[Guest]

United to play in Saudi Arabia

Confirmed United to play in Saudi

Manchester United are planning to take an extraordinary gamble by breaking off
from their title defence to make a one-off visit to Saudi Arabia that will raise
inevitable questions about whether the club's owners are putting finance before
football.

Determined to build on a reputation as the world's best-supported club, the
Glazer family have provisionally agreed for the team to make a 6,000-mile round
trip to Riyadh in January for a testimonial for the former Saudi Arabian
international striker Sami Al-Jaber.

United will be paid more than £1m for sending their high-profile players and Sir
Alex Ferguson will be asked to put aside any concerns about long flights, a
different climate and gruelling schedules.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2201733,00.html


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[Keano's fan]

I consider it a couple of days of switching off after the busy christmas schiduale. I dont think its too bad of an idea as the article suggest, and we could use that 1 million to bring Danny Webber back to old trafford

 

[The great dane]

Glazer..what a ****in prick

 

[danfelixbuffy]

1 million is a bit of a drop in the ocean isnt it?

 

[RichardsReds]

Man Utd confirm 'winter break' in Saudi Arabia

Manchester United are to visit Saudi Arabia next month for a short 'winter break' Sir Alex Ferguson hopes will aid the Red Devils pursuit of major silverware.


Ferguson has long advocated a mid-season break, believing it would provide players with some much-needed rest after the congested Christmas fixture schedule.


And United's early elimination from the Carling Cup has allowed the Red Devils to take up an invitation from HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Sa'ud in Saudi Arabia in mid January.

United will leave immediately after tackling Reading at the Madejski Stadium on January 19, returning before an anticipated appearance in the FA Cup fourth round the following weekend.

In between, they will play an exhibition match against Al Hilal Al Saudi FC in Riyadh on January 21 as part of Sami Al Jaber's testimonial.

Ferguson has confirmed his entire first-team squad will be on the trip and said: 'This is a great chance for the players to escape the harsh realities of winter for a few days, while keeping up their fitness levels and taking in the exhibition match.

'I hope we will come back from this refreshed and ready to continue the challenge for honours.'




Total waste of time. This will see us get exhausted.. Great..

 

[red_devils4life]

Ooh...Al Hilal FC of Saudi Arabia. One of the top teams in Asia. Let's see hw we shall perform against them!

 

[Guest]

lol i hope no one would get injuired during that friendly. cough. saha. cough

 

[Keano4taoiseach]

Man Utd confirm 'winter break' in Saudi Arabia

Manchester United are to visit Saudi Arabia next month for a short 'winter break' Sir Alex Ferguson hopes will aid the Red Devils pursuit of major silverware.


Ferguson has long advocated a mid-season break, believing it would provide players with some much-needed rest after the congested Christmas fixture schedule.


And United's early elimination from the Carling Cup has allowed the Red Devils to take up an invitation from HRH Prince Abdullah bin Mosa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Sa'ud in Saudi Arabia in mid January.

United will leave immediately after tackling Reading at the Madejski Stadium on January 19, returning before an anticipated appearance in the FA Cup fourth round the following weekend.

In between, they will play an exhibition match against Al Hilal Al Saudi FC in Riyadh on January 21 as part of Sami Al Jaber's testimonial.

Ferguson has confirmed his entire first-team squad will be on the trip and said: 'This is a great chance for the players to escape the harsh realities of winter for a few days, while keeping up their fitness levels and taking in the exhibition match.

'I hope we will come back from this refreshed and ready to continue the challenge for honours.'




Total waste of time. This will see us get exhausted.. Great..

It will give some of the fringe players and the youngsters an opportunity though and you never know....Abdullah.......what's his name.........might give us a donation.....!!

 

[carlyluvsunited]

Already have this in the news room

Merged......

 

[CROoney]

i think this is a bit unserious... c'mon...it would be better to give players a 2-3 days off to visit their families rather than playing this irrelevant match. i' don't this in-the-middle-of-the-season adventures. trip plus match is unnecessary. you lose a day on trip and 2 days on recupering energy... stupid imo.

 

[Anderson's God]

What a waste of money and time! They'll come back tired and United can only blame themselves!

 

[carlyluvsunited]

What a waste of money and time! They'll come back tired and United can only blame themselves!

All expenses paid and they collect 1 million pounds on top too.....

Business.......pure business

 

[Anderson's God]

All expenses paid and they collect 1 million pounds on top too.....

Business.......pure business

Glazers no doubt, if they weren't in control I bet United would have declined!

 

[carlyluvsunited]

[/B]

Glazers no doubt, if they weren't in control I bet United would have declined!

I would hope so....

Very silly idea if you ask me.....

 

[Solsk]

if u want to keep players like Ronaldo etc and sign players like Anderson these are the sort of things you have to do......its the same with the Asia tour preseason.

Its all about the money.

 

[Anderson's God]

I would hope so....

Very silly idea if you ask me.....

I agree with you !!!

 

[carlyluvsunited]

if u want to keep players like Ronaldo etc and sign
players like Anderson these are the sort of things you have to do......its the same
with the Asia tour preseason.

Its all about the money.

Fair comment.....

I think there is more to this than money......maybe a favour for someone or
something like this I don't know.

I dont believe it is for public relations and marketting exposure etc etc because
it's the most ridiculous time of the year to go all the way to Saudi for one bloody
game.

Right after Xmas period.....maybe we manage to win all games at Xmas - get 2 or
3 points ahead of Arsenal and then off we go for a nice little trip to Saudi for a
few days !!

We were all praying Liverpool had to send their first team squd to France to make
them tired 'v' United a couple days later - so a trip to Saudi is nonsense !!

I agree 1 million is a lot of money to us - but for United I very much doubt it will
cover the wage bills for one week !

 

[Guest]

money money money... hu doesn't want it?