Charlton names his greatest United 11

LONDON: British football legend Bobby Charlton has named his greatest ever Manchester United team in his autobiography being serialised in the Times newspaper.

Charlton picked a best 11 from the 1950s to the present day but found no place for himself in the side.

There was also no place for current stars such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But United legends such as George Best, Eric Cantona (pic) and Peter Schmeichel, as well as current captain Gary Neville, did make the cut.

“There is one place that is automatic. It is the one that belongs to Schmeichel,” says Charlton.

Football Results Worldwide

Belgian Div 1: Mechelen 1 Club Bruges 1.

Leading standings: Standard Liege 12, Ghent 10, Anderlecht 10, Club Bruges 10, Excelsior Mouscron 9.

Czech Div 1: Tescoma Zlin 2 Banik Ostrava 2, Teplice 2 Slovan Liberec 0.

Leading standings: Teplice 12, Slavia Prague 12, Banik Ostrava 10, Sparta Prague 10, Viktoria Plzen 8.

Danish Div 1: AGF Aarhus 0 Lyngby 0.

Hungarian Div 1: Ujpest 1 Vasas Budapest 1.

Norwegian Div 1: Sandefjord Fotball 2 Stabaek 3.

Leading standings: Brann Bergen 36, Lillestrom 35, Stabaek 33, Viking Stavanger 31.

Portuguese Premier League: Vitoria Setubal 1 Nacional Madeira 1.

Swedish Div 1: Djurgarden 1 Kalmar 3, GAIS Gothenborg 1 Gefle 0.

Leading standings: Elfsborg Boras 33, Halmstad 32, Djurgarden 32, AIK Stockholm 31, IFK Gothenburg 29.

Bayern’s Hoeness accuses opponents of rough-house tactics

BERLIN: Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has slammed the treatment dished out to French winger Franck Ribery during Saturday’s clash with Hanover.

And Hoeness accused his team’s opponents of resorting to rough-house tactics due to Bayern’s superiority.

“The teams that can’t match us on the pitch try to make up for it with excessive violence,” he told the bi-weekly Kicker magazine on Monday.

“People want to see good football but at the same time this beautiful football is being destroyed by nasty fouls. Ribery took so many knocks to his ankles: it was done deliberately to endanger his physical health. It’s incredible, almost every duel ended in a kick.”

Hoeness was so incensed during the match that he remonstrated with Hanover coach Dieter Hecking.

“This can’t continue like that,” added Hoeness. “One day a referee is going to have to send off seven or eight players so that everyone is warned.”

Bayern’s rivals had little sympathy for Hoeness’ stance, though.

“Football is not chess and Ribery knows that. And anyway, in France it is more physical,” Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director Rudi Voeller told Bild newspaper.

Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said after the game, a 3-0 victory for the Munich club, that he was afraid for Ribery but advised his team to “move the ball quicker and not dribble so much”.

Bayern splashed out more than 70mil euros in the summer to assemble a formidable squad that are expected to romp away with the title and have already scored 10 goals in their opening three games, with none conceded. – AFP

Reds ready for battle in Toulouse

LONDON: Five-time European champions Liverpool start their new Champions League campaign in Toulouse while Ajax Amsterdam and Arsenal face Czech opponents when the third qualifying round kicks off this week.

Ajax, four-time winners of Europe’s top club competition, are at home to Slavia Prague and Arsenal travel to face Sparta Prague in first leg matches tomorrow.

Three months after losing the 2007 final to AC Milan in Athens, Liverpool head to southwest France for a game between two sides who will be in buoyant mood.

Liverpool’s talismanic captain Steven Gerrard gave his side a winning start to the Premier League on Saturday against Aston Villa with a superb late strike.

Toulouse also had a late win over Ligue 1 champions Lyon, who were however down to 10 men.

The French team’s coach Elie Baup was anxious his side did not get carried away by their success, telling the club’s website: “There was commitment, determination, desire and a real team spirit.

“We created nine or 10 chances and finally scored at the very end. The danger, though, in situations like these is what happens in the next match.”

Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez is still haunted by their defeat in Greece – having beaten the Italians on penalties after trailing 3-0 at half-time in a memorable 2005 final.

“I am not over that Milan game yet, especially because I know we were so close to winning,” he told the club’s website.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping for better luck on the injury front after watching his side grab a late 2-1 win over Fulham in a London derby on Sunday.

Wenger told reporters his new Croatia striker Eduardo da Silva had a “50-50 chance” of making his competitive debut for the 2006 finalists but that Togo forward Emmanuel Adebayor was definitely out of tomorrow’s game.

Elsewhere, the dream of reaching next May’s final in Moscow is shared by the likes of Lazio, who host Dinamo Bucharest today, and Sevilla, winners of the last two UEFA Cups, who play AEK Athens tomorrow.

Valencia, finalists in 2000 and 2001, have an easier route on paper to the money-spinning group phase against Sweden’s Elfsborg today. – Reuters

Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot

England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the English Premier League champions announced.
Rooney, who also broke a bone in his right foot during Euro 2004 and another bone in the right foot just before the 2006 World Cup, had the latest injury confirmed by a hospital visit, the club said on their website.

It hurts: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (left) reacts after a challenge by Reading’s Michael Duberry during their English Premier League match on Sunday. Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot following the challenge. – AP

“The England striker was substituted at half-time after being caught by Michael Duberry as the Royals defender tried to block a shot,” United said.

“Although Rooney did briefly play on after receiving treatment, Sir Alex Ferguson opted not to risk any further injury by fielding him in the second half, and a post-match hospital scan has validated that decision.

“The result of Rooney’s scan has worsened a frustrating opening day of the season, and as yet there is no timescale of his recovery.”

Rooney’s injury, which could rule him out for around three months, is a major blow to both club and country, who were already facing a real battle to qualify for Euro 2008.

Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot

England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the English Premier League champions announced.
Rooney, who also broke a bone in his right foot during Euro 2004 and another bone in the right foot just before the 2006 World Cup, had the latest injury confirmed by a hospital visit, the club said on their website.

Man U Fans target Euro success

Sir Alex has made it clear he wants to see the Reds win the Champions League this season and United fans are right behind him.

In a poll of more than 10,000 supporters on ManUtd.com, a massive 68 per cent of respondents claimed they would most like to see United lift the Champions League trophy this term.

Meanwhile, 30 per cent want nothing more than another Premier League triumph, while just two per cent of respondents prioritise winning one of the two cup competitions.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have had trouble choosing if he'd logged on to ManUtd.com. He believes the Reds have what it takes to enjoy success both on the domestic and European fronts.

"It's always difficult to win the Premier League but we have bought four great players so we don't just want to win the league, we want the Champions League as well," Ronaldo said.