OTHER SPORT
FERGIE'S OUT TO HAMMER US
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley
By David Hytner
Alan Curbishley was a spectator at Upton Park in 1995, when Manchester United’s title challenge hit the buffers on the final day of the season.
Up at Anfield, Liverpool beat Blackburn but United could not find the winning goal they needed against West Ham to
overhaul Rovers on a tumultuous afternoon.
Afterwards, Sir Alex Ferguson would complain about the “obscene” amount of effort that West Ham put into that game, one which, on the face of it, was meaningless to them.
Curbishley knows Ferguson. Their friendship goes back many years. He offered the Scot his condolences that day in east London, just as this week, he phoned him with congratulations on his latest title triumph.
Curbishley is well aware that Ferguson never forgets.
A classic illustration of this came on the last day of the 2005 season.
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Pals: But Curbs doesn't expect any favours from Fergie
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Southampton, under Harry Redknapp – who had managed West Ham 10 years previously – needed a result against United at St Mary’s to retain their Premiership status.
But Ferguson pointed out Redknapp’s previous in his team talk and watched his side ruthlessly put them to the sword in a revenge for 1995.
As Curbishley prepares West Ham for their trip to Old Trafford tomorrow, where they will need a point to guarantee their Premiership survival and a slice of the new TV deal which kicks in next season, he expects no favours. United might have fielded a second-string at Chelsea on Wednesday night, eager not to risk too much ahead of the FA Cup final, but they will not do so again.
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For Ferguson, there is no such thing as a meaningless game.
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Curbishley will not enjoy the good fortune that Fulham did last Saturday, when they ran into a weakened Liverpool side with their eyes already on the Champions League final. Fulham won and ensured their survival.
Curbishley said: “In all the West Ham ballyhoo, Liverpool’s teamsheet last weekend has gone unnoticed. [Wigan manager] Paul Jewell was the only one who was vocal about it.
“But I’m sure that when we get to Old Trafford, there will be a lot of familiar names on that teamsheet. Alex has come out and said that he has got to respect the league.
“Whatever team he puts out, it will be going all out to win and I’m sure it will be packed with big names.
“It won’t be as unfamiliar as the Liverpool team last weekend.”
For Ferguson, there is no such thing as a meaningless game. In 1992-93, with his first Premiership title sewn up, he
sent his side out to a carnival atmosphere in the final home game against Blackburn.
United were off the pace in the first half, their minds seemingly on the post-match lap of honour. Ferguson could not tolerate it, and tore into them during the interval. They picked up to win 3-1.
Curbishley does not buy into any of the conspiracy theories surrounding the Sheffield United-Wigan clash tomorrow, which will influence who goes down.
Both clubs are furious with West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair and it has been suggested they could carve up a Wigan win, if West Ham were losing badly at Old Trafford, in order to save their skins and send West Ham down.
Curbishley says that it is “so dangerous” to play such games and points to Liverpool’s victory over Blackburn in 1995, which could have helped their bitter rivals United to the title, as evidence of the integrity of English football.
It is futile hoping for favours. West Ham are in this on their own, and they must get out of it by themselves.
Curbishley, whose side have won six out of eight to set themselves fair for the Great Escape, added:
“No one here is afraid of a big game, they have all been through it.
“They have had some huge pressures this year to deal with and now they’ve got one more game.
“There has been a lot of publicity surrounding us but the Premier League have come to their judgment [over Tevez] and everyone just has to get on with it.
“I think they [other clubs] should be concentrating on their football at this point.
“Everybody’s been having their say, everyone has jumped on the West Ham bandwagon and it’s getting louder and louder in some respects.
“But we have always said we are just going to focus on ourselves. We’ve not said too much, and we’ve quietly come up on the rails.”
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THE DAY COULD BRING GOOD NEWS
12.05.07, 11:24am
Hi
We cannot stress enough that adults that take children/babies on holidays must behave like responsible adults as most do at home.
We are sorry but we cannot forgive the 2 adults that were responsible for leaving their kids home alone on their hols every night as they went for a drink/meal.
Child care was readily avialble and it only takes a 2/3 year old a moment to panic and they get up and look for mummy and before you know it, they can end up on the road or worse.
Lucian Deville
• Posted by: LucianDeville • Report Comment
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