Username
Password
CL Final - What they Say Pt 3: Terry, Ferguson
By dixon9 May 19 2008
The build up for the Champions League Final in Moscow on Wednesday evening commences with a short series of selected quotes from the players, managers, pundits and writers. This PART 3 selection includes comments from Drogba, Ferguson, Terry, Souness

Michael Ballack:

"I was at Leverkusen and we were five points ahead in the league with three games to play and had reached the Champions League final.  But we managed to still come second in the Bundesliga and then we lost the Champions League to Real Madrid.”"We lost the German Cup that year, too, and then Germany lost in the World Cup final against Brazil, so this is a golden opportunity to put it right."

"I said before the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool that I think we still look good and fresh as a team. We coped with playing 120 minutes in that game and scored two goals in extra-time.  So I think it shows that we have a very good level of physical strength in this team. The final of the Champions League is one game so it is all in our hands."

Mikel John Obi, Chelsea



Mikel:

Everyone thought I was lying, everyone thought I was trying to come to Chelsea because of the money but it wasn’t like that. I believe that things should be done the right way and if they are not, I don’t want any part of it. If things had been done the right way, I would have gone to United. Why not? They’re a big club. But things weren’t done right and now everyone knows, so thank God for that.

Avram Grant:

“I don't like shouting at players. I would rather just speak to them, get into their brain. I have shouted, once or twice, but it does not make me feel proud when I need to frighten people.”

“It's better to talk. If you look at Ferguson I think he has changed over the years. I knew him 20 years ago and he's different now, friendly with the players and everything. As long as the players know that you are the boss and they are willing to give everything in training it is easy to have a good relationship with them. It is not necessary to be a dictator any more. That's how I started out, but players are more professional now, you don't need it. Football has changed. Society has changed.

Didier Drogba:

“I have a lot of admiration and respect for Nicolas.  He came to England very young and had to prove himself in a very demanding League.”

"I'm a bit disappointed we've not been able to play together all that often since he arrived from Bolton in January.  But given the chance we can do a lot of damage. Hopefully that will be the case against United.”

“The game, as ever against United, will be tough. But if we do not win, this season will be a huge black mark on my career.  It will be the first time I've not won a single trophy with Chelsea."

Steve Tongue, Independent:

Poor Ranieri blew his chance by throwing away the tie though club officials had been turning against him long before that and Jose Mourinho twice suffered the humiliation of defeat at the same stage by Liverpool. When Chelsea were deservedly 1-0 down with a minute to play at Anfield in this season's semi-final, Abramovich must have been musing on the Russian equivalent of "always the bridesmaid, never the bride". But John Arne Riise's subsequent own goal tipped the balance, and so it is Chelsea, frequently reminded by Liverpool fans that "you ain't got no history", who will take on United on Wednesday with an opportunity to make some at last.

Petr Cech:

"They have already got one trophy and we don't want to see them celebrating again.”

Terry, Chelsea

John Terry:

"We have lost the league but we still have the biggest trophy of them all. Hopefully we can go to Moscow and bring it home for the Chelsea fans. It's easy for me now to say that's the medal that I want but it is the one that is missing from my list."

Sir Alex Ferguson:

"We didn't get a lot of decisions this season. This is about next Wednesday and that's why Avram is talking that way. I don't think it's about last Sunday, I think it's about next Wednesday, maybe even next season.”

Graeme Souness:

On the one hand I have tipped Chelsea to win this competition from the start of the season. They are perfectly equipped for these kind of games. On the other hand, this United team have really grown up this season. In the past there have been elements of naivety to United in Europe, often succumbing to frustration. But the patience with which they negotiated Barcelona in the semi-final has convinced me they're on the right path.

There is no mystery between these two teams. They know each other inside out, so I think it will come down to who can better subdue the opposition's match-winners.

Derick Allsop:

The seamlessness of the Abramovich era has been uncanny. Of the players who beat United in August 2004 Cech, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Wayne Bridge, Claude Makelele, Lampard and Drogba are liable to be on view tomorrow or at the Luzhniki stadium. If Chelsea realised on that afternoon four years ago that they were equipped for the long term, Sir Alex Ferguson would have understood that the overhaul at Old Trafford needed to verge on the comprehensive.

It is bemusing to look at United's 2004 selection. Liam Miller, Eric Djemba-Djemba and John O'Shea were all in midfield while Roy Keane served as the most reluctant of centre-halves. Just one person from that side is sure of starting the Champions League final and Paul Scholes, 34 in November, will be taking nothing for granted thereafter.

While Chelsea were taking the title in 2005 and 2006, Ferguson was labouring over his response. When United regained the Premier League a year ago it was their first silverware since the 2004 FA Cup.

The trouble is that the team is neither ineffective nor decrepit. Makelele, at 35, is the one person stored away for special occasions. It would be folly to jettison established players when Chelsea, since the summer of 2004, have been beaten only twice by United over 11 meetings in Premier League, FA Cup and Carling Cup. Nobody would be much surprised if this group lands the Champions League  

Bookmark or share this story with:

Goto Thread: Previous•Next
Goto: Message List•New Topic•Search•Log In
Goto Thread: Previous•Next
Goto: Message List•Log In

Goto: Message List•Search•Log In
Your Name: 
Your Email: 
Subject: 
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically. If the code is hard to read, then just try to guess it right. If you enter the wrong code, a new image is created and you get another chance to enter it right.
CAPTCHA
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net
£25 free bet with Paddy Power