[Class of 63]

I can remember you have made this claim in the past mate but remind me please did you find any evidence of it?

I've googled for it a few times now and can find absolutely no mention of Fellaini being linked with United around 2006-08. And i can find reports of us being linked with the likes of Babbel and Laudrup way back in 1997. So it's not a case of it being too long ago.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/european-cream-refuses-to-rise-to-the-top-1.82815

There's also nothing in Ferguson's autobiography about Fellaini. The book covers the period of 2000 to roughly 2013. Given the timing of the book release in October 2013 and the fact there was a section covering Moyes appointment. Wouldn't you agree it seems strange that Ferguson wouldn't give his endorsement to Moyes solitary signing that summer by mentioning that he himself had tried to sign the player a few years before if that had actually been the case?

Where have you been? I've been expecting you

Trust me mate i've searched high and friggin low, and will continue to do so, and it's nothing to do with wanting to be proved right, because it ain't that important to me.

Only found bits and bobs from his Dad but you were right in our previously exchanges that if he was trying to get his lad a move he would say that.

 

[ur2cdanger]

He is the definition of average. Nothing against his heart and commitment though but that alone doesn't count. He is too slow to move and press, limited passing abilities, too slow to pass. We cannot afford to have a player who can do only one thing well. His place can go to a new signing or someone from the youth - Garner or Angel.

 

[Class of 63]

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/brazil-belgium-world-cup-neymar-fellaini-167238

Neymar's corner was cleared by Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku dribbled by several Brazilians and Kevin De Bruyne then unleashed an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The result can be defined by two players. Fellaini played for the team and was excellent. The Manchester United midfielder worked tirelessly and was a constant pain for his opponents, putting out fires and providing a solid defensive shield.

Fellaini is the antithesis of Neymar. He doesn't possess a fraction of his talent, but he's the ultimate team player and conveyed on Friday night why managers rate him so highly, even if fans don't always appreciate him. Neymar has the talent, but it would count for a lot more if he possessed some of Fellaini's attitude.

Axel Witsel, alongside Fellaini, was disciplined in midfield, protecting the defence and chipping in with a series of interceptions, blocks and timely tackles.

Hazard and De Bruyne were Belgium's best players on the night, but Fellaini's hard work got them through some tough spells in the game. Unlike Neymar, Fellaini is a team player. Unlike Fellaini, Neymar is on his way home.

-----------------------

https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/06/rio-...llaini-first-half-performance-brazil-7689598/

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand singled out Marouane Fellaini for his first-half display in Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil.

‘Fellaini has been monster defensively,’ Ferdinand said on BBC Sport.

Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann also underlined Fellaini’s ‘outstanding’ display before the break at the Kazan Arena

‘Fellaini’s having a major game, he’s had an outstanding first-half. ‘The space for Neymar has not been there. It’s an outstanding performance by Belgium in the first-half.’

===============

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-marouane-fellaini-belgium-14877595

But it was Fellaini's performance that caught the eye of most United fans.

The 30-year-old bossed Belgium's midfield and the fans loved that he had Brazil star Neymar in his pocket.

 

[Adam_S]

I wonder if Stoke would be interested. He'd be awesome as a 10 in behind Peter Crouch.

 

[Loublaze]

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/brazil-belgium-world-cup-neymar-fellaini-167238

Neymar's corner was cleared by Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku dribbled by several Brazilians and Kevin De Bruyne then unleashed an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The result can be defined by two players. Fellaini played for the team and was excellent. The Manchester United midfielder worked tirelessly and was a constant pain for his opponents, putting out fires and providing a solid defensive shield.

Fellaini is the antithesis of Neymar. He doesn't possess a fraction of his talent, but he's the ultimate team player and conveyed on Friday night why managers rate him so highly, even if fans don't always appreciate him. Neymar has the talent, but it would count for a lot more if he possessed some of Fellaini's attitude.

Axel Witsel, alongside Fellaini, was disciplined in midfield, protecting the defence and chipping in with a series of interceptions, blocks and timely tackles.

Hazard and De Bruyne were Belgium's best players on the night, but Fellaini's hard work got them through some tough spells in the game. Unlike Neymar, Fellaini is a team player. Unlike Fellaini, Neymar is on his way home.

-----------------------

https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/06/rio-...llaini-first-half-performance-brazil-7689598/

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand singled out Marouane Fellaini for his first-half display in Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil.

‘Fellaini has been monster defensively,’ Ferdinand said on BBC Sport.

Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann also underlined Fellaini’s ‘outstanding’ display before the break at the Kazan Arena

‘Fellaini’s having a major game, he’s had an outstanding first-half. ‘The space for Neymar has not been there. It’s an outstanding performance by Belgium in the first-half.’

===============

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-marouane-fellaini-belgium-14877595

But it was Fellaini's performance that caught the eye of most United fans.

The 30-year-old bossed Belgium's midfield and the fans loved that he had Brazil star Neymar in his pocket.

Are you his agent?

 

[KennyBurner]

That is a good tactic to use against a high press tbf. I'm afraid we'll get killed if we try to pass out of the press on the ground.

We’ve also started to high press. Does it not occur to you that the opposition will also get killed if they high press. You Guys need to remember that mourinho is gone and we don’t have to have an inferior mentality anymore. We will play to our strengths and it’s left to the opposition to adjust, not us.

Fellaini isn’t needed if all he’s useful for is adjusting to a top 6 team tactics. I’m fine with bringing him on when our tactics don’t seem to be working and we need a drastic change.

 

[adexkola]

For the Caf's sake I hope Ole finds a way to utilize him well.

 

[Escobar]

He's one of the first players I'd sell in January

 

[Roboc7]

Ole is using him correctly, keep him as an option but don’t rely on him to start regularly or make him your default sub.

He was indispensable to Mourinho because he was one of the 2 or 3 players who actually liked playing for him. Even when his performances were shocking it had to be overlooked, same as Matic and Lukaku. That won’t be the case any longer and that’s how it should be.

 

[Sylar]

Yeah, think he needs to be sold. Thanks for the few memories. And hes given his all. but given the whole plan b stuff that is discussed, I think he should be plan c at most. And thats for the last 10 mins when nothing else is working and you just gotta go long ball.

But I would hope a team like United are above that. Weve never needed that before and I dont know why we need it now if we wanna challenge for major trophies. Percentage ball doesnt always work and a quick one-two is harder to defend then just lumping it into the box.

 

[LoveFootball]

There's no reason for him to stay now that Mourinho is gone. He knows that fans don't like him and he even admited himself that he stayed because of the manager.

It's ambarrassing that some people think being a nuisance is enough quality to be a Manchester United player. Belgium NT became a force when they replaced him in the start 11, he's a good option to have for a National team or for a midtable club banking on cup competitions, but he's a liability for a great club.

And people needs to stop with some myths going around, Fellaini have never been and will never be an effective plan B, he's a liability and prevents the team from playing good football.

 

[Class of 63]

Are you his agent?

What, with the money agents earn for doing practically sod all, I wish

 

[cyberman]

We still can't defend high balls into the box so he's needed there. He also does have this hilarious ability to cause havoc in the opposition box when we're struggling to play through.
We need a transfer window to improve on the flaws he papers over.

 

[stevoc]

Where have you been? I've been expecting you

Trust me mate i've searched high and friggin low, and will continue to do so, and it's nothing to do with wanting to be proved right, because it ain't that important to me.

Only found bits and bobs from his Dad but you were right in our previously exchanges that if he was trying to get his lad a move he would say that.

Didn't want to disappoint you mate.

To be honest i can't even find any quotes from his father linking him to United at all, do you have any links?

I've no doubt you've read it at some point somewhere in a paper etc. mate. But the vast majority transfer stories are complete bullshit as you know, i once read that Liverpool were close to signing a young French defender called Didier Baptiste. The problem was he was a character on Sky Ones Dream Team and not a real footballer. There was a 3-4 year media campaign in Portugal to get Gaitan a move to United which had no basis in reality.

And lets be honest here complete lack of evidence aside Ferguson likely would have never considered signing a midfielder like Fellaini. He's a good player if used correctly but his passing range just wouldn't have cut it alongside the likes of Keane, Scholes and Carrick. He's just not a Ferguson type of midfielder/player.

 

[stevoc]

People only consider his goals and assist. How about the countless nuisances or havoc created in the opposition box. How about the countless aerial defending he has done in our box.

Come on guys, I get it he is not united quality to start but definitely worth an option from bench.

I don't think anyone even his biggest detractors underestimate just how good he is at defending crosses and set pieces in his own box.

But on the same token some, too many in fact vastly overrate his contribution in the opposition box as a plan B off the bench. Then when it's pointed out he actually only has a handful of goals/assists in those situations we get the causes havoc and/or is a nuisance argument. Rinse repeat.

Yeah he can cause Havoc but half the time he causes as much Havoc for United as he does the opposition, disrupting our attacking play by having to abandon all other avenues of attack so we can concentrate of hoofing it up to him. I don't blame Fellaini for this i blame the last 3 managers Mourinho especially who thought it was an effective tactic, despite the stats saying otherwise.

How many times has this Havoc lead to anything tangible happening and rescuing a game? The Liverpool 1-1 where Zlatan scored arguably, any others?

 

[ChaddyP]

Would have been useful yesterday to be fair *flame suit on *

 

[ravi2]

You're obviously having, or had a bad day @ravi2, earlier you called me a troll, now I don't know if you had your pants pulled down by one of the Mods and asked to edit, or delete your post, or googled troll after the event and thought nope that doesn't really make sense and makes me(you) look stupid and deleted your original post hoping I hadn't seen it, then tried again(which I replied to earlier), and to be honest i'm not overly fussed which it was.

And now you're suggesting i'm trolling Fellaini which doesn't make sense either.

Are you being sponsored to include troll/trolling in one of your posts, or have you been called a troll in a former life, we're here to help.

I feel that your posts are mostly garbage, thanks for the offer for help but perhaps you should help yourself first.

 

[Denis79]

I don't think anyone even his biggest detractors underestimate just how good he is at defending crosses and set pieces in his own box.

But on the same token some, too many in fact vastly overrate his contribution in the opposition box as a plan B off the bench. Then when it's pointed out he actually only has a handful of goals/assists in those situations we get the causes havoc and/or is a nuisance argument. Rinse repeat.

Yeah he can cause Havoc but half the time he causes as much Havoc for United as he does the opposition, disrupting our attacking play by having to abandon all other avenues of attack so we can concentrate of hoofing it up to him. I don't blame Fellaini for this i blame the last 3 managers Mourinho especially who thought it was an effective tactic, despite the stats saying otherwise.

How many times has this Havoc lead to anything tangible happening and rescuing a game? The Liverpool 1-1 where Zlatan scored arguably, any others?

Juventus. No idea why they were so scared of him but he had 3 man marking him on that free-kick leading to the goal. He won us that game, with exactly your words. Havoc.

I don't think he's a player we need to fight for the top spots but he doesn't deserve the stick he's getting on here at times either.

 

[Robbie Boy]

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/brazil-belgium-world-cup-neymar-fellaini-167238

Neymar's corner was cleared by Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku dribbled by several Brazilians and Kevin De Bruyne then unleashed an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The result can be defined by two players. Fellaini played for the team and was excellent. The Manchester United midfielder worked tirelessly and was a constant pain for his opponents, putting out fires and providing a solid defensive shield.

Fellaini is the antithesis of Neymar. He doesn't possess a fraction of his talent, but he's the ultimate team player and conveyed on Friday night why managers rate him so highly, even if fans don't always appreciate him. Neymar has the talent, but it would count for a lot more if he possessed some of Fellaini's attitude.

Axel Witsel, alongside Fellaini, was disciplined in midfield, protecting the defence and chipping in with a series of interceptions, blocks and timely tackles.

Hazard and De Bruyne were Belgium's best players on the night, but Fellaini's hard work got them through some tough spells in the game. Unlike Neymar, Fellaini is a team player. Unlike Fellaini, Neymar is on his way home.

-----------------------

https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/06/rio-...llaini-first-half-performance-brazil-7689598/

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand singled out Marouane Fellaini for his first-half display in Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final victory over Brazil.

‘Fellaini has been monster defensively,’ Ferdinand said on BBC Sport.

Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann also underlined Fellaini’s ‘outstanding’ display before the break at the Kazan Arena

‘Fellaini’s having a major game, he’s had an outstanding first-half. ‘The space for Neymar has not been there. It’s an outstanding performance by Belgium in the first-half.’

===============

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-marouane-fellaini-belgium-14877595

But it was Fellaini's performance that caught the eye of most United fans.

The 30-year-old bossed Belgium's midfield and the fans loved that he had Brazil star Neymar in his pocket.

Ballon d'Or stuff right there. How Modric won it ahead of him, I'll never know.

 

[Class of 63]

Didn't want to disappoint you mate.

To be honest i can't even find any quotes from his father linking him to United at all, do you have any links?

I've no doubt you've read it at some point somewhere in a paper etc. mate. But the vast majority transfer stories are complete bullshit as you know, i once read that Liverpool were close to signing a young French defender called Didier Baptiste. The problem was he was a character on Sky Ones Dream Team and not a real footballer. There was a 3-4 year media campaign in Portugal to get Gaitan a move to United which had no basis in reality.

And lets be honest here complete lack of evidence aside Ferguson likely would have never considered signing a midfielder like Fellaini. He's a good player if used correctly but his passing range just wouldn't have cut it alongside the likes of Keane, Scholes and Carrick. He's just not a Ferguson type of midfielder/player.

It wasn't some random Carlos Kickaball filler in one of the tabloids which you can normally dismiss as nonsense 9 times out of 10, but an in depth article on Fellaini's career going back to his very early days about how unlike the other kids he didn't catch the bus to School he ran there, and the influence his Father, a former footballer had on him

I was an avid reader of World Soccer from the early 70's up until a few years ago and i've got a feeling it might have been in that.

But i'll keep looking, i've got my best people on it

 

[Class of 63]

I feel that your posts are mostly garbage, thanks for the offer for help but perhaps you should help yourself first.

I'd like to think considering the time and effort I put into them, grammatical errors and spelling mistakes excepted that all my posts are garbage

ps. I'm beyond help, but thanks for your concern, x

 

[Class of 63]

Ballon d'Or stuff right there. How Modric won it ahead of him, I'll never know.

I know, but some times your face just doesn't fit, what can the lad do ?

 

[cyberman]

Juventus. No idea why they were so scared of him but he had 3 man marking him on that free-kick leading to the goal. He won us that game, with exactly your words. Havoc.

I don't think he's a player we need to fight for the top spots but he doesn't deserve the stick he's getting on here at times either.

Its weird. He gets worse the less he plays.
He's been having a good season coming off the bench. Look through this thread and its full of back handed compliments but as soon as he's out of the team for a period of time he's back to being a pub player who doesn't do anything for us.

 

[Based Adnan]

If this is Fellaini having a good season coming off the bench then it just further enhances the point that he needs to leave ASAP

 

[Crackers]

If this is Fellaini having a good season coming off the bench then it just further enhances the point that he needs to leave ASAP

Agreed. We've got into a nasty habit of accepting players who can "do a job". It's a bit tiresome and we should do better to ensure the expected quality on the team stays high.

 

[stevoc]

Juventus. No idea why they were so scared of him but he had 3 man marking him on that free-kick leading to the goal. He won us that game, with exactly your words. Havoc.

Debatable but ok so thats twice his havoc has benefited us in rescuing games in 5.5 years. Any others?

I don't think he's a player we need to fight for the top spots but he doesn't deserve the stick he's getting on here at times either.

I have no desire to beat him with a stick, just trying to highlight how some over inflate his importance and usefulness as a plan B.

 

[L1nk]

He's basically the horror and memories of the last 5 odd seasons in physical form, that may not be fair, but it is what it is, he just embodies the mediocrity since Fergie left, getting rid of him will truly show that we've turned a corner, i hate Mourinho for basically cornering the board into giving this guy a new contract, not to mention him bending the board over a barrel to get one. Really want this average tree gone, just go.

He's just never really fit in has he, and he embodies everything we traditionally consider United not to be.

 

[Roboc7]

Its weird. He gets worse the less he plays.
He's been having a good season coming off the bench. Look through this thread and its full of back handed compliments but as soon as he's out of the team for a period of time he's back to being a pub player who doesn't do anything for us.

To some he gets better the less he plays, he lives off a handful of good games and a few goals a season.

He’s constantly referred to as unplayable or a great plan B when in reality like most percentage players it rarely works unless your whole game revolves around it.

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

He's basically the horror and memories of the last 5 odd seasons in physical form, that may not be fair, but it is what it is, he just embodies the mediocrity since Fergie left, getting rid of him will truly show that we've turned a corner, i hate Mourinho for basically cornering the board into giving this guy a new contract, not to mention him bending the board over a barrel to get one. Really want this average tree gone, just go.

He's just never really fit in has he, and he embodies everything we traditionally consider United not to be.

You're right - it's a tad harsh on him but he is a reminder of Moyes, LVG and Mou rolled into one. A physical embodiment of the football United were forced to endure under those managers.

He gives his best and he may well be a decent guy but I have been waiting so ling for the day he is no longer associated with United.

 

[stevoc]

It wasn't some random Carlos Kickaball filler in one of the tabloids which you can normally dismiss as nonsense 9 times out of 10, but an in depth article on Fellaini's career going back to his very early days about how unlike the other kids he didn't catch the bus to School he ran there, and the influence his Father, a former footballer had on him

I was an avid reader of World Soccer from the early 70's up until a few years ago and i've got a feeling it might have been in that.

But i'll keep looking, i've got my best people on it

Don't doubt it for a second mate. But i think i might have found it for you

https://lifebogger.com/marouane-fellaini-childhood-story-plus-untold-biography-facts/

As a child, he would run to school while his classmates would go by bus or car.

After rejecting the advances of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Fellaini signed for Everton in September 2008

No quotes from his Dad about United not that that would actually prove anything anyway.

 

[Class of 63]

Don't doubt it for a second mate. But i think i might have found it for you

https://lifebogger.com/marouane-fellaini-childhood-story-plus-untold-biography-facts/


No quotes from his Dad about United not that that would actually prove anything anyway.

Found that article and read it a few hours ago

=====

And just found this amongst my 100's of bookmarks, not what i'm looking for, but some insight into his time at Standard and why he was so highly rated:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/f...-on-Sunday-but-what-sort-of-player-is-he.html

Standard Liege

For his first coaches, the teenage Fellaini was unlike anyone else. His prodigious height – “a gift from God”, according to Karim Mariage, his youth coach at Mons – was allied to immense natural stamina. But although he was tall, he was skinny: a little awkward, with long, gangly limbs. The muscularity and immense upper body strength that would allow him to dominate games would not fully develop until his early years at Everton.

But what really set him apart in those early years was his stamina: a legacy of running to school every day, with his father often following on a bicycle, timing him with a stopwatch. “He was truly able to make exceptional efforts,” said Christophe Dessy, the technical director at Standard Liege.

What was the best way of using this unique blend of attributes? His father Abdellatif had been a goalkeeper, so Fellaini tried that for a while before getting bored. As a young player he played up front. When he joined Standard’s reserve team, it was as a centre-back. But one thing remained constant wherever he went: goals. He scored 37 goals in one season for the Anderlecht academy. Even when he broke into the Standard first-team as a deep-lying midfielder, he still scored 11 goals in two-and-a-bit seasons, many of them headers.

Fellaini was developing a reputation as one of the finest young box-to-box midfielders in Europe. But it was a defensive performance that ultimately secured a move to England. During a Champions League play-off against Liverpool in 2008, Fellaini did an outstanding marking job on Steven Gerrard, as a below-par Liverpool scraped into 1-0 on aggregate. Watching that game from the stands at Anfield was David Moyes, and that was the night when he decided that Fellaini was the missing piece of the Everton jigsaw.

 

[cyberman]

To some he gets better the less he plays, he lives off a handful of good games and a few goals a season.

He’s constantly referred to as unplayable or a great plan B when in reality like most percentage players it rarely works unless your whole game revolves around it.

But he's coming on as a sub. Its not the whole game plan, he's coming on v packed defences who we can't get in behind with our plan A. Plan B shouldn't be just plan A but with different players.
Not every game like Newcastle will be opened up by a keeper fumble from a shot from distance.
Its not like we lump balls from distance against these teams, we work the wings and Fellaini is one of the few we have who can win the ball in the box who takes defenders away from our danger players. We have scored too many late goals with Fellaini on the pitch for it to be a coincidence.
Plus we can't defend crosses and he's the best header of he ball we have. That's just fact and can't be waved away.

 

[Roboc7]

But he's coming on as a sub. Its not the whole game plan, he's coming on v packed defences who we can't get in behind with our plan A. Plan B shouldn't be just plan A but with different players.
Not every game like Newcastle will be opened up by a keeper fumble from a shot from distance.
Its not like we lump balls from distance against these teams, we work the wings and Fellaini is one of the few we have who can win the ball in the box who takes defenders away from our danger players. We have scored too many late goals with Fellaini on the pitch for it to be a coincidence.
Plus we can't defend crosses and he's the best header of he ball we have. That's just fact and can't be waved away.

It doesn’t actually work that often though that’s the point. It sticks out in people’s heads when it does but all the times it is a complete waste of time it gets forgotten. We could throw a CB forward and they would be equally as effective. Our go to guy to get us a goal scored 1 league goal in 2018 and has 0 in the league this season, still time after time he was thrown up front because 2-3 times a season it works.

Fact he defends set pieces well is seen as some form of justification for picking him is part of the problem. What other good team picks a midfielder because that’s their strength?. Passing, pressing, mobility etc these are qualities midfielders need. Buy a CB who can head the ball and he Fellaini is essentially redundant. He starts way too many games and too often is a default and lazy sub by managers.

 

[stevoc]

But he's coming on as a sub. Its not the whole game plan, he's coming on v packed defences who we can't get in behind with our plan A. Plan B shouldn't be just plan A but with different players.
Not every game like Newcastle will be opened up by a keeper fumble from a shot from distance.
Its not like we lump balls from distance against these teams, we work the wings and Fellaini is one of the few we have who can win the ball in the box who takes defenders away from our danger players. We have scored too many late goals with Fellaini on the pitch for it to be a coincidence.

Lets be honest here without going over every result, match report and highlights video over the last 5.5 years theres no real way to know that for sure. It's a stretch to link all our late goals with Fellaini just because he happens to be on the pitch for some of them. Under Mourinho if he wasn't on the pitch if fit he was almost always brought on when we were chasing a game. So of course he will have been on the pitch when we did score late goals to rescue games whether he made a difference or not.

Plus we can't defend crosses and he's the best header of he ball we have. That's just fact and can't be waved away.

Does anyone really dispute he's great at defensive headers though?

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

It's been lovely not seeing him play much for Utd since Ole took over.

 

[stevoc]

Found that article and read it a few hours ago

=====

And just found this amongst my 100's of bookmarks, not what i'm looking for, but some insight into his time at Standard and why he was so highly rated:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/f...-on-Sunday-but-what-sort-of-player-is-he.html

Not all about Fellaini i hope

 

[RedDevil@84]

Looks like Ole is still figuring out how to utilize him in the game. If Valencia can have a look in, Fellaini deserves one as well.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Looks like Ole is still figuring out how to utilize him in the game. If Valencia can have a look in, Fellaini deserves one as well.

We don't need to utilise him in a game though.

We're playing attractive fast attacking football, he would ruin that.

 

[shamans]

I see the usual anti Fellaini brigade is in town. We will see Ole using him soon enough.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I see the usual anti Fellaini brigade is in town. We will see Ole using him soon enough.

I doubt anyone hates him - he just isn't the right fit for us that's all.