Showing posts with label manchester united. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manchester united. Show all posts

Thursday, June 04, 2009

United's big deal. All the facts

Manchester United signed a deal that made them the team with the biggest shirt sponsorship on Earth. Here are all the other facts:

1. They are a world leading provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human capital and management consulting, and specialty insurance underwriting.

2. They were founded in Chicago in 1919.

3. Their revenue for last year was $7.471 billion.

4. 175 of their employees were killed in the Twin Towers on 9/11.

5. In 2004-2005 they were investigated, alongside AIG, due to an issue regarding their practice of insurance companies’ payments to brokers. Without acknowledging any wrongdoing, Aon agreed to a $190 million settlement.


6. Two months ago they slashed their pension contributions for the UK workforce which lead to a protest from the unions.

7. In 2005 they terminated all business in Burma due to the human rights issues of the country, something which was supported by the Burma Campaign UK.

8. They were fined £5.25m at the beginning of the year for making ’suspicious payments’ to people and firms overseas, after failing to put in place proper controls to stop potential bribes. Aon said their conduct was not deliberate and the process significantly improved the controls they had in place.

9. Their president says: “While we are delighted that our brand will be showcased to over 330 million fans of Manchester United as well as the countless followers of football worldwide, we also are extremely excited about the opportunity to maximise the value of this partnership globally.”

10. This is their website.

Thanks to RoM for these facts.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Quinton Fortune and Eric Djemba-Djemba make an infamous list.

Soccerlens, that most astute of football sites, has the list of what it considers as Sir Alex Ferguson's Worst Manchester United XI.

And it includes two Africans: Quinton Fortune (South Africa) in left back and Eric Djemba-Djemba (Cameroun) in central midfield.


Djemba-Djemba


Among other damning descriptions, the site says Djemba-Djemba was the first of many pretenders (as Roy Keane's successor) as Sir Alex bought him from Nantes for £3.5 million in 2003. As ever, there was an accompanying video evidence.



Fortune
The writer was a bit merciful with the former Bafana man saying that 'for the record, I actually liked Quinton Fortune. Unlike some of his contemporaries, especially Kieran Richardson, Fortune had a good attitude and worked hard. He just wasn’t very good.'

No video evidence. So, I ask you, what do you think?

PS: Others who made the list were Massimo Taibi, David May, Laurent Blanc (Iask you!), William Prunier, Jordi Cruyff, Juan Sebastian Veron, Ralph Milne, Diego Forlan and David Bellion.

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Monday, June 01, 2009

Welbeck gets strong Fergie push. PS: He HAS Ghanaian blood!

He's got Ghanaian parents but lives in England. For your information, if people don't want to accept his African-ness, his full name at birth was Daniel Nii T. M. Welbeck. (I can't find what the 'T.M.' stands for)

The 'Danny' came along later.

Africans in general and Ghanaians in particular may be happy for him because no mean a person than Sir Alex Ferguson himself is pushing for the lad.


Danny Welbeck has made a good start to his Manchester United career, from the screamer he scored in front of the Stretford End on his league debut to the further twelve games and two goals he finished the season with.

Sir Alex Ferguson has predicted that Fabio Capello will be taking Welbeck with his England squad to the World Cup next summer, which certainly indicates the manager expects to give Welbeck a lot more time in the team this season.

“Danny’s a certainty to make it to the highest level,” Ferguson said.

“I’ve told Fabio Capello the boy will be in his World Cup squad next year. Wide left or right or through the middle, he has the intelligence, guts, athleticism, determination and talent to do the job.


“He’s going to be a big lad. His height is about 6ft 1in now but the prediction is he’ll be 6ft 3in. He’s yet to get the conformation in his thighs, so he is still gangly, but he’s brave enough to carry that.

“When he completes his growing, he’ll really be something.”

Well that is the highest compliment I would want if I were Danny. Go on, boy, Africa needs more bragging rights in the World Cup!

Sadly, it looks like he personally wants to play for the English. Can't blame him, can you?

In the meantime it seems he can play for any number of countries. More on that later.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

African show in Europe's spotlight

Manchester were totally outclassed by a Barca side that was awesome.

And that awesomeness included three (west) Africans: Samuel Eto'o, Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita.

1. Samuel Eto'o Fils - Cameroun

Samuel Eto'o delivered what was arguably the most definite blow for Barca. He scored in the tenth minute when United were on a frenetic high. In short, he broke 'em before Messi burned 'em. And guess what? He is proud to be African. Go Africa!

Ratings: Telegraph, Eurosport, Goal

2. Yaya Toure - La Cote d'Ivoire

To the left of your picture, the man simply kept the United attack on edge. Together with Puyol, Sergio Busquets and Pique, Yaya showed what class he is. Curiously, this role is not one he is used to yet he played there as if he's been doing that his whole life!

Ratings: Telegraph, Eurosport, Goal

3. Seydou Keita - Mali


A man the Black Stars would face soon in the qualifiers, he came on to replace Henry. Made sure the midfield was tight and taut. His contribution would not be overlooked, lest why was he put there?

Ratings: Telegraph, Eurosport, Goal