Features

Managers say the funniest things

Author: Rose Young
Date: 24/09/2009
Football betting

Following last weekend's heated defeat at Manchester City and former striker Emmanuel Adebayor's stamp on Robin van Persie, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, said: "You ask 100 people. 99 will say it's very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes."

Wenger has been one of the best bosses in the managerial outburst stakes but we will have a run-down of some of the finer blasts from gaffers, past and present, and how they have entered football folklore for such endeavours.

Kevin Keegan, Newcastle manager, April 1996 - The poodle-permed former England and Newcastle saviour threw his toys out of the pram during their ill-fated 1995-96 title charge.

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Master of mind games Fergie suggested that teams such as Leeds United and Nottingham Forest tried harder against the Red Devils, much to Keegan's ire. He famously blurted out: "I'll love it if we beat them, love it!" Referring to Fergie's men, naturally.

Newcastle, one of the sportsbook favourites to win promotion from the Championship this season, held a 12-point lead but let it slip under the challenge of the Manchester giants. Newcastle have never been as close to domestic honours since.

Steve McClaren, England manager, March 2007 - "Gentlemen, if you want to write whatever you want to write, you can write it because that is all I'm going to say. Thank you. Nothing concerns me about what people write or say. What matters is what is on the inside."

This was the opening to Steve McClaren's strange post-match press conference at Barcelona's Montjuic Stadium following England's 3-0 victory over minnows Andorra.

McClaren's grammatical error-strewn passage didn't go down well with the public or press and simply allowed the red tops to slate the 'Wally with the Brolly' some more.

This game was part of England's disastrous European Championship qualifying campaign and, following the failure, McClaren was sacked.

Joe Kinnear, Newcastle manager, October 2008 - When Joe Kinnear sat down to address the media, nobody will have expected the response he gave them.

A foul-mouthed, 52-swear-word tirade was launched upon the trembling pen-pushers as a beleaguered Kinnear bemoaned the treatment from certain areas of the press following his appointment at the north-east club.

Kinnear soon apologised and the FA warned him over his conduct. Bubbly Joe admitted that this sort of language was part of his character and was formed by the environment he was brought up in.

Neil Warnock, Sheffield United manager, March 2007 - Warnock was left seething, once more, following Middlesbrough's defeat at home to Manchester City - who were locked in a relegation battle with Warnock's Blades.

The problem was that Boro boss Gareth Southgate rested three key players and Warnock felt this aided Stuart Pearce's City on their way to three points - despite Boro facing an FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United just two days after the clash.

Warnock said: "It's a disgrace. I know Stuart is a friend of Gareth Southgate's and I know they've got Manchester United, but I'd love to see Boro lose the next six games and see how they feel under that sort of pressure.

"I don't think a club like Middlesbrough should disrespect Sheffield United or Charlton or anyone else scrapping for their lives. They play West Ham on Saturday, that's another pal of his, so they'll probably not bother there."

Stinging stuff from the Yorkshire hot-head.

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