Dr Bolouswki
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You have to laugh, he realy is an awful little man
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Sir Alex Ferguson hits out at 'embarrassing' Manchester City• Ferguson says City have 'got carried away' by sudden wealth
• City supporters 'embarrassed' by club's actions
Share18 Daniel Taylor guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 9 November 2010 22.45 GMT Article history
Sir Alex Ferguson has criticised Manchester City for 'screaming from the rooftops' without winning anything. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Sir Alex Ferguson has derided what he perceives to be Manchester City's habit of "screaming from the rooftops" since coming into the immense wealth of the Abu Dhabi United Group and questioned whether some of the club's supporters were "embarrassed" by the way those in charge at Eastlands had conducted themselves.
Ferguson, in typically provocative mood ahead of the first Manchester derby of the season, was almost certainly referring to City's chief executive, Garry Cook, who was once filmed bragging to supporters about building "without doubt the biggest and best football club in the world".
Cook has curtailed his media duties after a series of gaffes but Ferguson believes the richest club on the planet have allowed themselves to "get carried away", and the Manchester United manager still holds a grudge about the "Welcome to Manchester" billboard posted after Carlos Tevez left Old Trafford to join City.
Ferguson said: "I don't know what created that – probably some advertising gimmick – but I don't think they can be proud of it. I don't see how they thought that would get more points off us as opposed to playing against us on a football pitch. I said at the time I thought it was stupid and they probably think that themselves now. I think it was probably worthwhile for maybe some of their supporters, but not all of them. Others will have been embarrassed. If you ask their supporters I think they would prefer to see a trophy paraded through the city before they start getting carried away like that.
"I mean, there was one City fan who put a tattoo around his body saying 'European Cup winners'. People get carried away. Unfortunately supporters are just as bad as directors. But I think a lot of their supporters would probably prefer to see a trophy paraded before they start screaming from the rooftops."
This is a theme Ferguson has developed before, at various times describing City as "cocky" and "all talk." YetMancini took great care not to utter anything even remotely controversial at his own press conference, the City manager saying: "We must have respect for the top teams like United and Chelsea, those teams that have won things in recent years."
Ferguson has made no secret of his dislike of the modern-day City and his tone hardened when it was put to him that the vast finances coming in from Abu Dhabi left United facing a considerable challenge. "Excuse me, but it was Chelsea who won the league," he said firmly. "That's our challenge. We have to chase Chelsea, and if you don't recognise who won the league then you're very foolish."
Ferguson's impression of the club he has described as United's "noisy neighbours" is not improved by the sense that Wayne Rooney had been made aware of the huge financial riches on offer at City before his recent contract dispute at Old Trafford. Ferguson said he could not answer questions on the subject because there had been no official approach, but it is widely known that Cook and his colleagues were optimistic of Rooney joining them. "That's them," Ferguson said when pressed further. "Don't ask me, Christ."
Rooney's fitness issues look like they could jeopardise his involvement in England's friendly against France next week - "He can be available only if he's fit and at this moment he's not," Ferguson said – but the bigger concern for United is the virus that has affected 10 of their players, and the manager himself, ahead of tomorrow night's game at Eastlands."I've no idea where to begin with my team, no idea at all," Ferguson said. "We've still got players out with flu and some were sent home yesterday so we're not in a great position."
The problem is exacerbated by a long injury list and, though City are not convinced by Ferguson's claims that Ryan Giggs and Nani will miss the game, Mancini could be forgiven for thinking this is a good time to face Ferguson's men. Mario Balotelli, who has lost his appeal against the three-match ban for his red card at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, is suspended, but City have no other injury worries, with Emmanuel Adebayor able to train today despite a sore calf.
United, though, are unbeaten in their past 24 games. "I watched Match of the Day on Saturday and they said we were hopeless," Ferguson said. "We had five world-class players out of the team [against Wolverhampton Wanderers]. We were playing with three players up front with only 30 games experience between them and we still won 2-1. I thought our result was a fantastic achievement given all the problems we have in the dressing room."