Reading the papers today you'd think that Sir Alex's press conference yesterday was a two minute affair in which he praised Rooney and walked off. Who knows, maybe it was...
Anyway, the comments by Sir Alex, inspired by the Benfica manger claiming Rooney was a "Brazilian or Argentinian type player," were as follows, from The Guardian:
The threat of Rooney inevitably dominated Jorge Jesus's pre-match press conference, with the Benfica coach conceding United's No10 would shape his plans. "Rooney is the best British player but doesn't seem like a British player," Jesus said. "He's like an Argentinian or Brazilian. He can decide the match in the final third and so we have to pay special attention to him."That prompted Ferguson to doubt Jesus, although not Rooney's potential to be remembered among the greats should he maintain, and indeed improve, his current form. "I think he's a typical British player," said the United manager, who left Rio Ferdinand behind as a precaution ahead of Sunday's visit of Chelsea and revealed Nemanja Vidic is a fortnight away from returning from a calf problem.
"There have been British players over the last few years, maybe for the last decades, who have similar great qualities that make them great players, whether it's a [Paul] Gascoigne, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law. The similarities are that the boy has great courage, wants to play all the time and has incredible stamina. These are added extras to the talent he has. In terms of a Brazilian, you'd say Pelé. He was a very aggressive attacker also who could look after himself, so can Rooney. They have similarities that way: strength, speed, determination, but he's white, completely white."
Not altogether sure why he adds that bit at the end about him being white. We can all see that, and it really doesn't seem important, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that there's some context in the spoken version that explains it adequately.
"We're coming closer all the time to getting another [Champions League] trophy. The consistency has been very, very good over last few years. That's a good guide to the standard we are in Europe and also the progress we're making. I think the last three years we haven't lost an away game, apart from the finals. Of course we want to improve, that's the drive of every coach and player, to improve. We hope we can improve. The most important thing is to win it – that's the improvement that we really do want."
Some quotes from Giggs do the rounds as well. Here on last season's Champions League final, from The Mirror:
"Barcelona were better than us but what was disappointing for us were the goals, really," he said."We're such a good team defensively and to give away the goals we did was disappointing, having got ourselves back into the game."It was similar to [the 2009 final in] Rome, as we started well. The difference was we got back into the game after they scored and, the longer the game went on at 1-1, we'd have had a better chance."Of course, then came the second goal and the third goal really killed us. At 2-1, we're always capable of scoring but Barcelona are a great team.
"We're disappointed we couldn't have played a better game and it couldn't have been a lot closer."
Giggs also ponders whether Man City will be able to quote with fighting on two fronts, from The Sun:
"But the test is the first season in the Champions League. Tottenham found it out to a degree."We found it tough early on to get that mix of playing in a Champions League game, which takes so much out of you physically and emotionally, and then have a hard Premier League game the following weekend.
"You need the squad to handle it, so we will see if they can do what ourselves, Arsenal and Chelsea have done over the years."
And this story in The Sun has a little bit at the bottom about Kuszczak complaining about still being at the club:
Tomasz Kuszczak has hit out at United for leaving him in limbo.The Polish keeper, 29, is now third choice and is angry United did not sell him or agree a loan deal in the summer.
Kuszczak said: "I am angry and disappointed with the way I am treated. I had a few good offers. The problem was the club who wanted to sell me for £4m."
There's always January....
The silliest made up story of the day is in The Daily Star where Messi "torments" us again by "backing Aguero to dethrone us as Premier League Champions." He doesn't. Interestingly, this interview with Aguero in The Guardian has more stuff from Aguero directed at us then the Daily Star's version.
"United have been dominant for so long but this season this is a real chance we can challenge them – with the new players and the talent and the mentality within the club. I've never won a league championship anywhere and so I really want to do it here – and I expect to do it here. Let's hope."
Could City overcome a rejuvenated United and win the league in Agüero's first season with the club? "Sí!" Agüero exclaims. "And I don't think you need to translate that word. Sí!"
The Daily Star didn't really need to make up a story, it was in The Guardian all along...
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