Source: Daily_Mail
On tour with Manchester United: We're going to need a bigger plane!
It's fair to say you're not travelling light when you can't all fit on a Boeing 777, and Manchester United would certainly appear to be mob-handed over here in the United States. [LNB]Besides a healthy touring party of players that was boosted by the arrival in Seattle of David De Gea, Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling over the weekend, United have the usual entourage of coaches, medical experts, technical staff, kit men, bodyguards and chefs. [LNB] Leader of the pack: Sir Alex Ferguson has brought with him an array of experts for on and off the pitch[LNB]Then there's MUTV and staff working for the club website, not to mention Old Trafford ambassadors Paddy Crerand,Bryan Robson and Denis Irwin. And when United launched their new away kit at the Nike store in Seattle, matchday announcer Alan Keegan also put in an appearance to conduct proceedings for the hundreds of fans whohad queued down Sixth Avenue to get a look at Nemanja Vidic and Ji-SungPark. [LNB]This seemed particularly excessive when you think any number of people could have done it. Former BBC 5Live commentator Arlo White, now 'The Voice of the Seattle Sounders', certainly did a more than capable job as comp?re United's media conference when they touched down in Washington state last week. [LNB]It all adds up to something of a logistical nightmare, with United's travelling show making five stops on tour as well as yesterday's day trip to train at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. [LNB] United we stand: It isn't quite like Asia, but the fans have still come out to support their team[LNB]In fact, when the Premier League champions leave Seattle for Chicago on Thursday, not everyone will be able to fit on the club's official Turkish Airlines plane, with some forced to take other domestic flights. By the time Javier Hernandez joins up with the party in New York, there's every chance they'll have to stick him in the toilet. [LNB]'When I started at 32, all I had was a physio,' said Sir Alex Ferguson the other day, perhaps reminiscing fondly on his time at East Stirling, St Mirren and Aberdeen when pre-season involved a quick bus ride down the road to Stenhousemuir.[LNB]Ferguson was in relaxed mood as he spoke at length to the media at United's team hotel after watching the US lose Sunday's Women's World Cup Final to Japan on penalties. [LNB] Demanding schedule: The superstars are the main attraction, but they come with a support cast of many more[LNB]He talked widely about the title challenge from Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal this season, as well as having to face yet another new Chelsea boss in Andre Villas-Boas, a man less than half Ferguson's age as he approaches his 70th birthday in December. [LNB]Fergie did not seem unduly perturbed by United's failure so far to bring in a replacement for Paul Scholes - notably Inter Milan's ?35m-rated Wesley Sneijder - but it would be highly surprising if that situation did not change before the start of the new Premier League season. Nor was he daunted at the prospect of trying to close the gap on European champions Barcelona. [LNB] Lads on tour: Manchester United are enjoying a busy pre-season camp across the pond[LNB]Outside, the daily presence of United's heavily-branded team bus parked in front of their hotel smack bang in the middle of Seattle is a reminder not only that the English champions are in residence, but also that United can operate relatively freely in this part of the world without any of the hullabaloo that greets their presence on similar trips to Asia. [LNB]Indeed, their next game against the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday warranted just one paragraph in the local Sunday newspaper, even though the usual capacity of 37,000 for Major League Soccer fixtures here will be almost doubled for Wednesday's game at CenturyLink Field. [LNB]Then it will be time to pack up and move on again. Just don't expect it to be a quick exit. [LNB] CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL GAMEFabregas to say adios to Arsenal... and he could make Barca debut against United!Robbo TV sting: United legend under fire inclubs-for-sale investigationUnited spree doesn't scare us, says upbeat Frank as Chelsea bid to reclaim titleAll the latest Manchester United news, features and opinion[LNB]
