Retirement Days

Let's start with the money again.
It's reported that there's growing unease in the US about the final payment on AIG's sponsorship deal. From The Independent:

one of the direct effects of the crunch, United's main sponsor AIG being bailed out and funded by the US government, is threatening to deprive the club of the final £14m installment of their sponsorship deal, with several members of the US House of Representatives now insisting that it is inappropriate for payments to continue.

"They (AIG) are no longer an independent private company. They now belong to the US government and I think that AIG should drop the sponsorship deal with Manchester United," said congressional Democrat Ed Pastor, representative for Arizona, amid the fall-out from the controversial plans to use bail-out funds to pay executive bonuses. "It is unacceptable for US taxpayer money to go to support an English soccer club," Ann Kirkpatrick, another Democrat Representative added.

While that sounds fairly serious, and here I again note my lack economic knowledge, the paper goes on:

AIG have told United that they will receive the final contribution before the sponsorship deals expires at the end of next season and there would presumably be financial penalties to pay if the contract were terminated early.

Surely a contract is a contract no matter how bitter the pill may be to swallow? Unless there's some sort of argument that AIG is no longer the same entity it was when it agreed the deal. Like I say - this sort of thing is all over my head.
All the papers have speculation about who might step in to replace AIG when the deal runs out, The Independent has a full list:

The Indian conglomerate Tata, which owns Tetley, Corus, Jaguar and Land Rover, and American nutrition supplement company NBTY have emerged as possible replacements for AIG, with Saudi Telecom and Sahara already having been linked with lucrative agreements with United. Last month, the chief executive of Malaysian budget airline AirAsia also said his company was pondering whether to become United's new shirt sponsor.

While The Mail report that we are "in advanced talks with Saudi Telecom to replace troubled insurance firm AIG as the club's shirt sponsor."
Continuing with the subject of shirts, The Sun has picked up on a story about how Van der Sar's shirt colour affects our results:

The champions have been alerted to the fact they have a far better record when the Dutch keeper wears yellow as opposed to blue.

Van der Sar has worn blue in United’s last two Premier League games, which have seen them beaten 4-1 by Liverpool and 2-0 by Fulham. ...

Research by a contributor to United fanzine Red News has brought the information to the club’s attention.

It reveals Van der Sar has worn yellow in the league 17 times this season.

In those games, United have conceded just four — with a goal difference of plus 21 — winning 12, losing one and drawing four, gaining 40 points from a possible 51.

However, the figures take on a different hue when Van der Sar wears blue.

In 10 games, United have conceded 13 for a goal difference of plus seven, winning six, losing three and drawing one — 19 points from 30.

Ben Foster also wore yellow when he performed heroics as United won the Carling Cup on spot-kicks against Spurs.

Interesting stats, I guess anything's worth trying...

Beckham comes out in support of Rooney's "temper", from The Times:

“I’ve got no concerns with Wayne whatsoever,” Beckham said yesterday. “It comes hand in hand. You don’t get the player he is without the temperament, without his attitude in games.

“That is the way he is, he’s passionate about the game, passionate about winning, and when things are not going his way he’s like every other player who wants to win. He shows his frustration — sometimes it’s too much, but if you take that away from a player, it changes him.

“With Wayne you don’t get the exceptional talent and player you have without that side of his game. If you take away that side, he becomes a different player, a different animal. You don’t want to take that out of him. Sometimes it flows over. He’s done it a few times with myself, but it happens. He knows it’s not right, I know it’s not right, but it happens.”

The other story around is Darren Ferguson saying Sir Alex could retire at the end of next season:

'His health is fine and he's building a new team,' said Darren. 'If they win the Barclays Premier League this year then they catch Liverpool in terms of titles won.

'I can see him doing this year and next - and then that might be it for him.'

Which The Mirror misleadingly headlines "Manchester United Boss Sir Alex Ferguson in quit threat".