SPORTS NEWS. Sir Alex Ferguson: Manchester United can win Premier League By Alistair Magowan BBC Sport Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says the team can overturn a poor start to win the Premier League, despite being eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal. Two wins in the last three games means that David Moyess side have recovered from Uniteds worst start in 14 years. Ferguson, 71, said: We had bad starts to the season many times. We are the only club in that league that can come from behind to win the league because of our history. Ferguson, who remains a club director, retired from the managers position at the end of last season after winning 38 trophies in a 27-year reign. And Moyes has struggled to win over some fans after a stuttering start to his United career. But speaking at the first in a series of Q&A sessions following the release of his second autobiography, Ferguson underlined the unique pressures that came with the job. He also defended his reasons for publishing the book in which he criticised former players such as Roy Keane and David Beckham, adding that it was astonishing that he only had six issues with players during his time at Old Trafford. I wrote the book for the fans, to help them understand why I had to make certain decisions, he said at a sold-out Lowry Theatre in Salford. [It was] not for the press, that was a book to help people understand how difficult the job is at Manchester United. Its a massive job, its the biggest in the world. In Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography, which was released on Thursday, Ferguson stressed that many of his decisions were made in order to maintain control at the club. And he re-emphasised that in front of a 1,700-strong audience, which included Moyes, fellow club director Sir Bobby Charlton and United legend Denis Law. In 27 years at the club, I probably only had six issues with players, he said. Thats astonishing. Of course you have to make decisions for the benefit of the club, and you become unpopular with the players as you have seen from the reaction this week. But thats part of my job to protect the standards of the club, the discipline of the club and make sure the players respect you as manager. Im the manager and no-one else. Michel Platini: World Cup should be expanded says Uefa boss Uefa president Michel Platini wants the World Cup expanded from 32 to 40 teams. The 58-year-old has proposed the move after Fifa president Sepp Blatter suggested more countries from Africa and Asia should qualify at the expense of those from Europe. Instead of taking away some European [nations], we have to go to 40 teams in the World Cup, Platini told The Times. 2014 World Cup qualification Africa - five automatic spots Asia - four automatic spots and one via a play-off against team from South America Europe - 13 automatic spots North, Central America and Caribbean - three automatic spots and one via a play-off against Oceania winner South America - Four automatic spots and one via a play-off against team from Asia (Brazil qualify as hosts) We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American and one from Europe. I support this idea totally. The first World Cup in 1930 had 13 nations competing, growing to 16 four years later and 24 in 1982, with the increase to the current 32 teams taking place in 1998. Europe has 13 slots in the current set-up, while Africa has five and Asia four plus a play-off place. Platinis idea for 40 teams would see eight groups of five at the World Cup as opposed to the present structure of eight groups of four. The move could come in for the 2018 tournament in Russia and, according to the former French international, would mean the competition being extended by three days. Football is changing and now we have 209 associations, said Platini, who is expected to challenge Blatter for the Fifa presidency in 2015. There are more countries so why reduce? Forty is not so bad. You have three days more of competition and you make more people happy.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 02:13:56 +0000
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