ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Manchester United

Posted by Mark Payne on 02/12/2012

Football has seldom looked less like the enjoyable pastime I fell in love with as a youngster. In the past few weeks, the overblown, hate-filled events encrusting the English game have made for very unpleasant viewing.

Almost nobody has conducted themselves with dignity or class in any of the major scandals engulfing some of our more visual protagonists. The whole scenario is a sorry and sad one.

Even so, Liverpool Football Club have earned special mention for their appalling conduct and ideology throughout the last few months. Kenny Dalglish proved himself to be a human being of great dignity and compassion in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster. In recent weeks he has undone much of that good work. It is a great shame he has chosen to damage his reputation so horrifically.

There are a growing number of Liverpool fans who feel extremely uncomfortable with the way the club and its players have conducted themselves around Suarez’s racism conviction. One wonders if Liverpool’s commercial sponsorship will suffer as a result of endorsing the Uruguayan’s racist and inflammatory behaviour.

In the midst of all this, Manchester United have also been playing football. So far 2012 has dealt us an incredibly difficult hand. Despite facing Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool twice already in this young year we start February 12th at the top of the league.

Whilst the spotlight has been shining firmly on John Terry’s humanitarianism and the latest England manager’s departure Wayne Rooney has quietly scored four goals in a week. In addition, Hernandez has found his touch again and a few of our absentees are making their ways back from injury.

From a football perspective United are looking in ruder and ruder health. It seems such a shame that we are seemingly unable to enjoy the fact that our team are playing well.

Thank goodness Liverpool are out of the way and we cannot meet them again this season. Patrice Evra’s celebration at the final whistle was ill advised and as Fergie said, “he shouldn’t have done that.” Many, I suspect, will understand the enormous provocation he has been subjected to.

From here on in I hope to be able to enjoy the matches, not recriminations. This young Manchester United team is building character the hard way, it will stand us in good stead I am sure.

Personally, I am really looking forward to the Ajax matches.

Come on you Reds.

Follow Mark on twitter.com/markjpayne

Comments

Posted by Aegean1985 on 02/12/2012

United were more clinical. 2-0. End of story. Liverpool's defence let Suarez down twice and who better to pounce than a former Evertonian.

Not sure if anyone noticed, but Giggsy and Scholesy played a full 90 and there were no subs made. Kudos to our old guards. I am so glad Scholesy is back. I haven't seen such stability in Utd's MF for a long time. The hiatus seems to have made him a better player.

Posted by Se7en on 02/12/2012

Well said, Mark. This saga has been quite the sordid one, with neither team being able to claim the moral high ground, to be the bigger man and walk away.

What i do not agree with is all this talk of the handshake should not have been done, etc, etc. All pro footballers are actors on the world stage; they perform their art in front of a huge mass of people each time.

A match between United and Liverpool? Dare I say sellout?

If that is the case, wouldn't it be beneficial for a club to ensure that its representatives carry themselves and the name of their club in a decorous fashion? Conduct themselves as gentlemen of class, befitting their stature in the global sporting community?

A handshake is quite a universal symbol nowadays; it has multiple meanings and is no longer automatically indicative of respect or brotherhood. But one common denomination of meaning would perhaps be 'you are here, I am here, let's get
this on'.

If even that is a chore... it bodes ill.

Posted by dubs on 02/12/2012

And the reds go marching on, on, on! Proud to be one of the United faithful - what appeared to be a staunch Liverpool defense early going, came unravelled starting in the 32nd min. To our credit, we were class to begin the second half. I had a cynical laugh prior to the match hearing Rio had more goals against Liverpool than our #10. Wazza sure put that statistic on its back by the end. Prolly should've had a third.

Poor of Suarez to snub Evra. Poor for Evra to whoop it up in front of him. Poor of the FA to force interaction between the two. I would have done the same thing as Suarez - stay away from anything associated with my being banned, Evra in particular. Suarez should have come out and said that much. Then been allowed to line up for the traditional photo, but walk to his side while the "gesture" was performed by others. I know it's the norm, but exceptions should be made for delicate situations like this. He was always gonna get the business from OT, but that compounded it.

Posted by Mike on 02/12/2012

as an LFC fan I was shocked when Suarez blanked Evra, as he had planned to shake his hand in the lead up. they looked both hesitant in that they wanted to see if the other would actually do it. I just kept thinking "man, you are only making this harder for yourself Luis, no matter how you feel". I felt sympathy for Evra until he tried to break his legs but hit ferdinand instead, then confronted/incited at halftime, and then taunted him at the end of the game and was glad at Suarez' approach "Just walk forward, Evra does not exist to you" as I'd have punched him, even after he scored his goal, he made not much of it. I wanted to support Evra, but by the end I just could not. These are 2 players who just get extremely under the skin of opposing teams supporters, they are easy to hate, and so hard to love.

Valencia, Rooney, & Ferdinand were awesome while Gerrard/Downing were awful, along with Henderson & Kuyt. I even hoped liverpool wouldn't equalise because they did not deserve

Posted by David Smith on 02/13/2012

United fans have been claiming for years that the bin dippers and their supporters are a classless, disgraceful lot. Many just likely dismissed such claims as trivial, tribal rivalry. Now, the whole world gets to see what we've known for years. I'm like you Mark; glad to see the back of this horrible club. Suarez and Dalglish are cunts of the highest order and they can shove their apologies where the sun don't shine. The only reason they've since said sorry is because the Public Relations department for their American owners deemed the whole sorry affair bad for business. Evra's reactions after the final whistle was over the top and I hope it irritated these scummers to high heaven. On a happy note, Evans is quickly becoming our unsung hero. He made a mess of the little racist's tap-in, but he's not put a foot wrong for weeks. Scholes and Giggs were brilliant and we managed a rare goal from a corner too. Take note Nani. Seriously, take note. Well done United, now for Ajax and Europa.

Posted by Michael on 02/13/2012

Well said on all points, Mark.
This entire situation with Evra and Suarez has unfortunately moved many neutral eyes away from the matches themselves, which is a shame considering this is shaping up to be one of the more intense title run-ins in recent memory.
I personally believe things are beginning to look up for us, however: the fixture list favors us for the run-in, we will be back on the continent this week (Europa could be a healing balm for the squad, IMO), and, as you mentioned here, our prodigal players are beginning to return.
And the Reds go marching on.....

Posted by Alex Tsui on 02/14/2012

I am a 20+ year Man Utd supporter. The incident concluded that Suarez was a liar (lying even to his manager and LFC) in the whole affair. Evra was childish at the end and he should have the grace to offer an apologzie as well.

Posted by Daniel on 02/14/2012

I think the sad part about all this is the reaction from Steve McMahon, pundit on ESPN Monday Might Verdict (this is in Asia, I don't know about Europe).
First he blames the clubs for not preventing the handshakes.
Then he blames the FA.
Then he blasts Ferguson.
Then he keeps going on about Luis Suarez's "alleged" racist acts, with the stress on how it is only "alleged", as if Evra and the FA made it up. .
Then he blasts Rio Ferdinand for refusing to shake Suarez's hand in retaliation as being "inciting".
Then he lays into Andrew Leci, another commentator in the tunnel at Old Trafford at the time for having the decency not to divulge what really happened in said tuunel.
Then he again digs into Leci for not asking hard questions of Sir Alex in his interview, when Leci decently said he prefered to stick to the football.
And the worst thing is, at NO TIME did he put the blame for anything on Suarez!
I'm sorry Steve, I used to be a big fan, but now now you are no longer worthy of respect.

Posted by Vibhas on 02/15/2012

I do not understand how evras celebrations were over the top as some people suggest. Getting your teams supporters to cheer you is not uncommon. Getting a little back of your own is human. In sport tempers run high and make you feel great and celebrating is what people do. This isnt much more than celebrating after a goal and if suarez is there so be it. I celebrate after winning in every sport and so do many others even if the opponent is still closeby

Posted by Johanzul on 02/15/2012

Congrat SAF, mgmt team and players! Black is black, white is white. For this game, I salute SAF the most!

Anyway Evra need not to prolong the "duel" between him and Suarez by provoked celebrating the victory in front of Suarez. Since Suarez didn't want accept Evra handshake, then is Suarez problem for not being a professional football player. That's the problem with people now, arrogant and egocentric. You can't be always right.

As for the game, 1st half great game from United, 2nd half, waiting again to be punished. Why take the risk when our counter attacking game was not efficient as when we had CR7. Anyway, United manage to pull it thru. 3 points in the bag, that is what most important.

As for scholes and giggsy, these two players are still priceless to be put a price tag in which United still depends on them. Good for the club for now as we, the fans still awaits for younger generations players with quality to dominate uerope.

Posted by Damian Garside on 02/15/2012

I have this horrible feeling that what we are witnessing from LFC and its supporters is just the beginning of something ugly and fractious in British society -- which, who knows, could lead to something not a million miles from the repressive, right-wing racially intolerant society in V for Vendetta.

LFC has become its own antithesis.

We have doen really well but maybe just not well enough. I can already hear Fergie congratulating himself and the team and all the United fans (except me) so happy that we ran City so close with the rags and bones of a squad (compared to the squads with which we won the CL)and a no-spend policy. 3-3 against Chelsea at the Bridge was a great fight-back -- but my suspicion is another goal in this game would, at the end of the day, have won us the League. It would have had a serious, possibly devastating effect on City -- they would start to think of our players as Schwartzenneger Terminators wearing red shirts: unstoppable in the defence of our title.

Posted by Odili James Mbagwu on 02/15/2012

Luis Suarez should be repriminded for undermining Patrice Evra during the handshake!

Posted by David Smith on 02/15/2012

Don't be a dickhead, Vibhas. Of course Evra's reactions were over the top. In fact, they crossed the line on many levels. Fergie said he shouldn't of done it and any reasonable person with an ounce of common sense saw Evra was out of order. Now then, question is; Do I care one bit if Patrice was over the top and bang out of order? Do I fuck. Liverpool is a horrible club, led by a horrible "King" who are supported by many horrible people/supporters. It was great to see Evra making a meal of it after the final whistle and of course, the Stretford End ate it up as well. On to the real news and it looks like Berbatov's public demand for more playing time has seen the big fella left behind, as the Boys flew out to Holland. Great scorer against the dregs of the Premiership, but simnply can't be trusted in the big match. Yes, yes, yes, he scored a hattrick last season against the bin dippers. Citeh beat us 6-1 at home as well. Amazing things happen every once in a while. Come on you Reds!

Posted by AJ Wylie on 02/16/2012

David Smith, I try to be impartial as a LFC fan and came here not to incite but to see the views of Man Utd fans about the handshake incident. I definitely think Suarez should have shaken Evra's hand even if it would have been all for show... However reading your ignorant, hateful posts about us "bin dippers" our cunt of a manager, cunt of a player and disgrace of a club makes me sick. Every club has its disgracefull section of supporters, a percentage of unlikable players and past managers..however it is idiots like you who can't see the forest for the tress cannot admit a few home truths. LFC is a proud club with a great history and a strong tradition of classy players, supporters and managers...as is Man Utd. Does this change because they have players who have kung-fu kicked supporters, had affairs with brothers wives, cheated on their wife with prostitutes, a manager who for all his success can be a egotistical prick, and oneeyed ignorant supporters like you? of course not! too bad

Posted by David Smith on 02/16/2012

Wylie, I'm not sure why you'd be interested in coming on the Champions' blog to read the United fans' views on the handshake incident, unless, of course, you were looking to be offended. Would be so unlike a bin dipper though to go looking for something to moan about, wouldn't it. To be fair though, I did refer to Dalglish and Suarez as "cunts of the highest order," so if you're gonna quote me, quote me correctly. I can clearly see the forest for the trees, however, I wasn't talking about United's past and current shortcomings as a club. This thread is all about the shortcomings of Suarez, Dalglish, Liverpool F.C. and their horrible supporters. Next time a United star racially abuses a Liverpool player and Fergie forces the owners and shirt sponsor to make everone apologise, I'll be more than happy to comment on Cantona, affairs, infidelity and egotistical pricks at Old Trafford. Until then, I suggest you stick to being impartial on Kevin Brodie's bin dipper board. Cheers, mate.

Posted by AJ Wylie on 02/17/2012

David Smith, apologies for not quoting accurately, but I'm sure you'll agree (or maybe not, you seem to have a severe case of one-eyedness) that the sentiment was the same even if I labelled them ordinary cunts rather than those of the highest order. I totally agree with a lot of points made by most knowledgable and considered (so not you then) man utd fans on the incidents sorrounding the suarez/evra circus...we have our share of horrible supporters, but so does man utd right? i mean look at you, a perfect example. I'm not so thin skinned as to get offended because an internet warrior like yourself calls me a bin-dipper(oh the horror!) but I guess from the directors box your prawn sandwich must not go down well when the bin-dipper brigade appears. You obviously don't know what a forest is..schmeichel to Wright? short memories, but no one loves taking the self-righteous moral high-ground than a minority of man utd supporters. but thanks for the advice and enjoy the rest of the season

Posted by David Smith on 02/17/2012

Apology accepted, Wylie. Not very often you hear a bin dipper saying "sorry" though. You lot are usually busy trying to sell the victim angle. I see the two Citeh lads were racially abused in Portugal last night. I presume Dalglish and Co. will be getting the t-shirts out again and shipped off to Porto F.C as soon as possible then? Anyways, a nice, comfortable win in Amsterdam which means it should be a fairly straight forward affair at Old Trafford next week. Good to see Jones back, but sorry to see Antonio go down with a hammy strain. Here's hoping that our horrific, season-long injury list will mean fresher bodies for the all-important title run-in. I feel if we can get out of White Hart Lane no worse off in the league than we currectly are, the lads have a real, genuine chance of securing number 20. Citeh have the slight advantage at the moment, but there's plenty of footy left and hopefully a large slice of United luck waiting 'round the corner. Cue the Howard Webb jokes!

Posted by aussiered on 02/17/2012

Well I guess all this shit about the south american and the frenchman detracts from the real event.
A United win over the scousers who after promising so much again with the return of KK have left us all with that knowing smirk on our faces. Why is it though the commentators are still saying United have only been dominant for the past 10~12 years. Are they that biased or just without knowledge.
Anyhow with a bit of fair wind wehave put ourselves in a great position for a go. I did think that the boys let the scousers off the hook when a belting was there for the takinh. Fans should be shot for ole shouts 60mins in. As much fun as it may have been, 4~0 would have been nicer
We may well need extra goals with two games to go.
Dave Smith i have said to you before and i will say it again. Dignity is a fantastic trait to hold and whilst we all know about the class of LFC fans we dont need to be reminded every time they fuck up.
Believe in United

Posted by Michael on 02/17/2012

Well said on all points, Mark.

It is disappointing that this mess is taking attention away from what is otherwise shaping up to be one of the more riveting title run-ins in recent memory.

My hope is that all parties involved will come to the realization that continuing to fuel this ridiculous fire is only hurting the game we ALL love.

We all are well aware of FIFA's lack of any shred of moral fiber, which is why we as fans of the game, and more specifically the EPL, should call upon the FA to continue on the line they laid with the ban given to Suarez. It's 2012, for Christ's sake, why can't we move beyond something so totally ignorant as racial abuse?

Let the results speak for themselves.

And the Reds go marching on.

Posted by David Smith on 02/17/2012

Dignity most certainly is a fantastic trait to hold, aussiered, just not when you're referring to Liverpool as "scousers", walking around with that "knowing smirk", harbouring disappointment we didn't "belt" them since "4-0 would of been nicer". And certainly not after proclaiming United fans should be shot for their "Ole's" after 60 minutes. You may not need to be reminded every time Liverpool fans "fuck up," but you certainly need reminding of the definition of dignity. Tool.

Posted by David Smith on 02/18/2012

For all the ridiculous talk (for the upteenth time) of United's demise, it sure as hell could be a whole lot worse. Wenger and Co are imploding by the minute; Chelsea fans are singing for the return of Jose; Liverpool are nowhere close to winning a league title; Villa look like relegation fodder and Newcastle are the Big Pretenders. Poor Pompey are in administration again and Rangers, winners of more league titles than any other club in the world, are quickly following suit. As disappointing as the Champions' League, Carling and F.A. Cup exits are, I appreciate still being in the title chase. Our injury woes this season are well chronicled, as is the humiliation of getting beat at home to the Mercenaries, but the prospect of winning both number 20 and the Europa League certainly whets the appetite. Citeh will eventually win the league, there's no doubt about that, but my gut feeling says this isn't their year. Great to hear, amazingly, that Vidic may even be back this season! Believe.

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