Monday
Going back to last week there was a debate on Blue Tuesday about the supposed media witch hunt on City. Neil Custis of the Sun was in the studio and despite being given at least half a dozen examples of deplorable reporting (not necessarily in The Sun) including the farcical article ‘good guys (united) winning over bad guys (City)‘ after the Community Shield game was adamant that there no such situation was evident. “Something you have to put up with now being a top club". There was a very fair, and balanced recorded message by top Blue Sean Riley on the subject concluding that the media loved united because of the money generated by them. Custis resorted to insulting Sean, who was obviously not present in the studio calling his views preposterous, adding “what is this guy on” Obviously rattled. Sean’s wife Jane penned Custis this e-mail without Sean R’s knowledge :
Neil,
I thought I would drop you a line following your appearance on Blue Tuesday last night.The main reason I’m emailing is to enquire whether you regret dismissing the opinion of one of the fans interviewed (Sean Riley) as preposterous? Firstly though let me tell you one or two things about Sean Riley. He hasn't missed a City game for 23 years - and when I say a City game - I mean every game, home and away, domestic and European (I realise the European element has been in the latter years, I'll say it for you). He's articulate, knowledgeable, immensely decent, and moreover he's one of the best City fans, and people, that anyone is ever lucky enough to meet. Now to dismiss one man’s opinion as preposterous is perhaps negligible as far as alienating a readership is concerned, but unhappily, for you anyway, Sean was expressing the opinion of every City fan the world over. Implausible? Fraid not. Every City fan is indeed of the opinion that not only is there an agenda to rubbish and deride everything that Manchester City are trying to achieve, but also this agenda incorporates a manifesto to promote as much goodwill propaganda regarding Manchester United as is practicable. Now, again, you may dismiss all this as paranoia, but these are your potential consumers, and no matter what you protest to the contrary, this IS the opinion that they all hold. Manchester City are going to be a force in football, and their fans recognise this already. The media clearly don’t, so here's a radical idea - instead of bleating and protesting that the media love all things Manchester City and Mancini, why don’t you and your newspaper blaze a trail and create a new brand of media reporting, that doesn't include worshipping at the altar of Manchester United. Best regards
Jane Riley
So well done the lovely Jane. Apparently Neil has now made some sort of apology to Sean on Twitter.
In the programme I thought Custis, defended his own corner rather than relating to that of the general media, and missed the point.
Anyway, on to Thursday night and Sporting. Chatted to a couple of their fans who thought like myself that “anything could happen” “You are very strong” they said “ But we’re not playing well” I replied. I still thought we’d do it though. Sporting fans let off flares and were surrounded by stewards, and also had good chanting with their posh fans in the exec bit of the Colin Bell Stand. Annoying but impressive. The rags went out at Bilbao so a great opportunity for the Blues to put one over them and progress. Well you know the rest. So much for me going on about Johno being left out at Swansea! Two stupid goals down then great fightback which was commendable but to no avail in the end, and how their goalie got away with his disgraceful timewasting as in the first leg, doesn’t bear thinking about.
Sunday we just waited for the inevitable to happen at Wolves and we’re now 4 points adrift with a minimal goal difference. What’s the betting when we play Wolves they have new manager syndrome?
Stuff is coming in for KK 196 and it’s looking good already.
Dave
PS Looks like Jack has Jacked off, further to the responses from fellow bloggers!
Finally – our thoughts go out to Bolton player Muamba and his family and hope he makes a speedy recovery from his heart attack which evokes memories of Marc Foe and the most chilling scene I’ve ever witnessed at Maine Road - that of Paul Lake swallowing his tongue v Bradford.
Get well soon mate.
I thought we were in trouble once I saw a midfield of Johnson, Silva and Pizarro. We had too many playmakers and not enough grafters against determined opponents, who regardless of our late efforts, were worthy winners. Their time-wasting was a constant source of irritation, but so was Mancini’s appalling Attitude in the first leg.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the intensity of the Chelsea victory over Napoli, it suddenly occurred to me that in the one year when we want United to be distracted, they have probably experienced their worst run of cup defeats in over a decade. It will reduce their transfer kitty, but in the short term it has helped them focus on the one competition.
As regards the media conspiracy, they seem to have forgotten that United were top of the league for the first six weeks. Instead they prefer the myth that City were running away with the title until being reeled-in by Ferguson’s mind games. I’ve even heard Ferguson mention seven points, yet since Christmas it’s never been more than three.
In reality, United have a better right winger than City and we are finally paying the price for only having three strikers, one of whom is a total liability when things are going wrong. United on the other hand have five plus the injured Michael Owen.
United might have suffered more injuries, but it doesn’t help when your star man from the previous season has staged a one man strike.
I remember Lakey being carried off against Bradford at the end of the 87-88 season. However,I thought it was the 4-2 ein over Leicester the following year when he swallowed his tobgue.
ReplyDeleteAnyone would think he was injury prone!
Best wishes to Muamba!
Great post Dave. As you already know through my latest KK piece, I have given up the ghost of winning the league simply because I can't see City winning games at Arsenal, Stoke and even Chelsea will be hard, despite our home record. Yet I KNOW that United will get decisions in their remaining games. After the WBA game where Brum were denied a penalty, had a man sent off and United given a penalty in the space of fifteen minutes, I said to my son, let's see what goes for them in the Wolves game. It was always going to be tough for Wanderers, but another sending off ensured there was no way back. Add up all the penalties United have been given this season and the number of players that opponents have had sent off against them and divide the total by the number of times United have have a player sent off and opponents had penalty shouts denied and the result is fixing by the officials. Mancini seems to be getting the blame if you read other message boards which is a shame, because any manager would have found it hard going with the type of decisions that have gone against us, the Carlos Tevez affair, the bitchiness of the media pundits all of whom have an allegience to one of the old guard and the determination of the FA to assist United.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing is Utd play Sunderland away in their last game.
ReplyDeleteIt will not be a guaranteed three points as it would have been with Bruce in charge.