In this most unpredictable of BPL seasons, the top four clubs battled it out in a pair of enthralling FA Cup ties last weekend. Meanwhile, the current champions were sunning themselves by the pool in Dubai. Not sure that was in the global expansion blueprint drawn up by the Glazer family. Nor, as their annus horribilis of a season wore on, would changing course and sitting down with Sir Alex Fergusons least popular person in football. Paul Stretford, Wayne Rooneys agent. Late last summer CEO Ed Woodward, without naming any player in particular, specified a willingness from the club to run player contracts through its term. These comments occurring as Chelsea were readying a second bid to sign Rooney who was going into the penultimate season of his current contract. Earlier Friday afternoon, and not long after a victorious Canadian mens team left the Sochi ice, Manchester United announced Rooney has committed himself to the cause through 2019. Stretford has played another blinder. It was only three years ago Rooney threatened to walk out of a club he saw did not meet his own ambitions. A few tears shed by Fergie in a pre-match conference and before you knew it, a brand new extended contract for Rooney making him the highest paid player in the globes most popular league. This latest deal is reported to be paying Rooney £300,000 ($525,000) a week, every week through June 2019. Factor in the image rights, something in the region of $150 million in total has been invested in the 27-year old. Its hard to tell though if this is a statement of intention or an insurance policy to ensure they convince some of the worlds very best that this season at Old Trafford is merely an aberration. This for a club thats currently battling it out with the likes of Newcastle and Everton for the BPLs sole spot in next seasons Europa League. Whilst the season on the pitch has lurched from one inept performance to the next embarrassing home defeat, the business of Manchester United Football Club has thrown up mixed blessings. Just last week the club released its latest financial report. As much as worldwide revenue continues to grow this has to be offset with the fact Bayern Munich recently replaced Manchester United from a podium spot on the annual Deloitte Football Rich List. Additionally, it is no coincidence that as the season has worn on, the price of the clubs shares on the New York Stock Exchange has reflected the dramatic fall of where Manchester United currently sit in the table. On the eve of the champions opening up their campaign August 17 (where they spanked Swansea 4-1) the share price stood at $17.41. Earlier today, the price was trading as low as $14.32. Over the course of the season this represents a fall in price closing in on 20 percent. One London-based bookmaker is currently offering odds of 12-1 the price will dip below $10 before seasons end. With that outlook, even the most ardent Manchester United supporters in the country wont be asking their financial advisor to include ticket symbol MANU in their portfolio this RRSP season. Not all of Manchester Uniteds misfortune can be laid squarely at the door marked manager. The failure of the club to reinvest their record breaking revenues in an aging squad has come to fruition this season. Manchester United has fallen way short in the transfer market throughout the Glazer tenure, which dates back to spring 2005. Added to this, and much more of a key indicator when it comes to where clubs finish in the BPL standings, is an unwillingness to match the player salary marks of a Manchester City or Chelsea. Over the House of Glazer era, well in excess of a $1 billion has leaked out of the club in the form of interest payments and debt repayments. Yet only $500 million has been invested in the playing squad. Buying a Juan Mata per season does not cut it. Even in this UEFA Financial Fair Play era. Then factor in the 45 million mistakes that are Marouane Fellaini. The re-signing of Rooney will provide the same psychological boost as if the club has captured a world class signing. Like overpaying for Mata, it heralds just the start of addressing Glazers under-investment. Manchester Uniteds next big signing may well come off the pitch in the form of the clubs apparel supplier. If we are to believe recent reports, this could net the club $1 billion over a 10-year term. Only last month, Arsenal announced a massive deal with PUMA. Although no official figures were made available, one UK newspaper tagged it the biggest deal in PUMA and Arsenals history. Bayern Munichs latest victim receives close to $50 million a season from Emirates. It is well regarded Manchester United will not, like last summer, be chasing shadows in the transfer market come seasons end. They will though have to pay over the market odds for players. The international market for the very best is not a place for the faint of heart or light of wallet. At the table this summer will be a very forceful Sheik Mansour and Roman Abramovich and then throw in PSG owners the Qatari Investment Fund. And we havent mentioned Mr. Gallactico himself, Florentino Pérez. Just to make matters even more interesting for the Glazers bankers, history tells us a World Cup cycle is merely code word for luxury tax. What was $50 million in 2013 will be $60 million in 2014. The Pini Zahavis of the world rejoice even more every four years. With only 12 matches remaining in the season, Manchester United would have to go almost picture perfect the rest of the way to stand chance of clawing back the 11 points and a vastly inferior goal difference to Liverpools fourth place perch. Participation in Julys Europa League qualifiers is more probable. Going into Saturdays match away to a Tony Pullis rejuvenated Crystal Palace, the club sit seventh place in the table. If they remain in that spot come season end, to participate on the European stage next season Manchester Uniteds 650 million worldwide followers will have to cheer on Manchester City and Arsenal to domestic cup glory. Oh my how the very mighty will have fallen. In his last home match before hanging up the hair dryer, Ferguson addressed the 75,000 strong Old Trafford congregation post match and asked them to show patience for the new manager. Come May 3 - when United play their final home match of the season - lets hope for David Moyes sake he doesnt have to stand up at the final whistle and ask for their forgiveness. You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca@TheSoccerNoel TSN and TEAM Radio is your exclusive BPL radio home this season. Saturday we feature - Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United. Kick Off at 12:30pm et /9:30am pt. Mitch Haniger Jersey . But luckily for the Canadian squad, one goal was all it needed. Winnipegs Sophie Schmidt scored the winner off a Diana Matheson corner kick to seal Canadas third-place spot in the Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino in Brazil on Sunday. Robinson Cano Jersey .Y. -- Defenceman Ryan Murphy had a goal and an assist and Drew MacIntyre made 24 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-2 in an exhibition game Wednesday night. http://www.marinersrookiestore.com/Marin...iz-Kids-Jersey/. - Doug Kalitta led Top Fuel qualifying Friday in the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway with a 3. Ken Griffey Jersey .The Canadian teenage golf sensation announced Thursday shell join the LPGA Tour in 2015 instead of attending the University of Florida. Denard Span Jersey . 31-Feb. 2. While organizers havent decided if itll be red or green clay, they feel their choice of surface will give the Americans an advantage over Britain, which is expected to be led by defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.BOSTON -- The surging Boston Bruins said they werent fazed by Sidney Crosbys last-second goal. They proved it in overtime. Torey Krug scored 34 seconds into OT and the Bruins beat Pittsburgh 4-3 on Monday night, snapping a seven-game, regular-season losing streak to the Penguins in a matchup of the Eastern Conferences top two teams. Pittsburgh captain Crosby had scored with 0.3 seconds left in regulation to tie it. But the Bruins responded quickly. Playing with three forwards and one defenceman, they want right at the Penguins. "We were OK," Boston coach Claude Julien said of the late goal. "For some teams, sometimes it can be demoralizing. But I think this may have made us more hungry to go and try to win it." Krug won it with a slap shot from the left circle that beat goalie Marc-Andre Fleury past his left arm. Loui Eriksson and Reilly Smith scored first-period goals, and Zdeno Chara made it 3-2 with 5:15 left in regulation for the conference-leading Bruins, who are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Tuukka Rask made 28 saves for Boston, which beat the Penguins for the first time since December 2011. Boston also improved to 7-0-2 in its last nine home games, with both losses coming in shootouts. "Its tough," Krug said of the tying goal, "but weve got the guys and leadership where were not going to get down." Pittsburgh salvaged a point after pulling Fleury for an extra skater. Chris Kunitz fired a desperation backhander on net, and Crosby -- at the edge of the crease -- deflected the puck across the goal line behind Rask just as the green light went on. A video review clearly showed that the puck went in before time ran out. "Just hanging around the crease, hoping the puck would end there," Crosby said. Rask said it didnt distract him or his teammates for very long. "Youre always kind of mad about that, but we didnt let it bother us," he said. "We went out in overtime and took the puck to their zone and then scored a goal I think thats the sign of a good team that you dont get down on yourself after a goal like that." James Neal scored the first two goals for Pittsburgh, and Fleury made 20 saves. The Penguins, playing their third game in five days, lost for the sixth timee in 10 games.dddddddddddd "I liked the way, against this tough team, we stayed with the game plan and did come out with a tie after regulation," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. It was the first meeting in Boston since the Bruins completed a sweep of the Penguins in last seasons conference finals. Krug, skating in on the left wing, just wanted to get a hard shot on net. "A couple of times earlier I missed the net when I had good scoring chances," he said. "I just wanted to make sure hed have to make a save with his hands." Neal lifted the Penguins into a 2-2 tie with a rising wrist shot from the left circle that beat Rask under the crossbar with 8:51 left in the third. Despite being outshot 10-1 in the opening nine minutes of the game, Boston held a 2-0 lead after the first period. Both goals were set up by Carl Soderberg. Erikssons goal was a highlight play by the winger. He took a pass from Soderberg that was a little behind him near the Penguins blue line. He pushed the puck between his legs to his forehand, broke in alone, and tucked a backhander between Fleurys pads. Smiths power play goal made it 2-0 just 3:16 later. The Penguins hadnt allowed a power-play goal in six games, but Smith, cutting to the net, one-timed a pass out of the right corner from Soderberg nine seconds after Pascal Dupuis was sent off for hooking. After Smiths score, the crowd broke into chants of Fleury! Fleury! Pittsburgh cut it to 2-1 just 37 seconds into the second period when Neal fired a wrist shot from the slot that beat Rask stick side. NOTES: Former Penguins star Mario Lemieux was at the game. ... Pittsburgh beat Boston 3-2 at home on Oct. 30. The teams will meet one more time this season -- on Dec. 7 in Boston. ... The Bruins played highlights of New Englands comeback win Sunday night over the Denver Broncos before showing Patriots WR Julian Edelman, who watched the game from a luxury box, on the screen. ... Bruins defenceman Adam McQuaid (8th straight) and Dennis Seidenberg (3rd) were out with lower-body injuries. ... The Bruins scored first for the eighth time in 10 games. ... Penguins C Evgeni Malkin entered the game tied for the NHL lead in assists with San Joses Joe Thornton. He earned his 23rd on Neals goal. 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