Rafa has REALLY got under Ferguson's skin!

[Shaggy]

Keep talking Mr Ferguson! Keep talking you bitter old cunt!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7956396.stm

Sir Alex Ferguson expects Rafa Benitez to spend big in the transfer market after signing a new deal at Liverpool.

Manchester United boss Ferguson said of his rival: "I think you will see Rafa producing an absolute spending spree, now he has signed a new contract.

"There's talk about a recession but I don't think there will be one at Liverpool this year."

After protracted negotiations, Benitez agreed a new deal earlier this week which ties him to Liverpool until 2014.

Ferguson also disputed the Spaniard's recent claim that United have massively outspent Liverpool on transfers in recent years.

He said United's own figures showed Liverpool had spent £24m more in overall terms.

"He's well ahead of us in spending in the last five years," Ferguson claimed.

In terms of net spending - taking into account income from sales - the clubs are much the same.

Liverpool's net spending over five years on players is £82.5m and United's has been £85.5m. Meanwhile, Chelsea spent £154.8m net on players during that time and Arsenal just £3.4m.

Ferguson claimed his philosophy included developing young players as well as signing stars, while Benitez was more focused on bringing in established players.

He added: "We have signed 18 players in the last five years and eight of those have been young players.

"There's a balance, it's about doing the thing correctly. We like to try to develop young players and we will always do that. That's the nature of the club.

"Other clubs are maybe different and obviously Rafa has a different philosophy from mine.

"But that's the great thing about football - everyone has a different way of doing things."

[Fivex]

It's a great thing that he's talking about us so differently than what we're used to.

Basically he's ****ting it

[Fivex]

And before everyone starts on the net spending debate again.. use the other thread

[wiw]

What the **** is he talking about?!?! Pathetic ****

I love how Rafa's kept quiet and taken the jammy Utd wins over the years. Now he's still keeping quiet but ****ing them right up the arse with the great team he's built. Don't like it up 'em do they? Pricks

[Nicey]

utter garbage

[Tee]

He's been on the Macallans again...

[Reece]

Rashid?

Does he know something we don't about the owner situation? Because with the current owners the chances of a massive spending spree are pretty low.

[Chris]

Brilliant stuff! When the digs start its because he's worried, it's the reason he's licking Arsenals arse now, they're no threat and the reason he was kissing our arse the last few years - we didnt bother him, now its different. Thank you "Sir" Alex.

[-V-]

Stupid ****, just ignore the £30m spent on Rooney and the £28m spent on Ferdinand. Absolutely Love it that he is so hurt though.

[Guest]

Stupid ****, just ignore the £30m spent on Rooney and the £28m spent on Ferdinand. Absolutely Love it that he is so hurt though.

And the £30m spent on Veron and Berbatov ....

[peekay]

He's crackin up

Rafael Benítez has hit back at Sir Alex Ferguson and told him to “check his figures” after the Manchester United manager dismissed his Liverpool counterpart’s claims that the Merseyside club have spent less money than the Barclays Premier League champions over the past five years.

Ferguson claimed yesterday that Liverpool were “well ahead of us in spending in the last five years”, but the statistics appear to support Benítez. United’s gross spending since June 2004, when the Spaniard arrived at Anfield, totals £221.95 million compared with £212.6 million by Liverpool. Ferguson’s net spending over that period is £147.90 million compared with Benítez’s £111.39 million.

The row marks the latest chapter in the escalating tension between the pair, whose rivalry is fast becoming the fiercest in English football. Ferguson branded Benítez “disturbed” after the Liverpool manager accused him in January of wielding an unfair influence over referees during a calculated attack, and on the eve of United’s 4-1 defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford a week ago Ferguson resumed the spat by claiming that he would need to “read up on Freud” to make sense of the Spaniard’s remarks.

“Check the figures,” Benítez said. “It doesn’t matter what Ferguson says about money. They [Liverpool] have more money and can spend more than us, so we have to manage and do our best in every single deal.”

Ferguson had sparked the debate when he claimed that he had instructed United’s staff to survey the statistics after growing tired of listening to Benítez reiterating that Liverpool had spent less. “I was amazed when I saw that [],” Ferguson said. “I talked to some of the people in the sports technology department and said, ‘Check that out.’

“I am sure I have not spent that much money. I worked out in the last five years that Liverpool have spent £24 million more than Manchester United. The most amazing fact about them is that they have used 60 players in the reserves this season.”

Ferguson is under no illusions, though, that Benítez will spend big in the summer after signing a new five-year contract. As revealed by The Times yesterday, he is expected to have at least £30 million plus whatever he can recoup in sales to spend.

“You will see Rafa produce an incredible spending spree — that is an absolute certainty now he has signed a new contract,” the United manager said. “They talk of a recession, but there will not be one at Liverpool.”

Ferguson is more concerned about returning to winning ways away to Fulham in the league this afternoon, however, and believes that the embarrassing defeat by Liverpool last weekend could serve as a wake-up call to his players, whom he fears were becoming distracted by all the talk of an unprecedented quintuple.

Jonny Evans, the defender, will replace Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended after being sent off against Liverpool, and Gary Neville, the captain, is available after injury.

“The club has to recover from a defeat and travelling away to Fulham represents a good challenge,” Ferguson said. “It is hard to defend a 4-1 defeat. We suffered from self-inflicted wounds and mistakes you don’t expect. For weeks we had to listen to eulogies and compliments about how good this side of ours was. I kept deflecting that and saying how tough this league was and this \ was just a reminder to us. In a way, it will help us because we realise there is a lot of work to be done. You have to answer tough questions every time Manchester United lose a game. There were no lives lost last week.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article5946946.ece

[Leyton388]

deleted

[Leyton388]

****ing great LFC are slowly climbing back onto our ****ing perch. Thanks for keeing it warm Fergie! I honestly feel that united rais to power in the 1990's had more to do with the fall of LFC if anything as if we had continued to dominate they would not touch us! It has took us years to get over Kenny leaving and we now have a manager who can pick up the baton left by kenny!

[Assassin]

Rafa is really starting to get at the miserable cunt , ****ing love it!!!

[Leyton388]

The thing is for the past 4 years rafa has had to keep quite as he knew our team was no where near ready to challenge the other top 3 teams. But now with the team strong and able to spank anyone he now has the team to back up his words off the pitch! Now that we have whiskey nose and wenger talking about us is proof enough that we are on the raise again!