The World Won't Listen

I start today in much the same way as I started yesterday...

Well, things move quickly in the world of football, the day before yesterday it was, "Real will wait a year to approach Ronaldo because they're strapped for cash"; yesterday it was "Real will approach Ronaldo this year and Ronaldo is bored at United, sooooo..."; today it's this:

Predrag Mijatovic, Real Madrid's sporting director, says it will be "impossible" to sign Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.

His comments come in the wake of claims made by Carlos Queiroz, the Manchester United assistant manager, who said "no amount of money" would force the club to sell the 23-year-old.

Reports had suggested Real Madrid wanted the Portugal international to become the new 'face' of the club, and although Mijatovic has made secret of his desire to sign the winger, he admits it is an impossible dream.

"Right now it is impossible to sign Cristiano Ronaldo," Mijatovic said. "Who would not like to have him in their team? But we need to be realistic because his would be a very difficult signing."

Of course for continuity's sake I should have used The Mail report again, the only reason I didn't is that it starts with the Ronaldo quotes rather than the Mijatovic quotes. And for those Ronaldo quotes I choose the fuller version in The Telegraph:

"I just don’t care what the whole world seems to want to say about me or speculate about my future," said Ronaldo. "I’ve said it a thousand times and, by now, people should realise . . . I’m totally happy at United.

"I’m in the form of my life and I’m having the season of my career so far. So it makes me mad sometimes to read some of the things which are supposed to be related to my future.

"I get angry but I’m trying to accept it’s a waste of energy to be furious because it is not worth it."

And I'm sure that's going to be the end of the speculation. It's not like he's going to be starring for Portugal in the European Championship during the summer attracting more reports of clubs interested is it?
Anyway, The Telegraph report seems to have further quotes not in other papers (some include none, others a few, but The Telegraph seems to have the fullest version):

"If I’m performing at the best level of my life, then it’s not by fluke. Far from it — I’ve worked damn hard to try and achieve exactly that.

"I’m pushing myself mentally and physically. I’m working constantly to better myself — it’s for those reasons alone, and not by luck, that the results are coming and the goals are flowing."

"People are talking about the free-kicks that I’ve scored this season but there is absolutely no secret to scoring them.

"It is nothing more than work and repetition over and again.

"I’m scoring them so that gives me more confidence to keep on trying and practising but the only explanation for the fact that they go in is dedication and hard work."

The Daily Mail reports on Johann Cruyff slagging off English football and Man Utd:

He said last night: 'Manchester United run a lot. Their style of football, and that of all the English teams, gives the false sensation that they run more than anyone.

'That's just because, despite having a majority of foreigners in their squads, they maintain the philosophy of long-ball football and sprinting 60 yards after the ball.

'That is how they exploit spaces in front of the midfield.

'If they played in the other team's half more often those spaces wouldn't exist. Despite recognising their effort, you can disarm an English side who press and look for the long ball by keeping possession and moving the ball around quickly.

'You know they will expend all their energy on closing down and chasing long balls, then you know you can beat them by playing the ball horizontally and around them.'

We play long ball? With comments like that he should get a job working for the English football media - he'd fit right in.

Finishing today on some amazing quotes from Fabio which are reported in several papers. I'll just use The Mail's version:

Capello said: "They[Man Utd] have a big, fit squad. At the moment they have all their main players so I believe they can be competitive in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

"Until it's mathematically beyond them, you have to say that Chelsea still have a chance. But if United don't lose games and Chelsea win then United will still be champions.

I'm not really blaming Fabio for this, it's more the papers fault for actually reporting this drivel, but really, what is the point of saying this? "if United don't lose games and Chelsea win then United will still be champions." Really? Great insight there Fabio. You should also write for the English Press - in fact from the evidence of the next quote you maybe already do:

"I've really enjoyed the domestic season in England, and Arsenal have played a big part in that, too. They have played great football for long parts of the season and at one time I thought they would go all the way to the title.
"Then they had a number of injuries and in my view you have to say that they have been really unlucky in the last few games."

Arsenal blah brilliant football blah should have won it blah bad luck blah blah blah. More superb original analysis...