Real Madrid CoachJose Mourinho: OnlyA Special ManagerCan Succeed SirAlex Ferguson AtManchester United

Real Madrid manager Jose
Mourinho insists that "only a
special manager" can fill Sir Alex
Ferguson's shoes at Manchester
United when the Scot calls it a
day.
The Red Devils boss will be 69
years old in December, and
there has been speculation
concerning who could replace
him in the Old Trafford hot-seat
after his retirement.
And Mourinho is not surprised
that several managers have been
linked with the potential job
opening at the club. There have
been reports that Everton
manager David Moyes and
Barcelona's Pep Guardiola have
both been linked with the
position.
However, the Portuguese coach
does not envision Ferguson
walking away from United in the
near future.
"Football without Alex Ferguson?
I ’m not sure that will happen any
day soon," Mourinho told The
Mirror.
"The man lives and breathes
football and Manchester United
is his club.
"His hunger and desire to win
the biggest trophies remains so I
cannot see the day he considers
walking away from football
approaching.
"Like Real Madrid, the
Manchester United job is special
and only a special manager is
good enough to take the job on
if and when it does become
available.
"Of course, jobs like that don’t ­
become available every day so
the interest will be vast. Like
Madrid, it ’s a job everyone will
want."
Real were one of the clubs
linked with a move for Wayne
Rooney after the forward had
expressed a desire to leave Old
Trafford. But the 25-year-old
recently did a u-turn and signed
a five-year contract with his
employers.
And the former Chelsea boss
insists that the outcome was
never going to be any different.
He said:"Could I ever see him
leaving? Never. He is Manchester
United through and through and
he is working with one of the
best coaches in football. He ’s a
great player but he belongs to
United. I wasn ’t surprised to see
him stay, I expected it.
"There was no way Alex
Ferguson would have considered
selling him, not to anyone. If you
take the decision to leave a club
like United there are not many
options open to you. Few clubs
come any bigger."
For now, however, Mourinho
remains intent on guiding the
Bernabeu boys to silverware.
"Madrid is a special club and
came to me at special time in my
career," he said. "After winning
my second Champions League
and after my success at Chelsea
and Inter, the Real job and the
challenge to be successful was
very appealing.
"I came to a team that had had
no success for two years and
faced the challenge of a very
special Barcelona team and
some of the great clubs in
Europe in the Champions
League.
"Despite everything and all the
success I have enjoyed, my desire
to continue winning remains. I
love a challenge and this is a
huge challenge for me.
"Madrid didn’t win the
Champions league for 10 years,
the Spanish Cup for 19 years
and haven ’t won the
Championship for three. So
there is a great deal of work to
be done. I love the pressure and
that is immediate at a club like
this because failure doesn ’t sit
comfortably with anyone."
Mourinho also believes that he
has about 15 years of
management left in him, insisting
that retirement is not something
he will consider anytime in the
near future.
"I still have at least 10 or 15
years left in football
management," he said.
"Naturally a day will come when
my circumstances change and I
will want to lead a quieter life.
"But it is not something I will be
giving any consideration too for
a long time to come."

Step-By- Step Guide To Nani's Controversial But Legal Winner For Manchester United vs Tottenham

When Manchester United and
Tottenham go head-to-head,
controversy is a given, and it
usually tends to go in favour of
Sir Alex Ferguson & Co.
MORE...
Ferguson: I thought Gomes
made a mess of it
Player Ratings: Manchester
United 2-0 Tottenham
Redknapp slams 'scandalous'
Nani goal
Today was exactly the same,
while also being just a little bit
different.
With 85 minutes on the clock,
Manchester United were up one
(perfectly legitimate) goal to nil.
Nani then broke into the area
and went down under pressure
from Kaboul.
Was it a penalty? It's clear the
pressure put on Nani was not
enough to bring him down, and
he somewhat simulated his fall.
But it's also clear that Kaboul
did, at one stage, briefly tug
back the winger with both
hands, which is a foul. So
perhaps it could have gone
either way, depending on any
given referee's interpretations of
the rule.
Referee Mark Clattenburg did
not give the penalty, but that
was the least of the controversy.
After that, as Nani dramatically
scrambled around on the floor,
he scooped the ball with his
hand. As no penalty had been
given and the ball was still live,
this, technically speaking, was a
foul.
However, neither the referee nor
his assistant blew or flagged for
a foul.
They may not have seen the
incident, or may have seen it, but
then seen Spurs goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes pick up the ball
moments later and, on that
basis, waved play on. Spurs had
recovered the advantage.
Gomes, though, then rolled it
out to take what he believed was
a free kick. Even most players on
the pitch seemed to believe,
because of the way Gomes had
gathered the ball, that it was a
free kick.
However, Nani was alive to the
decision (or lack thereof) and
jogged in front of Gomes before
giving a couple of sheepish
glances towards the referee and
eventually - over the course of a
few seconds that seemed to go
on forever - tapping the ball in
the net.
Blown fuses | But the matter of
fact remains, the whistle was not
Whether the initial incident was a
penalty, a dive, or a non-issue is
irrelevant.
Nani's handball was either not
spotted or deemed 'cancelled
out' by Spurs recovering
possession via Gomes.
After Nani scored, Gomes
immediately darted towards the
referee's assistant, gesticulating
frantically that Nani had handled
the ball. Gomes had believed he
was taking a free kick, but did so
without realising that the whistle
had never been blown.
Failure to play to the whistle cost
Spurs in what was a cruel and
confusing incident. They were
already one down with just five
minutes to go - so by recent
standards, this was one of the
less controversial encounters
they've had with United - but
ultimately, they will count
themselves unfortunate to be on the receiving end of yet more confused officiating.


Kotoko-Hearts, Ghana's version of "El Classico"

Accra, Oct.
28, GNA - Matches between Kumasi Asante
Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak have in
recent times been tagged as Ghana's version
of "El Classico" following the intense rivalry
that has characterized their outings.
No other description best fits clashes between
the two sides, because El Clasico, a Spanish
tag is used to refer to games between Real
Madrid and Barcelona and encounters
between Hearts and Kotoko represent the
same in Ghana.
And Sunday will be no exception, when
Hearts trek to the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi
to take on Kotoko in the ninth week Premier
League game. It is a known fact that matches
between the two sides knows no boundary,
form guide, status on the league log and
availability of materials, hence are
approached purely with passion and
emotions from the two camps, making the
outcome highly unpredictable.
Taking a critical look at the performance of
the two sides in the eight week old
premiership, it is easy to conclude that they
are indeed not in the best of shapes to sell
out a match typical of a clash between the
nation's most glamorous clubs or an El
Clasico.
The Porcupine Warriors have not been all
that consistent and are currently placed at
the third position with 13 points, three clear
points behind the League leaders, Kessben
FC whilst the Phobians hang out at the sixth
position, a situation contrary to previous
years' when the first and second spot on the
table was rotated among the two top Clubs
of the country.
Nonetheless, the tension, passion and
emotions that characterize such matches will
still remain a regular feature come this
Sunday. However, putting aside all the
mentioned factors, Hearts seem to have a
slight psychological advantage over Kotoko
following the results of their last games which
may a yardstick for an assessment, as well as
the double recorded by Hearts over Kotoko
last season. Kotoko have since the start of
the season struggled to win matches at their
favourite Baba Yara Sports Stadium and they
suffered in their last game with a 2-3
embarrassing defeat at the hands of city
rivals, King Faisal last Sunday.
Hearts however on the other hand
succeeded in hammering Wa All Stars 3-0 at
the Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra, even though
they have also struggled to win matches at
the capital's stadium, but have been quite
impressive in away matches this season.
Tactically, Kotoko by virtue of their strength
in attack having scored ten goals as against
Hearts who have six to their credit gives clear
indications of victory tilting towards the
Porcupine Warriors if the likes of Alex
Asamoah, Louis Agyeman and Edward Affum
who may be in attack for them take
advantage of their scoring opportunities.
Their shaky defensive set up coupled with
recent howlers from number one goalie Isaac
Amoako in the last game against King Faisal
could, however, spell doom for Kotoko if
Hearts' Edwin Osei "Pele", Uriah Asante and
Wilson Adoh also make use of their chances.
Hearts will also take further advantage from
the strength of their rear power force where
the pairing between Karim Alhassan and Osei
Bonsu in central defence with Owusu Sefa
and Bobbie Ansah on the laterals, backed
with safe goalkeeping from former national
number one, Sammy Adjei who had ensured
they conceded only three goals as compared
to five by Kotoko in the League so far.
Irrespective of the above, statistical, tactical,
psychological and emotional factors that will
be at play on Sunday, making a prediction
ahead of the match could be way off target,
but the side with the highest level of
aggression and positive approach to the
game may be heading home with the three
points.
At the other League centers, a regional clash
between a star studded side Bechem Chelsea
will welcome troubled B.A. Stars at the
Golden City Park at Berekum, with Dwarfs
seeking to outdo inform New Edubiase at the
Cape Coast Stadium.
In other matches, badly bruised Wa All Stars
will aim at making amends at their favourite
Wa Stadium as they welcome defending
League champions Aduana Stars, while
Liberty Professionals take on 'giant killers'
King Faisal at the Carl Reindorf Park,
Dansoman, Accra. The two struggling sides of
the season so far, Tudu Mighty Jets and Real
Tamale United (RTU) will sort themselves out
at the El Wak Stadium, Accra whose outcome
may not be surprising with Ashantigold doing
battle with Berekum Arsenals at the Len Clay
Stadium, Obuasi after chalking an
unbelievable victory over Lions in Kpando.
Kpando Heart of Lions would have to dig
deep into their arsenal to make an attempt at
putting off gear the championship aspirations
of Kessben FC who have shown a resilience
this season.