Ferdinand out of world cup

I expected him to breakdown, the evidence of the last two seasons made it a strong probability. Getting injured on the first day of trainging ahead of the tournament is taking the piss though. Seriously though, his career is at a crossroads now. I think most clued up reds, realise he is already not the player he was, if this is a bad knee injury what will he be like when he recovers from this. It has crossed my mind whether he will wonder if it's all worth it anymore. It goes without saying Vidic staying is an absolue must now, lose him and we can wave goodby to any silverware next season.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/04/rio-ferdinand-injury-world-cup

Martin Keown argues that England won't be able to replace the aura that Ferdinand's reputation and stature in world football provides. They can't replace, the pace he provides either, even though that's not what it was. As Barney Ronay wrote in the preceeding column wrote the remaining centre halfs are all basically the same type of player.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1284099/MARTIN-KEOWN-Rio-Ferdinand-aura-replace.html

On the first day of the Bangladesh test at old trafford and the first sight of the point for the general public comes the news that Lancashire lost half a million last year. I suppose that is what the "the point" was to built rectify. You wonder how much worse that would be if the ground wasn't right next to United's old trafford allowing them to pick up wintertime revenue from the hotel and the parking.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/counties/7801701/Lancashire-hope-new-Old-Trafford-can-be-money-spinner-in-crowded-market.html

Sunny Hundal asks that now we know it wasn't the sun wo won it, how do political parties and politicians address their relationship with the print press.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/06/sun-media-labour-politics

Alex Massie criticises the Torygraphs political editors views on immigration.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/06/sun-media-labour-politics

French liberal broadsheet Le Monde up for sale

Devo with the classic whip it up

Cat and mouse time to continue

David Bond asks what's next for the red knights with a pretty fair summing up of the situation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/davidbond/2010/06/the_red_knights_may_have.html

James Lawton on why Benitez had to go. He wasn't good enough, which unbelievably some scousers still won't entertain. All i can say to that is United fans are in mourning over the news.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-his-excuses-had-been-exhausted-his-authority-lost-benitez-had-to-go-1990868.html

Mike Selvey with his bowlers union hat on, is very excited at the prospect of Steve Finn's future.
Maybe we are going to approach having a pace attack on a par with the 2005 four pronged ashes winning line up in the near future. With the added bonus of having a class spinner who can vat this time.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/jun/03/steven-finn-england

Lancashire's the Point makes its Debut on the test stage with todays's first day against Bangladesh. I still don't particularly like it. Cumbes is right to ask us to reserve judgement until the whole ground is redeveloped. Trouble is, i wasn't too keen on those plans when i first saw them either.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article7143577.ece

Martin Kettle argues Germany's problems stem from it being both too strong and too weak.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/02/germany-kohler-eurozone

Craig Murray with an interesting blog on the low morale and even existential doubts at NATO.
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2010/06/israeli_murders.html#comments


George Monibot reprts on professor John Abraham's withering disection of Viscount Monckton's views on climate change.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2010/jun/03/monckton-climate-change

Built to spill

The red knights are to continue the campaign to replace the Glazer's as owners of Manchester United.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7795386/Red-Knights-continue-quest-to-oust-Manchester-Uniteds-American-owners.html

The official statement from the red knights in the Independent. Funny how most of the press seem to think that this is the ned of the bid. When it seems obvious to me, it's anything but. Manchester United football club is not worth £1.5 billion and they are right not o pay it. When the takeover happens we want something worth taking over and to give those fucking wankers the least amount of profit possible.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/red-knights-end-manchester-united-bid-plans-1989310.html

The Guardian now has a different slant on the statement
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/02/red-knights-manchester-united

MUST have now issued a statement
MUST welcomes the statement from the Red Knights group that they remain
determined and committed to achieving the ultimate aim of a supporter-owned
club.

MUST also supports the Red Knights reinforcement of their position that
they will not pay above fair value for Manchester United. This is in the
best long term interests of Manchester United FC and its supporters.

Rather than lining the Glazers pockets with yet more of our money, we want
to invest instead in squad strengthening, stadium improvement, rewarding
loyalty with fairer ticket prices and paying down the debt - not to mention
the fact that if supporters are going to be able to afford a decent chunk
of the shares in the second phase of the Red Knights takeover, then an
inflated valuation will significantly impact on that. Haven't the Glazers
taken enough money off supporters already?

Our understanding is the collective net worth of the Red Knights far
exceeds that of the Glazers. It isn't about a lack of resources. It is
about fair value and doing what is right the Football Club.

We understand the intention of the statement from the Red Knights is to
remove the time deadline pressure and set more realistic expectations with
regard to a bid. There is no rush – the pressure is building on the Glazers
with matchday revenues declining and the need for huge investment in the
playing squad over the next few seasons, especially when Sir Alex retires.
There is increasingly fierce competition both domestically and in Europe
especially from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona, along with new
challenges even for Champions League qualification coming from Spurs and
Manchester City. This will increase competition for the best players and
consequently the costs associated with maintaining the club's current
position and revenues.

In the meantime MUST and the Red Knights will continue to go about our
preparations and be ready when the Glazers are prepared to take a realistic
view on the valuation of the club.

A MUST spokesperson said:

“We completely support the stance of the Red Knights group not to pay a
ridiculous premium price to the Glazers. We want to see investment in the
club – not more money going into the Glazers pockets. After the damage that
they have already inflicted on our club many supporters would feel sickened
to see them walk away with a huge profit.”

“In addition to the huge debt they’ve dumped on a previously profitable
club they also wasted £443m in interest and fees – far more than the total
(£398m) received from supporters in payment for tickets during their
reign.”

“So they’ve wasted every single penny we’ve paid for tickets over the
entire 5 year period. No wonder so many supporters are considering
switching from a season ticket to match by match attendance or delaying
season ticket renewal until the Glazers agree to sell.”

“Under a future structure where ownership is shared with supporters,
compared to the current regime, there is the opportunity to tap into huge
potential growth in revenue resulting from the enhanced affinity between
the supporters and the club. We want to see that revenue reinvested into
the club. There is no reason why Manchester United should not be able to
compete for the very best players in the world and play in the best stadium
as well as work towards the things that many supporters care about -
rewarding the loyalty of its supporters with fair ticket distribution and
pricing while working for the best matchday atmosphere, safe standing and
fair treatment of our away support”


Two articles on the difficulties the lib dems face in being a part of this coalition.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jun/02/liberal-democrat-coalition-nick-clegg
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-cleggs-promises-that-will-be-hard-to-keep-1988678.html

Two British firms not delivering the goods? BP's woes continue as it fails to half the flow of oil in the gulf of Mexico. Apparently this isn't very good news for British pension funds.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/how-much-worse-can-it-get-for-bp-1988968.html

Meanwhile EMI has never really recovered from being taken over by private equity man Guy Hands. Rock n' roll yeh!
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7141990.ece

Terry Eagleton reviews Christopher Hitchens new memoir, unfavourably you won't be surprised to know. I still read his stuff occasionally, but he has turned into a bit of a 19th hole bore it can't be denied. He was totally wrong over the war on terror but i thought was pretty spot on about Clinton.
http://www.newstatesman.com/books/2010/05/christopher-hitchens-iraq-self

Candie Payne