Eurosport - Tue, 15 Sep 12:58:00 2009
Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan has revealed the reason why he was sold by Manchester United - he refused to wear the right boots.
The Uruguayan struggled during his spell at Old Trafford, scoring just 10 goals in 63 league appearance before moving on to La Liga where he has enjoyed successful spells at both Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
It was not Forlan's shyness in front of goal that ultimately irked Sir Alex Ferguson - but rather an incident involving his boots.
"Ferguson wanted me to play with high studs, the interchangeable ones that suit wet pitches," Forlan told the official Champions League magazine. "But I feel more comfortable in low ones.
"I agreed to change boots, but I didn't. Against Chelsea, I slipped in front of goal and wasted a chance.
"Afterwards, I rushed to the dressing room to change boots. Ferguson caught me. He grabbed the boots and threw them. That was my last game for United."
Forlan did however say that Ferguson kept in touch with him after he left the club and that the Scot even offered him advice before a Champions League game against Arsenal.
The striker also said that he could have signed for Sunderland when they were managed by Roy Keane who he developed a good relationship with at Old Trafford.
"Roy Keane's charisma, his personality on and off the pitch - he's a gentleman. In training he'd explain things in a good way - and sometimes in a bad way, because it mattered," explained Forlan.
"When he was boss at Sunderland, he called me all the time to go and play for him."
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Comment 1 - 19 of 19
20. brianjr1989
Did you read back over what you wrote before posting it? I've tried to read it three times and still can't make any sense of it. Can you decipher it for me please?
its not his fault that fergie cant let his players who has played for united to wear what boots their can i mean its not a crime but even though it was long nut most people tried to think why their left their former club so if any1 think it is his fault then udont understan him or any former player of utd.
I can't understand all the hostility here. He hasn't said anything negative about United, he said he was shipped out because of his own refusal to do something that might have improved his game.
He was an honest player who tried hard and just didn't quite fit with United's style of play. He wasn't @#$%. He proved that with his successful spells at Villareal and Athletico.
As for driving Keane crazy, if that prevented Keano from signing a player he would never have signed Liam Miller, now would he?
I'll always have a soft spot for him because he came from Uruguay and made the scousers cry.
id forgotten all about forlan...who cares why he went everybody was glad he did
sounds about right, we all now what a miserable old sour-faced c u nt fergie is.
And I thought it was because you were s**t, there we are then.
I can't believe Ferguson has had a heart attack
Comment 1 sums this up perfectly
i WAS a fan but why have you come out with this now??????????????
The mind boggles !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wel to be honest im gald he cleared that up the sleepness nights iv had wondering why oh did fergie sell him on was it his choice of hair style or the kind of car he drove maybe it was his really bad choice of goal celebration not that we see many of those at old trafford havent slept right in all the days since he stumbles out the doors of old trafford for the last time. GOOD LAUGH Forlan you over priced south american goal frigid dim wit you were sold for 1 reason and a bloody good one you were about as much use as a female protitute in a gay bar. Your first goal for utd was a penelty that beckham let you take out of pity and you mhad the cheek to celebrate it like you scored it from 60 yards your 2nd goal a fluffed shot that ran between jerzy dudek when the sun waas in his eyes. Truth be told nimwit nobody cares why utd sold you we are all glad they sold you and cut our loses as for roy keane wanting you to play at sunderland i wouldn belive that for a second your the very kind of player that sends keano into a rage having you there would be some sort of punishment to himself for reasons unknown to the mortal world. Keano was and still is an ols trafford god ranking alongside Bruce Cantona Busby Best Charlton Giggs Schmichal Kidd Irwin and you my little love kitten are far from those greats grow a set and admit you were and still are not good enough to play in the premier leauge let alone utd.
Thanks for the nod on why ya screwed up...
Didnt know that about the boots...
But at least Fergie kept in touch...
Try and kick Van Persil on the other side of his ugly face eh???
Beats paying a few quit on a surgeon...
ian.mitchell74
i think you need to suckle your nanny sagging old 'puppies' so bad you 35yrs old deluded dog face!!!...grow up pal!!!..your mum would be utterly ashamed of you!!!...get a grip!!!..jesus!!!..
Ok Forlan nothing to do with the fact that you were outscored consistantly by midfield players namely scholes beckham and giggs. And selling you had nothing to do with with the fact that Utd had agreed to buy Van Nistelrooy from PSV, its like selling a skoda to buy Aston Martin. why don't you just say you couldn't hack the pace of the greatest league in the world with the greatest team in the world.
ferguson is a dog utd would be a much better side with forlan in there utd sc*m
it wasnt coz u were seriously cr-ap then?
So the boss told you to do something Forlan, and you didn't do it leading to an important mistake in a big game - of course your going to get the sack, what a mug!
This is stale news Forlan! It took u almost a decade to be man ,lol.
good old sally!
jeez forlan you're a little late in saying that. its to the point where NOBODY CARES!
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