Manchester United Dugout

Manchester United were defeated at home by Besiktas in their Champions League Group B game yesterday. The narrow 1-0 defeat for the Red Devils at Old Trafford also ended their 23-match unbeaten home record in the Champions League.

I don't know why United can't handle the Turkish teams. Thirteen years ago it was Fenerbahce who became the first team to defeat Manchester United in a European game at Old Trafford, and now it was Besiktas. It seems there's no Turkish delight for United and Sir Alex.

Rodrigo Tello's first-half effort did the damage as Ben Foster again failed to make an impact. United were missing some of their senior players as Sir Alex Ferguson fielded many youngsters in the game. There was no threat from United over all as all the players looked as if they were laboring till the final whistle. Apart from Gabriel Obertan, no one really looked sharp and I could not believe it was a Man United side.

This defeat to Besiktas is not too critical for United as they are already through to the last 16. A point at Wolfsburg will be enough to secure top spot in Group B when the two sides meet in a fortnight.

Sir Alex Ferguson is known to possess a special knack of taking away all the attention when Manchester United loses a game. He did exactly the same during the post match press conference at Old Trafford. Fergie sounded his disappointment at the shock loss but covered it by saying that it was a good experience for the young lads.

Personally, I don't think there is anything serious after United's defeat last night. But I do believe that we surely need a couple of good center backs. Sir Alex cannot win even Carling Cup if he uses Brown and O'Shea in the center, let alone the Premier League title or the Champions League.

What's your take folks?

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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is reportedly set to become the highest paid footballer in the history of the Premier League. He will be offered a mega deal to make him the richest player in England as well as to keep Barcelona at bay.

Manchester United is planning to offer a new contract to Wayne Rooney, who has been vocal about his intentions to stay at Old Trafford. There are a number of clubs who are chasing the English striker, most notably Barcelona.

The Spanish champions are showing more and more interest to sign the England international with each passing day. Rooney’s ex-teammate at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo has also invited him to Spain to play for Real Madrid. But the 24-year-old has remained fiercely loyal to the club and has time and again said to remain a Red Devil till he retires.

The terms of the new contract are yet to be finalized and negotiations may start somewhere around February. According to a report in the News of the World, Manchester United will offer a whopping deal of £170,000-a-week wages to Wayne Rooney. The report also says that the new deal will see the father of Kai Wayne Rooney own image rights worth £45,000-a-week.

If Rooney is offered such a high paying contract, he could become the owner of the most lucrative contract in the history of the club, as well as the English Premier League. It goes without saying that United will be keen to wrap up an agreement before the 2010 World Cup. A successful summer in South Africa for Wayne Rooney could see his value sky rocket and evoke serious interest from other clubs.

Manchester United skipper, Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of action for about 10 games. Rio can be back only after the New Year if his recovery from an injured back is successful.

The medical staff at Old Trafford has said that Rio needs at least six weeks of rest and physio work to heal his injured back. This injury comes at a wrong time for the Red Devils as their skipper may not be able to play any of United’s 11 remaining fixtures in 2009.

Rio Ferdinand has been plagued by back trouble since last season but he was offered pain killers by the medical staff on a regular basis. There wasn’t any strong surgery or treatment provided to the Manchester United centre-back then as United kept playing for more than 5 competitions last season.

With so much football being played and Rio being a key member for his club and country had to play enormous amount of football. Also, he is working hard on his business and I think these stressful conditions have taken their toll on Rio. We have seen several poor displays from him this term, which does not happen often in the case of Rio Ferdinand.

Sir Alex Ferguson has finally decided to allow Rio undergo complete treatment even if it means missing him until 2010. Apart from his injured back Rio is also experiencing other problems elsewhere in his body. United medical staff is investigating the possibility that he might need his hip realigned to relieve strain on other parts of his body, including his back. This surely indicates that Rio will have a lengthy lay-off.

Rio has already sat out for 4 games since the 2-0 loss at Liverpool in October. And his absence until early 2010 means that he will miss another 11 games. That’s 15 matches, which is almost a quarter of a season.

Nemanja Vidic looks almost certain to return to the Manchester United defence for Saturday's Premier League clash with Everton. The Serbian and Red Devils centre-half had been sidelined for the past three weeks with a calf injury.

Vidic was recently seen playing for his country against South Korea in a World Cup warm-up match. He lasted for a good 70 minutes and looked sharp. Even Sir Alex Ferguson had a talk with Serbian coach Raddy Antic about the fitness of Vidic and was given the green light.

It will be a big boost to Manchester United who are missing Rio Ferdinand and find themselves in third place, five points behind leaders Chelsea. I think Evans would partner Vidic in the center, while Wes Brown may be used as cover.

One strange thing that I have noticed this season is that Vidic has started just seven games for United so far. Also, we are seeing a lot of Johny Evans these days, either to fill Rio's place or Vida's place. Is this an indication that Vidic will leave Old Trafford to join Barcelona? I feel, Yes. Therefore, Fergie is trying out Evans in different situations so that he gets ready to become a regular for United.

Tomorrow's game against Everton would see Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout as his punishment would begin from next week. He was handed a two-game touchline ban for his comments about referee Alan Wiley. This will mean that Fergie will have to watch the game against Portsmouth and Tottenham (Carling Cup tie) from the stands.

Meanwhile, Fergie will enjoy watching tomorrow's game from close range as he will get a chance to see Everton's teenage midfielder Jack Rodwell. Everton have valued this teen at £20million and a move to United might be possible during the January transfer window.

Manchester United is one of the best football clubs in the world and Sir Alex Ferguson is the most decorated manager in England. It is very difficult to replace this man once he steps down. But that has to happen and happen soon. So who will replace Fergie?

I wish Sir Alex could continue forever at Old Trafford. But all good things come to an end and probably he might think of stepping down after the end of next season. Of course, there is ample amount of time for management to find his successor, but who will he be?

Manchester United CEO, David Gill and Sir Bobby Charlton have been asked to hire the successor to Sir Alex Ferguson. They have been considering lot of names and have even consulted Fergie about this matter. Its difficult to say who would be the next United manager, but there are some names being linked with the United hot seat.

First of all, Jose Mourinho - the Special One. He has time and again indicated his desire to return to England. There is no secret that Mourinho wants to manage Manchester United. In fact, he is optimistic that Sir Alex will recommend him as his successor when he retires.

Next in line is Carlos Queiroz who was the deputy of Sir Alex for more than 5 years. Queiroz left United when he was appointed as the new head coach of Portugal last year. I don't doubt his abilities but his managerial performance at Real Madrid and Portugal has not really been something which one could expect at Old Trafford.

Laurent Blanc has also been linked with Manchester United. This ex Red Devil is currently managing French club - Bordeaux. He has been instrumental in transforming the club from a being mere football team to becoming the French champions in a short span of time. A recent article on Mirror reported the Blanc has emerged to top the Manchester United short-list of managers to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson.

Though these 3 names are mostly discussed, I believe there are a few others who might be considered for this top job. Those include Mark Hughes, Sam Allardyce, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane (why not?) and David Moyes. Fergie has been a great admirer of Moyes (Scottish connection.. huh?) for his awesome work at Everton and might get a strong push.

But there's a clear message that replacing Sir Alex will be the toughest job since Matt Busby left the club. It isn’t just about winning at United. It’s about playing the game the right way and upholding the traditions. Fergie has done that for over 20 years and has nurtured and created legends at Old Trafford. It will indeed be a big day when he retires as the manager of Manchester United.

Who do you think is the best suited candidate for United job and why?

2 days. That's the time Fergie took to seal the fate of Nani. Recently, Nani had a stupid public outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson and it is rumoured that the Portuguese may be on his way to Italy.

The Portuguese winger did not mince his words in an interview with a newspaper and that has probably left Ferguson furious. The United boss is already facing some serious issues that include

a). Losing the top spot with defeats at Liverpool & Chelsea

b). Injuries to center backs - Vidic & Ferdinand

c). Touchline ban following the Alan Wiley episode.

Nani had expressed his displeasure at the situation in Old Trafford due to his lack of chances and even went on to say that Sir Alex Ferguson has destroyed his career. He said,

In spite of knowing this was not the right time, Nani let out his frustration in public and criticized the most decorated football manager. Duh. I think Nani was insane. He could have talked with Fergie in private. Was he trying to emulate Carlos Tevez?

Well, if that was the case, then just like Tevez was shipped to City, Nani might be on his way to Italy. Juventus and AC Milan have allegedly shown interest in the winger and a transfer may be on the cards when the January window opens.

Nobody has ever escaped unhurt after messing with Fergie. Jaap Stam, David Beckham, Fabian Barthez and Roy Keane are some famous examples who were shown the exit doors at Old Trafford after their bust up with Fergie.

And to be honest, Nani has not really lived up to the hype when he arrived. If we leave aside his somersaults, Nani has struggled with his performances. Even after the departure of CR7, he has not been able to command a regular place in the starting eleven, scoring just one goal against his name this season.

Good Bye Nani. You don't deserve to play for United. Maybe you should skip the flight and use your somersaults while moving from England to Italy because that's the only thing you are good at.

Manchester United just can't stop from being linked with numerous high profile players. The recent rumors link Yaya Touré, Franck Ribéry and Marouane Chamakh with the Red Devils.

Manchester United have signed a 5 year sponsorship deal with Pan-African telephone company Globacom. The partnership was unveiled yesterday at Old Trafford. The amount involved in the deal is not yet known.

As part of this deal young players from Nigeria, Ghana and Benin will train at the Manchester United Football Academy. It will also involve promotional packages for Manchester United fans in Nigeria, Ghana and Benin to watch 14 live matches involving the English champions. These matches will be from the Premiership, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Globacom is one of the biggest telecommunication companies in Africa and reputed as Africa’s biggest supporter of football. Their interest in football has inspired them to provide a unique chance for West African cadets to have an international exposure to top of the range training facilities at the Manchester United Football Academy.

Last year Budweiser renewed their sponsorship agreement until 2010 with the Red Devils.

Manchester United is one of the most popular football clubs in the world. It has a massive fan following in the African continent and Globacom is trying its best to nurture some local talent under the watchful eyes of the best professionals at Old Trafford.

I hope we get our next Manucho from this group of kids.

Manchester United have been the league champions for 3 consecutive years now. They are trying to win a record fourth one but considering the current state of defense, I am worried.

If we see the performance of United this season, they have managed to win 12 matches out of 14 in all competitions. That might sound good but one has to look at each of those victories with a microscope. Baring 3 or 4 games, United have not at all looked the same that they were last year. To be honest, they are not even near that.

Manchester United has been a dominant force in England as well as Europe, but somehow the defense has been terrible this season. Many think that losing Van der Sar to injury during the beginning of the season was a major disruption. But I feel that it was a blessing in disguise. At least we got to see the quality and competitiveness of Ben Foster.

To be honest, Foster does not deserve to wear a Man United shirt. He has been pathetic with his personal performance and failed to organize his defense. If this is the strength of United bench that everyone praises, then I am sorry but there's surely some illusion.

There have been so many instances this season that have shown and proved that United's defense has been shaky. With reports indicating an exit for the two main center backs, matters have got worse. Rio Ferdinand's dip in form has attracted so much criticism that people have indicated his exit and linked him with a move to Tottenham. I don't know why Spurs was the chosen club? Even Vidic looks set to leave United pretty soon to join Barcelona. So who do we have to replace them?

I am sure Fergie knows that Evans and Wes Brown are not the best candidates to replace Ferdinand and Vidic. So what are the options? I don't see any. The irony of the situation is that United have been linked with players like David Villa & David Silva, Stevan Jovetic and others but none of them are defenders. Does Fergie have someone in sight or is he thinking of giving the reserve lads a promotion to the first team.

What do you think are the solutions to Manchester United's defense worries?

David Villa is arriving at Manchester United. Yes, this can be a truth if certain reports are to be believed. And what's more fun is that Villa will arrive at Old Trafford by dumping Chelsea. Yeah, that sounds good.

Chelsea and United have started a fresh bidding process to acquire the services of David Villa. Though Chelsea could splash more cash than United as Roman Abramovich has approved a mega bid while the Glazers are a bit reluctant to pay Valencia's price. But the Spanish hitman has revealed his interest to wear the red shirt and dump the blue one.

This is a surprising news. I am seeing almost all newspapers and magazines saying the same thing. You cannot believe these transfer rumors until they are backed  by some substantial sources. And what makes me believe these rumors is that this news has been featured on United's official site.

A source close to the star said: "David was approached about the Chelsea move in the summer but did not fancy it. He was not sure how often he would play or whether they played his style.

"Manchester United is his first choice in England, but there is a problem with that because of the price and his age. If it can be agreed with Valencia he would sooner go to Old Trafford."

Will David Villa really snub Chelsea and join United? Will he be able to turn down the mega money making opportunity with the Blues? Is he strong enough to stick to his words?

What do you think?

Manchester United will host CSKA Moscow today in their group B clash of the Champions League. United had won the same fixture two weeks ago in Russian capital and will look to win this one too.

Currently, the Red Devils lead Group B and a victory at Old Trafford would send them progress into the knockout round with two Group B matches to spare. Being in such a comfort zone, Fergie is likely to start with some subs or reserves as he will try to rest his stars for the big clash at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

With Dimitar Berbatov injured and Wayne Rooney questionable after becoming a father on Monday, Michael Owen could get a start. He might team up with 18-year-old Federico Macheda if Rooney remains with wife Coleen and their new son, Kai Wayne Rooney.

Recently, Michael Owen had said that playing for Manchester United is more important for him than for the national team. I don't think these comments would see Fergie give Owen some partial consideration. But I only hope that if he starts today, he should remain till the end. Remember how his last home match start against Wolfsburg resulted in a damp squib as he lasted only 20 minutes.