China, hello, goodbye

What purpose this final game of United's out of Europe tour, i'm at a bit of a loss to understand. I know it's done for commercial consideration's, but even that loses me, apparently United were met at the airport by masses of pirated United merchandise, we may be far bigger than City out there, but come on, how hard is that, i can't ever see China being the cash cow that South Korea and possibly Jpan will become for United or any other premier league team.
As for the football, if they didn't treat it seriously, what on earth did that contribute to pre-season fitness, ar least the poor South African outfit's made United work. Kagawa was the big plus of the match and the tour, he looks a real player, from his appearances so far, i'm would liken him to David Silva, but comfortable on right and left foot and i'm hoping he will be the midfield player that will at last get those 10 to 15 goals a season that Scholes did in the earlier stages of his glorious career. I'm looking foward to seeing him against Barca and Hanover in our more testing friendlies.

I'm afraid i wasn't any more convinced by Brady at left back, i don't see him as future United player to be honest, but he defintitely isn't a left back of the calibre that a side competing for champions league are going to need.

News from last night that the gimps have called a halt to the proposed imminent IPO, citing tough market conditions, the same tough market conditions that have been their all year. The rumour going around the Twittersphere last night was that it was off, full stop, that came via MUST, but they seem to have reasonable into the Glazer's machinations nowadays. There has been plenty of speculation as to what the gimps do next all through today, with MUST calling for a full floatation. And the message boards have been full of ponderings as what we can do next to keep the pressure exerted to the max. Of course it's all guess work as to how serious their situation really is. There can be no doubt why Fergie decided to speak out at the weekend, not that there is any excuse still.
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The latest quarterly GDP figures for the British economy were even worse than the worst of forecasts, leaving Osborne to come under even more flak over his economic strategy. Jeremy Warner was one of his champions at the beginning of this government, he lost him a while ago, but even though he lost faith in Osborne some time ago he still can't learn the lesson of the 30's and opt for goverment spending to get us out of this mess.
Larry Elliott describes the GDP figures as the outcome of Osborne's blundering incompetence
Whilst for David Blanchflower the figures are the final nail of Osborne's credibilty, he suggests Britain's triple A credit rating isn't long for this world.

Music

Anna Ternheim - The night visitor: I like the latest album from the Swedish singer/songwriter, heavily influenced by americana and with an almost country feel at times, fittingly having been recorded in Nashville.

Baxter Dury - Happy soup: The son of head Blockhead Ian sounds like a chip of the old block at times and at others as definitely his own man. A decent listen, though no real stand out tunes.

Beach house - Bloom:The follow up to the cracking Teen dream, doesn't disappoint, it's another very enjoyable piece of US indie pop.

Exitmusic - Passage: I admire this album of indie/pop electronica from the the US band more than really like it. It sounds a little like Sigur ros at times, but not quite upas good, maybe the next album they will take it up a notch.

Friends - Manifest: More US indie, but very radio friendly and an excellent listen. Late seventies new wave basslines abound, cracking tunes and a female singer made for the charts.

Ren Hervieu - Through the night: The latest Manchester musical find, she was tipped for big things ahead of the release of this debut album. It got mixed reviews upon it's release, all praised her voice but some questioned the songs. It has three to four stand out's but i wouldn't describe the rest as filler, very promising would be my assessment.

New season, same old story

It's a good job the news on Vidic seems to be positive, because the present tour shows us light at centre back with the new season not that far off, especially with the news that Smalling has done a metatarsal and could be out for up to ten weeks. The promising centre half bought from Fulham spent most of last season out injured and this wasn't the news he or most reds wanted to see.

The South African tour finished with a last minute equaliser from the embarrassment that is Bebe, in an otherwise drab draw. It was actually an excellent finish, the irony being his first touch to set it up was the only decent first touch he made after coming on. I didn't watch it live, thankfully, it was mostly what i had expected, Anderson looked his usual self, poor, Hernandez didn't look comfortable up front on his own, but on the plus side Kagawa showed enough bright touches to suggest he is what the doctor ordered. Shame about the miss, but we didn't buy him for his heading prowess. The twenty minute cameo from Powell was the real bonus, it will be interesting to see him against the Hannover's of this world nearer to the season's opening day. If he can show the glimpses he showed in Cape town i'm pretty sure he won't be going out on loan.
It was nice to see the youngsters get a chance, with Lingard looked good again and Vermijl looked good going forward, providing the overlap in inury time to conjure up the equaliser. Lingard told the official site that he has been doing extra work this summer which is good to hear, Gary Neville type dedication let's hope it leads to a Gary Neville type career for Manchester United.

Disappointing but not exactly a suprise to hear Fergie describe the Glazer's as great owners, for a supposed man of the people, he seem to enjoy the company of seriously wealthy people. People that might even be labelled the unacceptable face of capitalism, as the tory Ted Heath would no doubt seen them. Great football manager's and he is probably without a peer, unfortunately, don't make great men. Mark Kelleher describes the situation as a sad mess, but as he says we were here long before him and we'll be here after he has gone.
I haven't got much time for the argument, that we should forgive the slip of the tongue and be grateful for all the glory. I was going before for a fair old while before the good times came, and whilst i'll be forever grateful for the glory, especially for those ten days in May in 1999 and the glorious night at home to Blackburn in 1993, ending 26 years which the year before had felt like it was never going to end, each statement like that just proves the old adage, great men have feet of clay.

Pre-season begins

The first game of United's pre-season tour took place in Durban last night with the reds registering a 1-0 victory over Amazulu. A mixture of experience and youth didn't really show us anything new or really provide that much entertainment for our overseas support.
I suppose it was interesting to see Fergie start with Berbatov behind Hernandez and Macheda meaning we played without any real width. I suppose some will see that as evidence of a new flexibility in tactics, but unless there is something in all these Van Persie stories, unlikely as they seem, it was probably more a case of choosing a system to suit the players available against very weak opposition.
As for the game, if they had been half way decent in front of goal, it could have been a very different scoreline. I'm not going to judge any of the players as this was a real blowing the summer cobwebs away affair. I can't leave without mentioning Lingard, he showed that he's got the character to do something in the game, he is definitely one to watch if he does go out on loan.

It's hard to really believe this mornings reports that Van Perise will be coming to United, but the Indy did report on Tuesday that the Dutchman's first choice we Turin and Juve, but if they couldn't afford him he preferred United over City. It's hard to see why we would want him, yes he is a good player, but we hardly lack for forwards in the squad. Add to that the last season and a half is the first real period of his career where he has stayed largely injury free and it seems even harder credit we would blow what money we have on another forward when a left back and maybe a midfielder would seem so much more urgent a priority.
Of course it's just as likely journalistic licence to link United with a foward after hearing Fergie admit that Berbatov wants to leave to play first team football. You can't really blame the Bulgarian, he knows he isn't Fergie's cup of tea, he's a footballer and he wants to play.
If we were to bring anybody from Arsenal to United, there would only be one candidate for me, but he would be as risky as signing Van Persie, but Jack Wilshere would strengthen that central midfield .

Ye another negative piece about the Glazer's United IPO from the world's financial press, this time from New Zealand. Reuters report that the IPO launch could happen as early as next week, but it sounds like their hopes for the amount they will raise from it have been watered down. Doesn't sound too promising for them.
Nick Miller can't believe people still believe that the Glazer's are Ok as the owners of Manchester United. You'd think the amount of shit hanging around the world of finance would set people right about the real state of affairs, but of course most of these people read the Sun, Mail and watch the likes of Fox news and reality show crap. Celebrity is today's opium of the masses.

As the Olympics has one more week to show London of to the world, the City of London, it's claim to global fame is under globla regulatory attack.  Faisal Islam reports on the yanks really going for HSBC, and noting the rotten state of Britain's once mighty big four banks.
It looks like the tories will find that the mud is going to stick over Lord Green's position as a trade minister and Osborne advisor, and head of HSBC when warnings were made, ironically after Osborne going after Balls over the LIBOR scandal.

Steve Richards argues that the shambles over G4s are a culmination of events that explode the myth that the private sector is always best. It should be, but when you add the Blairite outsourcer's to their tory and orange book, fellow believer's, it becomes hard to belive it will be.

United's new boys face the press

Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell were introduced to the press yesterday at the end of the first week of pre-seasons training. Watching it, it could be entertaining watching Fergie trying to handle the Japanese press as the season goes on, i'm presuming United's commercial department would want him to treat them with kid gloves.
Kagawa told us he was impressed with everything so far, he prefers playing behind the main striker, he can handle the pressure of being the first Japanese player at the club and he is eager to improve. I don't think he will play in that preferred position every game or in even for every 90 minutes in his first season at the club.
Gary Neville reveals why he see no problems in Kagawa fitting into the Manchester United family quickly and reveals he can't wait to see how he fits in. He also makes the point that it takes a good player to help a club knock Bayern Munich of their perch as Dortmund have for the past couple of seasons, especially last year when they did the double over them.
Fergie revealed that United have been following Powell for most of the season and went ahead and did the deal to sign him before the play off's. He laso revealed that United see him as a central midfield player, something which the player was happy with. That looks like there won't be any more midfielder's coming in the transfer window then.

More news on the youngster front, Pogba;s move to Juve will supposedly see Uniteed receive £800,000 in compo. Sky sports claim that John Cofie will go to Sheffield United on loan, i thought he would have been championship level, but at least he should see plenty of action. I can never quite make my mind up what level he will end up at, he's big powerful, quick and knows where the goals are, he won't make it at United, but could be a premier league player eventually, working his way there a la Ebanks-Blake.
Next season will be a big one fo Josh King, i was hoping he would impress out on loan last season, but his injury at Broussia Monchengladbach set him right back. He was another who looked like he had a real chance of making it at United, it looks less likely now, which is why this will be such a big season for him.
With the presumed move of Fryers move to Tottenham, the England football blog takes a look at Tyler Blackett, the reason some of us weren't that suprised United didn't bust a gut to keep him. I'm not saying i think Blackett's acert to make it, because he's not, but he has more of a chance of making at United than Fryers had. I will be looking to see what progress Blackett makes over the coming season. He is a big lad and some times you can't help feeling that these players look great at youth level until their opponents grow and fill out at around 19 to 20 years old. I thought he played well in the Youth cup run, but when he played against Chelsea, whom matched his pace and build, he tended to run inside with the ball when blocked and especially at their place lost the ball too often. I actually though he looked better at centre back, but United seem to see him as a left back.

There had been rumblings around twitter and the various United sites that United would be open to bids for Anderson now that Park had left the club. Does this interview on the official website mean that we are to be stuck with him one more season.
Whilst never having been a big fan of Park i recognise that he was a more than decent squad member and especially whilst Ronaldo was at the club, was an essential part of it. Apart from a couple of months during his first season, whilst Scholes was out injured, i've never seen the qualities that have convinced others Anderson would make the grade. His inability to find a red shirt when passing, his goal scoring record, his fitness, his lack of positional sense, his injury record over five years and the lack of progress, suggest a player we really should have shown the door to by now.

Things don't sound too promising for Darren Fletcher's future as a professional footballer as Fergie announces he won't be going on United's pre-season tour and that there would be a place for him at the club, if things don't work out for the lad.
I suppose given his condition, the ridiculous amount of travelling involved in the summer's pre-season would be the last thing his body needs. Still it's hard to see him ever getting back to the condition that hurt us so much when he was ruled out of the 2009 chaampions league final in Rome, where he was so badly missed against Barca. He has been a big miss to us over the last couple of seasons, if we'd have had a fully fit Fletcher we wouldn't have bemoaned our paucity of recources in midfiedl half as much. 

Andersred postulates on the real reasons for the Glazer's IPO of United and reasons for their about turn on the club's debt. I suppose if that were true, you would have to wonder how serious for the siblings it would be for the IPO to go tits up. I have wondered if apart from the obvious financial restrictions, one of the reasons Fergie has not signed any central midfielders was because he was waiting for youth set up to start producing first team players over the next few seasons.
The theory went up in smoke last season, with Morrison self destructing his own career and then Pogba leaving the club, though he hadn't shown enough for me to show that he would have made it at the club anyway. I like the look of Mats Daehli from last years youth set up, but he is at least a couple of years away from the first team. I suppose the brightest prospect from last years reserve outfit is Larnell Cole, he talks the official site about last year's campaign, his hopes at the club and his willingness to go out on loan.
My worry for him, if he goes on loan is to how many minutes on the pitch he will get and whether the loanee club's manager would be brave enough to play a small'un in the middle of the park. As with all last season's reserve squad this will be a big season for him. He is obviously highly rated at the club, Scholesy picked him out whilst coaching for the reserves, a three year contract really is a signal of faith in his ability.

Music

Dirty three - Towards the sun: This was the first time i had heard this Aussie trio, a situation i'm glad to have rectified as i really like their latest album. I'm not sure who you could compare them to, it's a kind of psychedelic wig out type of affair, but the electric violin gives them a unique sound.


Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol - Flaviola E O Bando Do Sol: The only album released from this Brazillian artist in the mid seventies, it sounds like kind of seventies tropicalia, latin progfolk you could call it. It's pretty good, short but sweet.

Gang colours - The keychain collection: A decent debut album from this UK techno artist Will Ozanne, a slow burner, it grows on you. It's reasonably radio friendly, not in a dancefloor way though. 

Jack White - Blunderbluss: The White stripe man's first proper solo album is yet another triumph for the man. I read one reviewer arguing it fused the best of his first group with his later stuff with The Raconteurs and Dead weather. When i read that i thought yeh right, but it's near the truth, though i,m not sure its best tracks are as good as the very best of his White stripes and Raconteurs albums, still excellent though.

Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne: The west coast singer/songwriter's debut album is a pretty good first effort. I've heard bits and pices of Browne, but i never really given him a chance, on the two albums i've listened to so far, i'd say he was good, but i haven't heard anything to compare so far to James Martin's sweet baby James or Gene Clark's No other

Spiritualized - Sweet heart sweet light: Every time i hear Jason Pierce's latest album it sounds like he's trying to recreate Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space. There's nothing wrong with that i suppose, it's a classic album, but i always have to get that out of my head. This is another pretty good effort that doesn't really get near the brilliance of said album.

Patrick Collins 400 million reasons

Patrick Collins tells Fergie that he should have spoken out against the takeover in 2005 when he had the chance. There's no arguing with that, it's felt by many that if he had done so, the Glazer's would never have been lent the money to buy the club. Another reason why so many wonder why Fergie didn't do so, did the Glazer's hold out a pot of gold or was there dirt on him from the Coolmore affair. Will we ever find out, i hope so even if it tarnishes his reputation, it's not as if it hasn't been tranished by it anyway. I don't expect to hear him speak out against over marvellous owners any time soon, i'm not sure how he could without suffering a huge loss of face.

The Swiss ramble blog unpicks the Glazer's hoped for IPO and comes to similar conclusions to Andersred, in so far as attempting to start to reduce the debt is a positive to the club and an acknowledgement that it is hampering our ability to compete. He also makes the point that this is a risky strategy, in that the timing could have been better for them if they are to realise the hoped for valuation. Over the last few days it's also garnered the kind of press they would probably liked to have avoided, as their dodgier business practices have increasingly seen the light of day.

The MEN report that United have scrapped plans fo a singing section at United after a less than favourable police report on last season's experiment. The group behind the move went onto twitter to claim that MEN have go it wrong and it could still go ahead the season after next. But if any of the claims quoted, were in that report, i can't see the proposed move seeing the light of day. I'd love to see more atmosphere on match days, but i can't say i was mad about moving opposition fans up there. Like it or not a big away support is usually what helps to give a the home fans an incentive to get behind the home team. I know it didn't matter as much during the mid seventies and docs red army, but those days will never come back.

Iain Martin described last week as calamitous for George Osborne, which will have done huge and possibly irrevocoverable, reputational damage.I think we can say that this week Cameron has decided to join him on board ship half way under the water, Richard Morris describes the prime minister as the new John Major, a weak and defeated leader. As for Clegg, he is surely just living on borrowed time, unless the Lib dems have a collective death wish. Of course that's entirely conceivable, maybe the left will let the orange book right lead them to electoral carnage and rebuild the party from the centre left, post election. What will be left of the party to rebuild, must be the question. Iain Martin asks whether Clegg is a bit stupid ?
I saw David Laws on Newsnight last night and wonder how i voted for a party with him in it, he may have been right in accusing the Labour party of playing politics, but at least they did it reasonably successfully, i hate to say it but the Lib dems in government under Clegg and Laws have been politically inept.

 The stupid party in action, living up to that nickname

Equity 1-0 debt, IPO unattractive

The economist looks at the proposed Glazer's planned IPO for Manchester United and the result is equity 1 debt 0, this is an offereing for fools and fans only, less of the fans, thank you. There has been a welter of negative notices in the financial press as well as a general wondering how it has come to this for one of the biggest clubs in the world. to which the obvious answer is the day the gimps took control. All of this has been predicted from the beginning, by the likes of IMUSA, MUST and the great unwashed. As usual the gullible were the media, politicians and the clowns that run the sport.
Andersred sees some hope if they manage to get the IPO away, due to the fact that at last the Glazer's have admitted that the debt is impacting on our ability to compete, and if successful the debt mountain will at last start to be tackled.

As pre-season gets under way speculation starts to mount, where United's youngsters and reserves carry on the learning process next season. Sky reports that Hull City, fast becoming United's feeder club, would like to take our third choice goalie, Ben Amos on loan next season. That sounds like a decent move for him, a decent level and regular football for a promising youngster.
Michael Keane along with Sam Jonhstone and Tom Thorpe are with England's under 19 squad for the European championship in Estonia this week. I have seen no footage of their first game, a 1-1 draw against Croatia but from the text commentary of the FA's site it read like Johnstone had a decent game. We seem to have some cracking young goalie's on the books at the moment, i really like the look of Johnstone. I don't know whether he'll make it at United, but he will definitely have a future at a decent level.
It sounds like Michael Keane will be going on United's pre-season tour, Fergie has said he will take a few of the clubs emerging youngsters and name checked Keane, Larnell Cole, Lingard and Tyler Blackett. I would have thought he would have mentioned Petrucci amongst that lot, is something afoot there we haven't read yet.
Sky are reporting that Larnell Cole is to be rewarded with a new deal and could be sent out on loan next season. I like Cole, he has got great feet and a good football brain, his size would be a worry if he went out to a championship side as they may well be reluctant to give him a game. He has to play in the middle as well, he is in no way a right sided winger, he just isn't fast enough. I suppose the player he would remind you of most at old trafford would have to be Scholes, though he doesn't have the ginger prince's range of passing or goalscoring nous. That ball stays glued to him against bigger opponents where it matters and he can find a killer pass, that's his big strength.
His mate Jesse Lingard has told the official site that he is also up for a loan, he wants the experience. Now he is a player i really admire, he is only small, and doesn't always catch the eye, but at the end of a 90 minutes, he always seems to be one of the players who has got stronger and more influential the longer the games go on. He makes goals and does his fair share of taking goals as well, a nice habit for any midfielder. Saying midfielder, that would be the worry, what will be his best position, he could play wide right, but he isn't a winger, but he's not quite commanding enough for the middle of the park, yet anyway. I don't think he'll make it at United, but i would love to be proved wrong.

Zeki Fryers has been linked with a move away for a while now, reports today suggest that Tottenham will be his destination and that United are infuriated at the move which wil go to a tribunal. I honestly don't know why, i have never seen anything to suggest he was going to make it at United. Blackett a year younger looks a better prospect, and to be honest that he will be good enough. Fryers certainly isn't worth £20 grand a week, if that's really what he is going to be earning.

Fergie has been talking to MUTV this week and intimated that United were still trying to acquire a couple of players, but so far there was nothing to report. I'm presuming that one of those will be Leighton Baines, but we'll see.
He was less than thrilled at Paul Pogba's decision to leave the club, he claimed Pogba had shown the club a lack of respect. He went on to say that we were probably well rid of the young Frenchmen, which i would totally go along with.

It's been a week where we have the British political and financial establishment in a state of panic according to Paul Mason. After banks taking billions in bailouts from the countries taxpayers, Aditya Chakroborty asks how we can change banking culture how do we stop them ripping us off and how do we get them to work for us instead.
James Saft argues that Bob Diamond's parting gift to the country is that he has managed his bank badly enough to provoke real reform, but not so badly as to blow up the whole economy. I wouldn't count his chickens on the reform front. The most obvious and least controversial reform should be a Glass-Steagal act as Nick Dunbar makes clear, but the tories don't want to know. We will not get real reform under George Osborne and chums, that much is clear.

I dont generally agree with much of what Seamus Milne writes, but it's hard to argue with this, where's our Keynes or Minsky even to show us the way though. Nick Cohen looks at the defenders of crony capitalism and believes it can't last, the voters won't where it and the city of London's reputaion can't survive the status quo.
As everbody followed the commons debate between the chancellor and his shadow in the commons today, it was worth remembering Matthew Norman asking how often does Vince Cable have to be right before they make him chancellor. To be fair though i have more time for Cable than i do for Osborne and Balls, he's not the modern Lloyd George this country needs at the helm.
As the Shard leads news bulletins, editorials and columns, George Eaton looks at how Qatar bought London and warns one day we wake up and find this gulf state has us at his mercy. I would loathe the idea of that lot ever buying Manchester United, i'd honestly prefer our current leaches in control.

A touch of Brazil via the USA

United's IPO to go ahead

It's interesting to read the 51 risk factors listed in the filing, the one that makes me puke most, comes first under the heading, risk relating to our indebtedness and reads our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and competitive position. Replace could with is and you will find the reason for the IPO in the first place.
The rest just spells out all we already know and loathe. And in the very week when we found out the financial system is as rotten to the core as some of us have suspected all along the have decided to move us from the dodgy tax state of Delaware to the off shore tax haven, the Cayman islands. Are we going down the Leeds United road.
Andersred tweeted last night that in his opinion this is good news, in that the debt that they have loaded onto the club and that we all knew was weighing down the club's ability to compete will start to be payed off. MUST went down that road in their intial response last night whilst noting the non voting rights of the new shares. It's hard to see why anybody would entertain buying that class of share, it seems the only way they would see a return on their investment is if the Glazer's sell the club, unless i have read it wrong. The banks will have their work cut out, of course Morgan Stanley did pull out of this after accusing the gimps of being greedy.

Apparently there has been talk of our Italian youngster Macheda being linked with a move to Turkey, he needs to go somewhere if he is to resurrect his career. I can't say i have ever really rated him, but it has to be said he hasn't had the best of luck with his loan moves. It doesn't say if the move would be permanent or if United are looking to loan him out again, but he probably needs to leave the club altogether and start again.

Rafael officially put pen to paper on a new four year contract with the club, as his brother Fabio officially announced a season's loan at premier league rivals QPR. I'm glad they picked another premier league club after the rumours linking him with Benfica, he needs to toughen up and play regular football, for that matter they both do.