SPORTS TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2014 United in decline as Moyes era faces crunch time
MANCHESTER: Moments before Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford is soporific. The smattering of boos greet- Champions League group with a game to spare. With while Michael Carrick, the heartbeat of the midfield, Old Trafford for the final time as a coach, he issued a ing the final whistle of each home defeat - there have a last-16 match against Olympiakos to come, he will has also had a spell out and hasn’t been such a domi- defiant message to the Manchester United fans who been five already this season in all competitions - is be confident of at least reaching the quarterfinals. nating force. were so used to hanging on his every word. small but growing in number. He has guided United through to the League Cup There’s no consistency to United’s defensive unit “I’d like to remind you,” Ferguson said as he stood United fans are undoubtedly prepared to give semifinals, where it plays Sunderland in the first leg and players such as Rafael da Silva, Javier Hernandez, inside the center circle, getting lightly coated with Moyes time. They are a knowledgeable bunch, clearly on Tuesday, and has got the best out of England strik- Nani and Antonio Valencia appear to be lacking in raindrops, “that when we had bad times here, the understanding that replacing Ferguson is nigh impos- er Wayne Rooney, whose relationship with Ferguson confidence. One of Ferguson’s greatest strengths was club stood by me. All my staff stood by me. The play- sible, but they expect better than what they are get- had broken down by the end of last season. The blos- squeezing that extra 10 percent out of players, but ers stood by me. ting at present. soming of Adnan Januzaj, a young winger with Moyes hasn’t quite been able to do that yet. “Your job now is to stand by our new manager.” For the first time, local and national press are call- superb balance and movement, is also a major plus. Ferguson, famously, was given time by the United That was eight months ago. United had just beaten ing it a crisis, an empire in decline. United is seventh But the negatives outweigh the positives. Failing board despite going his first four seasons without a Swansea 2-1 with a late winner by Rio Ferdinand in in the Premier League, 11 points behind leader to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which trophy. Beating Crystal Palace in a replay to win the FA so-called “Fergie Time” and the team had already Arsenal and five points adrift of the fourth and final is a real possibility, would be a disaster not just Cup in 1990 was seen as pivotal. romped to a 20th English league title, enhancing Champions League place that just so happens to be because of the loss of finances but because United’s “Without that triumph at Wembley, the crowds Ferguson’s status as the greatest British manager of all occupied by Liverpool - United’s biggest rival. pulling power would be seriously hit. would have shrivelled. Disaffection might have swept time after more than 26 trophy-laden years at United. Sunday’s defeat to Swansea came in the third Moyes and United chief executive Ed Woodward the club,” Ferguson wrote in his recent autobiography. How ironic, then, that Swansea was back at Old round of the FA Cup, only United’s second exit at that already found attracting the big names hard enough Maybe winning the League Cup will be the catalyst Trafford on Sunday, administering a fourth loss in early stage - the first hurdle for top-flight clubs - since in the offseason transfer window so January is likely for Moyes, who is six months into a six-year contract. United’s last six home matches to usher the creaking 1985. “It has been a tough start, a tough opening peri- to be even tougher, especially since Champions Ferguson hand-picked Moyes as his successor and hosts further into decline under Ferguson’s successor, od,” Moyes said, when asked to sum up his first six League football next season can’t be promised. still holds massive sway at United through his past David Moyes. months in the job. “I am disappointed we have not Moyes said Sunday there is an “urgency” to bring in achievements and his role as a director. Ferguson Swansea won 2-1, its winning goal coming in the won more games or played better but I am sure it will players this month but acknowledges the ones he attends almost every United home match, sitting in final minute, by which time Ferdinand had hobbled change, I have no doubt about that.” wants won’t be available. Rooney and possibly goal- the directors’ box behind Moyes. His backing is off injured. The contrast to that day in May when Moyes’ first half year in charge of England’s biggest keeper David de Gea aside, United’s senior players are imperative for the new man in charge but his contin- United lifted the Premier League trophy on club has been turbulent but interesting. He was missing or aren’t delivering. Robin van Persie, the ued presence around Old Trafford is a constant Ferguson’s Old Trafford farewell was acute. accused of lacking European experience from his 11 league’s top scorer for the last two seasons, is current- reminder of the difference between United then and The natives are getting restless. The atmosphere at years at Everton but qualified United from a tough ly injured and has played only twice since Nov. 10 United now. — AP Walcott out of World Cup with knee injury
LONDON: Arsenal and England forward least six months, therefore missing the Theo Walcott has been ruled out for at least remainder of the season and the World Cup six months after rupturing knee ligaments in Brazil in the summer,” Arsenal said on and will miss this year’s World Cup, the club their website. said yesterday. Walcott, capped 36 times by England, Walcott suffered the injury late in the 2- missed two months of this season with an 0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA abdominal injury and had looked in great Cup third round on Saturday and he left form since returning, scoring five goals in the field on a stretcher after appearing to five games before Saturday’s derby. jar his knee in a challenge with Danny Rose. His absence will be keenly felt by The 24-year-old did not appear in too Premier League leaders Arsenal as they try much discomfort and caused controversy to maintain their title challenge and will by indicating the score to Tottenham fans also be a major blow for England manager behind the goal as he was carried off. The Roy Hodgson. “Everyone at Arsenal wishes Football Association took no action over Theo a speedy recovery and we look for- Walcott’s gestures but any relief at avoiding ward to seeing him back on a football pitch disciplinary action was quickly overshad- as soon as possible,” the club said. Walcott, owed by the medical bulletin which aged 17, was an unused member of revealed he had ruptured anterior cruciate England’s squad for the 2006 World Cup ligaments in his left knee. finals in Germany and was surprisingly left “Theo will have surgery in London in the out of the squad for the 2010 tournament near future and is expected to be out for at in South Africa. — Reuters Allardyce gets Hammers backing
LONDON: West Ham manager Sam the return of all of our injured players will Allardyce received something close to the lead to an upturn in our fortunes. dreaded vote of confidence from the “Thereafter, our second priority is to club’s co-chairmen yesterday following bring in the new talent needed to bolster the Premier League club’s embarrassing our squad in the most needed areas. LISBON: Fans react as the car carrying the coffin of Benfica football legend Eusebio da Silva Ferreira 5-0 FA Cup defeat by second-tier “January is not an easy time to do busi- arrives in the Luz stadium in Lisbon yesterday. Portugal paid final homage yesterday to Portuguese Nottingham Forest. ness but we are pleased to confirm we are footballing legend Eusebio, also known as the “Black Panther”, whose death has sparked worldwide In an open letter on the east London close to securing one of our key striking tributes. (Inset), officials carry the coffin of Benfica football legend Eusebio da Silva Ferreira on the pitch club’s website, David Gold and David targets. A defender is high on the list of of the Luz stadium. — AFP Sullivan backed Allardyce to turn around priorities as well and progress is being the fortunes of the Hammers, currently made on that front.” second bottom and facing relegation However, the Hammers do at least from English football’s lucrative top flight. have a League Cup semi-final against “We know Sam has not lost his ambi- Premier League rivals Manchester City to Portugal pays final tion or desire and is committed to making look forward to, with the first leg at West Ham United a great Premier League Eastlands tomorrow. And Allardyce said club,” the open letter read. “Sam has been the fact that fixture was on the horizon handed a near impossible task of coming lay behind his decision to rest several sen- through three crucial games in the space ior players from the Forest clash, with the homage to Eusebio of six days with a squad of only 14 fit and Hammers fielding five debutants and available senior players. three players with fewer than 10 first- “We have experienced difficult times team appearances between them. before and we know what will get us “First-team players were rested LISBON: Tens of thousands of people turned out ers, combining panther-like pace with a ferocious with Eusebio scoring two of the goals. While results - hard work, determination and (against Forest) to play Wednesday, the in the rain yesterday to say a final farewell to shooting ability. Born in 1942, the poor boy from Eusebio excelled with Benfica in Europe, it was perseverance. “To that end, we are all last thing I wanted to do was have players Portuguese football legend Eusebio, who grew Maputo rose to prominence in Mozambique his exploits at the 1966 World Cup for which he working round the clock to do everything going in to the semi-final fatigued or not up in grinding African poverty to become one of football circles as a teenager through his per- will be best remembered. in our powers to help arrest our slump in as fresh as City, who have a much bigger, the world’s greatest players. formances for Sporting Lourenco Marques. Eusebio’s nine goals in England propelled form.” more talented squad,” he said. Mourners lined the streets of Lisbon and With his exceptional technique, strength and Portugal to a third-place finish, and a succession That lengthy injury list has seen the “We planned to get as many fit for applauded as the black hearse carrying Eusebio’s goal-scoring record, it was not long before word of opposing teams simply had no answer to the Hammers have to do without striker Andy tomorrow and Saturday as possible but I coffin, drapped in the red and white colours of of Eusebio’s prowess soon filtered back to power and pace of his play. Carroll so far this season, while James don’t think by Wednesday we’ll have any his club Benfica, passed by in a funeral cortege Portugal and he joined Benfica. In an early game In the quarter-finals Eusebio was unstop- Tomkins, Winston Reid, James Collins, defenders fit certainly. By Saturday we broadcast live on TV. Earlier about 10,000 mourn- for Benfica he outshone Pele in a friendly against pable, pulling off a one-man rescue act after Mark Noble and Ricardo Vaz Te are cur- might. “All of our defenders in central ers applauded and cheered as six pall-bearers Santos and in 1962 he scored the crucial goals in Portugal went 3-0 down against North Korea rently sidelined, with club captain Kevin areas are missing and until they are back carried the coffin and placed it on a golden a 5-3 victory over Real Madrid in the European after just 20 minutes. The Koreans were blown Nolan suspended. fit again and stay fit it puts us in a very, plinth in the centre of the pitch at Benfica’s Cup final. away by a four-goal display from Eusebio as the “Our first priority is to get our key play- very difficult situation.” “Stadium of Light”. When Madrid’s legendary Hungarian Ferenc Portuguese won 5-3. He scored his ninth of the ers fit,” the letter added. “Our record sign- As for his controversial selection The coffin remained on the plinth for only a Puskas symbolically handed his jersey to Eusebio tournament in the third-place play-off win over ing Andy Carroll continues to make good against Forest, Allardyce added: “To be few minutes before it was carried around the sta- after the match, the message was clear-the torch the Soviet Union. He finished his 64-cap career progress following his return to first-team fair, there were too many of them (novice dium in the hearse as Italian tenor Andrea had passed, and in 1965 Eusebio was awarded having accumulated 41 goals for Portugal. training and he should be back on the players) on the field. I would have liked to Bocelli’s “Con te partiro” was played from loud- the Ballon d’Or. He also earned European football’s Golden pitch very soon...Trust us, Andy Carroll is play three or four but that wasn’t the case speakers. Pele, the Brazilian widely regarded as the Boot award twice and was Portugal’s top scorer desperate to play and is ready to do his with a massive Capital One (League) Cup Mourners, many in tears, threw red and white greatest footballer of all time, took to his Twitter every season between 1964 and 1973. He helped bit for the team and we are confident that semi-final coming up.” — AFP Benfica scarves on the hearse and waved red and account to tell the world: “I cry for the death of Benfica to 11 league championships and five green Portuguese flags as it passed by, crying my brother Eusebio. We became friends during domestic cups. out: “Eusebio, Eusebio”. “Eusebio was out of this the 1966 World Cup in England.” Married with two daughters, in retirement he world like (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi. Pele published a photo of the two men became an ambassador for Benfica and the He will be Benfica’s eternal myth,” said Benfica together when Portugal beat Brazil 3-1 that year, Portuguese football federation. — AFP Holloway gets coach Jorge Jesus. Fans left flowers, handmade posters and Benfica scarves at a statue of the player that sits Millwall job outside the stadium. Flags flew at half mast across Lisbon with the Portuguese government decreeing three days of mourning for Eusebio da LONDON: Ian Holloway returned to football added: “The fact that we have been able to Silva Ferreira, who died of a heart attack early yesterday as manager of Millwall. Holloway attract someone of Ian’s calibre and track Sunday aged 71. finds himself back in football at another south record is testament to the fact that he shares “Portugal has today lost one of its most London club after leaving Premier League our view of the potential we have to progress beloved sons, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira. The coun- strugglers Crystal Palace in October, having as a club and to move forward. try mourns his death,” President Anibal Cavaco overseen the Eagles’ promotion to the top “In our determination to bring Ian in on a Silva had said. flight. two-and-a-half-year contract, we have Cavaco Silva and Prime Minister Pedro Passos The 50-year-old replaced Steve Lomas who demonstrated both the level of our ambition Coelho both attended the funeral mass held in was sacked last month after winning just five and commitment towards re-establishing the Seminary Church near the stadium, which out of 22 games. Millwall are currently only ourselves as a competitive Championship was broadcast live on Portuguese television. one point above the second-tier club, and in due course challenging towards Eusebio will be buried at the nearby Lumiar Championship relegation zone and bowed the top end of this division. cemetary after the mass. out of the FA Cup with a 4-1 defeat by fourth “We are under no illusions that our first pri- Born into poverty in Africa, Eusebio scored tier Southend on Saturday. ority under Ian’s leadership is to ensure we 733 goals in 745 matches and rivalled all-time “Millwall Football Club can confirm that maintain our Championship status,” the greats including Pele, Alfredo Di Stefano and terms have been agreed with Ian Holloway for American businessman explained. Bobby Charlton. “I was the best player in the him to become new manager following the “The new manager inherits an experienced world, top scorer in the world and Europe. I did departure of Steve Lomas on Boxing Day. and talented squad that has not been playing everything, except win a World Cup,” Eusebio said “Ollie is set to take up his new position this to its potential so far this season. He will in a interview in 2011, recalling his tears after week and will be in charge of the team for the receive the backing of the board to strength- Portugal’s loss in the 1966 World Cup semi-final Championship fixture at Huddersfield Town en as he deems necessary.” Holloway previous- to England. on Saturday,” a club statement said. ly took Blackpool into the Premier League in From humble origins in the former Lions chairman John Berylson, who prom- 2010 and has also managed Bristol Rovers, Portuguese colony of Mozambique, Eusebio was UDINE: Verona’s Luca Toni, center, scores, during a Serie A soccer match between Udinese and ised to back Holloway in the transfer market, QPR, Plymouth and Leicester. — AFP to emerge as one of the world’s most feared strik- Verona at the Friuli Stadium in Udine, Italy, yesterday. — AP