SOME ENTERTAINMENT WOULD BE NICE

Last updated : 25 August 2004 By Editor
All the usual pre-match guff.

From BBC:

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Darren Fletcher and Kleberson will start.

Man Utd (from): Howard, Carroll, Ricardo, P Neville, G Neville, O'Shea, Silvestre, Keane, Fortune, Miller, Djemba-Djemba, Fletcher, Kleberson, Scholes, Smith, Giggs, Richardson, Bellion, Ronaldo


Fergie has warned against complacency:

“The goal from Dinamo was a good example of the counter-attack. They showed great quickness. European football is about guarding against the counter-attack. It is a danger sign and we must eradicate that. We want to be in the next stage. We need to get to that stage.

“With our experience we have to make sure we get control of the game - as long as we are not careless. That is always a danger. There should be a big red flag put up in the middle of the pitch, spelling danger against the counter attack. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to return to mentioning that red flag in the dressing-room. The players always want to go forward. It is human nature.

“We don't need Newcastle [last season] as a warning, football itself is a warning.”


Ferguson on the invisible man:

“He had injuries, long term injuries. When you're coming from Brazil as a young lad, it's going to take time. I think he will be better. And then he got an injury in the Copa America, which has held him back.

“He's been training well the last week. He's looked very good in training. So, we'll give him his go against Dinamo. It happens. Sometimes players go to a club and they take time to settle. That was the case with Kleberson.

“He was also travelling back to Brazil for matches and that was difficult for him. It was not as if he was popping down to London. But there are a lot of good things about him. He is a very mobile player, quick and two-footed. He is also a very good professional. He has a desire to play like all Brazilians. The physical side of our game does not bother him.”


O’Shea:

“We had to show a lot of grit and determination in the first leg because we were disappointed with the start we gave them.

“Giving them an early goal at home was exactly what we didn't want. But we tried to quieten the crowd down and responded very well by getting two away goals.

“Overall, it was a very positive result for us and hopefully it'll be the same tonight.

“If the manager asks me to do a specific job in every game, I'll be more than willing to do it. He asked me to play in midfield for that game and I thought I did okay. I just got on with the job and enjoyed it.”


Dinamo Bucharest captain Florentin Petre:

“If I don't believe we can qualify, I won't get on the plane. It's important to get a good result. In football nothing is certain.

Dinamo’s squad is in turmoil after the players were fined a week’s wages for refusing to attend a five-day training retreat.