The Passing of the Torch and the Keeping of the Flame

By Daniel Meola

Upon hearing Sir Alex Ferguson announce his retirement, the footballing world, the republic of Mancunia, supporters, casuals, Charles and myself, were, to say the least, crushed. I am not too sure if crushed is the right word for certain sets of people, for example, any supporter of a club trying to challenge United for trophies every term. However, for me, and I speak for Charles as well, crushed was the only way to put it.

Fully aware that this day would one day come, it was still something that never was spoken about with real conviction. Anytime the Manchester Evening News or Daily Mail had anything to publish regarding the issue, I always took it as “that’s nice, Fergie will one day retire, and we will have a new manager. We will still be the same United.” Wholeheartedly, I believed that, as there was no way to fathom anything less, than United on top, or very close to it.

As far back as these speculations began, I always narrowed it down to three successors. There was Pep Guardiola, David Moyes and Jose Mourinho. Deep down, there have been other candidates I wouldn’t have minded either, such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and, get ready for this one, Sam Allardyce. Before you laugh at Big Sam, it is important to note his outstanding friendship with Sir Alex. Then again, I caught myself. This is Manchester United.

Since the appointment of David Moyes became official, I have read, or attempted to flip through (electronically) every tabloid presented to me. Seeing potential backroom changes, signings, and departures, has always excited me. The rumour mill that revolves literally everyday in football fills my head with new possibilities of hoisting European Cups and switching formations at will. Who will be our next Javier Hernandez? Our Cristiano Ronaldo?

For now, those questions need to be put on hold because bigger things are happening at Old Trafford. Moyes, keen to be his own man with his own philosophy is doing a complete clean up of the United coaching staff. This tactic can prove to be a few things; very dangerous, very successful, or a mixture of both. Yet, it is very important to keep one thing in mind before jumping the gun and getting on Moyes before the transfer window even officially opens – Sir Alex is on board.

With Eric Steele and Mke Phelan already out the door, kitman Albert Morgan and first team wizard Rene Meulensteen soon too follow, message boards around the globe have been lighting up. A good share of supporters, probably ¾ of what I have been seeing at least, are already stating their fear of Moyes’ grand plan. “If the point was to keep the continuity, Moyes isn’t doing it.” Or, better yet, “Sir Alex probably wishes he had his job back. He should take it from Moyes. You can’t get rid of an entire staff and expect quality results.”

At first, admittedly, I almost was on a similar path until I took a few steps back and approached what is happening in the red half of Manchester with a clear mind. Am I upset that some key cogs in United’s recent title triumph will be missing? Of course. Meulensteen has always been a favorite of mine and Steele has to be credited with the drastic improvement to David De Gea’s development and adaptation to the English game. Will I miss the post game pressers from Phelan, filling in for Sir Alex and saying little to nothing to the media. Absolutely. But, before the sentimentality begins to completely take over, I think of Sir Alex.

Sir Alex is fully onboard with what Moyes is doing right now or he wouldn’t have offered him the most enviable position in world football. After constant talks with his old pal on the United way, certain players habits, vices and so on, Fergie would have never not addressed the backroom staff and Moyes’ intentions in regards to it. Do people really think Sir Alex had no input over these things, that he just hired Moyes, told him to hire whoever for whatever position, then walk away? While the supporters might not be totally on board with it, Fergie has to be, in some way condoning it.

There are reasons why he urged supporters during his final home match to support the new boss and always be patient. To let Moyes discover himself as a new manager is our job now, as fervent United fanatics. Sir Alex said so himself. Fergie addressed the United faithful, and football as a whole when he thanked the fans that day. He told us all, in different words of course, that Moyes will be doing things HIS way from here forward. This is David Moyes’ United now, and as tough as that is for some to believe, it is vital to stick by him, rally behind him if needs be, to sing loud and sing proud.

It was Fergie’s way of saying “Hey, listen, everything will be alright. I am supportive of what David Moyes will do to make this his club, and you all should be too.” In many ways, it was Sir Alex’s way of reminding everyone that not too long ago, he was in hired to manage United, and that he too needed the backing and voice of the fans sometimes. He is merely telling everyone “I trust David Moyes with what I have built in Manchester.” For so long, United supporters have held a motto, “In Fergie, We Trust.” Fergie wanted Moyes. He truly could have had any manager he desired yet chose a fellow Glaswegian with a propensity for overachieving. This is Fergie’s decision, and I for one, trust it.

He Did It His Way

Charles Klein

Much has been said of the retirement of the greatest manager the world of sport has ever seen. There is more yet to be said, there always is, and much more beyond that. The impossibility of writing anything that pays a proper tribute to Sir Alex Ferguson is the closest approximation to the impossibility of what he accomplished as manager of Manchester United. And it is also a tribute to everything he has done in charge of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

He did it his way. When I stop to think about the most stubborn people in my life, I first think of my own mother, but not too far down the line of succession is Sir Alex. During moments in which many of us were unsure about where our club was headed, he was certain. He knew. The saying "In Fergie We Trust" became as ubiquitous as the "In God We Trust" that one can find on an American dollar bill. In large part that statement was stamped on the currency of faith we all had in the man.

As a younger man my friends used to continually refer to me, albeit jokingly, as "Sir Alex" because I ran our intramural teams. Those squads never met United equivalencies of success (although one was named The Baby-Faced Assassins after Ole) but as anyone who has been in a leadership role can attest, it is easy to let that power corrupt oneself and inhibit the success of the group. Sir Alex never let that happen.

I have been fortunate during my near 24 years of living to have been presented with many great role models. My parents have always been and will continue to be. But of the ones I have been able to choose for myself, none have been greater than Sir Alex. His indomitable will to win, to be happy but never satisfied, and most importantly his never-changing focus on the future. Sir Alex was never a prisoner of the past.

There is also, of course, the people that I have met thanks to his stewardship of our club. I highly doubt that without his success that United would have become the worldwide brand that it is. Simply put, as an American with no ties to England, I would not be a United supporter were it not for Sir Alex. The incredible people I have gotten to know and count as some of my dearest friends are United supporters. We share an unbreakable bond to the club - and found within that bond is another - the one between ourselves.

So much of being a football fan, enjoying the triumphs and stomaching the failures, is about learning to accept the things over which we have control. We have very little say in the ownership of the club however much we wish it were otherwise. We also do not have any say when it comes to team selection and transfers. Ultimately we have to make peace with that. And the catechism "In Fergie We Trust" always allowed us to accept that all we can do is support the club. Any person who wears the badge of Manchester United over their heart has my full support.

Thank you, Sir Alex, for bringing so much joy and love into my life. And most especially, thank you for being model human being.

I will close with some Frank Sinatra.

"For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!"

Sir Alex Ferguson. He did it his way.

Blogging Reds - Episode III - The Return of the Jedi

Blogging Reds - Episode III - The Return of The Jedi by Charles Klein on Mixcloud

finally was able to record a new podcast with Chudi from The Busby Way. some vintage stuff including some super nerdy references to Mario Kart 64 and The Lord Of The Rings made by yours truly. give us a listen. I've heard Wilco say Blogging Reds is exactly how to fight loneliness.

Football Association Cup Preview: Manchester United v. Chelsea

Charles Klein

Fresh off the backs of a despairing loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, United welcome league rival Chelsea to Old Trafford tomorrow night. And what better way to bounce back than to knock out the hated Londoners and advance to the semifinals?

Although Chelsea find themselves amidst another self-created crisis with yet another manager given the dreaded "interim" tag and their prized 50 million pound striker still unable to deliver much of a return on investment; the blues do still pose a threat in a cup competition (re: the League Cup this year...). Chelsea are 19 points behind United in the league, but in the FA Cup anything can happen.

As such I would expect Sir Alex Ferguson not to take this match lightly and name his strongest available squad. David de Gea has become the proper number one at the club and his place in this fixture is assured. The other ten who play in front of him, however, is anyone's guess.

Given that club captain Nemanja Vidic is still playing his way back to full strength, it would surprise me to see him play three times in eight days. The back four that I believe will try to stymie the Chelsea attack will be Rafael, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, and Patrice Evra. Evans is a match day decision, but if fit I expect him to play. The other three played well versus Real when both teams had eleven players and deserve the manager's confidence.

Some of the team's frailties were exposed in the two matches versus Real and United's lack of a dependable partner for Michael Carrick remains a source of frustration. The manager has been going with Cleverley a fair amount lately, and while I am a fan of 'Clevz', I think it's time Anderson was given a chance to start. He has been steadily improving this year most especially with his passing.

Flanking Carrick and Anderson ought to be Nani and Shinji Kagawa. The Portuguese flyer was unjustly sent off last Tuesday and deserves an opportunity to put the whole fiasco behind him. Nani's form has been on the uptick and he looked a threat versus Real. Meanwhile for Kagawa this past week may have been his best in Manchester in what many have decreed a rough start to his career in England. Notching a hat trick against Norwich should do his confidence a world of good. Playing in an FA Cup quarterfinal against Chelsea is something he's earned.

There has been much discussion of Wayne Rooney's future at Manchester United ever since the lineups for the Real tie were released last Tuesday. While I have come out on twitter in support of the idea of selling the English international, the manager has said otherwise. Sir Alex reiterated his desire to keep Rooney at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future and it would shock no one to see him reaffirm this by selecting Rooney tomorrow night.

I, however, hope to see Danny Welbeck rewarded for his incredible work rate this season and for him to start instead of Rooney. Welbeck has done well swapping positions with Kagawa when necessary, not to mention improved his hold up play and passing. My gut tells me a few goals are this close to coming his way. As unimpressed by Rooney's effort of late, I have been encouraged by Welbeck's dedication to the cause.

And leading the line simply has to be Robin Van Persie. The Dutchman's record against Chelsea is well-known and was padded in the first meeting between the two teams this season with yet another goal. While he finds himself in a goalscoring drought (by his own high standards) he has been United's best player since he joined from Arsenal in the summer.

Considering that Chelsea are out of the Champions League, the Premier League title race, the League Cup, and on the ropes in their Europa League round of 16 tie, this is the one trophy they have a realistic chance to win. Rafa Benitez has had the look of the most desperate man on earth of late, and Chelsea know that to go a year without a trophy is unacceptable. They will provide a stern opposition tomorrow night, one not best to take lightly.

Predicted XI's

Manchester United: de Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Nani, Carrick, Anderson, Kagawa; Welbeck; Van Persie.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Lampard, Obi Mikel, Oscar, Mata, Hazard; Torres.

Predicted Result: 3-1 to Manchester United. I still doubt our ability to get a clean sheet, but I do not question our ability to score, especially at Old Trafford. Van Persie gets back amongst the goals with one, along with Welbeck, and Nani. Hazard to score for Chelsea.

Champions League Review: Manchester United v. Real Madrid

Charles Klein

Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League after losing a contentious second leg at a raucous Old Trafford. There is a saying that goes "Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan" but at least last night failure had any number of fathers and success had but one.

Sir Alex appeared to win the initial tactical battle with a few signature unexpected changes. Ryan Giggs, for the first time that I can remember, was deployed on the right wing working in tandem with Rafael to stifle the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nani took up Giggs' usual position on the left, with Danny Welbeck playing behind the lone striker Robin Van Persie. Welbeck effectively prevented Real Madrid's midfield maestro Xabi Alonso from influencing the match rendering much of the opposition's possession sterile.

Nemanja Vidic captained United for the second time in four days partnering Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence. Patrice Evra took up his customary place at left back and played well. Gone are the days when his place in the team is universally challenged by the supporters, due to an uptick in form.

The tactics employed by the gaffer were working rather well during the opening 45 minutes, completely outwitting "the special one" in the opposition dugout. United were dangerous when they ventured forward and were unfortunate not to convert on any number of set piece opportunities in the Real end. Giggs in vintage form, barnstorming down the right as if he had been born to play the position. Rafael and the legendary Welshman were controlling the right side, proving that if Ronaldo could be kept quiet, Real had very little to offer.

Real winger Ángel di María picked up an injury just before the end of the first half, forcing Jose Mourinho to dig into his bench earlier than he may have liked to bring in Kaka. The teams returned to the pitch for the second half otherwise unaltered.

And it was United who took the first lead of the game following a period of intense pressure on the Real box. Welbeck receives a ball from Rafael, who leaves it for Van Persie, whose shot rebounds to Welbeck, who directs it goalwards to receive the devastating touch of Sergio Ramos for a 1-0 lead, 2-1 on aggregate.

The period of glee and imagining who United would face in the next round was altogether too short-lived. In what will live long in the collective memory of many of the United faithful, Nani was sent off for dangerous play after making contact with Alvaro Arbeloa's ribs with an outstretched boot. Many commentators noted in the post-match cyber echo chamber that they did not believe the decision was appropriate. And given the evidence of what happened afterwards, it irrevocably changed the match.

Almost immediately Mourinho made the right tactical adjustment (he's not a bad manager, you know!) by taking off Arbeloa three minutes after the sending off, moving Sami Khedira to the right and putting the newly-introduced Modric in the middle alongside Alonso. Not only was Welbeck not able to man-mark Alonso as he had done, but Alonso also now had a partner in crime to ping passes with around the United box.

And Mourinho's super sub made an instantaneous impact with an awesome shot beating de Gea to his left to bring Real back on level terms in the match and in the tie. Modric's effort was one Paul Scholes would love to add to his resume. Moments later following more concerted pressure in the United end led to Ronaldo scoring on his return to Old Trafford which effectively put the tie to bed.

United did make a few last ditch efforts to bring themselves level but through further acts of incompetence by the match official and by simple bad luck were unable to convert any of their chances. It could be argued that Sir Alex Ferguson failed to respond quickly enough to Real's numerical advantage and that the cavalry arrived too late. Either way, United failed to score the requisite two goals to keep themselves in the competition.

Supporters leaving Old Trafford, their local pub, walking out of their living rooms, all felt a sense of frustration at what could have, and should have, been in Europe this season. Even Mourinho, not usually one for unbiased analysis or self-deprecation said afterward that the best team lost. Walking out of a crowded pub in Seattle, I myself felt the worst for Sir Alex, who may not have many better or more opportunities to win the European Cup. To have the chance at a third in his time as manager snatched away by an egregiously poor decision by an official hurt more than anything else did.

Man of the Match: (From the United end of things...) Ryan Giggs. Hard to think of too many better shifts he's turned in over the past few years than the one he put together last night. He deserves another shot at a third European Cup too.

Champions League Preview: Manchester United v. Real Madrid

Charles Klein

It's the second coming of Cristiano Ronaldo. And it is also the biggest game played at Old Trafford this season as the reds welcome Real Madrid to Manchester in the second leg of their round of 16 tie. The taming of perhaps the best all-around footballer in the world being most paramount, Sir Alex will seek to select a team capable of building upon the advantage created in Madrid.

David de Gea's place at United, oftentimes the subject of unending debate, put paid to many of his detractors with a stunningly brilliant performance in his hometown of Madrid. Whether it was the acrobatically unorthodox kick-save to deny Mesut Özil or the fingertip save to thwart Fabio Coentrão, de Gea proved he more than belonged on a field graced by legends like Raul, Di Stéfano, Zidane, and Casillas. Tomorrow night he will prove he is deserving of the legacies of United legends Peter Schmeichel, Edwin Van Der Sar, and Harry Gregg.

In front of de Gea I expect to see Sir Alex deploy Rafael, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, and Patrice Evra. Both Evans and Evra played at the weekend in the four-nil drubbing of Norwich City, but as this tie is too big for players like Alexander Büttner and too soon for Nemanja Vidic, Evans and Evra will have to play their way through perhaps tired legs to see United through to the next round.

The midfield usually is the most crucial area of the pitch to win and in this tie it is even more so. Real Madrid possess incredible strength in depth with names like Luka Modric, Kaka, and Nuri Sahin often left out of the big ties (or loaned out to other clubs). Sami Khedira is a player I would like to see in our team rather than the opposition's and Xabi Alonso's talents are well-known to any United supporter after his time on Merseyside.

So how does Sir Alex configure a midfield to neutralise the threats of Khedira and Alonso, as well as the width and striking talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria? Phil Jones is fighting his way back from injury but I would be surprised to see him start tomorrow night. On European nights, most especially against Spanish opposition, work rate is prized above all other virtues. As such I would expect to see Luis Antonio Valencia deployed on the right, with a trio of Michael Carrick, Shinji Kagawa, and Ryan Giggs deployed centrally, with Wayne Rooney taking up a position on the left and Robin Van Persie spearheading the attack as the lone striker.

It could be very much what we have, we hold type of stuff from the reds as what they have is a place in the next round. While negative tactics are not the most fun to watch, they can be the most effective. United's bench would be strong enough to rescue the tie should things turn against them and playing at home will certainly work to their advantage.

I see United advancing to the next round on the strength of their performance at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real do pose a real and present danger to United's dream of a fourth European Cup and I fully expect them to make United work for it. There is little doubt that Ronaldo will put Rafael through his paces, that Khedira and Alonso will make strong runs from the middle, and that Sergio Ramos will do something to make me say awful things about him on twitter, but I do not think they have enough to derail the reds this time around.

Predicted XI's

Manchester United: de Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra (C); Valencia, Carrick, Kagawa, Giggs, Rooney; Van Persie.

Real Madrid: Diego Lopez; Arbeloa, Ramos, Varane, Coentrão; di María, Alonso, Khedira, Ronaldo, Özil; Benzema.

Predicted Result: 1-0. Van Persie to score. Not the most entertaining scoreline, but will get the job done.

To Boddah

Dear close friend, facebook fan, twitter follower,

I am sure some of you have noticed that I, nor Daniel, have written anything on this site for a few months and I suppose you deserve an explanation as to why. It seems fitting, on this site's two year anniversary, to get lost in a fit of nostalgia. So, let's.

Two years ago I created this site as the creative outlet for my own writings about my favourite club and I was able to get my friend Daniel, with whom I shared a strong, unbreaking bond concerning Manchester United, to write a bit as well. And after being bored in a university classroom for long enough, I decided as soon as I got home to create this. And here we are.

There are a few people I ought to thank for inspiring me to become a "Manchester United blogger": Rob Blanchette of The Faithful MUFC whose tweets I always enjoy and whose perspective, whether or not one agrees with it always, is indisputably unique and his own. Rob, along with fellow writers Peter Dyke and Sarah Johnson, were and are always incredibly kind to me and I will always be grateful for their presence in my writing and personal life.

After about a year and a half of consistent writing about my favourite club, I lost my passion for the "work". I was tired of having to try to "compete" with other bloggers or being perceived as such. I grew weary of others attempting to be the "toppest reddest" (special inside joke for the NY Reds) with their podcasts and iPhone applications. All of that mess on twitter took much of the fun out of the process of writing and more importantly made it less fun to be a fan of the club.

Eventually I decided that I would no longer press myself to write for the sake of it. It would not be fair to ask someone to take time out of their day to read something I was not 100% invested in creating. I stopped recording podcasts for a similar reason: it took up a lot of my time to edit them, to record them, and the friends with whom I did them were busy with more important things. Chudi is working on other writing avenues and Jason had a baby (a beautiful one who is persevering through incredible adversity).

I stopped writing, talking, and tweeting (mostly) United so that I could live it and breathe it just like a normal supporter does. I needed to reunite myself with what I love(d) so much about the club to remind myself why it is that I devote so much time, money, and energy to it every week for about nine months of the twelve in every year.

And thankfully I was able to do exactly that. During the past few months I have had the pleasure of watching a match with my favourite group of United supporters (the NY Reds) and develop stronger bonds with the Seattle group that I have helped run.

Football, to me, is about the club and about the people that supporting one's club allows one to meet that one otherwise would not. I became closer with my friend Steve Whittle after he came to Seattle over a weekend and we watched United triumph over Chelsea. I met Brent Reno (a fellow NY Red) over the same weekend and the three of us had a great time closing down my favourite cocktail bar in Seattle (Zig Zag Cafe) talking United. When my friends Mark Barry and Lissa Gillmore came to Seattle around the holidays to mourn the passing of Lissa's mother, I was able to watch a few matches with them and get to know them as the great people they are outside of their unyielding support of the reds.

I could go on and on about the amazing people that I have had the opportunity to meet thanks to the decision I made in 2003 to support Manchester United. The opportunities that have been afforded to me because I decided to start this blog and the corresponding twitter account are ones for which I will always be grateful. This site reminds me what genuine hard work and skill can create.

The future for this site is still bright. I imagine there will definitely come a time when I will want to write regularly again about United. But it is not right now. When I do decide to click on the pen icon in blogger again, I will do it with the same sincerity and passion that I always have done. I hope that time comes soon.

Sincerely Yours,

Charles H. Klein