The English soccer press will rue the day when Sir Alex Ferguson eventually retires. He is one of the great quotes left in the sport.
Recently, the long-time Manchester United boss said that he thought Arsenal's behaviour after Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a penalty with the final kick of the game at Old Trafford last season was "the worst thing I've seen in sport."
After the miss, several Gunners players surrounded van Nistelrooy and taunted the Dutchman. A photo of then Arsenal defender Martin Keown, face red and neck veins bulging to near bursting, taunting van Nistelrooy was plastered all over the press. The lack of grace was appalling.
Yet, Ferguson's comments were rich with hyperbole, as they so often are. Arsenal's lack of sportsmanship was worse than Eric Cantona flying into the stands to karate kick a fan? It was worse than when his resident goon, Roy Keane, seriously injured Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland with an atrocious above-the-knee tackle? An attack so savage it prompted a police investigation and one that Keane claimed was pre-meditated.
Anyone who follows English soccer knows to take Fergie's comments with a grain of salt. Apparently this one requires a pound of HCl.
1 comment:
Sir Alex should spend some quality time listening to Red Sox fans discuss their calm and rational feelings about the Yankees! He wants to see veins popping? Ask him to walk into any bar in New England and just casually mention, "You know, that whole A-Rod trade is really working out well for the Yanks. He's such a clutch player."
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