He's at it again! : FIRST Italy, now Holland. If Nike executives invite Sir (spit) Alex Ferguson to become their international ambassador when he retires as Manchester United's manager, they might wish to send someone else to those two particular countries. The Italians experienced Ferguson's wrath prior to United's Champions League quarter-final with Inter Milan two seasons ago. Ferguson remarked: "If an Italian gave me a bowl of pasta I would check under the sauce to make sure first." Yesterday it was the turn of the Dutch, who pricked Ferguson's fragile ego when they branded him arrogant for selecting an essentially second-string side against PSV Eindhoven last month. Even on a night of celebration for PSV, their 3-1 victory at the Philips Stadium being one of the finest in their recent history, they felt deeply offended by Ferguson's decision to omit David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham from his starting line-up. PSV will meet a stronger United side at Old Trafford this evening, but in yesterday's press conference the charge was nevertheless repeated by a Dutch journalist keen to discuss why Ferguson so underestimated the threat of PSV last time. Ferguson was not amused. "I read the reports accusing us of arrogance," he said. "I thought it was a bit strange coming from a country like Holland, because you are not short of it yourselves. "You don't play in a competitive league, with important games every Saturday, Wednesday and Saturday. You don't understand the mechanics of our game. "I think you have arrogance in your football. It is well documented and sometimes it can be a good thing, but to level it against Manchester United is not relevant (!!!!!). I took a risk against PSV not because I underestimated them, but because of other circumstances. "Neither PSV nor Dynamo Kiev had matches the weekend before playing us. We were tired from travelling to Kiev the previous week and we had a huge game against Arsenal on the Sunday." Ferguson's tirade did not stop there, however. "We were a bit disappointed with some of the diving that was going on all over the place out there," he said. "I think that is what frustrated my players. That is why they had problems with the referee (boLL*@KS!)." ..., but we can be sure of one thing. When United renew their interest in Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose proposed #18.5 million transfer collapsed in April when he ruptured knee ligaments, PSV will not be terribly cooperative.

Torygraph.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Answers

Take two managers. One a dour faced Jock and another a dour faced Dutchman. Call one Alex and call the other Ruud. I know EXACTLY which one is more arrogant...it is in their genes. BTW....Nice guys don't win. Look at Wor Messiah, Ruud and Vialli.

SACKED! SACKED! SACKED!

KK may have walked but it was coming.

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Surell this should be on the Gone Fishin thread.

Can somebody replace the bait, please?

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Not at all......Bud does his best to show his bitterness attowards greatness..I'm just highlighting it:-)

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

I'm sure we have an excellent relationship with PSV, Van Nistelrooy will be ours, all ours, HAA HAA HAA HAA HAA,leaves in escape hatch of spaceship, with wide grin!

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

The problem with other cubs (chairman) taking a dislike to winners is that they allow personal gripes to get in the way of good busines....a bit like Jack Walker saying he would not allow WGB to come to United. :-) Still....OGS was cheaper:-)

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Whats Akela got to do with it LR ? OGS .. u sad man !

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

I could answer that..........................if I knew what the feck you are on about!

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Hmm did he mean Anelka was WGB?

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

I'm staying of this thread until it sorts itself out ...I'm perplexed

:-).

Time for contention I think :-)

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

I think LR was trying to say that Warren Barton's middle name begins with a 'G'....not sure what it's got to do with Anelka though...

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

While someone tries to sort this out here's another jibe at Newton Heath wholely intended to wind up LR.

Football365.com are running a special feature on ex-newton heath players making crap managers and point to examples like Bobby Charlton (Sir), Brian Kidd, Bryan Robson, Alan Brazil, Frank Stapleton and Nobby Stiles, to name a few. Now this is a coincidence if you look at the 1966 World Cup winning team and see how many of them have tried and failed in Management.

Is it something to do with the success they have had or are they just ex-Newton Heathens who think they are better than they are?

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

DB...guess what ...that DOESN'T FUCKIN' wind-me-up :-)

..lol...ok mate...let me piss all over that for you. From your list you showed Bobby Charlton (Sir), Brian Kidd, Bryan Robson, Alan Brazil, Frank Stapleton and Nobby Stiles. I know you , Football 666 and the likes think it clever to come up with bollox like this in the only way you know how in attempting to bring down the Champions, but may I point out to you that most of these players were not exclusively United players. I'm sure West Brom, Arsenal, City and Ipswich are sad at the thought that they spawned shit managers:-)

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Akela man , not Anelka .. the chairman of the cubs ... ahh forget it ; )

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

dib, dib, dib....

Maybe LR got kicked out for failing to get his 'sense of humour' badge... ;)

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

Orienteering badge is what he missed out on .

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000

The old "Sting - Min" combination suckers punch :-)...ouch!!

-- Anonymous, October 18, 2000