[Cevno]

Thought that a new thread should be started for the upcoming season.and this would be a nice way to start.

Walsall 1 United Reserves 1

A second-half equaliser from Paul McShane earned United's Reserves a 1-1 draw against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium.

The 20-year-old Irish defender glanced home a header after 66 minutes to level Kris Taylor's first-half opener for the hosts.

With the Reserves rendered managerless by Rene Meulensteen's departure to Brondby, Brian McClair took the reins in his second spell as caretaker manager.


http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pa...&newsid=347572

[Abbs]

Pique scored 2 headers for Spain yesterday, SAF will be pleased though as they came against Scotland and straight after the second goal he left the pitch injured, hopefully not too serious.

[Charleysurf]

Originally Posted by Abbs

Pique scored 2 headers for Spain yesterday, SAF will be pleased though as they came against Scotland and straight after the second goal he left the pitch injured, hopefully not too serious.

I saw some of that game. Maybe it's just because he has his head shaved, but Pique looks bigger. He really stands out as a dominant figure in their defence. He made lots of good interceptions, passed the ball out of defence well and scored as well. Future looks great for him on this form.

[Cevno]

Gérard Piqué has been a leading light for the Spanish Under-19 side

Piqué the pick for Spain

Spain have made a highly entertaining start to the UEFA European Under-19 Championship and, if history is any guide, a number of the players who are impressing in Poland will be senior internationals in the none too distant future. One such rising star is the imposing Manchester United FC defender Gérard Piqué, who scored twice in Thursday's 4-0 win against Scotland. uefa.com spoke to the centre-back about the finals, learning how to cope with pressure, and his hopes for the future.

uefa.com: Are you enjoying this tournament?

Piqué: It’s certainly interesting, in the first match [a 5-3 win against Turkey] the team was a little nervous and it was our first game together since the Elite round at the end of May. But we started well and, although we were lacking a little sharpness and there are things we can improve, as we play more games we will get getter and better.

uefa.com: What does playing for your country mean to you?

Piqué: I’m very proud. To represent Spain is a feeling you cannot explain. Every match you have to give everything and if you play well you can be proud of yourself. If you don’t play well, you have to do better next time because it’s important for you and important for your country.

uefa.com: What do you learn from these tournaments?

Piqué: The most important thing is how to play under pressure. You are under pressure to win every match, to reach the semi-finals, to reach the final, to win the tournament. In top-level football, you have to learn how to cope with such pressure and to play for the result.

uefa.com: You joined Manchester United from FC Barcelona shortly after the U17 finals in 2004. What prompted that move?

Piqué: Maybe there I saw a better future for me with more opportunities. When I was talking to the boss [Sir Alex Ferguson] before I signed, you can sometimes see in someone’s eyes that they want you and he wanted me for United so that was the main reason why I decided to go there.

uefa.com: Was it difficult to move abroad at such a young age?

Piqué: When you arrive in England everything is very different and you’ve left your friends and family behind. But you start to grow up, you make friends and finally you feel at home so I’m happy that I made the move. You miss your family, that’s maybe the hardest thing but even that’s not that bad. I went to Manchester to play football, that’s my job and if that's going well, everything else is as well.

uefa.com: Was it hard to adapt football-wise?

Piqué: Football around the world is more of less the same, training is quite similar as well although the coaches maybe think differently because of the different cultures. The level at United is really high, players like [Wayne] Rooney mean you have to be 100 per cent every time. But here we have a strong team with top players and it’s the same idea really; you have to be concentrated 100 per cent if you want to give your best.

uefa.com: You moved to England a few months after your U17 team-mate Cesc Fabregas left Barcelona for Arsenal FC. Did you take advice from him?

In England, they don’t care about your age; if you’re ready for the first team they do it, no problem. Fabregas did that and now he’s one of Spain’s best players
Gérard Piqué

Piqué: I speak to Cesc all the time, we're very good friends. He explained his situation to me when he went to Arsenal and the next year I followed him to England, and we both decided to move for similar reasons. In England, they don’t care about your age; if you’re ready for the first team they do it, no problem. Fabregas did that and now he’s one of Spain’s best players, he went to the [FIFA] World Cup and showed that he belongs there. I’m trying to do the same.

uefa.com: Spain have a fantastic record in youth football but struggle to repeat that success at senior level. Why is that?

Piqué: Because of our history, there's a lot of pressure on us and maybe we're expected to fail. People need to disconnect from that and let the team play as they can and maybe one day we'll succeed. At the World Cup we played well in the group stage but it was as if the press and public expected us to lose to France and you can’t think like that.

uefa.com: Spain coach Luis Aragonés obviously has belief in young players so that’s good news for the U19 team.

Piqué: Aragonés has shown he is prepared to put his faith in young players, he has confidence in them and that's good for us because we can see that the senior team is not as far away as we might think. Fernando Torres played in the U19s in 2002 and he quickly jumped into the first team. In football everything happens very quickly and you never know what the future will hold so just keep working hard and in the end, everyone who works hard gets rewarded.

http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Ki...Id=438206.html

[Cevno]

“FERGUSON HAS TREATED TO ME LIKE MY SECOND FATHER”


Their two goals before Scotland and its great defensive work during this European Sub-19 are serving so that it becomes to speak of I itched. A tremendous talent and a mind for one of the firmest Spanish promises.


It already takes two seasons in the Manchester. What so goes their English adventure?
Perfect. People support to me very many, I have already learned the language and everything goes tailwind.

What hopes of the next season?
To then it would enchant me to comprise of the first group. I already played eleven parties the last campaign. To see this.

How is the club?
From outside it seems great, but on the inside he is very small. In three months you know all the employees and that does the easiest things to you.

And Alex Ferguson?
It is all in opposition to its fame of hard type. Personally, it has behaved like a second father. When fiché by the Manchester my parents remained in Barcelona and was that was in charge of which all it came out to me well. He helped me very many.

I suppose that with who congenia is more with the young people, Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yes. By age question I go much with them, but also with Heinze by the language. We seated all together ones in the part of back of the bus.

With Van Nistelrooy does not have much treatment…
Also, also. The Dutch always are charming and in addition he knows Castilian. It likes much Liga and we always spoke of her.

Equal it is because it is certain that it wants to go to Madrid.
I hope that it remains, but decides to go away will be a great draftee for them. Ruud assures 25 or 30 goals to you to the year and is enabled to prevail in the Bernabéu.

Of what it consists a day of I itched in Manchester?
Breakfast in the training field, later we exercised ourselves and when the finishing we eat all together ones there. This is very important, because you coexist with the people of the first equipment to newspaper.

Then yes that sees contentment him.
I think just like when I was myself, that does not watch your age in the DNI for hacerte there to make debut.

It goes by good way to prevail, in the European is at the highest level.
This is a gold opportunity and we must take advantage of it as it is.

That made Cesc and watches.
He has been companion ours until does nothing and now we must follow its steps.

http://www.google.com/translate?u=http://www.as.com/&langpair=es|en

[Achtung]

Seriously, can we quit with the web translated articles? They make my head hurt.

[United Forever]

With All the talk about replacing Ruud maybe this guy can...

Rossi wants to stay
Giuseppe Rossi wants to stay and gain first-team experience with United next season, rather than join another club on loan.

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he faces a dilemma over the 19-year-old Italian striker, who has played his way onto the cusp of first-team regularity.

Regular first-team football is the only way to continue Rossi's momentous improvement, but the Gaffer is undecided whether or not that should be at Old Trafford or elsewhere.

Rossi admits he is hoping to stay in Manchester and prove himself as the natural successor to Ruud van Nistelrooy, should the Dutchman complete his departure after five years at the club.

"I would prefer to stay and play," Rossi conceded. "If you have to choose between all the teams in The Premiership, the first one that pops into your head is Manchester United.

"I do need to get some experience in The Premiership. If that means I have to go out on loan, then I will.

"But if there is the chance to stay here and play, that would be the ultimate."

Having plundered 53 goals in 53 starts for the Reserves over the last two seasons, it is clear that Rossi has outgrown second-string football.

[Cevno]

from tonypark on the caf:-

United lost 0-1 to a strong Oldham Athletic side this morning at Carrington. In very warm conditions, United failed to cope with the physical presence of Oldham and conceded a goal half way through the first half. While the forwards battled hard, the midfield seemed very lightweight and were unable to stamp any authority on the game. Paul McGuinness changed things around at half-time and a new look midfield got a grip on the game and dominated the second period. However despite numerous opportunities and plenty of possession, the Oldham keeper was never really tested.

Team:

1. Zieler.........................a number of fine saves
2. Eckersley....................very impressive performance
3. Mark Dudley (triallist from Notts County)......got caught a couple of times
4. Chester......................solid
5. Cathcart.....................composed (captain)
6. Derbyshire...................tidy but didn't impose himself
7. Bryan..........................not really in the game but worked hard
8. Hewson.......................disappointing.....gam e went past him in first half
9. Brandy........................worked hard but didn't get many chances
10. Fagan........................worked his socks off...not his day
11. Galbraith.....................looked the part but didn't really shine

12. Drinkwater
13. Amos (1)....................not much to do in second half
14. Corry Evans (8)...........excellent..changed the game when he came on
15. Eikrem (7)...................nice touches...good vision....
16. McCormack (4)............wow! really impressive....aggressive, vocal, this kid looks good!!!

All four subs came on at HT with Chester picking up a knock. So Derbyshire went to RB and Ecks moving to CH. Midfield of Evans, Eikrem and McCormack dominated.

Hewson then came back on for Derbyshire and McCormack moved to RB and looked equally comfortable

Bryan came back on for Galbraith

Then Galbraith came back on when McCormack was hurt in a late tackle.


Other pieces picked up

1. Adam Eckersley currently has a groin strain and therefore had to pull out of the tour to South Africa.....he will go on loan to Brondby in the next week or so..
2. Mark Howard has been offered a 3-year deal at Brondby
3. Tom Cleverley had a cartilage operation yesterday
4. Mike Lea has struggled with a thigh tear.....he is back in training
5. Floribert N'galula...back in training....
6. Smith and Vidic were training on the next pitch today....

[xfactor857]

IrishExaminer.com

Danny Simpson and Northern Ireland duo Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson will definitely be joining Dong Fangzhou at Royal Antwerp...

There should be one more.

[xfactor857]

Manchester United @ Antwerp


Mamam Souleymane


Fangzhuo Dong


Danny Simpson


Jonathan Evans


Fraizer Campbell


Darron Gibson

De ANTWERPSUPPORTER Online

PS. Former Red Kirk Hilton is on the team.