Blackburn Away League Match Talk & Coverage

[E.S.]

[16] Eric Black on Fergie famously being unhappy with the Aberdeen players after beating Rangers in 1983.

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“We had not seen the footage on the pitch, we were in the dressing room getting the champagne out.


“But the door nearly came off its hinges as he came in and said it was unacceptable* for Aberdeen – we had won, but hadn’t played well.


“I remember the club dinner with the wives and girlfriends was like a wake. We sat and watched the game again and didn’t say much.


“To be fair, the next day he got us together and gave us an apology of some description. But those were the standards he set.


“We thought we were jaded – we’d won the European Cup Winners’ Cup 10 days before – but that was just an excuse for him. It hurt him, that’s the make of the man.”

[E.S.]

[18] Eric Black on what keeps Fergie, and those around him, going and going and going

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“There is fear when you work with him, the fear of what might happen.


“It’s his hunger and desire to be successful that won’t let him drop below his standards.


“Fergie is always pushing for the next level. Once he climbs Everest he is looking for the next mountain and then he’s off. It’s phenomenal management. He can go on as long as he wants. I have not seen any signs of him stopping.


“In interviews, he still has that intensity.* He gets upset and is prepared to confront anyone to get a successful outcome.


“It takes unbelievable energy and discipline to get up every morning and take on the day again.


“I can’t see him never having the appetite for it. If you have not lost it at 70, why lose it at 73?

[E.S.]

[19] Eric Black on what the title would mean to Fergie this season

“All of his achievements have been special, but this time he’s got Man City on his patch spending money. For him to do it again would be the icing on the cake.

[E.S.]

[20] Eric Black, Blackburn assistant boss, on Fergie being the best manager ever

“He has to be the best manager ever and I don’t hesitate to say that. I worked with Jock Stein, who was like a god to me, and I have read about Bill Shankly and them all.


“Fergie raises the standards everywhere he goes. He is an exceptional* manager, and an intelligent* man.* He does not make decisions willy-nilly, he thinks them through. He’s the best ever.”

[Red News]

Blackburn to get extra £2m from Phil Jones deal if United with league - and Mail then play it up as possible conflict of interest tonight (ABUism

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1qtVHgFjh


If Manchester United are crowned Premier League champions at the end of the season, Blackburn Rovers, who host Sir Alex Ferguson's team on Monday, will cash in to the tune of £2million.
That is the sum United would have to pay Rovers as part of the 'add-ons' involved in defender Phil Jones's move from Ewood Park to Old Trafford last summer.


United agreed to pay a basic £16.5m for 20-year-old Jones, with £12.375m of that paid on the date he was officially registered as a United player - July 1 last year - and the balance of £4.125m on July 1 this year.

On top of that, Blackburn will get a £2m payment on the first occasion United win either the Premier League or the Champions League with Jones at the club, as long as he has started half or more of the games in the relevant competition.


Jones is already guaranteed that in the league this season, so if United win the title, they will pay Rovers that £2m.


Obviously, nobody at Blackburn wants anything but a win for Rovers on Monday, but the add-ons highlight the potential for conflicts of interest in such situations, as well as how lucrative post-transfer landmarks can be.


Further add-ons for England competitive appearances could net Blackburn up to another £2m, Rovers being due £500,000 for each five starts Jones makes in competitive internationals, up to a total of 20.


Jones has just one under his belt so far, against Montenegro last November - his three other England appearances being in friendlies - but could theoretically hit five before the end of Euro 2012.
And Blackburn will also pocket 20 per cent of any future sale profit if Jones moves on.


Maybe that is why director Vineeth Rao, who is Venky's senior representative at the club on a day-to-day basis, appears to have a soft spot for United.


Recently he even shared with friends a photograph of himself holding United's Premier League trophy and smiling while visiting United for a match.


'Then again, that's the closest he'll get to the title,' quipped an Ewood insider.

[Red News]

Antonio Valencia on whether it was a shot or a cross

"50/50!"

[Red News]

Alex Ferguson asked how he felt after the game

"Woh! It was a long night wasn't it, we just had to persevere and persevere and we got the reward for it!"

[Red News]

Alex Ferguson was worried a goal might not come

"Yeah I think so because we weren't really making any clear cut chances. Wayne had a good free-kick, that was saved by the goalie. A lot of great crosses by Antonio, were not finished off. We always had them under the cosh, and we just had to be careful about the counter attack because they were dangerous at that point."

[Red News]

Alex Ferguson on Antonio Valencia's goal

"Coming so late in the game it is important because it typifies the history of the club in a way. When he fired in that shot, if you don't try to shoot you are never going to find out if you can score like that. Amazing power in it. It could have been a shot, it could have been a cross, it doesn't matter, it was great power"

[Red News]

Alex Ferguson on David De Gea's progress

"The progress is obvious, everyone can see that. The boy is growing in stature and confidence, he's always had great ability. 3 great first half saves, that's the kind of threat Blackburn offered to us, this counter attack threat, long balls, and they are all up on top of the goalie, they are dangerous at that, very dangerous, so David has kept us in the game because the first half although we hit the post, and we had a penalty kick claim - I don't think it was - we had a lot of possession, just to get that goal was very difficult the way that Blackburn defended so deeply."