Atlético's Madrid's rock band lead singing, former goalkeeping assistant coach Germán "the monkey" Burgos was one man who wouldn't let himself be pushed around by José Mourinho, warning the Madrid manager: "I'm not Tito: I'll tear your head off".
A commander even asked one branch to put up a sign warning customers; the manager demurred, saying such a sign required corporate approval.
At 6 15 Friday, after several warnings, the manager turned off most of the lights, and still they shopped using available light.
He has also warned of the consequences of publicly disclosing pay and expenses among senior managers at the BBC, warning the corporation may struggle to recruit from places like the US "They won't put up with the degree of scrutiny of what is ultimately their private lives," he said.
At half-time Hungary's manager, Kalman Meszoly, berated his players for their complacency, warning the game was not over.
Not only were these signings woefully inadequate replacements but reports emerged of players turning up at the training ground with suitcases yet without any prior warning to the manager.
After the warning from the manager, they probably will tone it down to avoid getting kicked out.
Chinedu Obasi netted a well-deserved equaliser shortly before half-time – rookie defender Holger Badstuber, on for the injured king of own-goals, Martín Demichelis, had drifted out of position – but most of the TSG players had their "stamina warning lights flashing" (the manager Ralf Rangnick) after 70 minutes.
In recent months the Treasury has been beating the bushes, warning public managers that dark days are coming, that in the next spending period, the three years from April 2008, things are going to be tough.
But, records show, he had already filed a report warning top managers at the federal agency about the reporter's interest and sharing information about the injured man, a Guinean tailor named Boubacar Bah.
