Sir Alex: Owners Don't Interfere

Sir Alex Ferguson insists he can ask no more of Manchester United's owners and reiterated his health will dictate the time for retirement.

The Glazer family's ownership of United drew a fierce protest from supporters last season due to the mammoth debts the Premier League club have been saddled with.

The 'Green and Gold' protest increased in support throughout the season and a Red Knights consortium had also considered a takeover bid for the club.

However, while Ferguson understands why the fans want to protest against the owners, the United boss believes the Glazers have always supported him.

"There's nothing wrong with protest," Ferguson told Riviera Radio. "The supporters have shown their unhappiness about who owns the club. That's always been there since I've come to the club, first with the Edwards family, then when we went plc, now the Glazers.

"There's always an element of supporters who feel they own the club; that's understandable because they have fantastic loyalty to the club. I can understand where they are coming from.

"My take is that the Glazers have supported the team very, very well. They don't interfere, they let us get one with the job and when we've asked for a player, we've got it. What more can we ask?"

Ferguson, who has been in charge at Old Trafford since 1986, also confirmed that he currently has no plans to step down and will allow his health to tell him when it is the right time to leave.
The 68-year-old added: "It's a marvellous club to be involved in.

"The motivation is easy because I've had great players for 25 years and great support. Every morning I go into training and watch these players perform. They do it with great commitment and concentration. It's a joy to see that.

"Age is always a thing you have to be guarded against because with age there are penalties. Health is definitely one. Health determines how long you go on in the club. Touch wood, I'm okay."

Scholes Reveals Retirement Plans

Manchester United star Paul Scholes has indicated that he is considering retiring at the end of next season and he would like to move into coaching.

The former England international signed a one-year contract extension at Old Trafford at the end of the last campaign, but he recognises that his playing days are coming to an end.

Scholes, 35, has enjoyed an excellent career to date and narrowly missed out on a 10th Premier League title in the 2009/10 season as Chelsea collected the trophy.

The midfielder's impressive form even led England manager Fabio Capello to make a late attempt to lure him out of a six-year international retirement before he named his World Cup squad.

But Scholes was not tempted due to the timing of Capello's call and he also recognises that his club career is drawing to a close.

"I am coming to the end of my playing career and I maybe have one year left," Scholes said in an EPL Talk Podcast while hosting a soccer academy in Florida.

"I have started doing my coaching badges back in England and hopefully one day I will be able to coach kids or coach some kind of team somewhere."

Scholes also paid tribute to the influence of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on his career.

"He has been great," added Scholes. "It goes without saying what a top manager he has been.

"The amount of players he has brought through the youth team is great and it gives hope to all the kids in the youth team that if they are good enough he will definitely use them.

"It has just been fantastic working with him and I think there is a good few years left in him yet."

Cole Not Set For United

Manchester United have ruled out making a bid for Joe Cole, according to Sky Sports sources.

Cole is a free agent after he failed to agree a new contract at Chelsea.

The midfielder, currently in South Africa with England, has insisted he is leaving talks of his future down to his representatives.

Arsenal and Manchester City emerged as favourites to sign Cole earlier this summer, but lately it was Man United who were widely reported to have won the race to land him on a free transfer.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp said earlier this week that he felt a deal to take Cole to United was all but done.

But now Sky Sports sources understand that Cole will not be heading to Old Trafford this summer.

Macheda Not Leaving On Loan

Federico 'Kiko' Macheda's agent insists Manchester United have no intention of loaning out the Italian starlet this season.

Injury hampered much of the 18-year-old's campaign last time around, although he did return for the latter stages.

It had been thought Sir Alex Ferguson could loan out the teenage striker in order for him to bolster his first-team experience.

However, Macheda's agent Giovanni Bia does not believe the Scottish tactician will allow the ex-Roma trainee to leave in any capacity.

"Manchester have no intention of sending him out on loan to anyone," said Bia.

"For this reason I exclude the possibility of him being transferred in this transfer window."

Joe Cole Moving To Old Trafford?

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp believes Manchester United may have already struck a deal for Joe Cole.

The 28-year-old will not have his Chelsea contract renewed this summer and a number of clubs have been chasing his signature.

Redknapp has confirmed that he would love to see the midfielder move to Spurs, while Arsenal and United are also thought to be trailing the England international.

But while Redknapp wants Cole at White Hart Lane, he thinks the Red Devils may have already won the race to sign him.

"I've got a feeling that it might have been done (for Cole to join United)," he said.

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least. Joe's not wanted to speak to anybody and his people have been saying 'let's get the World Cup out of the way first'.

"But we'd be interested for sure. I like Joe."

Man. United Achieve Green Standard

Tens of thousands of fans, floodlit stadiums and multi-million pound franchises – professional football at the highest level doesn’t immediately spring to mind as the most environmentally-friendly business.

However, Manchester United has just become the 250th company in the UK to net the Carbon Trust Standard for measuring, managing and reducing its carbon emissions, as part of the club’s commitment to cut its footprint by ten per cent.

United’s achievement of the Carbon Trust Standard, the only independent award for organisations that can verify that they are taking genuine action to reduce their carbon emissions, marks two years’ worth of environmental initiatives including:

- Running a number of initiatives to engage staff, including the development of a network of 23 ‘energy champions’ and a high-profile awareness campaign with messages and posters featuring Sir Alex Ferguson stating "You can make a difference"

- Extending the challenge to the club’s fans, customers and suppliers, with the ‘Reds to Green’ programme, which includes waste, recycling and transport reduction initiatives. The programme has ensured that any waste produced by United does not end up in landfill, but is sent for energy recovery via a local waste to energy plant. The club is also working with the local council and police with the joint aim of reducing congestion on match days

- Reducing energy consumption across OT through direct light ‘switch-offs’ on non-match days and optimising the control system for heating and ventilation of the stadium. Reducing lighting by 50 per cent in the North Stand tunnel alone is already saving the club £10,000 each year. For financial year 2008/09, United’s carbon management efforts helped the club save over £125,000 in electricity, £110,000 in gas and £235,000 in total energy use in seven months

- Implementing a number of other eco-friendly initiatives such as the use of electric vehicles throughout the site

In addition, since making a firm commitment in July 2008 to reduce energy use by 10 per cent, the club has exceeded this goal by 6.9 per cent.

Together these efforts have saved 1200 tonnes of carbon dioxide or CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere – equivalent to the carbon produced by 240 average sized homes within a year. United is also setting the standard for other clubs by looking at options for generating renewable energy at its training facilities and sites in future years.

Michael Bolingbroke, United’s chief operating officer, said: “We believe that being a responsible football club means being part of our community in the widest possible sense.

"Our performance as an internationally recognised institution isn’t measured just by our success on the football pitch or our profitability as a business but by the contribution that we make to the local community and the wider environment as well.

"Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement and to be an environmentally responsible club. This accolade is testament to the hard work and united effort of our energy team and energy champions across the organisation.”

As the 250th company to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard certification, United follows in the footsteps of other household names like Tesco, Hilton and BSkyB.

Harry Morrison, General Manager at the Carbon Trust Standard Company, said: “Manchester United is one of the biggest brands in the world and we hope that the leaps and bounds they are making in cutting carbon will be an inspiration to other businesses.

"To become the 250th organisation to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard is a great accolade for the club and importantly, they’ve made a firm commitment to keep reducing over the next two years.

“They’ve gone beyond looking at the fabric of their own buildings and Old Trafford and instead have made energy efficiency part of the business itself. By taking this step they have encouraged a real cultural shift within the club and by involving staff at every level of the business, they have set a firm foundation to both meet and exceed their environmental goals.”

The club is also reaching out to its fan base to raise awareness of their own personal carbon footprint and actively encourage supporters to use public transport when they travel to matches.

Tosic Hits Out At Fergie

Zoran Tosic has accused Sir Alex Ferguson of not giving him a chance at Manchester United.

Serbia international winger Tosic sealed his departure from Old Trafford earlier this week by joining CSKA Moscow after just 18 months at United.

Tosic made only five substitute appearances in the Premier League for the Red Devils and spent the second half of last season on loan at German side Cologne.

The 23-year-old feels he had no choice but to leave Old Trafford after growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of first-team opportunities.

"I'm already 23, but Manchester United didn't give me a chance to prove myself," said Tosic.

"Obviously, I'm an athlete, I have ambition, but I want to show myself on the pitch, not on the bench. That's the main reason I left.

"They could have considered loaning me, but Manchester United wanted to sell and sell they did.

"CSKA Moscow, in my opinion, are quite a famous club, consistently playing in European competition and fighting for the Russian League title."

Manchester United And Le Havre End Paul Pogba Dispute

Manchester United have reached an agreement with French second division side Le Havre over the disputed ownership of midfielder Paul Pogba.

Le Havre claimed United had illegally poached the 17-year-old from their academy last August but world governing body Fifa ruled in United's favour.

Pogba, who was born on the outskirts of Paris, officially joined United in October 2009.

Manchester United said the terms of the deal would "remain confidential".

Pogba made his debut for United's Under-18 side a few days after joining the club in a 2-1 loss against Crewe Alexandra.

The Ligue 2 side said in a statement that both sides were "satisfied to have reached an agreement regarding Paul Pogba's integration to the Manchester United squad".

No details of the agreement have been released by either club.

Man. United 2010/11 Premier League Fixture Revealed

United will kick off the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season against newly-promoted Newcastle at Old Trafford on the opening weekend.

If you believe in omens then it's good news - the Reds have twice started campaigns against the Magpies in the Premier League era, in 2000/01 (won 2-0), and 2008/09 (1-1), and on both occasions have gone on to win the title.

There are the usual tricky patches, of course, with back-to-back clashes against Arsenal and Chelsea twice - in December (11, 18) and in the run-in (30 April, 7 May).

The last ten fixtures of the campaign look like producing plenty of fireworks with away trips to Anfield, Upton Park, St James' Park, the Emirates Stadium and Ewood Park, with home games against Everton and Chelsea thrown in too.
Key clashes
Sat Sep 18 Liverpool H
Wed Nov 10 Manchester City A
Sat Dec 11 Arsenal H
Sat Dec 18 Chelsea A
Sat Feb 12 Manchester City H
Sat Mar 5 Liverpool A
Sat Apr 30 Arsenal A
Sat May 7 Chelsea H

Cup fixtures
Wed Sep 22 Carling Cup 3
Wed Oct 27 Carling Cup 4
Wed Dec 1 Carling Cup 5
Sat Jan 8 F.A . Cup 3
Wed Jan 12 Carling Cup Semi-Final (1)
Wed Jan 26 Carling Cup Semi-Final (2)
Sat Jan 29 F.A. Cup 4Sat Feb 19 F.A. Cup 5
Sun Feb 27 Carling Cup Final
Sat Mar 12 F.A. Cup 6
Sat Apr 16 F.A. Cup Semi-Final
Sat May 14 F.A. Cup Final

Rio Recuperating

Rio Ferdinand is making good progress in his recovery from a knee injury, enhancing his chances of being fully fit and raring to go for the new season.

The Reds defender injured his knee in training whilst on England duty preparing for their World Cup campaign in South Africa.

The 31-year-old central defender has been assessed by United's medical staff and the injury seems to be getting better ahead of schedule.

A club spokesperson told ManUtd.com: "Rio has been assessed by club medical staff at Carrington this week and he is making good early progress from his knee injury.

"The medical staff have advised a two week recuperation period with his family before returning to Carrington to complete the rehabilitation process."

Tom Heaton Returns To Cardiff City

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton has joined Cardiff City from Manchester United on a permanent basis after a previous loan stint with the Championship club.

Heaton, 24, was a 2008-09 Bluebirds regular and spent loan periods at Wycombe, Rochdale and QPR last season.

Boss Dave Jones told Cardiff's website: "United had offered him a new contract, but Tom's attitude was that he wanted to play, which says a lot about him."

Heaton's return came in the wake of Peter Enckelman being released.

Jones says ex-England Under-21 international Heaton can give David Marshall strong competition after his contract starts on 1 July, adding: "He will certainly be a welcome addition to our ranks.

"I'm pleased that we have secured Tom's services from Manchester United.

"We all know about the lad from his time on loan here and know that we have signed a very talented young player who can offer plenty of competition for Marshall in goal.

"It's now a case of Tom and Dave working hard with our goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson, battling to claim a starting place in the squad.

"We look forward to seeing him for pre-season training and know that we have a real prospect for years to come."

Heaton played 21 games in his previous spell at the club and played 12 times for Rochdale and 16 for Wycombe last season.

Tosic Sale Confirmed

United's Zoran Tosic has been sold to CSKA Moscow for an undisclosed fee.

The left winger, currently on World Cup duty for Serbia, has signed a five-year contract with the Russian club.

He leaves the Reds after making just five substitute appearances in one and a half seasons. The first of these was in January 2009, in an FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur, shortly after his arrival from Partizan Belgrade in that month's transfer window.

Tosic appeared off the bench twice more in 2008/09, at West Bromwich Albion and Hull City. In 2009/10, he came on in the Carling Cup victories over Barnsley in October and Tottenham in December but then joined German club FC Cologne on loan from January until the end of the season.

The 22 year-old played 13 times for Cologne and they were reportedly keen to take him on a temporary basis again next season. But CSKA's swoop for a permanent deal has dashed that aspiration and when Tosic's World Cup campaign ends, he'll embark on a new chapter in his career in the Russian league.

Vidic To Consider Future??

Nemanja Vidic's agent has hinted that the defender could leave Manchester United after the World Cup as he has yet to make a decision on his future.

Vidic attempted to put an end to transfer speculation towards the end of the season by insisting that he had no plans to leave Old Trafford before his current deal expires in 2012.

However, Real Madrid have again been linked with a swoop for the Serbia international and his representative has refused to rule out a move.

According to agent Paolo Fabbri, Vidic does not want to focus on anything other than the World Cup at present and will consider his club situation later in the summer.

"At the moment there is no news," said Fabbri. "Nemanja has obviously left for the World Cup with Serbia and is concentrating on that.

"We are waiting for information. We are waiting for Nemanja to tell us what he wants to do, so at the moment we are waiting as it is up to him."

Asked whether United had offered Vidic a new deal, Fabbri said: "He is concentrating on something else so I guess it won't be until after the World Cup that he makes a decision on his future.

"We have requested some time from Manchester United to think about things, and Nemanja does not want to look at things until after the World Cup."

Fabbri insisted that Real Madrid had yet to make a formal approach for Vidic, who has been at Old Trafford since 2006.

"We have not heard anything official from them and Nemanja has requested I do not speak about particular clubs while he is at the World Cup," he explained.

"Any eventual transfer will only take place after the World Cup."

United's Covert Operation

The capture of Javier Hernandez in April caught everybody on the hop - including the striker's family.

So secretive were the talks between United and Chivas, that only the striker and his father, Chicharo, were aware of the deal taking place. As they sat watching United take on Bayern Munich at Old Trafford, their family believed they were 4,000 miles away in America.

"We didn’t know about the deal until it was done," Tomas Balcazar, Chicharito's grandfather, told ManUtd.com. "They tricked us! They told us they were going on holiday to Atlanta. Then the phone rang and my son said: ‘Turn the television on, you’ll see something very important'. We turned it on and the first thing we saw was the lad’s mug!

"I thought: 'What’s going on?' Then we saw the badge of Manchester United. We just didn’t believe it. We were flabbergasted and wanted to know more. So we thought we’d head over to Chicharito’s house to see how everything was and to feed the pets. The phone rang again and my daughter said to me: ‘Get back here, there’s loads of press at the house that want to interview you.’ From 10 in the morning to 11 at night we were being interviewed. We didn’t even eat. It was crazy!"

Having overcome the shock at seeing Chicharito unveiled at one of the world's biggest clubs, Balcazar admits that the entire family are filled with pride at the move. "We thanked God and were full of joy," he said. "After all his work, being obedient in waiting for his chance at Chivas, it's great to see it rewarded."

Man. United To Contest Community Shield

The FA has announced that United will take on Chelsea in the 2010 Community Shield match on Sunday 8 August.

The annual curtain-raiser to the domestic season is traditionally contested by the league champions and the FA Cup winners but with Carlo Ancelotti's side claiming the double last term, the Reds will take them on at Wembley as Barclays Premier League runners-up.

The fixture is a repeat of last year’s Community Shield which ended 2-2 draw in normal time, with Nani and Wayne Rooney scoring for United. Chelsea then won the resulting penalty shoot-out to deny the Reds a third consecutive Shield success.

United have won the Shield 14 times outright, dating back to 1908. The most recent triumph was in 2008 when Sir Alex Ferguson's then English and European champions beat FA Cup winners Portsmouth 3-1 on penalties. The Reds have shared the Shield four times - prior to the rule change when draws were then settled via spot-kicks.

Almost 86,000 fans attended the 2009 Community Shield with The FA distributing all proceeds to nominated community and charitable projects across the country.

Nani Out Of World Cup

Portugal winger Nani has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering an injury to his collar bone.

Manchester United's Nani picked up the injury in training on Friday in Lisbon before flying to South Africa.

"After tests we conclude he is unfit to participate in the World Cup," said a team statement.

The 23-year-old, who scored three goals in 11 appearances during qualification, will be replaced in Portugal's squad by Benfica midfielder Ruben Amorim.

Amorim made 24 appearances for Benfica last season, helping the club to their first Portuguese title in five years.

The loss of Nani is a blow to Portugal as the winger had demonstrated impressive form for Manchester United during the second half of the 2009/10 season.

During the campaign he scored six goals in 34 appearances as United finished runners-up to Chelsea in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they were beaten on away goals by Bayern Munich.

He scored a superb chipped goal in Portugal's 3-1 victory over Cameroon in a home World Cup warm-up game on 1 June.

Portugal also have injury concerns over defender Pepe, who has been recovering from a knee injury he sustained in December.

The Real Madrid centre-back has not played since then but has been cleared by doctors from both his club and country to travel to the finals with a view to featuring at some stage.

Portugal's first match of the tournament is on 15 June against Ivory Coast in Group G, which also includes Brazil and North Korea.

Scholes: Capello Call Too Late

Paul Scholes has admitted he would have returned to the England side if he had been given more time to consider an offer from Fabio Capello.

The Manchester United midfielder quit the international scene after Euro 2004 to concentrate on his career at Old Trafford.

But he was offered the chance to return when Capello looked to add greater experience to his squad ahead of the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher accepted the chance to return from the wilderness, but Scholes elected not to make a shock comeback with the Three Lions.

However, the gifted Red Devils midfielder has revealed that if the Italian had spoken to him sooner, the outcome would have been different.

"It's a big decision and I wasn't really given enough time to think about it, so I decided not to take up the offer," he told the Oldham Evening Chronicle.

"If they'd asked me earlier I probably would have accepted.

"There are players in the squad who have spent nearly two years flying all around the world helping England qualify for the World Cup, whereas I haven't been involved for a long time.

"It wasn't a case of wanting to go on holiday, it was the fact that I got the call so close to the tournament, and also I didn't want to take the place of someone who helped get England to South Africa.

"The idea just didn't sit comfortably with me."

Scholes has also offered his sympathy to United team-mate Rio Ferdinand, who will miss the tournament having suffered a knee injury in England's first training session in South Africa.

"I really feel for Rio, especially getting hurt so close to the start of the action," added Scholes.

"It's not just sad for Rio but for England as well, because he is captain and an important figure."

Manchester United Owner's Debts Hit £1.1bn

Manchester United's owners are £1.1bn in debt - £400m more than previously known - after borrowing extensively against their shopping mall business.

BBC Panorama has found evidence that the Glazer family's debt levels may threaten their hold on the club.

A spokesman for the American family has said it holds more than £2bn in assets.

But the extent of the debt owed by the Glazers is likely to fuel a continuing revolt by some supporters, who oppose their ownership of the club.

Details of the financial arrangements of the owners also come at a time when the sport's governing bodies are facing questions about Premier League debts that have reached a combined total of £3.4bn and the growing popularity of leveraged buyouts in English clubs.

Mortgage documents seen by the BBC show that the Glazers have borrowed £388m ($570m) against shopping malls and £66m ($95m) against their American National Football League team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In addition to their mortgages in the US, a portion of the Glazer family's £700m Manchester United debt will soon see them charged interest at a rate of 16.25%.

Fans fear that, despite the club's record of success on the pitch, the Glazers' leveraged buy-out of United has saddled the club with debt and that may mean that there is no spare money in the future to buy a new generation of star players.

Disappointed fans have launched the "green and gold" campaign that resurrects the original team colours in protest over the Glazers' ownership.

Their numbers have reached 158,000 and former United star David Beckham has signalled his support.

They point to the £80m sale of star striker Cristiano Ronaldo last year and note that he has not been replaced by a player of similar quality. Yet ticket prices have gone up by more than a third.
The club's management denies any lack of commitment to buying new talent and says that cash is available for Sir Alex Ferguson to buy players.

ity analyst Andy Green, 37, is the disgruntled Manchester United supporter who first uncovered the extent of the Glazers' debts.

Mr Green said: "They borrowed more money at inflated valuations right at the top of the cycle.

"These are people who tell us not to worry about Manchester United debt because they are great businessmen. In their core business in the US they got it absolutely wrong."

The debt levels at the club are also drawing the attention of other prominent football figures.

Dave Whelan, Chairman of Wigan Athletic, told Panorama: "I don't think anybody can be satisfied with how Manchester United are being run... they have got somewhere in the order of three-quarters of a billion pounds worth of debt. That has got to be eliminated and eliminated quickly."

The Glazer family's main assets are the shopping centre business in America, First Allied Corporation, along with Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

First Allied is a private business and its accounts are not publicly available. But Mr Green discovered that the Glazers' shopping mall mortgages had been bundled with other loans as Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities.

Those bundles are publicly traded and therefore require the Glazers to provide detailed information on all the mortgages, which are then publicly available in the US.

Mr Green found mortgages - confirmed by the BBC - on 63 of 64 First Allied shopping centres, totalling £388m ($570m).

Most of those were taken out with Lehman Brothers before the US investment banking giant went bankrupt, triggering the global banking crisis in 2008.

While Lehmans collapsed, the Glazers' mortgage debt lived on and many of those shopping centres are not generating enough income to keep up with interest payments.

With falling commercial property values, many are also now in negative equity.

Banks have put 28 of the shopping centres on a watch list, meaning they are worried about the loans.

Four shopping centres - one each in Ohio, New Mexico, Texas and Georgia - have already gone bankrupt.

When they bought Manchester United in 2005, the Glazer family borrowed £500m and paid the remaining £272 million in cash.

Mr Green found that the Glazers had remortgaged 25 of their shopping centres in the six months before the takeover.

He believes the family borrowed against their US properties to pay for United: "At the time when they had to present a huge amount of cash over here in the UK they borrowed a huge amount of extra money in the US and publicly they didn't buy anything else that year."

A spokesman for the family did not respond to questions about the mortgages taken out by First Allied.

But with properties now worth about £380m ($550m) but mortgages valued at £395m ($570m), the shopping mall company now appears to be worth next to nothing.

That financial picture has analyst Mr Green questioning how the Glazers will service their £1.1bn debt.

United chief executive, David Gill, has said: "We're very confident the business model we have in place will ensure the club can continue to compete at the top of football for many years to come.

"The owners have been true to their word since they took over the club in 2005. They've brought commercial expertise and commercial benefit to us in a numbers of areas, and we've seen our revenues grow significantly."

The Glazers' most troublesome debts are held by Red Football, the parent company that owns Manchester United.

They are payment in kind loans, or PIKs, worth £200m and the interest owing on them will soon rise to 16.25%.

Mr Gill told the BBC in January: "We don't worry about the PIK repayment. That's nothing to do with the club."

A spokesman for Manchester United told the BBC last week that the club stands behind Mr Gill's assertion that the debts will be repaid without involving the club.

But sources close to the Glazers have confirmed that Red Football may use cash from Manchester United to pay off the PIKs in the future. The Glazers are said to be "comfortable" with the PIKs.

The situation at Manchester United reflects the wider issue within the Premier League, where clubs like Liverpool and West Ham are struggling with huge debts and FA Cup finalists Portsmouth barely staved off bankruptcy.

Both the Premier League and the FA declined requests for interviews on the subject of debt in football.

Ferdinand Out Of World Cup

Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of this summer's World Cup after suffering a knee injury in the final moments of England's first training session in South Africa.

The England captain suffered the injury in a challenge with Emile Heskey and was immediately sent to a local hospital for a scan. He emerged from the examination wearing a knee brace and walking with crutches.

A statement on the FA website on Friday evening read: "England Captain Rio Ferdinand today suffered a left-knee ligament injury in training. Further to a scan arranged by the England medical staff immediately after training on Friday afternoon, Rio has been ruled out for four to six weeks and will therefore unfortunately miss the World Cup."

Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson will fly to South Africa on Friday evening to take Ferdinand's place in the 23-man squad.

England Manager Fabio Capello said: "It is obviously bad news and everyone with the squad is very disappointed and sorry for Rio. It was an accidental injury in training, but had nothing to do with the pitch."

Amos Backed To The Hilt

As one Ben leaves, another is given his chance. Reds goalkeeper coach Eric Steele evaluates United’s newly-promoted third-choice stopper….

When Ben Foster signed for Birmingham, a lot of United fans expected Sir Alex to sign another goalkeeper. Instead, he’s promoted Ben Amos from within…
It’s a big vote of confidence for the boy and it’s promising because he’s another lad who’s come through the Academy system. Ben’s been at the club now for nine years, so it’s a nice reward for him.

He’s only 20 years old. Is he ready?
The manager and myself have seen enough in his ability to suggest he is. We’ve thrown the gauntlet down, so it’s up to him now to fulfil his potential. The challenge is for us to continue his development, but also for him to take the opportunity and make the most of it.

Not many goalkeepers move through the ranks at Old Trafford…
Yes, it’s a long time since 1985 when Gary Walsh came through – he was the last locally-reared goalkeeper to play for United. But don’t forget Ben’s already tasted first-team action, back in September 2008 when he played against Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup. Unfortunately for him he hasn’t had another chance since then but he certainly showed promise during that game.

What are Ben’s biggest attributes?
Physically, he’s a good size at 6ft 3 in. He’s a good shot-stopper, distributes the ball well and likes to organise his defenders. If you’re going to be a Manchester United goalkeeper you have to show a keenness and a willingness to appreciate good football – you need to know when to play the ball short and when to play the ball long. Ben’s certainly developed that side of his game over the last 18 months and he’s been encouraged to play the ball out of defence when he’s lined up for the Reserves.

How did his recent loan spell pan out?
He only arrived back in Manchester last week after a good spell in Norway with Molde FK. He played first-team football there for two months, which has done him the power of good. He will have learnt an awful lot out there about himself and about how to marshal defences and become an organiser. That was another step in his development and now we feel he’s ready to come back and take up the challenge of performing alongside Edwin van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak.

How vital are loan spells, especially for goalkeepers?
They’re big learning experiences. It helps players experience first-team football and get into the routine of preparing for big games every week. If they stay on the fringes at United, at a club where you could be involved in four competitions and there’s a lot of squad rotation, it can be difficult to get into a rhythm. The loan spells help replicate what conditions are like once you break through into that first XI. That said, he’ll probably find he’ll learn more during some of the training sessions at United next season than he possibly might do if he went out on loan to a lower-league side.

So when will we see Ben in action?
Ben’s going to get a lot more exposure now that he’s part of the first-team squad and he’ll join us on the American tour. He’ll play games out there. As for next season, I’d like to think he’ll play more of a part and that’s the whole idea of this promotion. Hopefully he might gain some experience and exposure in matches like the pre-season friendlies and the Carling Cup. That’s probably a realistic target for 2010/11.

You don’t expect him to be challenging Edwin van der Sar just yet?
No, no. Goalkeepers develop later anyway, so he’s got plenty of time. That said, in football these days your number three can be your number one very quickly. It only takes a red card and an injury to change everything.

Red Knights Shelve Bid Plan

The Red Knights have confirmed they will not be making a bid for Manchester United this summer but remain committed to usurping the Glazers.

The green and gold campaign, which has seen supporters don the colours of the club's predecessors Newton Heath at matches in protest at the Glazers' running of the club, had seemed to gather momentum towards the end of the season.

However the American owners, who plunged the Red Devils into over £700million of debt when taking over in 2005, have insisted that the club is not for sale.

Rumours that a £1.5billion offer from a Far East consortium had been rejected by the Glazers last week has forced the Red Knights to temporarily withdraw their interest until a more realistic figure is reached - thought to be in the region of £1billion.

"The Red Knights remain committed to pursuing their efforts to try and help bring ownership of Manchester United to its supporters, and under a structure with materially less debt," said a statement on behalf of the group.

"As we have maintained however since news of our ambitions first emerged in March, we will only attempt to purchase the club at a sensible price, consistent with the long-term interests of the club.

"Persistent speculation in the media of inflated valuation aspirations has made our goals less attainable, as potential investors have strongly reinforced our views that we should not move forward at a price uneconomic for the future of the club."

The news will disappoint many fans who believed a takeover was possible but now the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) is likely to call for a boycott of all season tickets.

United chief executive David Gill last week claimed that sales were in line with previous years and the Red Knights admit that supporters must make their own decision on whether to continue to come through the gates.

"We understand that many supporters were hoping that we might be in a position to make a bid before the season ticket renewal deadline," the statement continued.

"However our approach is best served by long-term interests of all. We have never taken a stance on season ticket renewals, it is a personal choice for all supporters.

"We have spent some considerable time assessing the value of the club. If the fundamentals lead to a more realistic re-assessment then, along with our co-operation with MUST and other Manchester United supporters, we will aim to achieve our goals."

Introducing... Aon

As United's four-year partnership with Aon gets underway, here's a brief guide to the Chicago-based company...

In layman’s terms, what does Aon do?
Aon is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk consultant. Headquartered in Chicago, it has more than 36,000 employees in 120 countries. Approximately 5,400 employees work within its UK operations.

As an insurance broker, Aon’s role is to find the best insurance solution for businesses, people and governments across the world. This is managed by Aon’s largest business, Aon Risk Services, whose clients seek advice and solutions on a wide variety of risks, ranging from natural catastrophes to employee injuries and terrorism strikes.

Insurance companies often require insurance for the risks they face. This is known as reinsurance and is managed by a separate Aon business called Aon Benfield. Aon Benfield is the largest reinsurance broker in the world.

Aon’s third key business is Aon Consulting, which advises companies on numerous issues, including their pension and benefit schemes, how to reward their employees and how to recruit and retain the very best people.

What was appealing to Aon about football – and United specifically?
Football is dynamic and competitive, and appeals to a global audience. It transcends cultures and people, and brings communities together like no other sport. For Aon to become part of this high energy environment is extremely exciting. Like Aon, Manchester United has a truly global reach. The club has a great pedigree, and shares Aon's ambition for worldwide appeal and pursuit of excellence. This partnership will help Aon to grow in emerging insurance and reinsurance markets, such as parts of Asia. The United shirt is an iconic image in the world of sport, and the chance to appear on it is very rare – Aon is only the fourth company to do so in history of the club.

How will this partnership work?
This is a four-year global partnership and brand sponsorship agreement starting in June 2010. In addition to having Aon’s logo on United's shirt from the 2010/11 season, the sponsorship will present opportunities for joint product marketing and services to clients. Aon feels that tremendous benefits will arise from having its brand exposed to the millions of fans across the world who follow the team every day.

United are very active on the charitable front. How will Aon participate?
Aon has always taken seriously its community responsibilities. Its mantra is to give back to those communities in which it does business, and considering it does business in more than 120 countries, this leaves a wide scope for charitable work. In partnering with United, Aon has the opportunity to work with a club that shares its values in this regard. When considering this sponsorship, United’s 'United for UNICEF' campaign was particularly appealing. There is no other sport that teaches young people the principles of teamwork and striving for excellence as much as football, and there is no other sports organisation in the world that teaches the values of UNICEF as well as United.

United & Aon Join Forces

Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON), the world’s leading risk advisor and human capital consultant, has kicked off its four-year shirt sponsorship of Manchester United with a programme of global charity initiatives designed to promote youth development and healthier communities.

The sponsorship and charity campaign were launched at Old Trafford this morning by executives of Aon and Manchester United, alongside club legends Sir Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson and Quinton Fortune.

"Based on our shared values of leadership, teamwork and a passion for excellence, it is difficult to imagine a stronger fit for Aon than Manchester United," said Aon Corporation president and chief executive Greg Case. "Through the global charitable initiatives of Aon’s 36,000 colleagues, we will work with our partners at Manchester United and the Manchester United Foundation to promote these values and create positive opportunities for young people, to enable them to thrive and to help improve their communities."

United chief executive officer David Gill said: "This event is an indication of how Aon is committed to developing the partnership way beyond a simple commercial arrangement. In the coming years, I hope we will be able to build a tangible legacy for the Manchester United community both here in the north west and further afield. I am delighted Aon wants to get its whole worldwide workforce involved. I'm sure it will really bring the sponsorship to life for many of them."

To mark the start of the sponsorship, the first charity event involved more than 150 of Aon’s Manchester-based colleagues and their families. They participated in a penalty shootout challenge at Old Trafford for the Manchester-based The Christie charity, a leading cancer centre that treats more than 40,000 patients a year.

The Aon Foundation donated £25,000, of which £3,500 came from the penalty challenge, to The Survivorship Programme of The Christie, which helps young people progress in their educational and career goals and receive life skills and support following cancer treatment.

The Christie chief executive Caroline Shaw said: "Having cancer at any age is traumatic, but it is especially difficult for young people when they still have their whole lives ahead of them. This generous support will help them have the successful and fulfilling life that they deserve after cancer."

Case added: "Throughout our offices around the world [more than 500], Aon colleagues are joining today’s fundraising through an 'Aon United REDy Day' campaign, which includes raising money for local charities by wearing Manchester United shirts or red clothes for the day. Aon is an organisation that is truly committed to strengthening communities by sharing our human, intellectual and financial resources. We believe that through this ongoing programme of charitable initiatives we can make a positive difference in people's lives."

Forthcoming Aon charity initiatives include Aon United Day on 15 July 2010, which will involve Aon’s global colleagues in over 120 countries participating in fundraising and volunteer activities, including supporting hundreds of schools, children’s hospitals, orphanages and community centres, as well as high-profile organisations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters Clubs, Junior Achievement, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, UNICEF, United Way and the YMCA.

In Botswana, Aon colleagues will partner with the House of Hope orphanage by providing furniture donations and helping to clean and improve the facility. In Singapore, Aon volunteers will host an indoor football match for the young people served by Boys’ Town and will support the organisation’s new building fund. Aon Bangalore has "adopted" a local elementary school that it will support throughout the coming year with both charitable donations and volunteer service. In Bolivia, Aon colleagues will donate to Hogar de Ninos Alalay, helping to plant trees on the orphanage grounds and creating art projects with the children who live there. In Sacramento, California, Aon colleagues are partnering with Project 680 by collecting hygiene supplies to distribute to homeless youth. In the Netherlands, Aon colleagues will participate in a charity bike ride and sell Right to Play merchandise to help raise funds for youth sports programmes in disadvantaged areas.

For more information on the Aon Manchester United sponsorship, visit www.aon.com/unitedin2010