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Alex Ferguson interview: The Manchester United boss on Rafa Benitez’ rant, Gazza and his best ever United XI
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spilled the beans on football, management and his ‘biggest mistake’ in an interview with Alistair Campbell in the latest issue of the New Statesman magazine.
Fergie, who features on the cover of the magazine alongside Campbell, says that his biggest mistake in football was letting go of defender Jaap Stam and that his biggest disappointment was not signing Gazza.
“He was a fabulous footballer and he would have done brilliantly here,” says Ferguson.
In the revealing interview he goes on to talk about Rafa Benitez’s amazing anti-Manchester United rant earlier this season - “Weird. I really don’t know what he was talking about. I’d be amazed if his staff or his players thought it was a good idea” - and says he doesn’t rate Rafa Benitez as one of the Premier League’s top three managers.
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“You’d have to say Arsene Wenger, David Moyes and Martin O’Neill.”
When quizzed about his dream United XI from his time in charge of the club he says: “My problem is I have had so many great players that I can’t do one dream team. I ask myself who were the players you could not leave out. Roy Keane, Scholes, Giggs - [I would] never, ever leave him out if I was playing my best team. Ronaldo and Cantona are both ‘never leave out’ players. You’d have Beckham knocking on the door. As for Rooney, if I left him out, I’d have to do it by email or I’d never hear the end of it. God, when you go through it like that, I have been blessed with terrific players.”
He also describes Pelé, Alfredo Di Stefano, Diego Maradona and Johan] Cruyff as the best footballers he’s ever seen
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spilled the beans on football, management and his ‘biggest mistake’ in an interview with Alistair Campbell in the latest issue of the New Statesman magazine.
Fergie, who features on the cover of the magazine alongside Campbell, says that his biggest mistake in football was letting go of defender Jaap Stam and that his biggest disappointment was not signing Gazza.
“He was a fabulous footballer and he would have done brilliantly here,” says Ferguson.
In the revealing interview he goes on to talk about Rafa Benitez’s amazing anti-Manchester United rant earlier this season - “Weird. I really don’t know what he was talking about. I’d be amazed if his staff or his players thought it was a good idea” - and says he doesn’t rate Rafa Benitez as one of the Premier League’s top three managers.
Advertisement - article continues below »
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“You’d have to say Arsene Wenger, David Moyes and Martin O’Neill.”
When quizzed about his dream United XI from his time in charge of the club he says: “My problem is I have had so many great players that I can’t do one dream team. I ask myself who were the players you could not leave out. Roy Keane, Scholes, Giggs - [I would] never, ever leave him out if I was playing my best team. Ronaldo and Cantona are both ‘never leave out’ players. You’d have Beckham knocking on the door. As for Rooney, if I left him out, I’d have to do it by email or I’d never hear the end of it. God, when you go through it like that, I have been blessed with terrific players.”
He also describes Pelé, Alfredo Di Stefano, Diego Maradona and Johan] Cruyff as the best footballers he’s ever seen
Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates with his Manchester United players after their unforgettable European Cup win in 1999
Rafael Benitez and captain Steven Gerrard celebrate after winning the European Cup in Istanbul in 2005
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Suits you: Benitez is on a high after a fantastic week
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