Gary Neville Is A Red...

Gary Neville yesterday blasted agents in football and questioned whether they were needed and claimed that agents were merely taking money out of the game.

"Footballers think they need agents - but it's not the case" said the PFA representative for both Manchester United and England, "Players need good advice and good accountants but they don't need agents taking hundreds of thousands of pounds off of them"

Neville wants football players to take the same route as he, his brother Phil and Paul Scholes in the manner of having no agents. The Neville Brothers are represented by their father, Neville Neville and Paul Scholes represents himself in contract talks.

There is the argument that Gary Neville knows nothing of the importance of agents because he has been 100% loyal to the one club throughout his career never needing the work of an agent, Arsene Wenger has said that Neville's opinions on agents will change once he becomes a manager and that Red Nev is wrong to be questioning the significance of agents in the game.

It is clear though through transfer records and investigations such as the one run by the BBC that agents are out to earn a quick but mega buck off the back of the beautiful game something which Neville and other PFA members want to get rid of - the PFA itself represent a handful of top footballers including Newcastle's James Milner - a move which keeps money in the game and keeps the financial side of the game safe.

Most football fans are in agreement that agents are bad for the game taking hundreds of thousands sometimes millions out of transfer deals and being able to decide whether one club can sign a player - is it right that an agent can decide what club can sign which player?

Gary Neville's opinions on this reflect what most think and whether you love him or hate him you can only agree with him and not only on agents - he says what every Manchester United fan thinks whether it be agents, fans, passion in the game, etc. - he is Mr. United!

Following Rio Ferdinand's last minute winner versus Liverpool last season Gary Neville ran towards the Liverpool fans screaming, shouting and kissing the Manchester United badge on his shirt.

"I'm not apologetic, why should I be? You are caught up in the moment and for a few seconds you can go bananas. What are you meant to do? Smile sweetly and jog back to the halfway line?

"I laughed when I heard someone say that it was not the behaviour of a 30-year-old because they are probably the same people who have accused us of lacking passion in recent games.

"The stick is part of the game. One week you take it on the chin, the next you give it out. That is how local rivals have always been - and always should be - do you want a game of robots?"

Gary Neville celebrated in the same manner I and thousands of Manchester United fans did in Old Trafford that night and in pubs, bars and homes around the world.

Yet again Nev was right, why should players lack passion when they celebrate? Fowler had given Manchester United fans the "five finger gesture" whilst playing for Man City and when Neville celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans he was fined and warned! Where's the justice in that?

Talking about fans, Neville is just the fan.

After Manchester United's lacklustre draw last season at Old Trafford versus Middlesbrough whilst doing his usual walk around the pitch saluting the United fans, Neville was confronted by a United fan who was clearly upset with the performance and appeared to call the team a "disgrace", following this Neville confronted the fan.

Following the confrontation Neville said, "We were both showing our passion for the club. He had a strong opinion and we had a disagreement. Now it's finished with. Manchester United have great fans!"

Following Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Neville's beloved Reds, a few thousand of United's fans scrapped their season tickets and formed FC United of Manchester (or S.C.U.M. as they're known in America), Neville spoke out yet again:

"I always say this to the fans when they talk about who owns the club: when you first walked into that ground at the age of five or ten, you didn't walk up the steps from the refreshment bar and think, 'who's that sat over in the director's box?'.

"You fell in love with that team running out in that Red shirt, in that great ground on that green pitch. That was what drew you to the club and made you think, wow, that's got me. And it's an addiction you have for life.

"Managers are important, so are directors and players, but we all come and go. It was walking into the stadium, that's what gripped me, the size of it - I was in awe of the whole place.

"I just love everything; the badge, the history. That's why I always say the people within the club are just their to serve it. It's the club and badge that matters so much. The players are just adding their little bit to a massive depth of history.

"And you can still sense that passion when you go to the pubs in Salford and you see the MUFC tattoos on knuckles. This club can enthrall you. That's what Manchester United does, it grips you and gets you if you really want it!"

And, I'll leave you with that long but great quotation from the great man. The outspoken lad from Bury who lives, breathes and will die Manchester United.

A man who very rarely says a word but when he does he says what's on the mind of the millions of Reds around the world.

The man is Mr Manchester United and players like Red Nev are what makes this club what it is.

When Rio Ferdinand was banned he was the first player to call a strike on England duty, he stood up for his Manchester United colleague and friend, Rio Ferdinand who said in his autobiography he is a man you want on your side as you're guaranteed he'll battle for your cause in times of war.

With players and men like him in the side you're guaranteed Manchester United will never be without fight and spirit, Ferguson called him "the Spirit of United" and that's what he is and if he will do his utmost to push Manchester United onto a ninth Premiership title and when he does he'll be celebrating like every Manchester United fan on the Stretford End because...

GARY NEVILLE IS A RED!

Squeaky Bum Time Is Upon Us...

"There are thirteen games left, it's one game less and another goal better off than our rivals."

Sir Alex Ferguson's words following the final whistle on Wednesday night. They were words of a man intent on taking each game as it comes, words of a man intent on getting Manchester United back where they belong and words of a man who knows there is a long way to go in this title race.

On Sunday, Manchester United travel to White Hart Lane in one of the games that will shape our season. With thirteen games to go and a six point gap at the summit of the Premier League every game from now until the title is won is absolutely vital and with away trips to Anfield, Fratton Park, Stamford Bridge and The City of Manchester Stadium still to come after the battle at White Hart Lane United must take every game as it comes and play every game as if it decides the title race.

Whilst Manchester United were dishing out defeat in cruise control to a relegation bound Watford side, Tottenham were at the Emirates Stadium playing their part in what turned out to be a scintillating Carling Cup semi-final which ended in a 3 - 1 extra time defeat to a rampant Arsenal side.

Last season, United beat Spurs 2 - 1 at White Hart Lane at the rear end of the season at a time when victory would keep up an unlikely title charge after seemingly pegging Chelsea back. The victory was thanks to a first half Wayne Rooney brace which kept the Red Devils within eight points of Chelsea. As we know, Manchester United went on to finish second and thoughts of snatching the title were distinguished following a horror show at the Bridge which was overshadowed by Wayne Rooney's infamous metatarsal injury.

What a difference a season makes, Manchester United are at the summit of the league and lead Chelsea by six points but victory at White Hart Lane is as important, if not more so, than last season and the form of Wayne Rooney amongst others is as vital in the title race from now on.

Wayne Rooney's form at the beginning of the season was questioned despite a goal in the Manchester derby, braces vs. Fulham & Sheffield United and a hat trick vs. Bolton. Rooney's touch, goal scoring and form had deserted him to an extent Sir Alex offered him a weeks rest something which was refused by Rooney. Rooney rejected the break and decided to do more training, extended his usual training routine by an hour a day of private training on his touch, his shooting and his fitness.

Ferguson had said that Rooney needed to score single goals in consecutive matches rather than spurts of goalscoring that had seen him score eight goals in four fixtures of the season but none in the rest up to the Arsenal fixture at the Emirates Stadium, a place where Rooney's luck and form seemed to turn.

At The Emirates Stadium, despite United's defeat, Rooney scored the opening goal with a clever diving header a goal which relieved the pressure off the Croxteth-born striker and a goal which could be a turning point in where the title ends up in May.

Following his goal at the Emirates he scored a double versus Portsmouth in the FA Cup which included a fabolous Cantona-esque strike and then scored a delightful chip in the rout of Watford. Wayne Rooney has found his form and United will need him on top of his game in the coming months. With Champions League football restarting, the FA Cup coming up again as well as the title run in (which includes those difficult aforementioned away trips) Rooney's form could be vital to how Manchester United fare when the trophies are handed out at the end of the season.

Manchester United's season starts on Sunday and after gaining such a commanding position in the title race it would be suicide to throw it away now but with those away trips coming up anything is possible in football and anything but the absolute best from the men in Red could spell catastrophy in the race for their ninth Premiership title.

One thing is for sure Ferguson will not let his boys become complacent and that is vital, one slip up and the pressure is on given Ferguson's and his sides experience and youth I don't see the slip up coming added to the form of Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes and co. that spells bad news for the rest of the Premiership.

Squeaky bum time though is well and truly upon us!