Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Ten Reasons I'm Thankful to be a Manchester United Fan

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Even the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Turkey Loves Manchester United
photo by Ben+Samvia PhotoRee


On this day of American Thanksgiving, here are ten reasons among many that I'm thankful to be a Red:

1.  No Carlos Tevez. Could this guy be any more annoying?  I hate him, absolutely detest him, so I'm thankful he's moved across town to the noisy neighbors' house. Good riddance, and good luck over there. By the way, I don't think they've won anything for, oh, about 34 years or thereabouts. Enjoy being trophyless, Mr. Tevez.

2. Chicharito. I love this guy. Regular readers of farlieonfootie will have been on the little Mexican's bandwagon for some time now, and the rest of the world is still figuring out just how good this guy is going to be. The sky's the limit, in my opinion, as the Little Sweet Pea seems ebullient not only to be scoring regularly, but even more so just to be playing.

3. Nani's Creativity. In a season in which the Red Devils have been struggling offensively, even against supposedly "lesser" Premier League sides, Nani has been a shining beacon of creativity on the right side of midfield. I shudder to think where we'd be without him this year, and it shows just how much the Portuguese winger has improved that a year ago I'll readily admit I wasn't sure he belonged at Old Trafford. I'm sure of it now, though, and thankful he plays for United.




4. The Youth Brigade. Is there another team in the league that has the kind of young, polished players that United has in spades. Take a look at the number of young stars we've produced under the age of 23, it's a total embarassment of riches: the Da Silva twins (20), Evans (22), Hernandez (22), Macheda (19), Obertan (21), Gibson (23 last month), Bebe (20), Cleverly (21), Welbeck (turns 20 tomorrow), Diouf (22), Anderson (23), and the list goes on.....  Oh, and by the way, Nani is 24.

5. Living Legends.  Where would United be without the age and experience of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Two of the most decorated players in the modern game, it's a pleasure to watch these two even as they enter the twilight of their careers. They've proven invaluable role models to the squad's younger players, and incredible inspiration to the fans lucky enough to see them play.

6. Pillars of Strength. United's newfound consistency at the back can be traced directly back to the game this year in which Vidic and Ferdinand reunited their defensive partnership. Easily the best pair of center backs in the EPL when they're healthy, the Englishman and the Serbian both read the game extremely well and aren't afraid to throw their weight around, either. They're a bruising presence in front of goal, and I'm thankful they're on our side.

7. Tradition.  Is their another team in England with our long-standing tradition and current top-tier status? You might think Liverpool, but the bad news for scouser fans is that we're much close to winning our 19th League championship than they are. We're probably closer to winning our 20th and 21st than they are to their 19th, too. It's good to be a Manchester United fan.

8. Playing 2-3 times per Week. I pity the fans that have to wait until the weekend to get a glimpse of their boys, as the mid-week games against other European squads are some of my favorites. Seeing your team play 9 times in 27 days isn't all bad, either, and makes the waiting in-between games much more bearable.

9. John Terry. Could you imagine if you were a Chelsea fan and had to support this guy?  He makes me want to vomit at the sight of him, and having to cheer for him would be more than I could possibly take.  I'm thankful I'm not a Blue.

10. Sir Alex. Saving the best for last, is there a better coach in the game right now?  Not only has he stayed on top of the game for more than two decades, he has an unquenchable desire to keep winning and extending his legacy. This guy could coach until he's 90 and he'd still want to win.  The press love to speculate on Fergie's successor, but for me he's welcome to stay as long as he wants. 

This is farlieonfootie wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving on November 25.

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