Premier League - Ferguson attacks Blatter

Eurosport - Tue, 28 Oct 14:59:00 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson has launched a vicious attack on Sepp Blatter, likening the FIFA president to an unhinged African leader and questioning his credentials to serve as chief of the game's ruling body.

FOOTBALL 2008 Manchester United Sir Alex Ferguson - 0

In an interview with GQ Magazine, the Manchester United manager spoke candidly about Blatter's comments on Cristiano Ronaldo's failed move to Real Madrid, in which he compared the 23-year-old's plight to that of a slave.

"I think Sepp Blatter is in danger, or has reached a point where he is being mocked within the game," Ferguson said.

"Whether he's getting too old, I don't know. But these things happen to people in power. Look at some of the despots in Africa. From a position of great power, he has uttered so many ridiculous statements that he is in danger of seriously damaging his credibility.

"When he came out with that stuff it created a furore and rightly so, the year after the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of slavery."

Ferguson said the Ronaldo saga is thankfully now over, but he remains aggrieved at the manner in which Madrid approached the situation and the underhand tactics they employed in an attempt to sign the FIFPro World Player of the Year.

"When we sold Gabriel Heinze to Real Madrid we knew it was going to happen, because Ronaldo is very close to Heinze," he said.

"I knew what they were doing. I don't believe they were interested in Heinze - good player though he is. The endgame was to get Ronaldo.

"What made it really obscene was that Madrid, as General Franco's club, had a history of being able to get whatever they wanted, before democracy came to Spain."

Ronaldo is one of a host of the world's best players Ferguson has lured to United during his 22-year reign, but he will leave Old Trafford regretting the one who got away.

The most successful manager in British football history has won 10 Premier League titles and two Champions League triumphs since his arrival from Aberdeen in 1986, achieved with help of inspired signings such as Ronaldo, Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney.

But even Ferguson can't always get what he wants. Along the way there have been players he has missed out on, and none hurt more than an enigmatic Italian whose move from West Ham fell through in 2002.

"Paulo Di Canio would have been capable of becoming a truly great player at Manchester United," Ferguson said.

"I mean, he was a great player, but when you have a player like Di Canio, who expresses himself as an individual, like (George) Best and Cantona did, and (Ryan) Giggs, Rooney, Ronaldo and (Dimitar) Berbatov do.

"We make heroes quickly here. Di Canio could have been in that category."

Will Tidey / Eurosport

Comment 89 - 108 of 108

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  1. Sapper you're a tool!.

    From Tomatoes, on Wed 29 Oct 6:43PM

  2. u are such a retarded @#$%.. go die, u devolved excuse for a @#$%

    From Constantinescu, on Wed 29 Oct 6:41PM

  3. Anybody who attacks Blatter is OK with me.

    From quatt47, on Wed 29 Oct 6:23PM

  4. sappercommando - do you sit at your computer waiting for an opportunity to put others down? Seems to me thats what you do.You may well be educated,intelligent and able to type on your own but others may not be so fortunate.You seem to take offence at this but offer nothing yourself in the way of imparting anything vaguely interesting with your greater communication skills.

    From richgscottuk, on Wed 29 Oct 4:44PM

  5. Ferguson is always a complainer. What is his problem?
    He will always pick a fight with whoever he feels is better than him.
    If he is tired, let him just retire and go home.

    From Sola, on Wed 29 Oct 4:41PM

  6. I'm glad, by what ever means, a premier manager has had the balls to speak out against the constant belittling of the English game, it's been going on far to long now from the powers of UEFA, every chance they've ever had they've banned us or critised us. Now the premier league is the league that footy fans around the world want to watch and make no mistake this is why the money keeps coming in, these people are getting jealous that there pockets aren't getting full.'cos no one wants to watch 10 Italians behind the ball anymore or 3 Spanish clubs battling it out for the title, OK you can say the same about the Premier league, with the big 4, but on any given day there is a chance that anyone can beat anyone, and it's bloody entertaining to watch, so I say Mr Blatter and Mr.Platini, go and study the blue print of the English premiership and try and make all leagues this @#$% good to watch, and if not stop your @#$% whinging!!!

    From Ruskyuk, on Wed 29 Oct 9:06AM

  7. john.cappleman,
    So what were you attempting to write then? Oh I see, you are a bit of a @#$% and spelling writing sentences is not your strength. Get your Grandad to type for you then if you are that thick.

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 29 Oct 8:51AM

  8. bratuclaudiu88,
    Get real you undereducated waste of space.

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 29 Oct 8:49AM

  9. bring ramos and mancester will be 18 spot. hahahahah
    come on liverpool
    come on rafa
    come on steven gerrad

    From Bratu, on Wed 29 Oct 8:45AM

  10. he mancester.............. he ronaldo............... mancester=trisorii(ronaldo)hahahaha
    come on liverpool
    come on rafa
    come on gerrard

    From Bratu, on Wed 29 Oct 8:41AM

  11. I strong agree with Sir. Alex! Cheer MU! Cheer Sir Alex - the best coach of the world!

    From Thang Ngo Toan, on Wed 29 Oct 7:36AM

  12. Are some of you living on a different planet?
    Man United is not a perfect team by any means, but they don't just try and poach teams for players without first approaching club management.
    When Fergie wanted Berbatov, he enquired about him to Shawn Levy, but Tottenham just made the whole thing worse which produced a supposed 'tapping up' scandal.
    And since when has Ronaldo ever wanted to leave.
    Haven't you read the latest thing he said along with Tevez who have said that they both want to stay at Man U for several years to come.

    And the ideas that Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini have?
    Those two have to go and they have to go now.

    And Real Madrid will never be the team that they once were. Never again.
    They were dominant in the 60's, 70's and 80's but since then, their dominance has never quite been the same. I'd like to see Real Madrid win the treble.
    I think only one team has done that.
    Oh that's right, Manchester United.

    From bradshaw.bobby, on Wed 29 Oct 7:35AM

  13. gwenzaldo,i am a die hard man u supporter
    You sound like a die hard idiot with a total lack of English Grammar. Fancy a few lessons? Ask your gran to teach you proper English.

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 29 Oct 4:56AM

  14. ferguson criticizing real... thats funny bcos all the great players he is talking about from Man u where snatched from other clubs by arm twisting tactics. he is retaining ronaldo against will also with the same tactics.. the old fool that he is... he calls blatter fool. Think of the statements this guy makes about refs, managers and clubs in premier league, then we know he has no right whatsoever to talk about others. CLEAN UP YOUR ACT OLD MAN BEFORE TALKING TO OTHERS

    From El Nino, on Wed 29 Oct 4:16AM

  15. ross.mcfaul,
    How many times do you feel the urge to send the same @#$% you ningcompoop?

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 29 Oct 1:51AM

  16. I thinks it’s at the stage where Blatter and Platini should be asked to resign, their discriminating and single minded views of the EPL is beyond farcical. When you hear them speak you can see the jealousy in their faces over the dominance of the EPL, and green isn’t a good colour on anyone…

    I’d love to see the CL trophy remain at Old Trafford but as long as it doesn’t leave England I’ll be a happy man.

    From olivercordingbooth, on Wed 29 Oct 1:44AM

  17. to comment 79!! mixi ur a completee idiot like. Do u have any respet for a man who has achevied slightly more than u ever have or will?? r u jealous of him or something?? Grow up and show some respect or dont bother talking at all :) toodles:)

    From ross.mcfaul, on Wed 29 Oct 12:45AM

  18. to comment 79!! mixi ur a completee idiot like. Do u have any respet for a man who has achevied slightly more than u ever have or will?? r u jealous of him or something?? Grow up and show some respect or dont bother talking at all :) toodles:)

    From ross.mcfaul, on Wed 29 Oct 12:45AM

  19. to comment 79!! mixi ur a completee idiot like. Do u have any respet for a man who has achevied slightly more than u ever have or will?? r u jealous of him or something?? Grow up and show some respect or dont bother talking at all :) toodles:)

    From ross.mcfaul, on Wed 29 Oct 12:45AM

  20. to comment 79!! mixi ur a completee idiot like. Do u have any respet for a man who has achevied slightly more than u ever have or will?? r u jealous of him or something?? Grow up and show some respect or dont bother talking at all :) toodles:)

    From ross.mcfaul, on Wed 29 Oct 12:45AM
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