Manchester United set for Sydney

[bulldogmariner]

A FRANTIC bidding war is underway between NSW and Victoria to entice Manchester United to play a match in Australia as a result of the Jakarta bombings.

The Premier League champions were due to play in Indonesia on Monday night but have cancelled the game as a result of the terrorist strike.

Manchester United had been due to stay at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, in Jakarta, which along with the JW Marriott, were targeted by the bombers.

Both Events NSW and Victoria Tourism were last night involved in high-level talks with Football Federation Australia in a bid to lure the Red Devils Down Under at short notice.

Sydney FC will play Manchester United if the game goes ahead in Sydney, while Melbourne Victory will host them if Victoria wins the bid.

The Daily Terrorgraph understands Manchester United have been offered $2 million to play the game in Sydney at Homebush on Wednesday night.

ANZ Stadium officials and Ticketek were last night preparing a contingency plan to sell tickets from today if an agreement can be reached.

 

[mariners4ever]

Football Federation Australia has failed with an audaccious plan to lure Barclays Premier League champions Manchester United to Australia.

United were due to play an Indonesian Super League XI on Monday, but they were forced to cancel the game following Friday's terrorist strike in Jakarta.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side were booked to stay at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Jakarta, which was attacked, along with the JW Marriott, by bombers.

Following the postponement of the game, FFA approached United with an offer to stage a last-minute fixture in Sydney or Melbourne against A-League champions Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC.

But logistical issues put paid to the plan, with United chief executive David Gill revealing on the club's website that the team wanted to remain in Kuala Lumpar, where they are playing a Malaysian XI on Saturday.

The FFA approach was discussed by both parties, but the English giants' desire to return to Malaysia straight after the fixture was not seen as a feasible option.

"We were planning to pull out all the stops for it to happen, as it would have been an attractive fixture for fans and for Sydney FC or Melbourne," FFA director of communications Bonita Mersiades said.

"However, their commitments meant the game could only be played on Monday, which we were willing to organise, but there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing on their side so unfortunately it wasn't possible."

Events NSW and Victoria Tourism had been involved in high-level talks with FFA in the bid to lure the Red Devils Down Under, with United understood to have been offered $2 million to play the game at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

 

[dibo]

Welcome to the internet - where your big scoop can be outdated well before you get the chance to post it.

 

[Sym]

no loss rly

 

[FFC Mariner]

Big soul less stadium full of people in replica shirts who have never seen them play before. Who sit mute for the whole game (plus James)

might as well be at OT really..........

 

[serious14]

Big soul less stadium full of people in replica shirts who have never seen them play before. Who sit mute for the whole game (plus James)

might as well be at OT really..........

Saw what you did there.  Snarled a little bit, but then I chortled.  ;D

Shame they couldn't get them here, would have been quite awesome.

 

[FFC Mariner]

and the tickets would have easily sold in time

 

[bill gates]

marinersd are the worstg team in the comp they havent won a game in so long its not funny aye they suck so bad

 

[Part_Timer]

finally a truth merchant