Manchester
United were in Bucharest last night for their Group C match in the UEFA
Champions League. Their opponents were Otelul Galati – the surprise
winners of last years’ Romanian championship, and an historic club from
the steelworks in the town of Galati, close to the Danube Delta in
eastern Romania.
It was a great game. Manchester United will have been happy to return home with three
points, scoring two penalties to win. Contrary to some expectations,
this was no walk-over. Otelul may not have Manchester United’s fame or
fortune, but under their inspired manager Dorinel Munteanu they took the
game to the Red Devils and really impressed with their determination
and their attacking play.
The
press have been full of the contrasts between these two sides – that
Manchester United earn more in a year than Otelul in a century, that
Otelul’s players earn in a year what Man U’s earn in a week. I liked the
story about the mid-fielder Gabriel Paraschiv who went to the manager
and asked for a pay cut of 30% last season because his
performance hadn’t been good enough. That’s an example to this industry!
But on the pitch, it’s not about the money. It’s about two teams
playing a sport and entertaining a crowd. And we got great entertainment
last night.
The
other thing that impressed me was the new National Stadium. This was my
first visit. It is a wonderful building. Walking in the door is like
walking into a top-grade conference centre. Walking into the stadium you
immediately feel the atmosphere of a great game. It is a worthy
national arena for the beautiful game.