Friendly
Date: 25/07/10
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium
KO: 17:00 Central/18:00 Eastern/23:00 GMT
Kansas City Wizards v Manchester United- Pre-Season Tour
- Thread starter olesmyhero
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Date: 25/07/10
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium
KO: 17:00 Central/18:00 Eastern/23:00 GMT
Abra kedabra alakazam.
Pretty sure this is the first one of these I've ever started. As I live in KC, I figured it was fitting for me to start it.
The home of Dorethy Gale.
I used to live in KC. Hated the (Arrowhead) stadium in the winter and the summer would be a killer with the heat and humidity.
I wonder if training in such heat is actually good for their fitness?
I wonder if training in such heat is actually good for their fitness?
I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto!
I was expecting somebody to start 'Somewhere over the rainbow'
I'm disappointed in all of you
I'm disappointed in all of you
No we're not. Especially as the game is in Missouri, not Kansas.
In West Philadelp...wait
Well made up for my main man, Ole...he's been dying to see United for a bit and now he gets to see them play in his home town, great stuff.
I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...
I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...
I'm driving up there with my mate.
Are you or your mate Andy Mitten?
Ole: Are they still on artificial turf in Arrowhead or have they gone grass?
Giggs, Welbeck, J. Evans, Kuszczak and Obertan played 90 minutes so I guess none of them will start... perhaps Corry Evans, Ritchie De Laet and Ben Amos will start this. e.g.
Amos; Rafael, Smalling, Brown, De Laet; Fletcher(c), Scholes, C.Evans, Nani; Berbatov, Diouf
Amos; Rafael, Smalling, Brown, De Laet; Fletcher(c), Scholes, C.Evans, Nani; Berbatov, Diouf
It's grass. I actually hate Arrowhead because it's about 15 minutes from anything.
If the boys thought Philly and Chicago were hot...
Good god it's going to be 115 in KC.
Good god it's going to be 115 in KC.
And humid as shit probably. I hate the weather here.
Do you have talc your balls up?
It's mega sweaty up in Cairns, Far North Queensland. I'd have a shower before going out and by the time I put my gear on, I'd be minging again.
It's mega sweaty up in Cairns, Far North Queensland. I'd have a shower before going out and by the time I put my gear on, I'd be minging again.
Where are your seats?
After half time perhaps, can't see them playing much more than half a game, save them for México.
nope.
Are you the kid in the wheelchair form Mac & Me?
Section 133. Row 34 I think.
6am on the first morning of the semester?
My reflex is to say no thanks but I have to be out of the house at 9 anyway so maybe
My reflex is to say no thanks but I have to be out of the house at 9 anyway so maybe
perhaps we can meet up mate.
I hope SAF saves best squad for the MLS All-Star game - it should be their toughest match and give the first teamers a sterner test.
Offcourse I say this because I am going to be at the All-Star game and want to see Berba, Giggs, Nani, Fletcher and Scholes all start.
Offcourse I say this because I am going to be at the All-Star game and want to see Berba, Giggs, Nani, Fletcher and Scholes all start.
I'm still trying to figure out if people I know are going to tailgate. If I do that, I'll let you know and you can swing by.
Would like to see:
---------------Amos
-Rafael---Smalling--Brown--O'Shea
-Nani----Fletcher--Cleverley--Fabio
---------Berbatov--Welbeck
---------------Amos
-Rafael---Smalling--Brown--O'Shea
-Nani----Fletcher--Cleverley--Fabio
---------Berbatov--Welbeck
The motel I'm staying at is right by the stadium, but I've never been there - not happy to hear there's not much else around there. We usually spend some time at the Plaza during the day and the Crossroads area at night. There's a jazz club there that I love but can't remember the name. I really like the KC night life.
My wife also just told me that KC is second in the world, only behind Rome, for the city having the most fountains. I did not previously know this fact, nor do I care now that I do.
i hope sunil chetri starts!
Yeap. Our little claim to fame. I think Johnson County also has one of the highest education levels country wide -- 45%+ are college educated.
Great BBQ ribs...
I really miss that.Are you thinking of Jardine's Jazz? Or there are a few others I can't think of at the moment. I love the Crossroads district, it's where my office is. I thought we were no. 1 for fountains. fecking Italians, probably built one just to spite us. Bastards.
You're from KC originally?Yeap. Our little claim to fame. I think Johnson County also has one of the highest education levels country wide -- 45%+ are college educated.
Great BBQ ribs...
BBQ sounds good. Might have to have Oklahoma Joe's for lunch today.
I'm at Section 101.
NO. I moved there after college -- stayed at Hunter's Pointe on 119th St in Overland Park for years. btw so did an ex-United player -- Gordon Hill.
I know exactly where Hunter's Pointe is.
I knew Gordon Hill lived here. He was a photographer friend of mine's footie coach for a while.
United heading into the greenfield:
So, just who is Manchester United?
By CHARLES GOOCH
The Kansas City Star (local paper)
You may not know much beyond the fact that it’s a soccer team, David Beckham once played there and it’s likely based somewhere in the vicinity of Manchester, England, but at the very least, you probably know the name Manchester United.
The reason you’ve at least heard of it — besides the gigantic billboard on I-70, the patter on sports talk radio and the cover of The Star’s sports section, of course — is because this team is among the richest and most popular sports franchises on the planet. (Well, OK, the gigantic billboard probably helped a lot. Even if a fairly large slice of this metropolitan area couldn’t name any of the three players wearing red on it.)
But there’s more to Manchester United than just being rich and well known. Inside is a primer to get you up to speed on this team and why it’s such a big deal that it’s playing in Kansas City on Sunday.
Who is “Manchester United”?
By this point, if you aren’t familiar with this team at least by name, I presume you probably have just returned from a vacation to North Korea. But here goes: It’s a soccer team based in Manchester, England. And it will be playing against the Kansas City Wizards in an exhibition game on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Would I have heard of any of the players?
You’ve probably heard of Wayne Rooney, but he’s not part of this tour. He’s on vacation after the World Cup. Maybe you’ve heard of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and Edwin Van der Sar.
I don’t really know them. Are any of them on the billboards around town?
The red-headed guy is Scholes, the 5-o’clock-shadow dude is Giggs and the other guy is midfielder Darren Fletchers. (They’re all pretty good.)
How long has the team been in existence?
Since 1878. Back then, it was named Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (it was a mouthful, and it was called simply Newton Heath LYR). The team was made up of railyard workers. In 1902, owner John Henry Davies changed the name.
Why is it called “Manchester United”?
Because the team is based in Manchester, England, and Davies believed his team could “unite” the entire city. Did I mention yet that legend states that Davies, a local brewer, tried to buy a dog that belonged to Newton Heath LYR captain Harry Stafford and ended up instead buying the team? Because that’s a funny story. Davies was the chairman of the team until he died in 1927. He also led the building of their stadium, Old Trafford.
How “old” is Old Trafford?
The stadium they play in opened in 1910. That’s not a misprint. It turns 100 years old this year. It used to hold 80,000 fans. Thanks to modern adjustments and the addition of modern seats, it holds only 76,000 or so today. It’s also called “The Theatre of Dreams.” It is unknown if progressive rock band Dream Theater stole its name from the stadium.
Does the team have a nickname?
The Red Devils.
Who manages the team?
Cantankerous Scot Sir Alex Ferguson has led the team since 1986. He has overseen 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League titles.
You said earlier that this team was rich. How rich?
Forbes estimates Manchester United’s value at $1.84 billion, making it the richest club in the entire world. (Though in April, Forbes proclaimed the New York Yankees the most valuable club by taking into account demographics, league and other mystical matrices.) Earlier this month, Chicago-based risk management insurance firm Aon was revealed as the team’s jersey sponsor. Aon paid a reported $120 million to $140 million for this privilege.
Why is that a big deal?
Aon is a relatively unknown company that wants to attach itself to the most popular team in the world. After all, the most popular team tends to sell the most jerseys.
This money has led to a lot of success, right?
Oh, very much so. The team has won 18 English League titles (seven in the English First Division and 11 since the formation of the Premier League in 1992). It also has won 11 FA Cups (a season-long knockout tournament that includes almost every level of pro soccer in the country) and three UEFA Champions League crowns. In 1999, the team won the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League. In fancy British talk, that’s called a “treble.” That would be like the Yankees winning the regular season and the World Series, then going to Japan to beat the champion there.
So who owns the team and reaps the benefit of this success?
Americans! Can you believe that? The Glazer family (which also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) bought the team in 2005.
I bet the Brits love being owned by an American family, huh?
Oh, they loathe it. But it’s not just because they are Americans, it’s because the Glazers are an American family that has taken a hugely profitable and debt-free team and made it a slightly profitable and debt-laden team. There have been numerous fan protests over the last year, with many fans opting to wear the colors of Newton Heath (yellow and green) instead of the team’s signature red and white.
You’ve mentioned the New York Yankees twice so far. Is that the best American equivalent of the Red Devils?
If you judge a team based solely on its brand recognition, overall value, on-the-field results, year-after-year domination, the hatred of opposing teams’ fans and the proclivity to purchase the biggest and most expensive players, then the answer is, obviously, yes.
The Yankees are very popular throughout the world. Is that the same for Manchester Untied?
According to Richard Arnold, the commercial director for Manchester United, the team’s worldwide fan base is 330 million. They achieved this number via an independent survey of 28,000 soccer fans in 21 countries, he said. That number accounts for fans who might have a team they follow in their country (like the Wizards, for instance) but also follow Manchester United.
330 million? That’s a lot. I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around how many people that really is.
It is a lot. Put it this way, if the team’s followers would form their own country, they would be the third-largest country in the world, behind only China and India. The team estimates that 7 million of those fans are based right here in the United States, and they obviously think there’s a substantial number of those fans who will travel to Kansas City.
Read more: So, just who is Manchester United? - KansasCity.com
So, just who is Manchester United?
By CHARLES GOOCH
The Kansas City Star (local paper)
You may not know much beyond the fact that it’s a soccer team, David Beckham once played there and it’s likely based somewhere in the vicinity of Manchester, England, but at the very least, you probably know the name Manchester United.
The reason you’ve at least heard of it — besides the gigantic billboard on I-70, the patter on sports talk radio and the cover of The Star’s sports section, of course — is because this team is among the richest and most popular sports franchises on the planet. (Well, OK, the gigantic billboard probably helped a lot. Even if a fairly large slice of this metropolitan area couldn’t name any of the three players wearing red on it.)
But there’s more to Manchester United than just being rich and well known. Inside is a primer to get you up to speed on this team and why it’s such a big deal that it’s playing in Kansas City on Sunday.
Who is “Manchester United”?
By this point, if you aren’t familiar with this team at least by name, I presume you probably have just returned from a vacation to North Korea. But here goes: It’s a soccer team based in Manchester, England. And it will be playing against the Kansas City Wizards in an exhibition game on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Would I have heard of any of the players?
You’ve probably heard of Wayne Rooney, but he’s not part of this tour. He’s on vacation after the World Cup. Maybe you’ve heard of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov and Edwin Van der Sar.
I don’t really know them. Are any of them on the billboards around town?
The red-headed guy is Scholes, the 5-o’clock-shadow dude is Giggs and the other guy is midfielder Darren Fletchers. (They’re all pretty good.)
How long has the team been in existence?
Since 1878. Back then, it was named Newton Heath Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (it was a mouthful, and it was called simply Newton Heath LYR). The team was made up of railyard workers. In 1902, owner John Henry Davies changed the name.
Why is it called “Manchester United”?
Because the team is based in Manchester, England, and Davies believed his team could “unite” the entire city. Did I mention yet that legend states that Davies, a local brewer, tried to buy a dog that belonged to Newton Heath LYR captain Harry Stafford and ended up instead buying the team? Because that’s a funny story. Davies was the chairman of the team until he died in 1927. He also led the building of their stadium, Old Trafford.
How “old” is Old Trafford?
The stadium they play in opened in 1910. That’s not a misprint. It turns 100 years old this year. It used to hold 80,000 fans. Thanks to modern adjustments and the addition of modern seats, it holds only 76,000 or so today. It’s also called “The Theatre of Dreams.” It is unknown if progressive rock band Dream Theater stole its name from the stadium.
Does the team have a nickname?
The Red Devils.
Who manages the team?
Cantankerous Scot Sir Alex Ferguson has led the team since 1986. He has overseen 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League titles.
You said earlier that this team was rich. How rich?
Forbes estimates Manchester United’s value at $1.84 billion, making it the richest club in the entire world. (Though in April, Forbes proclaimed the New York Yankees the most valuable club by taking into account demographics, league and other mystical matrices.) Earlier this month, Chicago-based risk management insurance firm Aon was revealed as the team’s jersey sponsor. Aon paid a reported $120 million to $140 million for this privilege.
Why is that a big deal?
Aon is a relatively unknown company that wants to attach itself to the most popular team in the world. After all, the most popular team tends to sell the most jerseys.
This money has led to a lot of success, right?
Oh, very much so. The team has won 18 English League titles (seven in the English First Division and 11 since the formation of the Premier League in 1992). It also has won 11 FA Cups (a season-long knockout tournament that includes almost every level of pro soccer in the country) and three UEFA Champions League crowns. In 1999, the team won the league, the FA Cup and the Champions League. In fancy British talk, that’s called a “treble.” That would be like the Yankees winning the regular season and the World Series, then going to Japan to beat the champion there.
So who owns the team and reaps the benefit of this success?
Americans! Can you believe that? The Glazer family (which also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) bought the team in 2005.
I bet the Brits love being owned by an American family, huh?
Oh, they loathe it. But it’s not just because they are Americans, it’s because the Glazers are an American family that has taken a hugely profitable and debt-free team and made it a slightly profitable and debt-laden team. There have been numerous fan protests over the last year, with many fans opting to wear the colors of Newton Heath (yellow and green) instead of the team’s signature red and white.
You’ve mentioned the New York Yankees twice so far. Is that the best American equivalent of the Red Devils?
If you judge a team based solely on its brand recognition, overall value, on-the-field results, year-after-year domination, the hatred of opposing teams’ fans and the proclivity to purchase the biggest and most expensive players, then the answer is, obviously, yes.
The Yankees are very popular throughout the world. Is that the same for Manchester Untied?
According to Richard Arnold, the commercial director for Manchester United, the team’s worldwide fan base is 330 million. They achieved this number via an independent survey of 28,000 soccer fans in 21 countries, he said. That number accounts for fans who might have a team they follow in their country (like the Wizards, for instance) but also follow Manchester United.
330 million? That’s a lot. I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around how many people that really is.
It is a lot. Put it this way, if the team’s followers would form their own country, they would be the third-largest country in the world, behind only China and India. The team estimates that 7 million of those fans are based right here in the United States, and they obviously think there’s a substantial number of those fans who will travel to Kansas City.
Read more: So, just who is Manchester United? - KansasCity.com
He was my neighbour -- we used to play tennis, racketball and squash together -- kicked my ass most of the time despite the age difference. Used to have massive rows with the wife everytime he went out with me -- not that we did anything saucy but I think of his past.
Anyone going to the training sessions ?