"Manchester United are the champions of England, the champions of Europe and that makes them the best team in the world. United have had some fabulous teams in the past but this one could be the best ever."
Was Gordon Strachan making his excuses in advance or was he offering a considered judgement when he elevated Fergie's Furies above the Busby Babes in the hours before Celtic's crushing Champions' League defeat at Old Trafford on Tuesday night?
There can be no denying that United 2008 comprise the team of all talents; even without the injured England quartet of Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand, Sir Alex Ferguson could afford to leave Carlos Tevez and Ryan Giggs on the bench. Easy to do when you have Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo to wreak their special brand of havoc on the hapless Celtic rearguard.
But does this line-up genuinely constitute the greatest United team of all time? How about the 1999 squad assembled around Giggs, Scholes, David Beckham and Roy Keane who won the Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup? The 1968 European Cup winning assembly who contained three European Footballers of the Year in Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton? Or Sir Matt Busby's legendary Red Devils who were on their way to becoming the best side on the planet when they were tragically wiped out in the Munich air disaster?
Let us compare a few of the current players against the talents of those who perished on the runway that snowy night in 1958.
On current form Rio Ferdinand can justifiably lay claim to being the best defender in the world, but what of the great Duncan Edwards of whom Sir Matt's assistant Jimmy Murphy said: "When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world that he was the greatest, I would always smile. The greatest of them all was a footballer named Duncan Edwards."
Is it possible that Edwards was really that good? Greater, perhaps, than Pele or Alfredo di Stefano? Frustratingly, there being little film footage available of him in action, we must depend upon the evidence of eye-witnesses at the time. "He was the best player I've ever seen and the best footballer I ever played with played with," says Sir Bobby Charlton. "I always felt I could compare well with any player - except Duncan. He was such a talent, I always felt inferior to him."
And who [Scholes apart] in the present United midfield could challenge Eddie Colman? Known as "Snakehips" for his uncanny ability to slither round opponents, Colman - just 5ft 7in and 9st 2lbs - was as elusive as a ghost and possessed of a body-swerve the likes of which had never been seen before or since. A mesmerising dribbler (his Puskas-style "drag-back" was a popular show-stopper), Colman could also puncture the most impenetrable of defences with an inspired pass, leading Nobby Stiles to observe: "Colly was my hero of heroes."
Patrice Evra has established himself in the French national team but has there ever been a more accomplished left-back than United and England captain, Roger Byrne? Described by Sir Matt as "an aristocrat, a majestic footballer. Roger was so fast but at the same time controlled in his movement, like Nureyev", Byrne was a deceptive player; he came equipped with a weak left foot (a curious deficiency in a left-back you might think) was relatively poor in the air, and was loathe to tackle, preferring to nick the ball off a winger's toe like a stealthy pickpocket. With his pace and brains, however, Byrne was named by Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney as the opponent they least enjoyed playing against.
Like Ronaldo, outside-left David Pegg attracted the attention of Real Madrid (according to reliable sources, Busby's reaction was of the two-word variety) at a time when the England selectors regarded him as the logical successor to Finney. Graceful yet a devastating finisher, as a crosser of the ball Pegg was an early-day David Beckham as he proved during United's first foray into Europe in 1956 when he created eight goals in the 10-0 rout of Anderlecht in a mesmerising individual performance at Old Trafford.
Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov are rightly idolised by the Old Trafford faithful for their goal-scoring exploits; but when he died at the age of 26, Tommy Taylor had netted 131 goals in 191 games for United and 16 in 19 international appearances for England.
It is often said that Taylor was the most underrated England centre-forward of all-time; not by Matt Busby, however, who appreciated his full value to such an extent that in 1957 the United manager had no hesitation in turning down a world record bid of £65,000 (Dh387,000) offered by Inter Milan. As Munich survivor and 1968 European Cup winner Bill Foulkes put it: "I would rate Tommy as one of the all-time best centre-forwards in the game. And he had yet to realise his full potential."
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
More coverage from the Future Forum
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
