This week's Football Circus takes on a slightly different complexion than past editions. Given the week that has been, we have included a few Fergie-related stories from the week, as well as our usual round up of oddballs and jesters from around the football world.
You will find countless tributes across all formats of media to Sir Alex over the next week, month, year, even decade...All thoroughly deserved by the great man. At Football Circus however, we will take a slightly different slant on his retirement.
Crerand Laughs off Fergie Retirement Rumours
To begin we will travel back in time to the morning of Wednesday May the 8th 2013, just minutes before the official announcement of Fergie's retirement, when a certain Paddy Crerand was live on the breakfast show of Irish radio station Newstalk. At this point strong rumours had been circulating from the previous evening that Fergie would in fact be stepping down and bookmakers had slashed their odds on the possibility. Former United midfielder Crerand laughed off the rumours though as he was interviewed on the matter.
Presenter Oisin Langan, put it to Crerand that there may be some truth in the rumours. Crerand reacted almost angrily and proceeded into a rant that he will surely cringe at when reminded of it. Some of the better quotes from MUTV commentator Crerand from the broadcast can be read below:
"I'm just laughing in actual fact".
"I think people must sit up at night and think 'Now,What can I do to make a sensational story? The manager of Manchester United is going in for an operation and...yeah, let's get round to that'"
"I was at Manchester United last night for three hours, maybe longer than that, four hours...I was with lots of people at Old Trafford...not a murmur about it. I think it's a load of rubbish. I can't believe it for one minute that maybe the manager's thinking about it".
"That's the bookmakers. They must be short of a few quid or there's not enough racing going on".
"That's a classic football story. 'Oh, an insider told me. A source told me. Joe Bloggs told me. Hans Christian Andersen told me. Bloody Walt Disney told me!'".
Then at 9:18AM, Manchester United confirmed that Ferguson would indeed be leaving his role as manager at the end of the season.
A backtracking Crerand commented "I'm just stunned. God help the poor fellow who's going to have to follow him because the standard he has set is incredible. I thought when Sir Alex signed Robin van Persie that he never buys players at the age of 29 and I thought maybe he bought him as he wants to go out by winning the league. It entered my head, but then I forgot about it as I thought he would want to win the European Cup."
United's Future Rooned?
Just as Ferguson's retirement was announced, rumours as to who would take over the role abounded. This afternoon saw the announcement of David Moyes' appointment as new United manager. The appointment may signal the death knell for Wayne Rooney's Old Trafford career.
Moyes was in fact Everton manager when they sold Rooney to Manchester United in 2004. Rooney later released an autobiography, wherein he claimed that Moyes had forced him out of Everton. This led Moyes to sue Rooney for libel before Rooney apologised and the matter was settled out of court.
In his book, Rooney had stated "I would have gone almost anywhere just to get away from David Moyes. If no-one had come in I would have joined Newcastle. To me he appeared overbearing; just wanting to control people. I suppose being young and playing for England at 17, I wasn't bothered about upsetting him or answering back".
Rooney's feelings for Moyes may resurface when Moyes arrives at Old Trafford. Already thought to be on the brink of leaving United with talk of interest from Bayern Munich, the Scouse striker may see a potential reunion with Moyes as the driving force behind a transfer away from the club.
Nando's use some Glazer-esque Business Savvy to Exploit Fergie Retirement
Within hours of Ferguson's retirement, chicken restaurant franchise Nando's had seized on the opportunity to turn it into a PR stunt.
Their chain took to their Facebook page to announce that all of their Manchester restaurants would stay open for an additional five minutes on Wednesday evening, deeming the additional five minutes to be 'Fergie Time':
“In honour of Sir Alex Ferguson’s announcement that he is retiring we’re proud to introduce ‘Nando’s Fergie Time’ – all our Manchester Nando’s will be open 5 minutes later tonight”.
A smart move by the Portuguese company, although a paltry five minutes is unlikely to have ruffled many feathers.
Now then. With all the Fergie stories out of our system we must remember that a) He has just retired, he didn't die and b) Football will still carry on. So back to the task at hand...
From Eye of the Tiger to Eye of the Lion-el – Rocky-Style Film to be made about Messi
Variety magazine has this week reported that Epic Pictures Group is to finance and produce a Lionel Messi biopic.
25 year old Messi is already a La Liga and Champion's League winner and has won the FIFA Player of the Year award on numerous occasions, at what many believe is only the mid-way point of his career.
The release of the film is to coincide with World Cup 2014 and will have a “Rocky-style” feel about it.
Producer Patrick Ewald has suggested that the film will take a rags-to-riches type approach to Messi's story: “The goal is to make a powerful and positive film that will leave audiences feeling inspired to go after their dreams no matter how impossible they may seem”.
Messi's success with Barcelona has not quite been translated on the international stage with Argentina thus far. Whether he would see a feature film about his life ahead of the World Cup as a help or a hinderance, remains to be seen.
Violence at La Bombonera as Boca and River Fans Face Off again
Crowd violence has sadly become a commonplace at River Plate and Boca Juniors fixtures in recent years. Last weekend's match between the Argentinian superpowers, which is known as the 'Superclasico', was no different.
Riled up fans were shown to set off fireworks in the stands of the Buenos Aires stadium and threw flares at stunned players who were on the pitch below. As some of the fans ascended a steel fence used to separate the stands from the pitch, fearful riot police were forced to fire water cannons in to the crowd.
The match was twice halted, for 15 minutes in total, before order was restored. A 1-1 draw was eventually played out. Referee German Delfino claimed he was almost forced to abandon the match completely. Boca slid to 18th in the table and their misery was further compounded after the match as their fans' behaviour prompted authorities to close two tiers of terracing at La Bombonera.
Den Haag Fans Hospitilised during Feyenoord Match after eating 'Space Cake'
16 ADO Den Haag fans were taken to hospital by ambulance during their side's 2-0 victory at home to Feyenoord last weekend. 'Not another incident of crowd trouble' we hear you say. Well, not quite.
The 16 fans fell ill and passed out in the stands while the game unfolded before them (though how much of the game and exactly what they thought they witnessed is another matter).
Tests at the local hospital showed that all 16 had marijuana in their systems and had in fact ingested 'space cake'. What came as more of a shock was that the fans had not frequented one of the Netherlands' infamous cafes pre-kickoff, but they had been served the 'space cake' in corporate boxes at ADO Den Haag's Kyocera Stadium.
Den Haag have subsequently denied responsibility for the incident, placing the blame on a catering company who were hired to serve food.
Italian Football Story of the Week
- No More Fanny for Mario
Not so long ago at Football Circus we reported on Mario Balotelli's blossoming relationship with Belgian model Fanny Neguesha and how he felt the relationship had contributed to a new sense of zen he felt in his life. His performances for club and country were impressive at that point and it seemed Super Mario may finally be settling down.
But Balotelli's life seems to play out to a soundtrack of the Sex Pistols' version of 'My Way' on loop and this week, we were heartened to hear that love's young dream alas, was no more. The wild man was spotted surrounded by girls in a nightclub after AC Milan's recent game against Catania. Shortly thereafter, there was confirmation that the relationship was over. Balotelli stated "Being with me is not easy”.
His recent boast that he would let Miss Neguesha sleep with every member of the Real Madrid team were they to overturn a 4-1 Champions League first leg deficit against Borussia Dortmund, surely can't have helped matters.
So Mario is a single man again and Football Circus awaits the Milan man's next appearance in the 'Italian Football Story of the Week' with bated breath.
Football Recommendation
The Two Escobars – A cracking documentary from ESPN's 30 for 30 series which looks into Colombia's terrifying World Cup '94 tournament and the sheer fear that took over the dressing room as their families' and their own lives were threatened.
Non-Football Recommendation
The Earth from Space – Some pretty sensational photos of...well...the earth from space!
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