

Really, 3 reported bust ups you say? My my. I think the keyword here is reported. by whom?

He was told he was not in the squad due to a discplinary matter.

And your source for this is? The only thing that was said by Ferguson about the matter was the quote in my initial post. Nothing about a discplinary matter.

The behind the scenes incidents are clearly paramount. If it was only about goals Ruud wouldn't have even got benched in the first place so your arguement has no legs.

Give me a source. seriously, if you can find me one source about any of these claims I'm impressed. You are having way too much faith in Sir Alex Ferguson. Like someone here already said, if there's anybody who knows how to make a player look like a black sheep it's Sir Alex. He's got plenty of experience with it. I'll just sit here and wait for any proof on these alledged bust up thingies.

So what? Rio, Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs (last tw could've) could have go anywhere as well. That's part of being a star. It is not news wothy of being part of your argument. Loyalty is also irrelevant as you're talking about the one manager who stood by the player even after a serious knee injury and still signed him, as promised, when he was rehabilitated with absolutely no proof this was the same player he would have gotten before the injury.

True, SAF did wait for him. Yet I still believe loyalty should be rewarded by fair treatment, something van Nistelrooy did not get in the second half of this season. Note that I, who apparently is blindly defending van Nistelrooy (you we're really off on that one) think that fair treatment does not neccesarily include a starting place, not for Ruud, not for anyone. I never said it did.

No one has turned on him as far as I can see. If this can be resolved and he can be kept here you won't see any complaints on this board I'm sure. But blind loyalty is unacceptable. If Ruud is disrupting camp as reported, then that is a serious problem that will need resolving. If he also can't accept being rotated or benched at 30yrs old, then he should go and leave on good terms and be remembered as a legend.

You obviously can't see very far then. This is turning people on him, cause Ferguson is forcing fans to pick sides. He's done it before, he's doing it again. So someone didn't say good riddance on here? Yes someone did. and more have suddenly questioned his loyalty and heart for the club. I've read the board that was linked to in this topic is well, you know, the one with the story about the ruud Cronaldo bust up (your source perhaps? ;)) and he's not exactly leaving with those people on good terms it appears.

[Dark Savante]

Yes, indeed I am blindly defending him. Which is why I said him walking out was inexcusable. Read.
Of course you're blindly defending him. The part where you say his walking out is inexcusable is neither here nor there. It came after you said your piece. This notion that it is all SAF's doing is the man gest of your post. Feel free to tell me I am wrong. To you, all Ruud needs to do is score goals and he's doing his job, right?


Really, 3 reported bust ups you say? My my. I think the keyword here is reported. by whom?
:rolleyes: if you're waiting for 'the official releases' you'll be twiddling your thumbs until Ruud or SAF write a book. You're not that naive as to expect 'the truth' any time soon are you?


And your source for this is? The only thing that was said by Ferguson about the matter was the quote in my initial post. Nothing about a discplinary matter.
No. SAF said a whole lot more than that on MUTV. in fact, one of the links should have most of the transcript.


Give me a source. seriously, if you can find me one source about any of these claims I'm impressed. You are having way too much faith in Sir Alex Ferguson. Like someone here already said, if there's anybody who knows how to make a player look like a black sheep it's Sir Alex. He's got plenty of experience with it. I'll just sit here and wait for any proof on these alledged bust up thingies.
Again, are you really this naive? I have addressed this argument presented by someone else either in this thread or the first one I can't remember which. this black sheep thing is rubbish. A manager like SAF does not need to black-list anyone he wants out, he'll remove them in a swift blow if he wants to do so. This Machiavellian argument is total rubbish. If he wanted rid of Ruud he would have sold him last season when he would fetched £20m+ not this year when he won't even fetch half of that and certainly not now that everyone knows he is unhappy and mostly likely has to be sold, that is not the moves of a manager trying to 'cash in' on his prized goal-getter.


True, SAF did wait for him. Yet I still believe loyalty should be rewarded by fair treatment, something van Nistelrooy did not get in the second half of this season. Note that I, who apparently is blindly defending van Nistelrooy (you we're really off on that one) think that fair treatment does not neccesarily include a starting place, not for Ruud, not for anyone. I never said it did.

You're clearly inferring that it does. Ruud is not above and beyond reproach as some here seem to think he is. I don't know what you mean by fair treatment,What is fair treatment as far as you're concerned?


You obviously can't see very far then. This is turning people on him, cause Ferguson is forcing fans to pick sides. He's done it before, he's doing it again.
Present names he's 'done it to' and I'll gladly shoot down every single one of them for you. The manager has shown time and again that it is not for the fans to decide who he sells or keeps or what he does no matter how much stick he gets... this notion he needs to get anyone on side to get someone out is just ridiculous. Ince and Stam in particular were marvellous performers for us who were fan favourites and gave 100% always. They were removed without a hint of remorse and certainly not sold off the back of any fan wanting it.


So someone didn't say good riddance on here? Yes someone did. and more have suddenly questioned his loyalty and heart for the club. I've read the board that was linked to in this topic is well, you know, the one with the story about the ruud Cronaldo bust up (your source perhaps? ;)) and he's not exactly leaving with those people on good terms it appears.
I think you will believe what you want too and will be waiting for 'proof' for decades or, will run with whatever media source you find appropriate... SAF making public statements about his own players is not in keeping with him or his M.O. putting comments in the match programme for the fans to have a clue about what is going on, is not in keeping with him either. If he wanted Ruud out, he'd be gone and there would be not an ounce of fuss about it. The fact there is a furore suggests something has gone on and not the other way round.

[Vermont Red]

First of all, Ruud has been my favorite player. The last three summers, I've always been sick with the thought that Ruud could be sold. This summer I don't feel that way. This isn't about training ground bust-ups or superstar petulance. This is about the team. If there is one rule that Fergie has, above all others, it's that no one is automatically on the teamsheet. Maybe Fergie was trying to prove a point to Ruud. Maybe he was saying, "We can win with you or without you. Do you want to be part of this without being the man?" Ruud's body language on the pitch has been telling.

I don't know that Ruud's skills have greatly diminished. I still think that Ruud could bang in 20+ goals every year for United. But maybe there's a cost to the team that Fergie can't abide.

As for Ruud being upset about not playing in the final regular season game before the World Cup, bull. It's not like Ruud's place on the team is affected either way.

As for what other strikers would want to subject themselves to Fergie, any of them. The only way that you make it to the top as a striker is to have an enormous ego. Players may not come to United because of the weather or because of the league, but not because of Fergie. I don't believe that there's any top striker who would worry about being dropped by Fergie. They all know that they can do the business.

It's sad, but not as sad as it might have been. If it's true and Ruud is sold, I won't say good riddance. I'll say thank you and good luck (although not against us). And I'll cheer just as hard for the team when they run out for the first time next season.