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New favourite to replace Alex Ferguson at Manchester United

After speculation on Moyes and Mourinho, an obvious contender steps forward

8 May, 2013 10:00 31 comments
New favourite to replace Alex Ferguson at Manchester United

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Bookmakers have suspended betting on the successor to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United after a flood of bets were received on Howard Webb taking the job.

“He’s an obvious choice,” a Baddy Power spokesman told onlinegooner.com. “After a lifetime of help and support for Sir Alex, it would be no surprise if he were allowed to complete his work by taking over at Old Trafford.”

“There would be no concerns about the idea of working under Ferguson, who would still be in the background as a director. After all, it’s a situation he has become used to and never had an issue with before.”

“With United fans running the Football Association and the Premier League, to have someone with a direct line to the Referees’ Association would seem a natural progression. Not only can the choice of officials for United matches be agreed upon with Howard, if there are any issues during the game, it can be arranged for the new United manager to be miked up as an extra official to guide the referee into ensuring decisions are given the right way… for United, naturally.”

Webb is expected to be unveiled as the next United manager after their final league match of the season against West Brom on May 19th. He will probably officiate in the game itself to ensure extra familiarity with his new players before they begin their summer break.

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31
comments

  1. Mike

    May 11, 2013, 11:35 #34749

    @ Joe S - point taken - it is just when I think of Man utd I think of De Gea, Vidic, Rafael, Evra, Valencia, RVP, Kagawa, Hernadez, with Rooney and Carrick - as for Wengers recent buys - I think his latest buys have not been bad -Monreal, Cazorla, Padolski - and dare I say it Giroud (he has been badly missed the last two games). Add to that Arteta, Mertesaker It think overall it has not been too bad -yes one can quickly point out Santos and Gervinho but hey at least they were not the price of Carrol or Torres. I admit we need probably two more really good players added, but the squad is not bad

  2. Joe S.

    May 10, 2013, 12:48 #34708

    Sorry Mike but I thought Rooney, Ferdinand, Wekkbeck, Carrick,Young, Jones, Cleverly, Smallinggs, Zaha,and Nick Powell were English.They may not all be regulars but then neither are rthe hand full of names you compiled. In any case my point was not so much that having English players is a good thing but rather that theseplayers will suit Moyes regarding the type of football he likes to play.Me, I'd rather see the likes of Cavani,Vidal, Drexler and the young Greek centre half from Stuttgard make their way to Ashburton Grove but you know Wegner is looking at Remy and other cut price French mercenaries.

  3. Mike

    May 10, 2013, 10:04 #34703

    @joeS please name the english players that make up the majority of the regular squad for Man Utd and in case you didn't notice Ox, Theo, Wilshire, Gibbs and Jenkinson have all signed extended contracts. You can throw Ramsey into the mix as well - apart from them I don't see too many other English players that would make good signings at the moment - if you are to believe the tabloids then Rooney and the Swansea fullback are possibilities but highly unlikely

  4. Ronster

    May 10, 2013, 9:29 #34702

    The ultimate irony is that although one of Wenger's teams were tagged 'The Invincibles',he has never matched Sir Alex's aura of invincibility that all truly great football dynasties feed off.

  5. Joe S.

    May 10, 2013, 5:44 #34701

    He may not have been good enough for Arsenal however Moyes is the perfect fit for Manure, at least for the interum. Not only does the playingg style suit but he'll also inherit a squad of mostly English players. Bring over Bains and Fellani as an outside concession and you'll have an even stronger team.Howard Webb should also have something to work with here. At Arsenal it's all about how many French speaking players can be accomodated into the team. God,I hope Wegner doesn't also end up - upstairs.

  6. Ron

    May 09, 2013, 15:51 #34696

    Thats harsh Canada G. You dont rate the 4th place Cup/ Balance sheet and profit and loss accounts double then? We do that'back to back' so often its 2nd nature. Fergie s never done it 'back to back', so he'll go down as having punched above his weight but never hit the true heights his teams deserved.Unti such a feat is conquered Utd will never be a Euro great like us. On RVP, players cdt care less who the coach is as long as they win and get paid a sackful and as for 'using him', at £200,000 a week or whetever he s on i doubt he ll feel used somehow!

  7. CanadaGooner

    May 09, 2013, 12:41 #34689

    @Bard: excellent observation. Fergie had to leave on a high, even though I think that should mean winning a treble for a man his stature. They'll bring him back 2 years from now, after 3 failed versions of Moyes. He bought RVP gave him all the long term spin, used him. But let's face it, winning one trophy is still better than what would have been none at arsenal for RVP

  8. Bard

    May 09, 2013, 11:26 #34682

    Now we know why he spent £25m+ wages for a 30 yo striker. Wonder what RVP's thinking now. Without Fergie they'll sink slowly but surely. Fantastic news.

  9. Ron

    May 09, 2013, 10:21 #34680

    Billthered - Yes, but they were relegated due to them hanging on to old lags for too long out of sympathy when their legs had long gone like Charlton Law Crerand Stiles Dunne Stepney etc just cos they had won the euro cup. It was that which sent George Best into sulk and booze mode as he was carrying the old codgers and got cheesed off. It was that more than the loss of Busby and appointing new cosches that sent them down. That wont happen again (sadly) and i doubt Fergie will repeat the mistakes they made over Busby moving upstairs.On the cntrary if we kept Wenger upstairs, he ll have his fingerprints all over any new boss and our malaise will carry on as occured with Busby in late 60s early 70s.Wenger will insist on tippy tappy lightweight football and any new boss wdt last long if they didnt buy into it. This is why we wont attract truly top coaches as they wont want to exist in thrall to wengers failed philosophy and why should they.

  10. billthered

    May 09, 2013, 9:14 #34679

    I hope it's groundhog day,for all you younger fans it happened in the early seventies Sir Matt Busby retired and moved upstairs then followed five or more managers who could'nt cope and Manure were relegated,here's hoping eh.

  11. Alsace Lorraine de Totteridge

    May 09, 2013, 8:17 #34678

    It made me laugh. Ferguson was a force of nature and the greatest ever manager in the English top flight. Greater than Clough (who was pretty good)or the Liverpool johnnies. The definition of the "first guys don't come nice" syndrome.

  12. Ronster

    May 08, 2013, 21:42 #34677

    And to think I used to daydream that Wenger would sweep up once old red nose retired...what a deluded fool I was.

  13. Ron

    May 08, 2013, 21:20 #34676

    I can see why a few of us are saying that Utd will suffer for the old devil going, but lets be honest, the EPL is pretty naff and its the best ally for such as Moyes. All the same i just cant see him lasting long. The culture of the Club is to win in style, cavalier style when they can too when they have the right players. Moyes is a grinder and grinders don't last long there.

  14. Jack

    May 08, 2013, 19:32 #34675

    One miserable jock retires another takes his place.I thought United would push the boat out and go for a footballing coach but oh no.More years of let's get in the oppositions faces,intimidate the man in the middle and hoof balls up and down the park.Cant wait.

  15. Paul

    May 08, 2013, 18:44 #34674

    At least Alex wont beat our record of 13 titles he has just equalled it.But it only took him 26 years

  16. Stevesam

    May 08, 2013, 18:07 #34673

    I believe that Howard has been beaten to the role of controlling the refs by Mike (Manure)Reilly. Any hope that AW shall follow SAF's example and do the honourable thing. I am sure SAF shall be forever grateful for RVP.

  17. maguiresbridge gooner

    May 08, 2013, 17:19 #34672

    It would be interesting to see if ogl announced his retirement would he be getting as many accolades as old red nose is getting.

  18. Hamza Ali Baksh

    May 08, 2013, 16:42 #34671

    Nice one! On the retirement of ol' Red Nose: Let's be honest... Football is the worse for it. The man set a new bar for footballing success, and few have been up to the challenge for the best part of 27 years. His footballing philosophy has always been to win at all costs. It's required some cheating and some cr@p football but they just win and then they win again and again and again. We should be so lucky as to have a manger who wants to win with every atom of his being and will drive his team to it every second of every minute of every game of every season. So long, Fergie. We couldn't beat you, but we can sure wish that you enjoy watching your team crumble to ashes.

  19. Kevin

    May 08, 2013, 16:06 #34670

    Man Utd,Citeh and Chelsea will all have new managers while we are stuck with Wenger.How does this loser continue to stay in his job

  20. Born Gooner

    May 08, 2013, 14:40 #34669

    First Thatcher dies. Then Fergie retires. Somewhere, there is a scouser with a lamp and one wish left...

  21. Savage

    May 08, 2013, 14:13 #34667

    Mike Dean is reported to be furious upon hearing the news. He had been chasing the position for years.

  22. Where's Wally is a Gooner

    May 08, 2013, 13:42 #34666

    If they miss out on Guardiola and Mourinho in the year Ferguson resigns and appoint Moyes,the Manure board will start to make the Arsenal board look competent. Can you imagine what sh*t will hit the fan when Moyes tells them all that a draw at home to West Brom was a good point.Utd could be on the verge of their Bruce Rioch moment.

  23. maguiresbridge gooner

    May 08, 2013, 13:29 #34665

    Good one AL,well one things for damm sure ,it won't be Wenger they're ambitious there, and used to success and demand it,and they don't/wouldn't put up with mediocrity.But whoever it will be i'm sure they'll get it right with the help of old red nose himself, funny how moyes has been mooted a lot at the minute seemingly good enough for the mancs but not for arsenal.

  24. Radfordkennedy

    May 08, 2013, 12:57 #34664

    .Overjoyed at the news that purple nose is going can't help wondering if a certain portugese ponce might just decide to take the M4 to the M5 turn off instead of M4 to west london.

  25. Fozzy

    May 08, 2013, 12:55 #34663

    Luvvit!!! But still come the miserable negative comments. Just enjoy the moment. We've been waiting over 20 years for Fergie to go. Reminds me of going to a recent wedding. Two TV aerials got married. The marriage service was awful but the reception was fantastic...

  26. Tony Evans

    May 08, 2013, 12:17 #34662

    Nice post to try and cheer ourselves up a bit but the sad truth is that both Manure and Chelski will have new managers next season whilst Arsenal cling on to a tired, out of touch loser. My betting for the Manure job is Moyes, who I was hoping would take over at Arsenal. No such luck - so let's all look forward to yet another battle for the 4th place trophy next season.

  27. The Fonz

    May 08, 2013, 12:13 #34661

    IS this really the best you can do? Im all for amusing articles, but this one is pretty poor

  28. d

    May 08, 2013, 12:13 #34660

    amusing , not sure where the notion utd get it easy from fa comes from they always throw the book at them any time they can, now Chelsea is a different story

  29. Der Projekt ist Kaput

    May 08, 2013, 12:11 #34659

    Update: Manchester United have denied rumours that the successor to Alex Ferguson will be Arsene Wenger. A spokesman for the club said 'Such an event would fly in the face of our policy of winning trophies.'

  30. Mohd Isa

    May 08, 2013, 12:10 #34658

    He will have to start winning the epl. Failure is not an option. I believe the next 27 years aint going to be so successful So the red fans better used used to not winning games 99.9 % of the time.

  31. CanadaGooner

    May 08, 2013, 12:08 #34657

    Sad thing is, Wenger may feel he can now do the same at Arsenal by becoming a director and leading the hire of a Wenger-clone so that this economical nonsense continues. Perhaps he forgets Fergie's piles of silverware (referee-assisted or not). The main job for fergie's successor is to see if he can bully the refs as much as Fergie did. I think Man Utd will have 3 to 4 managers come and go in the next 5 seasons. Those shoes are simply too big to fill