Premier League - Managers: Fergie praises Giggs

Eurosport - Sun, 29 Nov 06:05:00 2009

Managerial reaction from around the Premier League, with Alex Ferguson hailing Manchester United's golden oldie Ryan Giggs.

2009-2010 Portsmouth-Manchester United Ryan Giggs scores a free-kick - 0

Portsmouth 1-4 Manchester United

Avram Grant: "It was a strange game. If I came from the moon and heard the result I would have thought Man United played great and Portsmouth was not so good but we played very well. I thought we played better. We created a lot of chances and conceded soft goals. Our goalkeeper almost didn't touch the ball and Tomasz Kuszczak made three great saves. The football was good and the spirit but there are things we have to do better - first to take points. When we play against teams close to us we need to win them."

Alex Ferguson: "(Ryan Giggs is) an exceptional player. A rarity. He will play for two years yet. Happy birthday. He's had it 36 times in his life, wait until he gets to 67. I think he'll be retired by then. (On Portsmouth's penalty) The linesman has put the referee under terrible pressure and he has to listen to the linesman who is 50 yards away. You see these things every weekend in the penalty box. If you are saying everyone who wrestles at a corner or tugs at a jersey concedes a penalty kick then that that's fine. But it doesn't happen that way and this linesman has changed the whole course of normal decision making.

Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Martin O'Neill: "In the second half we just couldn't get out, but that had a lot to do with Tottenham's expertise on the ball. The last six or seven minutes, although we came close to scoring, we were probably the ones hanging on. But we didn't lose the game, and Tottenham are a very fine side. We learned some things, for example when you're on top it's much easier if you go for the second goal and try to get some respite. Overall the one thing I could never fault the side for is the effort they brought to the game, the crowd gave them energy and I'm pleased we didn't lose the game."

Harry Redknapp: "At half-time we talked about keeping the ball better and being more patient and we dominated play after the break. Things went massively in our favour possession-wise. In the first half it was hard for Aaron (Lennon) because people were marking him so closely and concentrating on stopping us from getting the ball to him. In the second half we told him to stay on the line more, gave him more of the ball, and he looked a threat."

Manchester City 1-1 Hull City

Mark Hughes on the award of Hull's penalty: "My initial reaction was that it was for handball against Joleon Lescott but it certainly wasn't because it didn't touch him, other than just grazing the top of his thigh. Now the referee is saying he gave it for the challenge in the box. I would debate that as well. It was just a coming together. In my opinion the penalty should not have been given. There is pressure to get results, any manager will tell you that. But we are still in the mix at the top end of the league.

Phil Brown on Jimmy Bullard's goal celebration mocking Brown's on-pitch team-talk from last season: "It was a fantastic celebration. Great comedy is about timing. You could not have had a celebration like that, after a goal, unless it was at Eastlands and was in the goal in front of the Hull fans. The whole thing was timed to perfection. I had no idea it was going to happen. I was trying to arrange a five-man midfield at the time so I didn't see it. But my analysis guy showed me it on the laptop when we got into the changing room. I couldn't deliver my address because I was laughing so much."

West Ham 5-3 Burnley

Gianfranco Zola: "Right now we are very good coming forward, we just need to keep the balance when we are defending. We switched off too early. But we wanted the three points today, and we have to be happy with that. (On conceding three goals) Come on - if we lose it is negative, if we draw it is negative, we score five goals and win, and it is still negative. We should be cheering. It has been a great game, and we have scored five goals. We must all enjoy it. We know we have to get better in defence, but if you keep watching everything under the microscope, you will always find something wrong."

Owen Coyle: "We were the architects of our own downfall. We gifted some soft goals, and made individual errors at the wrong time. I am loath to criticise officials, because I know how difficult the job is, but there were some big decisions which went against us, like on the second goal when Franco controlled the ball with his arm. Is the third a penalty? I don't know. But at 5-0, it would have been really easy to feel sorry for ourselves and hide. However, they showed tremendous bravery and courage to score some tremendous goals.

Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Stoke City

Blackburn assistant Neil McDonald on Sam Allardyce's heart surgery: "I believe Sam was discharged this afternoon and I imagine he is resting at home. I am told he is on schedule for next week as expected and hopefully we will see him then. Paul (Robinson) worked hard in the summer and since Sam came here. He deserves every credit and made a couple a great saves. Mind you I cannot remember him making one in the second half as we worked their goalkeeper a lot more."

Tony Pulis: "We have kept it quiet but (James) Beattie has been playing with injuries to his ankle and his knee. Now we have Mamady (Sidibe) back we can give Beattie a bit of a break and get him fit. He has been playing because we have been a little bit short. As for Dean (Whitehead), he has probably had his best game for us and missed two glorious chances. We are better this year than last. To have 20 points from 14 games is first class for us."

Fulham 1-1 Bolton

Roy Hodgson: "I thought we were unlucky to go in at half-time not winning because we had one chance cleared off the line. But I am full of praise for the players for the way they came out and attacked in the second half. We played some much better football after the break. But I must pay credit to Bolton for their resolute back four and their goalkeeper. They came up with the answers when we asked them. I would have liked to have won the game but it would have been a harsh pill to swallow had we lost."

Gary Megson: "There's no problem with the spirit. I would not suggest that is an issue. We will all fight for each other. Having been 1-0 up and weathered the storm, we had to keep the ball up the pitch to alleviate the pressure. I was a bit disappointed with a couple of the bookings. Ricardo Gardner's booking was for dissent but he hardly ever says anything. Ivan Klasnic is one of best strikers in the Premier League."

Wigan 1-0 Sunderland

Roberto Martinez: "It has been a very testing week. The reaction today, to get a clean sheet and stop Sunderland playing - they only had one shot on target - it showed all the ingredients needed in adversity. I was extremely proud of the players. They were desperate to get on the pitch and they showed it. Everyone at the football club is a lot better after the week we have had. It is not frustrating because it is the reality of where we are."

Steve Bruce: "The goal we gave away summed up our performance. We gave the ball away twice in the middle of the park, the centre-back was brushed aside by Rodallega and the goalkeeper has come for it when he didn't have to. If he had stayed on his line it is an impossible angle for him to score - and that sums up our afternoon. (Rodallega) doesn't look a bad signing now does he? I've seen the chairman before the game. He didn't have to explain himself. It was perfectly amicable, it was fine."

Eurosport

Comment 5 - 24 of 24

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  1. Ryan Giggs Is model pro. A credit to the game of­ football. Kids should draw inspiration from the legend­ who continues to roll back the years. A true Great. The­ only great shame is that he did not play for England!

    From richard, on Sun 29 Nov 9:01PM
  2. Man u 4life weldone evra u are a great player also­ giggs and the rest.pls keep it up. Up united

    From Uboh Wisdom, on Sun 29 Nov 3:32PM
  3. Giggs for a knighthood.
    Arise Sir Ryan Giggs.

    From Stig and the 3 little stigs, on Sun 29 Nov 2:46PM
  4. WHAT I CAN I SAY GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED

    From True Red, on Sun 29 Nov 12:28PM
  5. 2 FUMBS DOON FAE NAMBER 23 A SEE. JUST YOUS BYES F­ OCKIN WETCH IT.

    From Donney, on Sun 29 Nov 12:09PM
  6. Mark,he didnt complain about the ref but he complained­ about another official saying this linesman has changed­ the whole course of decision making.He tried for years­ to do this himself,what a load of b---cks that spews­ from his whisky sodden mouth.He should realise he is­ not GOD but he is the reverse spelling of that word.

    From john b, on Sun 29 Nov 11:52AM
  7. I think good ol Avram might have actually summed up why­ they lost.... Their keeper "almost didn't­ touch the ball" whereas "Tomasz Kuszczak made­ three great saves"... Yeah, you'd kinda like­ your keeper to actually touch the ball... that's­ how he stops it going in the net. Making great saves is­ just a LITTLE bit important when you're a goalie...­ :-D

    From Jen, on Sun 29 Nov 11:50AM
  8. I think good ol Avram might have actually summed up why­ they lost.... Their keeper "almost didn't­ touch the ball" whereas "Tomasz Kuszczak made­ three great saves"... Yeah, you'd kinda like­ your keeper to actually touch the ball... that's­ how he stops it going in the net. Making great saves is­ just a LITTLE bit important when you're a goalie...­ :-D

    From Jen, on Sun 29 Nov 11:50AM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A HAVINAY GOT YE A PRESANT GAGGSY BUT A CAN ALWAYS F­ OCK YE UPS DA JECKSAY IF YE WAANT.

    From Donney, on Sun 29 Nov 11:34AM
  10. HAPPAY BIRFDAY GAGGSY A HOPE YE GET SOME NICE PRESANTS­ WEE MON.

    From Donney, on Sun 29 Nov 11:33AM
  11. Serf,its about time another official puts the ref under­ pressure to make a decision,although as you say he was­ a long way away. Normally it is YOU that tries to­ influence the ref even though YOU are 50yards away.

    From john b, on Sun 29 Nov 11:28AM
  12. Michael I have to agrre with 16 & 17 you are­ definately a scouse plank and are a very bitter­ Liverpool fan, it isnt my good friend Sir Alexes fault­ that your sad little club is in the position it is in­ and to say that that great club Mancheater United gets­ preferential treatment from match officials is blatant­ slander against them.

    From NickGriffin, on Sun 29 Nov 11:21AM
  13. Top display from Manu
    Giggsy top display an top goal­ .
    Enough said

    Mags fan

    From MARK, on Sun 29 Nov 11:18AM
  14. Michael you are a scouse plank.

    From Man U Forever, on Sun 29 Nov 11:13AM
  15. Michael: change the record you jealous, bitter little­ Liverpool fan. You are boring us with your daily­ garbage.

    From MisterB, on Sun 29 Nov 11:13AM
  16. ...bla bla bla bla But it doesn't happen that way­ and this linesman has changed the whole course of­ normal decision making.
    FERGIE IS NOW SHIFTING FROM­ REFEREES TO LINESMEN.sOON MATCH OFFICIALS WILL RECIEVE­ THEIR OWN SHARE

    From Michael, on Sun 29 Nov 11:06AM
  17. I really hope we sign a world class striker in the­­ window, whether it be Villa or Aguero I dont mind but­ I­ really cant see us winning the League for the­ fourth­ time on the trot unless we emulate Ronaldos­ goals, if­ we are there or there abouts still in­ January and sign­ a striker we will have a real chance,­ come on Fergie­ you have the money use it, Liverpool­ are out of it that­ leaves three sides capable of­ winning it, I dont think­ Arsenal have the squad­ strength to do it although­ Wenger has done it again­ and put a fantastic team­ together, That leaves­ ourselves and Chelsea, they will­ lose five players for­ five weeks in January which means­ we have a great­ chance of putting a run together to­ overtake them but­ to do that we have to win every game­ and that means­ goals and lots of them so we need that­ striker to do­ this, Man U Forever.

    From Man U Forever, on Sun 29 Nov 10:53AM
  18. cheer up, giggs..
    always support u..
    and HAPPY­ BIRTHDAY

    From Ban, on Sun 29 Nov 10:44AM
  19. I bet he dont complain about the ref this time

    From mark, on Sun 29 Nov 10:23AM
  20. Happy birthday ryan, great goal, great asists and­ outstanding 1oo prem goals ..enjoy the day wayching the­ toffees trash the scumbags!

    From stuart, on Sun 29 Nov 9:39AM
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