And this one as wellIs Berbatov the new Veron ?
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And this one as wellWonderful article in the Mail, wtf???
Is it cruel that United fans call him Dimitar Veron?
Manchester United fans only have one song for Dimitar Berbatov so far. Sung to the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar, it goes: 'Dimitar. Berbatov. Took one look at City and said **** off.'
As amusing as it may or may not be, the ditty hardly represents a ringing endorsement of a player who arrived at Old Trafford following an outlay of £30.75million and 12 months of hardball with Tottenham.
After more than three months at United, Berbatov would have hoped to inspire something more endearing than mere recognition that he ignored the late advances of derby rivals Manchester City to join the club.
Furthermore, a quick poll of a handful of United supporters this week provoked revealing responses as their club's record signing prepares to return to White Hart Lane tomorrow.
Asked about the lack of tangible affection towards their Bulgaria striker, none were entirely positive.
'He is seen as lazy by some of us and we won't have that,' one season ticket holder, a 50-year-old company director, told Sportsmail.
'To be honest, the only song we would sing about him would be one suggesting he should disappear back to Tottenham.'
Berbatov
Class act: He may have a somewhat casual style, but Berbatov's skill with a football should still be cherished.
Others felt it was too early to judge the Bulgarian. 'We're just waiting for him to click,' stressed a 49-year-old media figure. But the jury would appear to be out regarding Berbatov. The statistics illustrate why.
In 12 starts in the Barclays Premier League, the 27-year-old has scored just twice - in straightforward home victories over West Bromwich (4-0) and Stoke (5-0).
His other four goals have come in the Champions League, two at Aalborg and a brace at home to Celtic. Some United fans refer to him as 'Dimitar Veron' after some low-key early performances, a cruel reference to the club's most famous big-money failure, Juan Sebastian Veron, who cost United £28m.
'That's totally unfair,' said 1968 European Cup winner Paddy Crerand, now a pundit on United's TV station. 'He has not scored many but he's created plenty. And that's just as valuable. I have heard the grumbles from the fans but it's too early for that. I think he's a wonderful player.'
Berbatov's ability is not in doubt. His scoring instincts, his peripheral vision and his awareness of time and space are largely without equal. Nevertheless, his approach to the more prosaic side of the game - the dirty work - has long been less than convincing and when he doesn't score that becomes increasingly apparent.
'People have always said that about him,' former Tottenham boss David Pleat told Sportsmail. 'They said it about him at Bayer Leverkusen and I know people at Spurs who were convinced he would not work hard enough if he came to the Premier League.
'Maybe he didn't always work hard enough but the guy scored goals at Tottenham and that's what mattered.'
Like his former strike partner Robbie Keane at Liverpool, Berbatov has not managed to impose himself at his new club in the manner he would have wished when the players left London for more than £50m in the summer.
However, while Keane's Anfield manager Rafael Benitez has begun to lose patience with his new player, Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained his belief that a Berbatov and Wayne Rooney partnership will prove a cornerstone of United's season.
'The players are starting to understand what type of player he is,' Ferguson said. 'They know that when he takes the ball with his back to goal and turns he will produce a pass that means something.'
Berbatov has certainly had his moments since arriving. On debut, he set up Carlos Tevez sublimely for a goal against Liverpool at Anfield and the manner in which he embarrassed West Ham's James Collins to provide Cristiano Ronaldo with a tap-in will be a genuine YouTube moment for years.
Watch these replays and Berbatov's remarkable ability is clear. But there have been less memorable times and it is the image of a largely static Berbatov watching play fizz about around him that will concern fans until the goals begin to flow.
For all the differing talents of attacking players down the years, United fans demand sweat, too. George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rooney and Tevez have fulfilled the obligation.
'Some players can do with one pass what others can't do with 90 minutes of running around dementedly,' added Crerand. 'People have judged Berbatov against the industry of people like Tevez and that's unfair. They are different players. But Berbatov will come good. Just wait and see.'
Tomorrow at White Hart Lane would certainly be a good time to start.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...cruel-United-fans-Dimitar-Veron.html?ITO=1490
Is it cruel that United fans call him Dimitar Veron?
Manchester United fans only have one song for Dimitar Berbatov so far. Sung to the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar, it goes: 'Dimitar. Berbatov. Took one look at City and said **** off.'
As amusing as it may or may not be, the ditty hardly represents a ringing endorsement of a player who arrived at Old Trafford following an outlay of £30.75million and 12 months of hardball with Tottenham.
After more than three months at United, Berbatov would have hoped to inspire something more endearing than mere recognition that he ignored the late advances of derby rivals Manchester City to join the club.
Furthermore, a quick poll of a handful of United supporters this week provoked revealing responses as their club's record signing prepares to return to White Hart Lane tomorrow.
Asked about the lack of tangible affection towards their Bulgaria striker, none were entirely positive.
'He is seen as lazy by some of us and we won't have that,' one season ticket holder, a 50-year-old company director, told Sportsmail.
'To be honest, the only song we would sing about him would be one suggesting he should disappear back to Tottenham.'
Berbatov
Class act: He may have a somewhat casual style, but Berbatov's skill with a football should still be cherished.
Others felt it was too early to judge the Bulgarian. 'We're just waiting for him to click,' stressed a 49-year-old media figure. But the jury would appear to be out regarding Berbatov. The statistics illustrate why.
In 12 starts in the Barclays Premier League, the 27-year-old has scored just twice - in straightforward home victories over West Bromwich (4-0) and Stoke (5-0).
His other four goals have come in the Champions League, two at Aalborg and a brace at home to Celtic. Some United fans refer to him as 'Dimitar Veron' after some low-key early performances, a cruel reference to the club's most famous big-money failure, Juan Sebastian Veron, who cost United £28m.
'That's totally unfair,' said 1968 European Cup winner Paddy Crerand, now a pundit on United's TV station. 'He has not scored many but he's created plenty. And that's just as valuable. I have heard the grumbles from the fans but it's too early for that. I think he's a wonderful player.'
Berbatov's ability is not in doubt. His scoring instincts, his peripheral vision and his awareness of time and space are largely without equal. Nevertheless, his approach to the more prosaic side of the game - the dirty work - has long been less than convincing and when he doesn't score that becomes increasingly apparent.
'People have always said that about him,' former Tottenham boss David Pleat told Sportsmail. 'They said it about him at Bayer Leverkusen and I know people at Spurs who were convinced he would not work hard enough if he came to the Premier League.
'Maybe he didn't always work hard enough but the guy scored goals at Tottenham and that's what mattered.'
Like his former strike partner Robbie Keane at Liverpool, Berbatov has not managed to impose himself at his new club in the manner he would have wished when the players left London for more than £50m in the summer.
However, while Keane's Anfield manager Rafael Benitez has begun to lose patience with his new player, Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained his belief that a Berbatov and Wayne Rooney partnership will prove a cornerstone of United's season.
'The players are starting to understand what type of player he is,' Ferguson said. 'They know that when he takes the ball with his back to goal and turns he will produce a pass that means something.'
Berbatov has certainly had his moments since arriving. On debut, he set up Carlos Tevez sublimely for a goal against Liverpool at Anfield and the manner in which he embarrassed West Ham's James Collins to provide Cristiano Ronaldo with a tap-in will be a genuine YouTube moment for years.
Watch these replays and Berbatov's remarkable ability is clear. But there have been less memorable times and it is the image of a largely static Berbatov watching play fizz about around him that will concern fans until the goals begin to flow.
For all the differing talents of attacking players down the years, United fans demand sweat, too. George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rooney and Tevez have fulfilled the obligation.
'Some players can do with one pass what others can't do with 90 minutes of running around dementedly,' added Crerand. 'People have judged Berbatov against the industry of people like Tevez and that's unfair. They are different players. But Berbatov will come good. Just wait and see.'
Tomorrow at White Hart Lane would certainly be a good time to start.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...cruel-United-fans-Dimitar-Veron.html?ITO=1490
a 'company director' and a 'media figure'...well, if that isn't a representative sample of Manchester United fandom, i don't know what is.
I see the daily mail must have been to redcafe.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-heat-Is-cruel-United-fans-Dimitar-Veron.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-heat-Is-cruel-United-fans-Dimitar-Veron.html
Yeah I noticed that Kelvin - think the references come from MUTV phone-ins - poor journalism on the Mails behalf to quote a couple of silly fans - but still, they need to sell papers...
Bang on, sir.
Berbatov isn't a foreign youngster who's never played in the PL and has been bought for his potential. He's a 30 MILLION transfer that sulked at his last club because he wanted 'the big stage', and now he's got it.
Berba needs to start scoring some league goals to avoid the pressure mounting on him, and to give us something back for that huge fee and huge faith.
He's only played 15 matches.
There shouldn't be any pressure yet, regardless of price. Anelka took half a year to settle even though he'd been playing in the league for two years, most players do. Just because Berbatov's better than most players doesn't mean he adapts any better.
15 matches since Sept 13th is quite a lot of matches. Its obviously too early to decide whether he has been a good signing or not, but its definitely not too early to start judging his performances for us.
This isn't Anderson or Nani we're talking about here. This is 27 year old player, now starting the peak years of his career. He isn't going to improve dramatically. His understanding with his team mates will get better, but on the whole what we see now is pretty much what we are going to get.
He'll continue to frustrate us, and he'll produce moments of stunning skill. I predicted in the summer that he'll divide opinion a lot more than people expected, and I believe that is what is happening.
Maybe he will be new Sheringham?
He will improve dramatically though.
Anelka improved dramatically with Chelsea, as many players do after half a year.
berbatov is not anelka, so it doesnt mean he will.
There are no guarantees he will dramatically improve as you so confidently put it.
When he's as good as he is, in a team as good as this, in a league he's proven he is good enough to play in, there's reason to be that confident.
But obviously you're right, it's hardly a certainty.
He has got it in his locker so its up to him to stamp his authority on games now and really start becoming a big player (a 30million pound player) for us.
"Some players can do with one pass what others can't do with 90 minutes of running around dementedly"
Fantastic quote from Paddy Crerand
Fantastic quote from Paddy Crerand
Tevez?
I`m happy with what he has produced so far, so for me it isn`t a concern. He has something like six or seven assists as well as the goals, so he hasn`t produced that badly either.
I don`t care whether he works as hard as Rooney either, not everyone does that, and Berbatov does things that Rooney won`t ever be able to do. Nor do I really care about his pricetag. He brings another dimension and adds to our side, just like Carrick did, who was also an expensive signing that started "slow".
I don`t care whether he works as hard as Rooney either, not everyone does that, and Berbatov does things that Rooney won`t ever be able to do. Nor do I really care about his pricetag. He brings another dimension and adds to our side, just like Carrick did, who was also an expensive signing that started "slow".
Wasn't impressed before we signed him and not that impressed now.I'll give him another season to see what all the fuss was about.
I see the mirror have a spread with the same title as this thread into todays edition.I have been buying the mirror every day all my life and recently I have begun to think that they have an anti Manchester United agenda
Tevez is quality.
Heinze, and Smith would be good candidates, especially after their injuries.
In the league, 5 assists, leads the club. Those worried that he's the next Veron should remember that he has still only been here for a very short time, and been injected into a team in which every other player is by now quite familiar with all the rest. It's very possible that we could see significant improvement as early as the end of this season.