FourFourTwo UK – October 2021

100 GREATEST GROUnDS In BRITAIn

From Ibrox to Adams Park, the finest matchday experiences ranked

SOL CAMPBELL

THE

nEW MILAn

“It’s hard when you’re not getting interviews”

RO

LUKAKU How a €115m

Inside the Rossoneri renaissance

hero crushed his critics

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RETURn OF THE KInG

Move over, Man City: Cristiano wants his title back

FERnAnDInHO • HARTE • PUSKAS • MAnICS • PAHARS

Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA Phone 01225 442244 Email fourfourtwo@futurenet.com To contact an individual, email firstname.surname@futurenet.com Editorial Editor James Andrew Deputy Editor Joe Brewin Art Director Anthony Moore Senior Staff Writer Chris Flanagan Chief Sub Editor Gregg Davies Online Editor Conor Pope Staff Writer Mark White Staff Writer Ed McCambridge Editor at Large Andy Mitten Thanks to Tom Chase, Andrew Murray, Huw Davies, Jon Crampin, Neil Ashton, Lloyd Webb, Nicola Pozzi, Susan Tomlinson, Beatrice Moro, Scott Demmerling Contributors Marcus Alves, Paul Brown, Caio Carrieri, Ian Murtagh, Sean Cole, Richard Edwards, Chris Evans, Emanuele Giulianelli, Andy Greeves, Martin Harasimowicz, Si Hawkins, Steve Hill, Louis Massarella, Martin Mazur, Nick Moore, Leo Moynihan, Andrew Murray, Gary Parkinson, Sam Pilger, Felipe Rocha, Paul Simpson, Jon Spurling, Tim Stillman, Ivan Tomic Photography PA, Getty, Offside, iStock, Reuters.

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WELCOME There aren’t many life mottos I try to live by, but one rule I’ve always believed in is ‘never go back’. Once something is over, it’s over: move on and look forward.

But as with all rules, there are exceptions – and the last transfer window showed us in two cases where going back could potentially be exactly the right thing to do.

After seven years, Romelu Lukaku’s return to Chelsea might end up being a perfect fit for player and club. And then there’s the small matter of Cristiano Ronaldo back at Manchester United after his incredibly successful 12-year spell away from Old Trafford with Real Madrid and Juventus.

We look at both and their grand returns for what promises to be a thrilling season. As someone without a dog in the fight, I’m excited to see how silverware will be divided among so many genuinely strong squads.

As mentioned on this page before, it’s brilliant to be watching football again with the stands full of fans – but the big question is: which is the best ground in Britain? While donning our tin hats, we attempt to answer that question with our countdown of the 100 greatest grounds. It certainly provoked a lively debate in the office, so I’m sure it’ll be the same for you at home...

WANT MORE? FIND US

HERE...

FOURFOURTWO.COM @FOURFOURTWO @FOURFOURTWOUK FACEBOOK.COM/ FOURFOURTWO FOURFOURTWO

James Andrew @JamesAndrew_ @FourFourTwo

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5 THINGS YOU’LL LEARN INSIDE Which former Liverpool centre-back recently set himself on fire

Which boss moved the opposition dugout to the corner flag

Which person received 1,000 roses from Cristiano Ronaldo

Which former Pompey player held a press conference in the nude

Which club was cheered on by more than 30 kangaroos

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Get FFT sent direct to your door every month for a one-year fee of £51 – with 13 issues published, you’ll make some great savings. Head to magazinesdirect.com and find FourFourTwo, or phone 0330 333 1113

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ASK A SILLY QUESTION

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YOU ASK...

FEATURES

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26 Cristiano Ronaldo: on a mission CR7 became a winner in his first spell at Old Trafford, and doesn’t intend to stop now. He snubbed Manchester City in the summer... now he wants their league title 36 Lukaku’s road to redemption Bullied in Manchester, revived as a £97 million titan at Inter 38 100 greatest grounds in Britain FFT’s definitive rundown of the finest matchday experiences our isles have to offer. Don’t hurt us...

Fernandinho on warring with Reds, Germany woes and more

UPFRONT 12 14 15 16 18 19 20 22 93

Wrestlers invade Enfield Town Darren Bent’s greatest matches The pensioner professionals Francis Benali’s cricket dreams Manics annoy Roberto Carlos Slovakia’s weirdest manager Test yourself with the FFT quiz Toni Duggan meets Messi 90

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FEATURES

AROUND THE GROUNDS

58 Inside the new Milan Baresi, Pioli, Tomori and more on a bold new era for the Rossoneri 66 Sol Campbell the manager “When you’re on the sidelines, it really tests your love of football” 72 The Ferenc Puskas diaries The Hungary icon immortalised his 10 commandments for glory 78 Steve Cotterill vs COVID Shrewsbury’s manager recalls his frightening dice with death 98 Luis Boa Morte’s Perfect XI

84 85 86 87 88 89

John Coleman talks Ken Barlow (Don’t) get yer programmes...

Best & Worst: Bolton Wanderers When Dioufy went to Donny Ian Holloway on player-bosses Plymouth: massive in Poland

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Marians Pahars’ Dell delight Ian Harte: better than Becks?

Quinton Fortune dodges Diego Jose Bosingwa’s referee rage

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ROMELU’S RETURN

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THE PLAYERS LOUNGE

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YOU ASK THE QUESTIOnS “When you’re 5-0 down after 30 minutes of a World Cup semi, your reaction is, ‘Bloody hell, what’s going on?!’ You doubt reality”

FERnAnDInHO F

ernandinho has come a long way. Now in his ninth Premier League season, not only will he lead Manchester City in their challenge to retain the trophy – his fourth and counting – but the 36-year-old is also on the verge of another achievement.

Having started the 2021-22 campaign only 14 matches short of Willian as the Brazilian with the most appearances in Premier League history, City’s midfield general will surely soon surpass his compatriot.

It’ll come as no surprise when he does. Conspicuous by his consistency over the Sky Blues’ golden era, and a highly influential character within Pep Guardiola’s star-studded squad, the Citizens captain has become a role model for the club’s youngsters – and also those much closer to home. The only time Fernandinho politely interrupts a long chat with FFT is to wrap a bandage around the shin of his 11-year-old son Davi, who is training with City’s academy. “Once he saw his dad doing it, then he started to copy, you know?” the City skipper chuckles, pride enveloping his angular face.

There’s plenty to get through. From being benched for City’s eagerly awaited Champions League final in

6 October 2021 FourFourTwo

May to almost leaving Manchester in the summer, via trophy hoarding, happy days at Shakhtar Donetsk and his puzzling international career, he’s ready to answer your questions…

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m guessing you didn’t want to be a defensive midfielder when you were growing up in Brazil?! Who was your inspiration back then?

Douglas Bell, Middlesbrough Funnily enough, beyond not wanting to be a defensive midfielder, I wanted to be a goalkeeper! Around the time of the 1990 World Cup, I was five years old and remember that [Claudio]

Taffarel was one of the most talkedabout players of the national team.

There was constant footage of him on TV and that grabbed my attention.

I was also one of the youngest among the group of friends on my street, so they put me in goal. I started to really like it, but eventually my dad had a chat with me and said it would be better for my future if I played outfield.

He was an amateur midfielder, so I changed positions and started to look up to him. Being skinny and quick enabled me to contribute a lot in midfield to the teams I played for.

[FFT: You met Taffarel years later when he became a goalkeeping coach

Interview Caio Carrieri with the national team…] Man, I was completely starstruck. I was like, “Bloody hell, that’s Taffarel!” [Laughs] I told him that I wanted to become a keeper and we had a laugh about it.

He said, “Thank God you didn’t...”

I once visited your hometown of Londrina, and was amazed to find red telephone boxes and other UK paraphernalia. What’s the story?

Lee Pethers, via Instagram The name Londrina pays homage to London – it actually means ‘little London’. If you look at the Londrina flag, it’s red with some stars. At the beginning of the 20th century, shortly before Londrina’s foundation, the region was an important route for coffee producers. History says that an Englishman got there on a foggy, cold day and compared its climate to London’s. That’s where ‘Londrina’ comes from. If you take an aerial photo of the city centre, the cathedral, the square and all that will look like the shape of the Great Britain flag.

I really miss those days. Every time I go back to Londrina, I meet my childhood friends for a coffee and we remember all the stories. On my very last day there before I went to Curitiba, aged 17, to join Athletico Paranaense, we got together for a pizza. A friend said, “I’ll get your autograph today because one day you’ll be famous.”

I autographed loads of pizzeria napkins, but I barely knew how to do it – I’d never given one before! Not long ago when I was back, a friend showed me this piece of paper with such a horrible signature. [Laughs] Thiago Silva told FFT last season that he enjoys flying kites when he’s in Brazil. Do you have any interesting hobbies like that? Are you a secret chess grandmaster, maybe?

Kai Watts, Prescot Sadly, I don’t know how to play chess.

I used to play draughts, but I wasn’t very good. It’s funny – when I’m back home, I want to do what I used to as a kid. Our group of friends were quite naughty back in the day. We used to go into people’s gardens to pick fruit, mangoes and oranges, from the tree.

At times people let the dogs out to get us and we had to run and jump over the walls. [Laughs] We were so naughty back then, man. I had this feeling recently when I was there and I picked some guava – it was so fresh

YOU ASK

CLUBS 2002-05 Athletico Paranaense 2005-13 Shakhtar Donetsk 2013- Manchester City COUNTRY 2011- Brazil

YOU ASK and tasted like my childhood. The only difference is that the tree was on the pavement, so I didn’t have to run away!

You scored the winner off the bench for Brazil in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship Final – but also got sent off. What happened there? @spursdab, via Twitter I’ll try to summarise. Brazil and Spain, both incredibly good teams, made it to the final. In the fifth minute, they had a player sent off, so we thought, ‘Wow, now we’re going to screw them up’.

But their main man was Andres Iniesta, and they gave us a lot of work to do. I was on the bench for the whole championship, but in the final I eventually got my chance. Then Dani Alves took a corner and I scored a header. It was an explosion of joy and I celebrated passionately.

Then our striker Dagoberto was fouled and tried to waste time, so the Spaniards came to argue with him. Us Brazilians went there to protect him –

“MY PERFORMAnCE AGAInST CHELSEA WAS SO GOOD, THEY USED FOOTAGE OF IT FOR MY VISA APPLICATIOn”

Kleber spat on one of their players, but from where the referee was watching he couldn’t see him. He saw only me!

I was like, “Ref, what happened?!

I didn’t do anything!” But he wouldn’t change his mind. That aside, my winning goal is a remarkable thing that’s still proudly etched in my mind.

Why do you think so many Brazilians have made a name for themselves in Ukraine, especially at Shakhtar?

‘Sunsetsinmyhair’, via Instagram First, the financial side is very attractive – not only for the player but the club negotiating with Shakhtar.

They can compete with clubs like Porto by paying all at once, done and dusted. Usually, they also can afford higher salaries than Portuguese, Italian and Spanish clubs.

Shakhtar are also very patient with young newcomers. They understand some players will need more time than others to settle, to develop and reach their full potential. My manager Mircea Lucescu was great at handling young talent. When I signed for Shakhtar, they had an ambitious plan

8 October 2021 FourFourTwo

of playing Champions League football every single season – then the bar got even higher, to reach the last eight.

We made it once or twice and won the UEFA Cup in 2009. Those achievements consolidated Shakhtar’s name, which made the club even more attractive.

Moving directly from Brazil to Ukraine must have been a brutal transition. What was most difficult?

Language, climate or culture?

Rich Esteves, via Facebook I got there when I was 20 and it was definitely a shock! I actually agreed my transfer with Shakhtar but stayed six more months at Athletico Paranaense. In the meantime, Jadson and Ivan, who were at Athletico until the end of 2004, joined them. There wasn’t WhatsApp back then, so I used to ring them and ask what the club and city were like. They said that the most striking difference to Brazil was the bonus for winning a match. “It’s 7,000 dollars!” they said.

Wow, that was a lot of money. Just to compare realities, in 2004 we fought for the league title with Santos

and our bonus was 900 Brazilian reais [£125 in today’s money]. I eventually moved there in July, which was Europe’s summer – the city was very beautiful. To begin with, the language barrier was a big hurdle, because I needed a translator for everything: to order a taxi, or basic things like that.

But the Brazilians who were already there helped me a lot, and over time I learned the language. I had a great time, I really did, which is why I lived there for eight years.

You, Willian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Luiz Adriano…. that Shakhtar team you played in was such good fun to watch. What made them so special?

Adam Lawrence, Brent We were young, talented and very ambitious, we wanted to make the club’s plan work, win big things and then get a transfer to a bigger club.

All of those factors were being guided by an experienced manager who’d been through so many things in football. Often our line-up featured

YOU ASK Clockwise from far left On target en route to UEFA Cup glory; Chelsea vs Shakhtar changed Fernandinho’s life; the City dream move; “Don’t concede eight, lads”

players who could be shaped by his vast knowledge and experience. It was a perfect match.

How important was your goalscoring performance against Chelsea in 2013 to moving to Manchester City?

Aaron Fenton-Hewitt, via Instagram No doubt it helped. That game against Chelsea in London was right up there among my best for Shakhtar. Willian was brilliant, too, scoring a brace.

And, man, that performance helped me get a working visa in the UK later – they actually used footage of it on my application. I’d been called up to represent Brazil but wasn’t getting many opportunities, even though I knew that I had the quality to play international football. I hoped that moving to a top league would give me the visibility I needed, so with that in mind, the ambitious Manchester City project suited my objectives perfectly.

It turned out Shakhtar didn’t want to sell me, as I had three years of my contract left. I talked to the director, the captain and everybody was telling me to enjoy my holidays in Brazil, but no chance. I got two meetings with the Shakhtar chairman – in the first, no luck. He offered me a new five-year deal and said I could get all the money in the first year whenever I wanted it, but I told him that wasn’t the priority for me. I was 28 and chasing the best for my career. They finally accepted City’s bid, but it was far from easy.

five or six Brazilians, so we played the Brazilian style and there was no language barrier speaking Portuguese on the pitch. We played for a long time together, too, so you understand each other’s preferences. Lucescu always emphasised that a lot. Sure, it was very cold at times but we had a lot of fun.

[FFT: Lucescu was clearly very, very well respected by everyone – why so much?] Because of his football story.

He had managed Inter Milan, Brescia, and made his name in Turkey as well

as his native Romania. When he got to Ukraine, Dynamo Kiev were the dominant team, winning titles with talented boys from their academy.

The turning point came in 2004 when he took charge of Shakhtar. He fell in love with Brazilian football when he faced that great Brazil side at the 1970 World Cup, and also played against Fluminense, Vasco, Flamengo – many at the Maracana. Later on, as Shakhtar had great financial power, the club could sign young, promising

You’re a combative defensive midfielder who very rarely gets sent off. What’s your secret?

Jake Mier, via Instagram That’s a tough one. Over the past eight years I’ve played under two different managers, each of them with his own style, and I’ve just tried to adapt my qualities to what they’ve asked. Thank God, in the first three years under [Manuel] Pellegrini and now with Pep things went well, and my displays helped the team to win titles. I don’t spend my time looking at stats. After matches, I head home to enjoy quality time with my kids, and then back to work the next day. Winning makes me happy, losing leaves me sad, but I don’t bother much about numbers.

What do you enjoy most about living in Manchester? If you had a friend coming over to stay with you, where would you take them?

Andrei Rydz, via Instagram Actually, I live outside Manchester, where it’s very calm and chilled. At times I’m at home and the only thing I can hear are the birds.

But Manchester is a great place with loads of things to do. There’s a great Science and Industry Museum in town, given Manchester’s huge role in the Industrial Revolution. We have the National Football Museum, as well. It really depends what you’re looking for.

A must is going to a typical English pub, right? So I think I would take this friend to Manchester’s oldest pub [The Old Wellington], which is right in the heart of the city centre.

What do you feel about the date of July 8, 2014? Brazil 1-7 Germany.

Rei Do Norte, via Twitter Nothing. [FFT: Nothing?] Nothing.

Obviously it was a tough day for every Brazilian – the fans and mainly the players, actually. Even though our performances weren’t at the best level, when it comes to the World Cup there’s always expectation on Brazil.

The national team hadn’t reached the semi-finals since 2002, the year we last won it, and we were on home soil.

Talking about it now, Germany’s team was clearly way better than ours. They’d been playing together for much longer, their manager had been in charge for years, so they were just better prepared than us. We imagined that having our fans there would push us through, but the match unfolded in a way that nobody expected. Not even the biggest pessimist saw that coming.

When you’re 5-0 down after 30 minutes of a World Cup semi-final, your reaction is, ‘Bloody hell, what’s going on?’ You doubt the reality. We were devastated and had to deal with heavy criticism, which is part of our job. If you look at that squad, virtually everybody turned things around at their clubs – many of us remained playing for the national team and had the opportunity to play another World Cup. Something like that can’t define your life personally or professionally.

How disappointing was it to only make the last eight at Russia 2018?

Reece Scott, Derby We were massively gutted, man. That was a big one. That time the team was very well trained and prepared. When Tite took charge in 2016, everyone was quite confident. Brazil went from being under pressure and possibly not reaching the finals, to qualifying top of

FourFourTwo October 2021 9

YOU ASK

“IT’S A WOnDERFUL FEELInG TO CAPTAIn THIS CLUB. I TAKE SO MUCH PRIDE In IT”

the group. Our confidence was quite high but knockouts are tough: if you win, you are the king, and if you’re knocked out, you are useless. I was watching highlights the other day and I didn’t remember that we had so many chances against Belgium in that game. Apart from Germany, who scored maybe seven out of seven, I’m not sure another team has created so many clear chances. What can I say?

We created many of them but didn’t put them in the back of the net.

Has Pep Guardiola been the most influential person in your football career? How has he improved you?

Cal Pattinson, via Instagram Man, although I was already 30 when we started to work together, he’s been quite influential indeed. Before he arrived, people were saying I was about to leave because I didn’t fit anywhere. But under him I took my game to a much higher level. It’s unbelievable the way he explains things – it’s just natural to him. You keep asking yourself, ‘Why haven’t I been taught this way before?’

Lucescu played a big part for me too, because of my young age back then, and going even further back, [former Athletico manager] Mario Sergio also played an immense role shaping me for how a professional should behave.

Tite is well worth mentioning about his man management too – I believe he’s the best I’ve worked with... just incredible. You guys don’t have an idea

10 October 2021 FourFourTwo

about who Adenor Bachi [Tite] is as a human being. If one day I decide to become a manager, I’d be the happiest coach if I can combine the qualities from all these great men.

What was it like being part of the Manchester City team in 2019 that won a treble? Was that the greatest team you’ve ever been involved in?

Josh Gratton, via Instagram Blimey, it’s never easy to pick the best side without being unfair to someone.

Too tricky, that one – I dodge this bullet whenever I can! With the treble team, we’d won the league one year earlier and wanted to truly consolidate our work. In football, that happens when you remain at the top whether with great performances or results.

So we set our own targets. United were the previous team to defend their title, in 2008 or 2009. And here we are talking about Ferguson’s time, right? When you achieve that, you start to think, ‘What’s next?’

To keep winning is an amazing feeling, so you want more and more.

The 2017-18 season was fantastic too – 100 points in the Premier League really is something. The Champions League quarter-final loss [to Liverpool] aside, our game was impeccable.

Perhaps we got to that point because it was the first season that Pep had the squad he really wanted.

The rivalry with Liverpool became fierce for a few seasons. What was it like to be a part of?

Danny Gregory, Southport The timeline is [Jurgen] Klopp joining Liverpool in 2015, Pep coming to City the following year, and their rivalry from Germany was moved to England.

Both teams played the best football of the league with absurd intensity, each side with their own quality players and a diverse range of characteristics that culminated in fascinating clashes.

I love playing in those matches. We know the historic rivalry is between

Liverpool and United, but City acted with stealth while United were sort of reeling. After our 3-0 away defeat in the 2017-18 quarter-finals against Liverpool, Pep set up with the boldest formation I’ve ever seen from him at City: a back three, with one holding midfielder – me – and the rest of the team all attacking players. We scored the opener in two minutes and totally dominated the first half. At half-time we went to a back four and lost [2-1].

I was good friends with Lucas [Leiva] and [Philippe] Coutinho, then [Roberto] Firmino, Fabinho and Alisson came.

Between us Brazilians we’re all like, “I welcome you to my place, we have tasty barbecues and a laugh, but on the pitch each of us will fight for our colours, mate.” [Laughs] I kicked Coutinho a few times but he’s so quick – what could I do?! Fabinho and I have had some interesting midfield duels, having a go at each other sometimes, but then we laugh about it. Respect is above anything else for us.

YOU ASK

HIGHS & LOWS HIGH: 2003 Scores 87th-minute winner as Brazil become youth champions LOW: 2007 Frustrated at Shakhtar as Dynamo Kiev claim league and cup double HIGH: 2009 Scores in every knockout round but the final en route to UEFA Cup glory LOW: 2014 Part of Brazil side devoured 7-1 by Germany in World Cup semi-finals Sadly, you got injured as Brazil won the 2019 Copa America. Was it hard to watch from the sidelines for such a major event?

Carlos Santos, London I damaged the medial collateral ligament of my knee in April 2019, so I missed the FA Cup final because I wasn’t 100 per cent. Then I joined the Brazil camp and the physios did a great job, so I was able to remain painless for friendlies and our Copa America debut opener Bolivia.

But when it came to the second match against Venezuela, I got the exact same injury that prevented me from playing virtually the whole tournament. Tite decided to keep me in the squad, saying my presence would help the guys, and I managed to be fit for the semi-final and final.

It was such an honour for me to be a champion with Brazil regardless of what happened in the World Cups and the Copa America in Chile [in 2015].

It’s what Brazilian fans care about –

HIGH: 2021 Aged 36, still integral for Man City and celebrates a fourth title titles, nothing else. I achieved that with an amazing group of players.

Which player’s ability has surprised you the most since being a Man City player, and within English football more generally?

Jacob Hughes, via Instagram Not that I didn’t know him – in fact, we faced each other when I was at Shakhtar and he was at Valencia – but it has to be David Silva. It was so impressive to see him in the flesh for several reasons: his technical ability, cleverness in positioning and reading the game, knowing when to speed things up and when to slow down.

There were no bad words to say about him inside the dressing room – no ego at all, no privileges. You can play with him for 15 years and won’t have a single problem with him. Here

Clockwise from far left Fernandinho lifted his fourth Premier League crown as skipper; “I’ll start you in the next final”; Silva surprise; Copa America success

at City and also at Shakhtar I was very lucky to have amazing team-mates.

I’m not sure how I would react if I had a load of pretentious guys with me in the dressing room.

I’m always interested to imagine how a professional player like you, who’s played at the highest level for a long time, deals with pressure. Do you ever feel it? How do you cope?

Freddie Burke, Blackburn Over the years you learn to manage these things better, and here in England the amount of matches you have doesn’t give you much time to think. You must be focused all the time. ‘This game is over, what’s next?’

What I usually say to young players is not to pay attention to what’s on the internet – don’t watch the news before the game, after the game.

When we made the team’s codes of conduct, one of the things was to ban phones before and after matches.

Otherwise, when the final whistle was blown, the guys would pick them up to find out if people were saying good or bad things about them. That will always be there: if you play well, people will say the sky’s the limit, but if you play badly, people will condemn you.

We should care about our players and all the staff who are behind us.

There’s so much work behind the scenes until kick-off, and that’s what we should value as a squad.

Everybody expected you to start the Champions League final defeat to Chelsea, which led to a great deal of criticism. What did you think about it? Did it really affect the result as much as many people said?

Fardan Fasya, via Instagram I expected to start, too! [Laughs] It’s tough to measure what impact that decision had on the final result.

Internally, we talk about how strong our squad is and how good the side will be even if Pep picks it with his eyes closed. Usually, his final decision is down to tiny details, depending on how he thinks this certain player will perform against this or that team.

I don’t believe the line-up was the main reason why we lost the match.

[FFT: How were you informed?] He gave his traditional talk the night before the match, and obviously I was expecting to be in the starting XI because I’d played the semi-final at home. I was completely ready for it. When I wasn’t named, the best thing that I could do was behave to a high standard and back my team-mates – we’d all come a long way to reach that stage we’d dreamed of. We wanted to finish the season with a flourish badly, which is why I motivated the lads as much as I could. I played for 15 or 20 minutes, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it.

It was brutal.

How close were you to leaving Manchester City in the summer?

Steve Lowe, Manchester Man, I was quite close to leaving – and that’s the truth. There was so much on the table to analyse, I was in deadlock.

That made me leave the decision to when last season was finished.

First, my priority was to have my mind 100 per cent on the team. Then I negotiated with only one team apart from Man City, which was Athletico Paranaense. They made a proper offer to me. My wife and I were like, “If we go back to Brazil, we will have this; if we stay in England, we will have that.”

When City offered me a new contract, we spent a few days at home weighing up both possibilities.

One of the key factors that made us stay is that we are applying for British citizenship, but it’s also a wonderful feeling to captain this club. I take so much pride in it. [FFT: So, will 2021-22 be your last season at City?] No, it’s still too early to say that. I don’t like to deal with rumours, and the only fact I have at the moment is that my contract is until June 30, 2022.

I don’t want to plan too many things in advance and then change it due to unforeseen circumstances. I’m no longer the priority – my kids come first.

FourFourTwo October 2021 11

WEIRD WORLD OF FOOTBALL

MEAnWHILE In… ...Enfield, WWE have made a bold bid to increase brand awareness – by sponsoring an Isthmian League side

1

“ER, WHICH ONE OF YOU IS OUR NEW GOALKEEPER?”

When a little-known organisation called the WWE were looking to get their name out there in the UK, their multi-millionaire executives gathered around a table and came up with a solution: what about a partnership with Enfield Town?

12 October 2021 FourFourTwo

Sure, the Isthmian League side aren’t Manchester United, but everyone knows that the [checks notes] Queen Elizabeth II Stadium is where it’s at. Quite an impressive ground name, to be honest.

Soon, young defender Jeremiah Gyebi was looking terrified as he posed for photos with Meiko Satomura and Dani Luna, while Levi Muir leapt about throwing punches. That’s definitely a straight red card.

NXT UK – the British branch of WWE – are based in Enfield, and they’ll have their name emblazoned across the club’s shirt this season thanks to a deal that was announced by wrestling legend Triple H. It’s unknown if Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin will be paying a visit, but the first game of the deal saw Enfield Town beat Brightlingsea Regent 2-0.

Those new chokeslam tactics really came in handy.

UPFROnT

2

JUST QUACKERS

When Wigan fans turned up for a match against Portsmouth, they didn’t expect to be holding a minute’s applause for a duck.

But that’s what happened after an online post announcing the death of a mysterious ‘Keith’. Many assumed it was Keith Valentine, a fan who has been battling cancer, so plans were made for a minute’s applause... only for it to become clear that Valentine was thankfully very much alive.

Instead, the big screen displayed a picture of Keith The Duck, the pet of a Latics enthusiast. Fans clapped anyway – given Hartlepool United are nicknamed the Monkey Hangers, we now wait to see if Wigan become known as the Duck Clappers.

6

HAVE A BEACH!”

The Beach Soccer World Cup made its comeback recently – in that most famous of beach locations, Moscow.

Following on from the last event in 2019 – held in Paraguay, an entirely landlocked nation – teams gathered on the shores of the Russian capital to duke it out for global supremacy.

Landlocked Switzerland (above) looked positively delighted to beat Senegal in the third-place play-off, although victory in the final went to the Russian Football Union – allowed to host the event, but unable to play under the name of Russia because of a WADA ban.

Nothing says ‘Beach Soccer World Cup’ quite like a non-nation winning in a city without a beach.

3

“ID, PLEASE”

7

GETTING ROWDIE

Julian Nagelsmann only oversaw his first game as Bayern Munich coach a month ago, but the job has already driven him to drink.

Despite beginning his managerial career when he was seven years old, Nagelsmann is now just about old enough to consume alcohol. He duly obliged, taking a break from the stress of managing Germany’s biggest side to don his lederhosen for the club’s annual sponsor’s extravaganza with the Paulaner beer company.

It did him good – two days later, Bayern thumped Bremer SV 12-0 in the DFB-Pokal, their largest win since 1997. Now that he’s legally an adult, he probably celebrated by getting a tattoo or buying some fireworks.

If you want to defeat the Tampa Bay Rowdies, first you’ve got to get past Ralph.

The green-bearded, crown-wearing fan leader stalked the pitch perimeter for the home game against Charlotte Independence – fearing his vengeance if they scored, the visitors lost 2-0.

Back when Rodney Marsh and Sam Allardyce played for the club, Tampa had a mascot called Ralph Rowdie, with gigantic arms and a handlebar moustache. The club folded in 1994, but a new team were formed 14 years later; their original mascot was a giant comedy sock, before they realised that was a ludicrous idea.

Now, a supporter has had a go at recreating Ralph for the modern age – Big Sam is already eyeing up the role...

4

FINNISH FIREBALL

8

THE TRUE GOAT

If you thought Sami Hyypia was living the quiet life these days, you’d be very wrong.

After a short career as a manager, the former Liverpool defender had a spell as assistant of FC Haka – but that clearly wasn’t enough excitement for him. Judging by his social media posts, he’s spent the past few months riding snowmobiles and motocross bikes, before taking his thrill-seeking to the only logical conclusion: setting himself on fire.

Hyypia performed the stunt at the Simerock Festival, donning a special coat to ensure he didn’t accidentally burn to death. Next: he swims through a tank of sharks, wearing Lady Gaga’s meat dress. What could go wrong?

The goat has finally returned – and we’re not talking about Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Manchester United.

It’s been a bad period for FC Köln’s Hennes the Goat: failing health forced Hennes VIII into retirement in 2019, 11 years after he’d been elected (yes, elected) as the club’s mascot. Hennes IX took over the mantle without the need for a vote or any hustings – just as well, goats are notoriously poor debaters – but he was then banned from the stadium for more than a year because of coronavirus rules.

Thankfully, Hennes was allowed to make his long-awaited return when Köln defeated Hertha Berlin in August, even chomping on some carrots to mark the occasion. You don’t get that sort of entertainment from CR7.

5

NAKED AMBITION

9

PSYCHO THE ROCK STAR

When Antwerp lost 4-2 to Omonoia Nicosia in the first leg of Europa League qualifying, their boss had a brainwave to rescue the tie.

Realising that mere tactics couldn’t possibly be enough – despite being the favourites, having reached the last 32 last season – their new manager Brian Priske plumped for the banzai option: motivating his players with a promise to do a press conference in the nude if they kept a clean sheet and made it to the group stage.

Antwerp won the second leg 2-0 and progressed on penalties, so the former Portsmouth defender turned up for his post-match media duties starkers. It’s best not to imagine what he’ll do if they make it past Christmas again.

Stuart Pearce has been to more than 300 Stranglers gigs – now he’s in one of their music videos, too.

The West Ham coach has long been a fan of the rockers and was invited to star in their video for This Song. “When The Stranglers make you an offer you can’t refuse... you can’t refuse,” Pearce explained, with unfailing logic.

The 59-year-old mouths lyrics while walking aggressively towards camera, as if he’s just taken a penalty against Spain. He takes a jacket off and puts it back on again – it’s all going on – and even gets chased by a group of blokes, although it looks suspiciously like he’s replaced by a stunt man for the leap off a building. He loves The Stranglers, but not enough to break his leg and miss Leeds United away.

FourFourTwo October 2021 13

UPFROnT

GAMES THAT CHAnGED MY LIFE DARREn BEnT 14 October 2021 FourFourTwo

BUZZING A Brazilian Serie D clash between Palmas and Guarany had a sting in the tail – the game had to be halted after a swarm of bees invaded the pitch

UPFROnT Newcastle 4 Ipswich 1 November 27, 2001 League Cup

“I’d made my professional debut in the UEFA Cup as a sub against Helsingborg earlier in the month, but hadn’t scored in either of my two appearances before we went to Newcastle in the League Cup. The match itself wasn’t memorable, but you always have a soft spot for your first goal. Alan Shearer scored twice, and Laurent Robert and Shola Ameobi also notched, which tells you the kind of team we were up against. I grabbed a consolation, but I was away.”

Ipswich 3 Sheffield United 2 February 8, 2003 First Division

“We were playing Sheffield United at Portman Road and 2-0 down just after half-time. To make things harder, we’d also been playing with 10 men for most of it after Pablo Counago got sent off in the first half.

We were up against it but still got a rollicking from Joe Royle at half-time, and the second half was just relentless – we were bombing forward. You wouldn’t have given us a chance but I scored twice, Darren Ambrose got the other and we came back to win 3-2.

By full-time, the ground was absolutely rocking.”

Sunderland 1 Charlton 3 August 13, 2005 Premier League

“Alan Curbishley had signed me for Charlton in the summer for £2.5m – a big move for me, as they were established in the top flight. When you join a new club, you want to hit the ground running – everyone always looks at your ratio and you want to get that first goal as soon as possible. Luckily I scored twice at Sunderland on the opening day, which was a huge relief. We won 3-1 and I ended up scoring in the next three games too. By mid-September we were second.”

Arsenal 4 Tottenham 4

October, 29 2008 Premier League “Arsenal were giving us a hiding and we couldn’t get near them. David Bentley put us 1-0 up, but we went 3-1 down early in the second half. Then it went crazy.

I scored to pull it back, but Robin van Persie grabbed another within a minute so we were staring down a barrel. There were two minutes left when Jermaine Jenas scored, before Aaron Lennon got a little tap-in to make it 4-4. I left Tottenham the following season, but that game was massive. I think it really signalled the start of a power shift in north London.”

Switzerland 1 England 3

September 7, 2010 Euro 2012 qualifier “I’d come on for Jermain Defoe in Basel with about 20 minutes left. Switzerland pegged us back to 2-1 straight away, but I popped up just before the final whistle for my first England goal. I picked up the ball outside the box and put it past the keeper. It was an amazing moment. I had to wait a while for it, mind you – I’d made my debut against Uruguay in 2006!”

Richard Edwards

“ALRIGHT, GRAnDAD?” Ronaldo may still be in tip-top shape at 36 – others weren’t...

Footballers lived differently in the 1980s.

Training was tough, pub crawls were even tougher and the only grooming products were Brut and Old Spice. No wonder they often looked like your grandad. But which players aged worst? Winston Gallagher has been on a quest to find out.

“The diet, booze and fags didn’t help,” says Gallagher, who runs popular Twitter account 80s Footballers Ageing Badly. “In the ’80s, they’d probably just started to live the football lifestyle more, all of that free time. And the ’taches – they instantly put 10 years on you.”

Gallagher’s life is now awash with retro ‘stars’. He started the account in 2019 after thumbing nostalgically through old sticker albums – “Scottish players particularly, I was aghast” – then launched a tournament while locked down. The gnarled contenders went head to head via Twitter polls, “and it took off in a way I could never have expected.”

He spawned a monster: 543,568 votes were cast for this summer’s follow-up, extended to include ’70s players. When one quarter-final – craggy Swede Sven-Gunnar Larsson vs Bristol City’s Brian Drysdale – was replayed due to a typo, “people really went to town, causing crowd trouble, throwing Werther’s Originals.

They can get quite partisan behind their men.”

The winner of last year’s inaugural prize was Nivaldo, a balding 29-when-photographed

Brazilian. “Loads of people changed their Twitter names to Nivaldo, a clay statue was made... someone else crocheted him.”

Former Bayern Munich striker Dieter Hoeness (top right) was among those ousted during tournament two, before ex-Saints skipper Peter Rodrigues (top left) defeated Giuliano Castoldi in the final – despite Henning Wehn tweeting his support for the Italian. “Anyone can look prematurely f**ked on a British diet – Castoldi did it on a Mediterranean one,” the comedian declared admiringly.

“I’m amazed the Scottish players haven’t won,” says Gallagher. “Which is so Scottish.”

Several players have been in touch – and some relatives, secretly. “Now and again I’ll get the son of a player saying, ‘For God’s sake don’t tell him, but check out my dad back in the day’,” he confides. “Kevin Ratcliffe got in touch about his, saying, ‘That’s not fair, it was a sunny day – I was squinting into the sun’.”

The Everton legend had a point, but it’s all good-humoured. A positive community have bonded over baldness and wrinkles. “It’s great seeing those conversations,” smiles Gallagher.

“I’ve had lots of messages from people having a rough time saying it was a little light.”

Perhaps it’ll produce a wedding eventually, with Nivaldo, Rodrigues and Larsson as guests of honour? Just stay away from the photos.

Si Hawkins

FourFourTwo October 2021 15

UPFROnT

ASK A SILLY QUESTIOn

FRAnCIS ‘BIRDWATCHER’ BEnALI

‘Iron Fran’ – Southampton legend, charity warrior – chats cricket, cannibalism and Springwatch Interview Nick Moore Illustration Bill McConkey

Hi Fran. You once part-owned Kuti’s Brasserie, a fine Southampton curry house – and we had the enormous pleasure of dining there circa 1999.

It remains the best meal we’ve ever eaten, so can we start off by simply saying thank you?

Hello. Of course! That’s great. I’m not involved in the business any more, but I was a massive fan of it myself. They kindly put the ‘Benali Biryani’ on their menu, which had a bit of everything in it. Chicken, seafood, the works – it was an all-singing, all-dancing curry.

If FFT ever part-owned a curry house, we’d need a winch to get out of bed.

How did you resist the temptation to devour a lamb bhuna every night?

I had to restrain myself, to be honest.

When I was playing, I had to be very mindful about how often I visited. It’s the same as you get older. I can still eat a couple of bowlfuls of poppadoms, but I’ve had to ditch all the starters.

These days I like a king prawn biryani, and my wife has the prawn dhansak.

Succulent. You’ve raised more than a million pounds for Cancer Research UK, so thanks for that as well. Which bits hurt the most after your various triathlon capers?

Oh, the hardest bit was the swimming, but my inability to consume enough calories really did for me – and at one point forced me into hospital. Dragging yourself out of bed every day in pain is incredibly tough, so it’s both physically and emotionally difficult.

Did your feet look like gnarled talons at the end?

They did. My feet have never been the prettiest. They’ve always been gnarled.

Nicely enough, I’ve not been running for a while and they’re almost looking normal again. I’ve been showing them off on holiday quite proudly.

“MY FEET HAVE nEVER BEEn PRETTY – THEY’VE ALWAYS BEEn GnARLED”

Lovely. Your name is an anagram of “Cannibal Fires”. If you were stuck on a desert island with your former Saints team-mates and the food ran out, who’d be eaten first?

It’d have to be a weak member of the team, or the manager – go for the top man. Or someone with an extra pound or two on them? My wife’s here, I’ll ask her. Who’d be first on the barbecue of all my old team-mates, do you reckon?

Fran’s wife, Karen: [Long pause] Oh my God. I can’t help you with that, sorry.

We’ve horrified Mrs Benali.

She’s unsure what kind of conversation she’s walked into here.

That’s understandable. Who’d be the ringleader of the cannibals?

That’s easier… Jimmy Case and Terry Hurlock. They’d be running the island.

What’s the meaning of life? Matt Le Tissier claims it is ‘have a right good time while you’re here’.

I think he’s right. Give it your best shot.

The key is to enjoy the journey. It’s like the challenges I do: you can be focused on getting from A to B, but you need to enjoy it while you go along. Don’t get into a blinkered mindset; you’ve got to take in the scenery.

Truth. You’ve recently written a great book, and there’s a quote from Chris Packham on the back. How did the Springwatch kingpin get involved?

Ha! I don’t know Chris well, although I have met him. He’s local to us and is a big Saints fan. I thought it’d be good to get a different angle on things. And I do like Springwatch!

What’s the best bird in Britain?

I love birds of prey, and there are loads of buzzards near us in the New Forest, but I’ve got a soft spot for robins.

Finally, do you have any odd dreams?

Karen: He woke me up and told me we were playing cricket, and to “prepare to be the best I’d ever been.”

Fran: When she asked, “Best at what?”, apparently I replied, “Batting.”

Absolutely baffling! Thanks both.

Cheers!

Francis Benali: The Autobiography (Bloomsbury Sport, £20) is out now

UPFROnT

SEX SCANDAL Norwegian side Brann’s dismal season has gone from bad to worse, after 12 of their players were caught inviting women to the ground for an orgy the credits of Match of the Day, it was that good. It was like a special effect free-kick. You know when Thunderbirds tried to make something go fast and you’d see the string attached to the missile?

It’s a bit like that. It goes so straight, it’s unbelievable. It’s the straightest free-kick that you’ve ever seen in your life!

I remember watching and just going, “F**k me!”

The Manic Street Preachers frontman on spotting John Charles after busking, disrupting Roberto Carlos’ family feast – and how Joe Allen nicked his haircut What was the first match that you ever saw live?

In my mind, it’s Newport-Colchester in the FA Cup in January 1979. There was an organised coach from our street – in our town [Pontypool] you either supported Newport or Cardiff – because Newport were on a little cup run and beat West Ham 2-1 in the previous round.

They played Colchester at the old Somerton Park and it finished 0-0.

The glamour caught me right there!

Who was your childhood hero and did you ever meet them?

Because my mum was quite a fierce Welsh woman, if there was a writer or a sportsman, she’d go, “He’s Welsh.” If I saw some Welshness in somebody’s name, I’d pick up on it. At that point, Liverpool were massive, A Question Of Sport was massive and I loved Emlyn Hughes [above], even though he wasn’t Welsh, but I thought he was because of his name. The first book I ever read on my own was Emlyn Hughes: Crazy Horse. I was fascinated with him. But I also remember seeing John Charles walking down the road in Cardiff. I was 16 and had been busking. I’m thinking, ‘F**k, that’s John Charles!’ Awestruck.

18 October 2021 FourFourTwo

JAMES DEAN BRADF NOTTINGHAM FOREST

IELD

the perfect cold temperature Grolsch. He knew his territory.

What do you like most about going to a match?

Me and Jeff Barrett [boss of Heavenly Recordings, who put out a few of the Manics’ early singles] used to go and watch Nottingham Forest a lot in the mid-90s. I liked getting the train with him, seeing how messed up he was when I met him at the station, seeing how much damage he’d done himself on a Friday night, and then getting the train up there. We’d have a good chat, a beer on the train, and you knew you were in for a long day. I loved going to watch the Tricky Trees in Nottingham because it’s such a lovely setting. Jeff would always know a decent place to get a bit of food and he’d always know the pub with the best pint, that sold

How has watching football changed for you since you were a kid?

I’ve always been a bit of a football tourist – wherever I’ve been, I’ve gone and seen loads of matches.

I’ve been to Kenilworth Road a lot as our boss is a Luton fan. I love it because it doesn’t seem like much has changed. The last time I went, they had to wait for the ball to come down from the roof – that just doesn’t happen any more. Once you start going to Premier League grounds, everything feels completely different: the prices, the organisation, the food. To flip that on its head again, things feel the same again for me at internationals. I’ve obviously been watching Wales for a long time, and the Euros before last... those qualifiers were brilliant.

I felt like I was 10 years old again – the expectation was more than you could deal with.

What’s your favourite goal you’ve ever seen?

Easy: Johnny Metgod against West Ham in April 1986. It used to be on

Which footballer do you reckon would best fit in as a member of the Manics?

Joe Allen [below]. He stole my haircut from The Holy Bible: my slightly, nearly mullet-esque haircut. But Joe is such a dude. He’s a thinker who enjoys his music... good West Walian stock. He’s got a bit of flair, but realises you can’t have that on its own. I think Nick [Wire, Manics bassist] and Richey [Edwards, the band’s guitarist who went missing in 1995] knew you needed to do a lot of ditch-digging to make the glamour work. I think Joe would just be one of those utility players that makes any team work, and therefore the Manics.

What’s your favourite football book?

I really enjoyed A Season With Verona

by Tim Parks. And Calcio, A History Of Italian Football – a big, comprehensive book. I was a huge Italian football fan back in the ’80s.

What’s the most important piece of memorabilia that you have or wish you still had?

I wish I still had that programme from Newport vs Colchester in the FA Cup. I kept my international programmes and ticket stubs. And I kept my Wolves scarf. As there was a bit of fascination with Emlyn Hughes, when he won the League Cup [in 1980], I bought it when he was Wolves’ captain. That was cool.

Which musician you’ve encountered is the best footballer?

Oh, Nick – by a mile. He was brilliant up until his knees went in the mid-90s.

He had this strange relationship with other football players when he was at school, as his hair would sometimes be like Ian McCulloch, or sometimes he’d

UPFROnT

resemble Limahl from Kajagoogoo – there was a hint of glamour about him.

Some of the boys he was playing with would occasionally call him Shirley or Klinger from Mash, as they thought he was a little more feminine. But he still commanded respect off them because he was the captain of the football team and had that Alan Hansen-esque thing – whenever his team were attacking, he was centre-back and would stand on the halfway line just directing play.

People listened to Nick, even though he wasn’t a macho male like them. He was a really good player. I saw him get sent off once – he was 15 and swore at the referee. Then he cried.

JACKO 7 JACKO 1

Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever met a player or manager?

Me and Nick were doing some promo stuff at the Grand Hotel in Madrid and spotted Roberto Carlos [above]. I just remember walking past this room and there were five kids inside, his missus, him: a mini family banquet in a private room. It was like a mafia scene. He was obviously such a star at that point, for Madrid and Brazil, and had this whole room to himself with all the food out on the table. Then he suddenly realised that me and Nick were looking at him and was like, ‘Close that f**king door, those idiots are staring at my family’ – a kind of Sopranos moment.

Not many people can say they have both won and lost the same football match, but Emil Jacko can.

The Slovakian has found himself in a weird situation this season: already the chairman of one club in the country’s third tier, he’s also the manager of another outfit in the same division.

For several years, Jacko was the coach of hometown club Odeva Lipany, a small team in eastern Slovakia that launched the career of former Celtic defender Stanislav Varga, and have flitted between the second and third divisions over the past decade.

He departed as boss in 2019 after relegation to the 3. Liga, hopping a few miles across the border to lead Watra Bialka Tatrzanska in Poland’s fifth tier.

In the summer of 2020, however, Jacko agreed to become Lipany’s new chairman – he could juggle the two jobs easily, given that the sides were in different countries, never mind different leagues.

Things got more complicated when Jacko ended his involvement in Polish football – leaving Watra and joining OSK Rudnany, who had just been promoted to the same league as Lipany, the club he’s chairman of. Rules don’t forbid him from occupying both posts, which he’s combined with a third gig - his day job, as director of a primary school.

“It’s true that maybe I’m the only guy in the world with these cross-functional duties,” Jacko explains to FFT about his roles. “But I wanted to help Rudnany, as they needed a coach with an adequate coaching badge. They chose me, not vice versa.”

If you could drop yourself into your all-time five-a-side team, who would you be playing alongside?

I prepared for this. Everybody’s at their peak here, by the way: you’re talking me in 1994, The Holy Bible-era. Neville Southall is in goal, then it’s Des Walker, Franco Baresi and me – I’m like the Neil Taylor. Then Gazza Bale up top. So it’s quite defensive, but you just ship it to Bale and know it’s f**king happening.

Niall Doherty

When two Slovakian outfits faced off, one man won – but also lost...

He’s adamant that his dual position hasn’t reduced his dedication to either club. “Not at all, I always give 100 per cent,” he says. “When I’m in the dugout, my focus is on Rudnany. In the boardroom, I concentrate solely on Lipany.”

It became a little more awkward only three games into the new season, though, when Rudnany travelled to face Lipany in an August league fixture. The team he coaches were battered 7-1 by the team he runs – Jacko lost, but also he won.

“That was the only time my allegiance was 50-50,” he says. “As chairman, I was glad with how Lipany’s lads performed. But on the other hand, as manager of Rudnany, it was a pretty hard test for us.”

When Jacko entered the Lipany dressing room to congratulate the victors afterwards, banter inevitably ensued. Many managers might have felt distressed after such a drubbing, but Jacko had good reason to stay calm. Not only was his other club looking good for a promotion tilt, but he was realistic that league newcomers Rudnany have a long road ahead of them.

“You know, this isn’t about my self-promotion or anything like that,” he insists. “I just want to help my friend, who’s the chairman of Rudnany. Sure, we’re rivals, but I see this relationship more as colleagues and good friends.”

The pair are scheduled to lock horns again in March, and Jacko hopes football will be the winner that day.

One way or the other, he probably will be too.

Martin Rendek

FourFourTwo October 2021 19

viSiT THE HOME OF THE FOOTBALL QUIZ

UPFROnT

THE UL

fourfourtwo.com/quiz

Fire up your engines for questions about record-breaking right-backs, brave transfers and trophy droughts

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09

West Ham striker Michail Antonio became the Londoners’ all-time top Premier League goalscorer in August – whose record did he break?

Which outfit, who suffered the drop from Serie A as recently as 2019, folded this summer?

Opened in 1910 with a capacity of 19,841 (says the club’s official site), which ground is the largest in the National League?

11 12 13

Brighton’s 22-year-old midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has picked up two caps for which nation?

Who was the last team outside of Manchester or London to lay their hands on the League Cup?

Which Spanish forward recently became the first man in 36 years to cross the Roman divide when he left Roma for Lazio?

Lionel Messi’s new paymasters, Paris Saint-Germain, launched in 1950, 1960 or 1970?

Sheffield United talisman Billy Sharp is targeting the 121-goal Championship record of which fellow sharpshooter?

Below are the last eight European Cup finals. Can you fill in all of the losing sides from the showpieces?

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014

Which centre-back netted twice in successive games for Cardiff this season, briefly making him an unlikely Championship top scorer?

Ex-Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, a Champions League winner in 2012, is now featuring for which second-tier club?

Which ex-Tranmere hero, famed for his incredible long throws, is the current gaffer of Hartlepool?

10 The four men above have all been the Premier League’s youngest-ever player – who are they?

14 15 16 17 18

Liverpool and Wales winger Ben Woodburn is plying his trade for which Scottish team in 2021-22?

Which right-back, then playing for Fulham, scored the Premier League’s 15,000th goal in 2006?

In which decade did Newcastle last win a trophy? Bonus point if you can also name the season.

Before Jack Grealish this summer, who was the last Englishman to break the British transfer record?

Wolves signed dribbler-in-chief Adama Traore for a club-record £18 million from whom in 2016?

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UPFROnT

TOnI DUGGAn INTERVIEW

After spells with both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, the 30-year-old forward is back in the WSL at Everton – and eyeing an England recall

What has it been like since you came back to Everton for a second spell?

It’s been so nice to be back home.

Everton’s ambitions were great and matched mine, so it was the perfect move. I just felt it was time to come home – I’d had four years in Spain and it was such a great experience, but the past year affected a lot of things.

It was really difficult not seeing my family – for the first three years, there was always someone at the home games, but for the past year it was impossible for them to fly over. It’s the home comforts you miss, even the English food. I know it’s not the best and everyone prefers tapas, but it’s the simple things, like a bowl of scouse!

You started your career at Everton, when the team were only part-time.

How different is the setup now?

It’s really different now. When I was younger, we were one of the top two teams in England, us and Arsenal, and we were playing Champions League football year after year. It’s been a bit up and down since I left – the team got relegated but they’ve bounced back. The club have invested heavily in the women’s team. I used to train two or three times a week, from 8pm until 10pm on the indoor pitch, but now we’re full-time, at Finch Farm during the day being professional footballers, eating in the canteen.

It’s just come on leaps and bounds.

Everton were fifth last season, the club’s highest finish since 2013.

What are your aims this campaign?

The girls did great last year. They got to Wembley in the delayed 2020 FA Cup Final and we’ve made several fantastic signings. Our ambition this

22 October 2021 FourFourTwo

year has to be Champions League football. It’s going to be difficult because there’s a lot of talent in the WSL, but we have to really go for it.

Is it special to return to the club where your career began?

No footballer forgets their roots. We won the FA Cup and the Premier League Cup, and missed out narrowly on the league to Arsenal, but it was my first taste of the Champions League and I absolutely love that tournament.

I was 15 or 16 when I first played in it – the club had to call my mum and write to school to get permission, because you were away for a week and played three matches. It was an incredible

experience. I got my first England call-up while I was at Everton, too.

You had four years at Manchester City, then joined Barcelona in 2017.

How did the move come about?

I won everything it was possible to win at Manchester City, bar the Champions League, and felt the time was right for a change. I didn’t think it would be abroad, but Barcelona came knocking

and it was an opportunity I didn’t want to turn down. I have absolutely no regrets – I got to the Champions League final with Barcelona. Sadly we couldn’t win it, but that’s what still drives me now.

Did you pinch yourself the first time you pulled on a Barcelona shirt?

It was strange, and it hit the news, because I was only the second person from Britain to sign for them since Gary Lineker. As a kid I would watch Barcelona every week, so to be pulling on their colours was amazing. I was ambitious and I didn’t win the Spanish league, which was a disappointment, but it was a privilege to be part of such a huge club. There was so much media at all the training sessions – if we lost a game there were always questions, and there was so much pressure, but I love pressure.

We loved your picture with ‘the fella from work’, a certain Lionel Messi…

[Laughs] The first time I met him I was really starstruck, but he was really nice

“HEY, WE’VE GOT THE SAME NAME!” Spanish second-tier side Ibiza have signed defender Juan Ibiza – how long until Oxford bag Reece Oxford?

THE VIEW FROM THE STAnDS

with us. We did a team photo, and he stayed behind and got pictures with the girls. I met him three or four times after that, and every time I asked him for a picture – he must have thought I was a bit weird! He’s the greatest player to have played our game. It was a privilege to rub shoulders with him, and I was lucky to watch him every week at the Camp Nou. What a player.

Why did you leave Catalonia to join Atletico Madrid in 2019?

It was complicated leaving Barça. They did offer me a contract, but we couldn’t agree terms. Atletico came knocking, and I’d played against them that year at the Wanda Metropolitano [in front of 60,000, a world-record crowd for a women’s game] and fell in love with their fans. Atletico are such a big club.

Did it help there was another English player at Atletico, in Kieran Trippier?

Yeah, especially when the lockdown came. I became good friends with his family and it helped me a lot, because I didn’t have people visiting me and I was really homesick. I got to know his wife and the kids, and Kieran has done amazing there, winning La Liga.

He’s a great person with a great family, and we’ll stay friends now.

You have 76 England caps, but are yet to feature since the pandemic. Is getting back into the squad a goal?

That’s one of my biggest aims this season, but I need to be performing every single week at Everton to get a chance. I’ve really missed it, and I think I still have the quality to do it.

You lost your place towards the end of Phil Neville’s reign, after travel restrictions forced you to miss a training camp. How did that feel?

I felt a little hard done by with that – I couldn’t fly back because of COVID, then for the following three camps I wasn’t selected. It was difficult to miss the Olympics, too, because it was scheduled for 2020 and I felt in a lot better position then – I dealt with it OK this year because I didn’t expect to be selected. I know there’s a great pool of players in England doing really well, but I still feel I have a lot to bring. We have the home Euros next summer and I don’t want to miss out on that.

I’ll give everything I can to be part of it.

Chris Flanagan

UPFROnT

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Hi FourFourTwo, greetings from Havana. I’m writing to say how astonished I am about the way many onlookers are anointing Paris Saint-Germain as the best team in the world. The truth is that they’ve never won Europe’s top competition and aren’t even French champions at the moment. Star signings don’t automatically make you the best – or at least they shouldn’t, if there’s anything left to be saved in the upper reaches of football. Those superlatives must be earned on the pitch, not through hype. Kind regards and thanks for your work!

Emilio Martinez, via email

THE BLUEPRINT

For years, I thought Chelsea’s academy was a joke – they won the Youth Cup every year but couldn’t get any of that talent through to the first team for the thick end of 20 years, and yet still aggressively pilfered Europe’s best youngsters season upon season. It’s still quite depressing, but I finally get it. When you see the £90m they raked in this summer from academy talent alone, it’s hard not to begrudgingly accept they’re very good at what they do as a glorified investment portfolio.

Reece James and Mason Mount benefited from the transfer embargo under Frank Lampard, but so did the club – would Tammy Abraham (flogged for £34m) and Fikayo Tomori (£25m) have been so valuable without it? Other clubs might knock them for harbouring talent with zero intention of ever playing them, but

WIN!

LETTER ✱AGENTSSTAR OF CHANGE

This might sound crazy in a summer where Jack Grealish cost £100m, but I think this could be the beginning of the end for inflated transfers. Harry Kane surely regrets signing his six-year contract, so we could see players signing much shorter deals, allowing them to move for free more often and net signing-on fees. In reality, it will only mean the same money going out of football. The Erling Haaland situation will become more of the norm: Dortmund will ‘only’ get £65m for his release clause, though he’d cost over double that with agent fees.

Simon Pickering, via email it’s only because they can’t do it as well. As a side hustle, it’s genius.

Rob King, via email

UNEXPECTED LOVE

My family all hate expected metrics. I was also very dubious when they first started littering postmatch analyses, but they’ve become my new jam. Now, I don’t see what

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there is to dislike about xG & Co – they’re easily the best metrics to review any game at a glance; far better than the usual possession and shots guff trotted out more frequently. Give it a chance.

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CR

LOnG L VE THE

7

Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United a Premier League champion in 2009, but it’s been eight long seasons since the Red Devils ruled English football. Their prodigal son has come back, though, and he wants trophies…

Words Chris Flanagan Additional reporting Marcus Alves, Arthur Renard, Dani Gil, Emanuele Giulianelli, Alberto Santi

MAnCHESTER UnITED

“ROnALDO IS OBSESSED WITH WInnInG AnD IS STILL OnE OF THE BEST In THE WORLD – THERE IS OnE OUTCOME HERE”

MAnCHESTER UnITED ristiano Ronaldo took a deep breath, steadied himself, then fired the free-kick towards goal.

He was 25 yards out, but his low effort arrowed past Shay Given into the net. His 118th and final goal for Manchester United had arrived at home to Manchester City, to all but seal a third straight Premier League title for the Red Devils.

The reigning European champions had also just reached a second successive Champions League final, courtesy of Ronaldo’s blistering Emirates brace against Arsenal five days earlier. City were trudging to 10th place in the top flight – they’d not finished above their rivals for 18 years, going back to 1991. They’d never even been close.

United’s dominance was total, and CR7 was officially the planet’s best footballer – the only person ever to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award while plying his trade on English soil. “I’m the first, second and third best player in the world,” he declared back then, with typical modesty.

He’s won the award four more times since, on the way to four more Champions League titles, and 551 goals in 572 games for Real Madrid and Juventus.

During 12 years away from Old Trafford, though, the balance of power has shifted, almost definitively. Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, United have finished below City for eight consecutive seasons. Had Ronaldo moved to the Etihad this summer, the humiliation would have been complete.

Instead, the Portuguese followed his heart and diverted to Old Trafford, in a bid to bring back the glory days. City thought they were gaining a striker – instead they have gained an enemy more powerful and determined than anything they’ve faced in Manchester for quite some time. Ronaldo has returned... and he wants his Premier League title back.

MOVE OVER, OLE

Had Ferguson not intervened back in 2006, Ronaldo might never have won a Premier League title at all. The 21-year-old had decided to leave Old Trafford that summer, before his manager travelled to Vale do Lobo on the Algarve for a monumental meeting.

“You’re one of the bravest players to come to Manchester United – walking away isn’t courage,” Ferguson told his young charge.

It was Ferguson who’d decided Ronaldo should have the No.7 shirt when he arrived at United – the Portuguese prodigy asked for 28, the jersey he wore at Sporting, but CR7 quickly dazzled in his new number. “He almost retired me,” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joked recently, recalling how they’d played on opposite wings when Ronaldo made his first start for the club at home to Wolves in August 2003. The teenager’s tendency to

28 October 2021 FourFourTwo

Above The stars aligned for CR7 and United this summer

swap flanks mid-match meant Solskjaer had to keep doing the same, putting extra strain on a knee problem he’d been struggling with.

The Norwegian missed most of the next two years through injury and was never quite the same player again.

Despite his obvious talent, Ronaldo’s first three years at United delivered no league titles. The Red Devils didn’t progress beyond the last 16 of the Champions League: even crashing out in the group stage in 2005-06 after defeat against Benfica, when Ronaldo

earned a ban for directing a middle-finger gesture at heckling home fans ‘welcoming’ the winger back to Lisbon.

His relationship with Ruud van Nistelrooy had also been difficult – the Dutchman grew frustrated at the wideman’s lack of service, leading to a row where Ronaldo was told to go and talk to ‘his dad’, a jibe intended to reference his close relationship with United assistant Carlos Queiroz. Ronaldo burst into tears, telling Van Nistelrooy he didn’t have a dad – his father had died months earlier.

MAnCHESTER UnITED

Above right “Ooh, Ole, what wonderful thighs you have...”

That summer, he pressed the panic button after his role in Wayne Rooney’s World Cup red card sparked vitriol from English fans and media. The Sun, never knowingly undersold, released a Ronaldo dartboard so England supporters “could get revenge on football’s biggest winker”. The bullseye was CR7’s right peeper. Obviously.

He also felt a lack of support from United.

“I think I should get out of Manchester,” he admitted. “Nobody stood up for me there.”

Barcelona and Real Madrid were linked, although it’s since been claimed that he agreed a deal to join Valencia. “I had his ‘yes’ to sign him,” revealed Amedeo Carboni, then Los Che’s director of football. “We had found the financial resources to bring him in, and we had made arrangements with Nike and Coca-Cola, the player’s sponsors. I had the contracts signed by his agent Jorge Mendes – nothing was missing.”

But Ferguson changed Ronaldo’s mind.

The player had been bitterly disappointed by the lack of contact from his United manager – Ferguson had actually been attempting to message Ronaldo, only to discover he’d been contacting an old number. When he finally managed to get in touch, he arranged to see Ronaldo at Vale do Lobo.

Rooney had already assured his team-mate that the World Cup incident was forgotten, offering to do a joint interview to make that clear. On the Algarve, Ferguson insisted that he wanted Ronaldo to stay, explaining how David Beckham had gone from public enemy number one to Treble winner within a year of his red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup. “It was exactly the same as this,”

“I REMEMBER THInKInG, ‘HE’S A MACHInE, HOW CAn HE BE THAT TALEnTED?’ HE HAD A THICK SKIn, TO BOUnCE OFF nEGATIVITY” Ferguson stated to him. “They were hanging effigies of him outside pubs, he was the devil incarnate, but he had the balls to fight it. You have to get through it.”

Ronaldo decided to remain at Old Trafford.

Like Beckham, he responded to the abuse by having the best season of his career so far.

Like Beckham, he was second in the Ballon d’Or 12 months later.

Ronaldo and Rooney combined to help the Reds thrash Fulham 5-1 on the opening day of the campaign – the former was booed at away games, but it only inspired him to new heights. “Cristiano loved the interaction with the supporters, good or bad,” former United team-mate Louis Saha explains to FFT. “He had a strong mentality, it didn’t erode. He had a thick skin to bounce off any negativity.”

Saha had seen signs of that resilience in the early years of Ronaldo’s United career – most notably in 4-2 victory at Highbury, on a raucous February 2005 night which began with Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira’s infamous tunnel bust-up.

“Arsenal had tried to intimidate Cristiano in that game,” says the Frenchman. “He was tackled really badly by Lauren, a really mean tackle. He stood up straight away and came back. He scored after that.

“I remember thinking to myself, ‘This guy is a machine, how can he be that talented?’”

With Van Nistelrooy sold in the summer of 2006, Ronaldo had the breathing space to flourish and a bet to win. Every year, CR7 and Ferguson wagered £100 on how many goals the former would score. In his first campaign, it was 10. Ronaldo lost. In 2004-05, it was raised to 15. He lost. And again in 2005-06.

For 2006-07, with Ferguson having refused to take his winnings each season, Ronaldo raised the stakes to £400. He was collecting his winnings by February.

The Portuguese went on to score 23 times that season, almost double his previous best tally, and bagged his first Champions League goals in the 7-1 demolition of Roma, his 27th appearance in the competition.

By the end of 2006-07, United had won the league. Ronaldo was named PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year – the first man to win both awards in the same season since Andy Gray in 1977.

“I’D RATHER SHOOT YOU THAN SELL YOU”

Ronaldo was rapidly improving his finishing and his decision-making, after being told to study clips of the club’s legendary strikers –

FourFourTwo October 2021 29

MAnCHESTER UnITED Solskjaer included. In 2007-08, he netted 42 goals in all competitions – 31 in the Premier League, a tally bettered only by Mo Salah in a 38-game season. It earned him the first of four career European Golden Shoes.

Free-kicks had become a powerful part of Ronaldo’s armoury, thanks to his perfection of the knuckleball technique – one such stunner at home to Portsmouth earned him the BBC’s Goal of the Month award.

“There was no competition with Ronaldo on who would take the free-kicks,” pal Nani chuckles, as he talks to FFT. “If I wanted to have a little try, it would depend on his mood.

I took a free-kick in one game because he let me, but didn’t get another chance after that, even though I was pretty good at them and had a technique similar to his. I teased him about it, saying I was better than him. He used to get furious – he’d only leave training after scoring five goals from free-kicks.”

Ronaldo’s competitive streak extended to more or less everything.

“We’d play tennis, ping pong, go swimming – even when we were just talking, there was some competition between us!” smiles Nani.

“When I joined United, he heard I was living in a hotel at the beginning and said, ‘Why don’t you stay with me in my house?’ I spent a month there with Anderson.

“We couldn’t understand a word of English, so Ronaldo acted as translator until he got tired of it and said, ‘From now on, you have to learn it too’. The three of us were always having a laugh – Ronaldo was the same in the national team, but there was a time to fool around and a time to work. When he’s fully focused, he doesn’t like to make jokes.”

Ronaldo had his game face on when United travelled to face Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals that season. Believing Rooney would offer more defensively on the flank, Ferguson opted to play his protégé winger in an unfamiliar position upfront. It would be an experiment repeated in several crucial European fixtures after Ronaldo broke the deadlock in a 2-0 win, leaping to power home a thumping header that any striker would have been proud of. “One of the best headers I’ve ever seen,” was how Rooney described the towering effort.

“That goal was crazy,” Saha reflects now.

“Here was a guy known for dribbling, scoring this goal from a header, very aggressively attacking the box. He had the desire to put his beautiful head on the line.”

Desire was never something Ronaldo was short of. “His dedication was amazing,” says Saha. “People compare him to Lionel Messi, but I don’t think Messi practises as hard and I don’t think he works on his fitness as much.

To have all that talent and work harder than anyone is unique – Cristiano deserves every single thing he’s achieved in his life.

“I was way older than him, but you realised he was obsessed and you had to catch up.

Ronaldo was an example – I tried to follow him and I nearly died! I can’t wait to see the players who will benefit from that example now, like Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood; even lads in the academy sides. He’s an animal.

30 October 2021 FourFourTwo

“People say he’s arrogant, but no: when you work hard, you’re actually very aware of your weaknesses. He doesn’t show them, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. He’s very intelligent. Then, with a manager like Sir Alex, every year we achieved something, he wasn’t happy with it – he wanted more. That was the benchmark that was established for the rest of Cristiano’s career.”

Ronaldo tasted Champions League glory for the first time that season. After slotting a crucial spot-kick on the final day of the 2007-08 Premier League campaign as United retained their title at Wigan, he headed the Red Devils in front against Chelsea in Moscow.

Petr Cech saved Ronaldo’s shootout penalty, but he was redeemed by John Terry’s slip.

“I thought we would lose when I missed – I thought it would be the worst day of my life,” revealed the Portuguese. “Now, it’s the happiest day of my life.”

The Ballon d’Or was his for the first time – as was FIFA’s best player honour, which had

Above Almost 100,000 fans filled the Bernabeu to welcome Ronnie

never previously gone to someone based outside Spain or Italy. Messi, yet to win either gong, was second in both votes.

Ronaldo could have been based in Spain by the time he picked up those awards: Real Madrid were ready to meet the €75 million release clause in his contract, only for United to report them to FIFA. The clause had been confidential and they were furious someone had leaked it – Ferguson was angry too, with the way Madrid president Ramon Calderon constantly spoke about Ronaldo in the media.

“You can’t go this year,” the United supremo told his star man. “I’d rather shoot you than sell you to that guy now.”

So, a gentleman’s agreement was made: if a world-record fee was offered a year later, he’d be allowed to leave Old Trafford. Soon, sources claimed Real had agreed a deal with Ronaldo to sign him then, with a €30m break clause if either party backed out.

It didn’t stop him guiding United to another Champions League final in his last season at

MAnCHESTER UnITED

“HE HAS nO PRIVACY AT ALL. IT MAKES ME AnGRY IF PEOPLE SAY HE’S ARROGAnT – HOW DO YOU KnOW? YOU DOn’T KnOW HIM”

WHEn LEGEnDS RETURnED HOME

the club, mind – Ronaldo launched a 40-yard missile at Porto that was so good it scooped FIFA’s maiden Puskas Award. He also helped United to overhaul Liverpool and win a third league title in as many years, only for Pep Guardiola and Barcelona to ruin his fairytale ending in Rome. As well as deposing the Red Devils as European champions, Barça won five more trophies that year, as Messi began a four-year domination of the Ballon d’Or.

“GET ME 1,000 ROSES”

Ronaldo joined Real in the summer of 2009 for a world-record £80m, with the €1 billion release clause a whopping cherry on top.

Florentino Perez had by then assumed the Bernabeu presidency, and some had advised him to back out of the deal, worried about its financial implications. Perez opted to plough on, though, with Barcelona and Manchester City ready to step in. If there’d been a chance that Ronaldo might end up playing under Pep, instead he was tasked with halting the domestic dominance of the Catalan coach.

Sound familiar?

Ronaldo-mania quickly took hold in Madrid.

“The Bernabeu was full for his presentation – almost 100,000 people coming to see one player,” former team-mate Royston Drenthe recalls to FFT. “We hung out a lot, but he had to get used to how big he was in Spain. Some players could go to a nightclub, and they’d be bothered a bit by other people. If we went somewhere with Cris, it had to be organised in secret. We arranged our own parties with people we wanted to invite, as it was almost impossible to go to a club with him.

“He has no privacy in his life at all. It makes me angry if people say he’s arrogant. How do you know? You don’t know him. He’s almost never able to be himself, unless he displays some kind of arrogance to shield himself – otherwise he has to say ‘yes’ to everything and that’s impossible.

“He was always focused on the tiny details.

I was in restaurants with him on team trips

JOHAn CRUYFF DIEGO MARADOnA THIERRY HEnRY The Dutchman had sealed six league titles and three Thirteen years separated Maradona’s two spells with The Frenchman’s first period with Arsenal delivered European Cups during his first stretch at Ajax – seven years later, in 1980, he was back as technical advisor.

He helped the club climb from eighth in the Eredivisie to second, before pulling his boots back on at 33 and winning the league in each of the next two seasons.

Boca Juniors. After celebrating a league crown in his initial stint, he returned in 1995 to make his second debut in an unconventional friendly in South Korea.

El Diego dreamed of bagging another title, but was thwarted after squandering five successive penalties.

226 goals, the second just two – but it still produced one of the most special moments of his career. ‘Titi’ was 34 when he reappeared on loan from New York Red Bulls; the Emirates went berserk when he scored 10 minutes into his second debut, as a substitute.

FourFourTwo October 2021 31

MAnCHESTER UnITED

and sometimes plates of ham were served.

All the players would eat, but he would only take one slice. The man is a winner – if you made a mistake in training, he’d say so.

When you saw his work ethic, you knew he was doing it for himself, not for the sake of showing others.”

There was still time for some rest, though.

“He was quite a social person,” continues Drenthe. “One time we were sitting at the back of the team bus, when Ronaldo fell in love with [model] Irina Shayk. Cristiano was the one who was able to hook up with girls like her, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, so already for us it was interesting to hear what he had to say! That day he was like, ‘I’m so in love with her, what should I do?’ One of us suggested, ‘Cris, just send her 1,000 roses’.

I swear he looked up, looked at us, then said, ‘Yes, that’s what I’m going to do.’ Afterwards, he called one of his people and said, ‘Listen, send 1,000 roses to Irina Shayk’.” The pair dated for more than five years.

Ronaldo scored 26 league goals in his first season at Madrid, outshining fellow summer signing Kaka and helping the team amass a club-record 96 points. It still wasn’t enough: Messi scored 34 and Guardiola’s Barça won La Liga with 99 points. Perhaps taking advice he’d received from Usain Bolt a bit too literally (“I told him to be rougher and opponents will leave him alone”), Ronaldo was sent off twice that campaign, the second for breaking a defender’s nose.

In his second season, he began to feel more comfortable when Karim Benzema featured more regularly, in place of the more predatory Gonzalo Higuain. He netted 40 La Liga goals to pip Messi to the Pichichi prize, plundering 53 in all competitions.

“These stories people tell about Ronaldo and Messi battling each other, I lived them for three years,” says Jose Morais, part of the club’s coaching staff under Jose Mourinho, who replaced Manuel Pellegrini that season.

“I never heard him say, ‘Man, I have to beat Messi,’ but he always wanted to be the best of the best. In Spain, who could give him a fight? Messi. They were in the same league, so it was easy to compare their numbers.

32 October 2021 FourFourTwo

“CRISTIAnO’S InnER VOICE IS AGGRESSIVE: ‘F**K IT, YOU’RE SO MUCH BETTER THAn THIS’” “It was a dynamic that Real took advantage of, because Cristiano is a born competitor.

I’ve seen people say he’s a bad loser, but he’s fighting an inner fight; he’s fighting himself.

If he scored 30 times in a season, he’d try to score 40 times in the next one – and it’s not like he sits and waits for that to happen. He works his ass off.

“If you pay attention to his in-game body language, you can see he demands a lot of himself. There are people that have negative dialogues inside their heads – not Cristiano.

His inner voice is aggressive but in a positive way, saying, ‘F**k it, man, you are so much better than this – don’t give up, try again’.”

When things still don’t go well, frustration is the inevitable by-product. Mourinho’s first Clasico ended in a 5-0 defeat to a mesmeric Barça at the Camp Nou – Ronaldo shoved Guardiola on the touchline, sparking a mass scuffle. Barcelona would march to another league crown, but Ronaldo got his moment

Clockwise from top Ronnie loved playing alongside Benzema; “They’ve run out of roses... sorry, dear”; European glory with Madrid; wait, wasn’t Becks Golden Balls?; “Cris, do you want to be best mates?”

when he faced them again in the Copa del Rey final, jumping high to head home an extra-time winner.

“The goal in the final of the Copa del Rey was celebrated so much, because it broke the hegemony of Guardiola’s Barça,” former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes tells FFT. “Cristiano represented the leap in quality needed to rise to the occasion.”

Literally, in the case of that cup final. “The moment he jumped to head that ball, the game was over,” remembers Morais. “Only an extraordinary player such as Cristiano can score a goal like he did that night. We were able to take that first step in the direction of ending the Barça era.”

In 2011-12, Ronaldo halted the Blaugrana’s three-year winning streak in La Liga. Barça scored 114 goals, but Madrid replied with a record 121. Ronaldo smashed 46 of them, including a magnificent seven hat-tricks, as Los Blancos became the first side in La Liga history to accumulate 100 points.

It had taken a crazy level of performance to topple Guardiola’s side, but Ronaldo had continued driving himself and Real on until they achieved it.

“He was a player with so much personality and he’d carry the responsibility of the entire team,” says Morientes. “You expected good numbers from him, but not that he’d score more goals than the amount of games he’d played. Madrid went onto the pitch knowing they were winning 1-0.”

Ronaldo had struck a winner at the Camp Nou in late April, to effectively seal the title.

Defeated and stressed, Guardiola announced a week later that he was leaving Barça at the end of the season.

THE ABORTED COMEBACK

That campaign was also the first meeting of Ronaldo and Raphael Varane, signed as an 18-year-old from Lens. Varane soon earned CR7’s respect by having the self-confidence to stand up for himself.

“Varane, go into the middle,” Ronaldo had instructed the teenager in a training match.

“I’m not Varane, I’m Rapha,” the Frenchman

shot back. Ronaldo was soon tipping him to become the best defender in the world.

In Mourinho’s final season, with tensions flaring between the manager and his senior stars, Ronaldo refused to celebrate two goals against Granada. “I’m sad and they know why inside the club,” was all he would say by way of explanation.

Delays over a new contract strained his relationship with Perez, and Ronaldo told the president he wanted to leave. “If you want to go, bring me enough money to sign Messi,” said Perez. It didn’t go down too well.

An Old Trafford return seemed on the cards.

“Ferguson said, ‘I’m 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano’,” Patrice Evra later claimed.

“I spoke with Cristiano and he said he was coming to join United.”

Ronaldo faced United in the last 16 of the Champions League that term, again refusing to celebrate – this time out of respect – after sliding home the winner at Old Trafford. He’d returned to a hero’s reception.

“That game wasn’t a good memory for me, because I was unfairly sent off, but it was a really special moment for the club,” says Nani. “All the supporters welcomed Ronaldo back with open arms. When he entered the pitch, it was unbelievable to hear everybody singing for him.”

Ultimately, it would prove to be Ferguson’s final Champions League fixture – although even after he announced his retirement, the board informed successor David Moyes that Ronaldo might still join that summer. In the end, the 28-year-old decided to sign a new deal with Real Madrid.

From there, Ronaldo embarked upon the most extraordinary period of his career.

He finally won his second Ballon d’Or at the end of 2013, pipping Messi after hitting 69 goals for club and country in the calendar year, including a memorable hat-trick in a World Cup play-off showdown with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden.

Another Ballon d’Or followed in 2014 after he’d led Real Madrid to La Decima, having scored twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. He posted a career-best 61 goals in all competitions in 2014-15, including 48 in La Liga, but Barça won the title, Champions League and Copa del Rey as Perez replaced boss Carlo Ancelotti with Rafael Benitez. Ronaldo was less than impressed – Benitez never seemed to gain the Portuguese’s respect, particularly after appearing reluctant to declare Ronaldo the best player in the world in the media.

Mid-season replacement Zinedine Zidane fared better and Ronaldo swiftly won Ol’ Big Ears for a third time in 2016 – then a fourth, as he scored twice in a 4-1 final triumph over Juventus. The Ballon d’Or followed after both victories – finally he’d achieved his long-term aim to draw level with Messi, on five apiece.

Incredibly, though, he’d been whistled by a section of Real Madrid fans on the way to that latest Champions League success, early in a quarter-final against Bayern.

“I don’t know who doubts Cristiano, the numbers don’t lie,” he third-personned after.

He responded by scoring a hat-trick. There’s

MAnCHESTER UnITED

GOIGLOBALnG Since it was launched 30 years ago, FIFA’s best player award has featured 10 England-based footballers on the podium – but only one has ever won it

1st

CRISTIANO RONALDO (2008)

2nd DAVID

BECKHAM (1999, 2001) THIERRY HENRY (2003, 2004) FRANK LAMPARD (2005) VIRGIL VAN DIJK (2019)

3rd

GARY LINEKER (1991) ALAN SHEARER (1996) DENNIS BERGKAMP (1997) FERNANDO TORRES (2008) MO SALAH (2018)

long been a sense that much of Ronaldo’s motivation is built on anger; the need to find a (real or imaginary) slight and emphatically prove someone wrong.

Off the field, though, the forward was being investigated by Las Vegas police over a rape allegation dating back to 2009 – one he firmly denied. The investigation eventually came to an end without any charges being brought, after the prosecutors said the claims could not “be proven beyond reasonable doubt”.

Separately, Ronaldo was one of a number of footballers charged by Spanish authorities with tax evasion, for which he was handed a suspended jail sentence.

In 2018, he helped Real Madrid to a historic third successive Champions League, his fifth triumph in the competition. Only Paco Gento has won it more.

“They should call it the CR7 Champions League,” he smiled, knowing victory against Liverpool was his final game for the club. His relationship with Perez had broken down.

“I felt inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way,” he later explained. “I was no longer indispensable, so that made me think about leaving Madrid.”

It was a surprising end to a glorious era – that summer, Ronaldo was allowed to join Juventus for €100m. “I didn’t understand his departure,” laments Morientes. “A guy who scored so many goals was almost impossible to replace. He had years of football left at an extraordinary level – I wouldn’t have swapped that €100m for two or three more years of Cristiano. They wouldn’t have won all those Champions Leagues without him.

“The moment Cristiano arrived was when the club really started to dream big.”

SARRI SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD

Instead, it was the Old Lady’s turn to dream.

Ronaldo wowed them months earlier when he scored a stunning overhead kick against Juve in a Champions League quarter-final, earning a standing ovation from home fans at the Allianz Stadium.

The Serie A heavyweights hankered after a first Champions League trophy since 1996, but had continually fallen short.

“Juventus signed him because they’d twice reached the Champions League final in the previous four years – the first time they were killed by Messi, and the second by Ronaldo,” explains Paolo Condo, a respected journalist for Italian TV network Sky Sport. “They felt if they signed one of those monsters, they’d surely win the Champions League.”

The transfer wasn’t without controversy – employees at a Fiat factory in Italy went on strike after the Agnelli family, who own both Juve and the car company, opted to spend big on Ronaldo while Fiat were cutting costs.

The club were already on course for an eighth successive Serie A crown when they hosted Atletico Madrid in the last 16, trailing 2-0 from the first leg. Ronaldo hit a hat-trick.

“He won that match all on his own,” recalls Condo. “In that moment, a lot of us thought signing him could be a good deal. But in the quarter-finals, the fantastic style of Ajax left Juventus without an answer.

“The destiny of the deal was written that night, because they decided to change the

FourFourTwo October 2021 33

MAnCHESTER UnITED coach, Massimiliano Allegri, and try to find a new way with Maurizio Sarri. It was a big mistake, as Sarri didn’t have the pedigree to train players like Ronaldo.

“If you look at his history, he was a great player under Sir Alex Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane – people he respected.

He didn’t have great seasons under Rafa Benitez or Manuel Pellegrini. Or with Sarri.”

That wasn’t for a lack of trying on Sarri’s part. His first act was to meet Ronaldo on the player’s yacht on the French Riviera, but he failed in an attempt to persuade him to switch position from the left flank.

“Every year, coaches had tried to convince him to play centre-forward, because Ronaldo didn’t help when you didn’t have the ball,” says Condo. “Sarri could accept it, but then Ronaldo must play centre-forward to balance the team. Ronaldo said no. He’d produced the best form of his life when Benzema was upfront for Real Madrid, so he always tried to repeat that tactical situation.”

Ronaldo was Juve’s top goalscorer in his first Serie A season, netting 21 times, but the team actually fell 16 goals short of the 86 they’d registered a year earlier. Paulo Dybala’s tally had dropped from 22 to five.

“Dybala was demolished – they brought in Ronaldo and it was a bomb over him,” says Condo. “Juventus didn’t score more goals, the difference was that Ronaldo scored all the goals. Set-pieces are the easiest way to understand what he gives you and what he doesn’t. Before he arrived, you had two great specialists in Miralem Pjanic and Dybala, and every year they combined to score seven or eight goals. In three years with Ronaldo, he took all the set-pieces and scored only one.

“Ronaldo was not enough, and he realised very quickly that he was not enough. He was like the nice lady whose best days are behind her, and remembers when she had other men who were better than you. At Juve, you could always read in his eyes that it wasn’t like Real Madrid.”

Juventus won Serie A again under Sarri and Ronaldo upped his tally to 31 league goals, an impressive number in Italian football. He was named the league’s standout player for a second successive campaign.

But it was the club’s narrowest margin of victory in nine years – just a point over Inter – and two Ronaldo goals weren’t enough to stop them losing to Lyon in the last 16 of the Champions League. European triumph was getting further away, not closer.

The Bianconeri replaced Sarri with Andrea Pirlo, hoping that appointing a legendary former player might work in the same way as Ronaldo’s relationship with Zidane at Real.

But Pirlo’s lack of experience was quickly exposed – he’d only been appointed boss of the club’s under-23s nine days before he was surprisingly handed the first-team job.

Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus won 3-0 at Messi’s Barça in the Champions League, but they went out in the last 16 once again – this time to Porto – and collapsed to fourth in Serie A. The money spent on Ronaldo had hampered their ability to fix the rest of the team, and the Old Lady’s declining financial

34 October 2021 FourFourTwo

“AT JUVE, ROnALDO REALISED HE WAS LIKE THE nICE LADY WHOSE BEST DAYS ARE nOW BEHInD HER” position led them towards the desperate plan for the European Super League. The teams who have been clinging on to the wreckage of that sinking ship – Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona – are those who have been paying gargantuan salaries to Ronaldo and Messi in recent years.

“You had Ronaldo but you no longer had a team,” says Condo. “In the 2015 Champions League Final, the Juventus midfield was Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. A fantastic midfield. Last season it was Arthur, Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey, who’s constantly injured, and Rodrigo Bentancur.

There are three classes of difference between those midfields.”

Despite the team’s demise, Ronaldo still notched 29 times in Serie A, beating Romelu Lukaku to win the league’s Capocannoniere top scorer award. “I reached a target I set myself since the first day I got to Italy: to win the league, the cup and the Super Cup, and also to be the best player and the top scorer,” Ronaldo said on Instagram. “Thanks to everyone who took part in this journey.”

The not-so-hidden message was clear: he was ready for the journey to end. Some view that journey more positively than others.

“I think overall it was a positive experience for Ronaldo and our football in Italy,” ex-Juve midfielder Angelo Di Livio explains to FFT. “He possibly expected more in Europe, but he was so professional and a marvellous example for many youngsters.

“He was a perfect goal machine. I’m sorry his time at Juventus ended so quietly.”

Below Ronaldo’s Serie A spell wasn’t without trophies Bottom “My ego is about this wide”

“Cristiano did some amazing things,” says Massimo Carrera, Juve’s assistant manager during Antonio Conte’s spell in charge. “Just look at the numbers: 101 goals in 134 games.

When the team were struggling, he always managed to do something important. The problem is you can’t win by yourself. The team was rebuilding – they’d lost Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo, and they didn’t manage to build a team to fit his standards.

“He carried Juventus. He’s still incredibly fit, he has the body of a 20-year-old – actually, there are some 20-year-olds who don’t have his physique. He could play until he’s 40. He’ll definitely be missed.”

Not just on the pitch, either. Two days after his departure, the club lost 200,000 followers on Instagram. Just like his time in Madrid, CR7’s Italian job came to a sudden end: with the player eager to leave before his contract expired, and the club willing to accept a low transfer fee – less than £13m. Despite all of the goals, Juventus wanted his wages gone.

RONALDO VS PEP: THE REMATCH

For a while, the 36-year-old’s destination appeared to be Manchester City, before the

MAnCHESTER UnITED red half of the city, horrified at the prospect of him joining their rivals, rapidly mobilised and ensured he returned to Old Trafford.

“I haven’t had a chat with him, but I think Manchester City was a bluff,” suggests Nani, wondering whether those talks were just an attempt to bring United to the table. “I don’t think Cristiano at City would have worked – Manchester would have burned!”

The Red Devils hope this proves to be more of a Robin van Persie signing than an Alexis Sanchez. Both snubbed City to join United – the former helped them to win the league, the latter scored just three Premier League goals, weighed down by Ronaldo’s old shirt.

During his 12 years away, CR7 netted 392 league goals, while United’s various No.7s amassed only 24. Ronaldo could match that tally this campaign alone and seems a more natural fit for United than Guardiola’s City, where the focus is on the system rather than the individual. At the Etihad, no one is bigger than the collective.

The link-up with Bruno Fernandes could be pivotal – Ronaldo’s international team-mate persuaded him to return to English shores, even if Fernandes was dropped by Portugal during Euro 2020 and has struggled to shine in the same way alongside the tournament’s Golden Boot winner. Bruno was substituted at 1-0 down on the night that Ronaldo broke the international goalscoring record recently, heading his 110th and 111th Portugal goals against the Republic of Ireland.

It took his tally for club and country to an astonishing 785, though managing Ronaldo while getting the best out of the rest of his squad will be a test like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has never faced before.

“Ronaldo needs a boss who has a human touch, a person who acknowledges the good things he does, but also sticks by his side if he’s not doing well,” says ex-Real assistant Jose Morais. “The most successful at handling him were those who found the best balance between those two things.”

Get it right, and United could be serious title contenders, for the first time in years.

“There needs to be a team around him, but with Ronaldo, Manchester United can reach the same level as when Sir Alex Ferguson was there,” says former Juve assistant Carrera.

Above His 110th and 111th Portugal goals – to see off Ireland – made him the top international scorer of all-time

He may not be the same marauding player to grace Old Trafford in his original spell, but Ronaldo’s extraordinary fitness regime has extended his career. He’s older than Wayne Rooney, for example, who retired in January.

“There were times when Juve rested him, but I don’t think he needs it,” insists Morais.

“I remember times at Real Madrid when we wanted to give him some rest and leave him out of a game. He was like, ‘No way, I want to play this one too!’

“It happened in a match against Murcia – he was sat on the bench and came on at half-time. What happened? He scored and was the happiest man in the world. This was a Copa del Rey tie, but he was adamant that he wanted to play. He’s still in the condition to play whenever he wants. The day he needs rest, that’s the day he’ll retire.”

One suspects that before finally hanging up his boots, he hasn’t completely given up on collecting one last Ballon d’Or. Messi has edged ahead of him, with six to Ronaldo’s five, though the Argentine now plays in a less illustrious league for Paris Saint-Germain, reversing last season’s situation.

“I’m the Italian juror for the Ballon d’Or, and I always vote for a player that’s won

“OnE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME IS BACK”

Republik of Mancunia’s Scott Patterson (@R_o_M) explains why United fans are so happy to see Ronnie return Ronaldo has been linked with a United return so many times during the past 12 years that it’s hard to believe he’s actually back.

His best years are behind him, but at 36 he still outscored everyone in Serie A last season, so he offers United plenty over the next couple of campaigns. The lift he brings is huge, both in the dressing room and in the stands. One of the best players ever is in red once more.

The 2007-08 campaign was his standout season – it was rare for a game to go by without Ronaldo grabbing a goal, the last of his 42 coming in the Champions League final against Chelsea.

But one of my best memories is from his final year. United were 2-0 down at home to Spurs with just over half an hour to go, but scored five goals in 22 minutes.

Ronaldo bagged two of them and

an assist, and he went absolutely potty after putting us 3-2 ahead, ripping off his shirt and screaming up at the sky.

It was obvious just how much it meant to him to retain the title before leaving.

Had that result gone differently, Liverpool might have ended up becoming champions that season.

Instead, we equalled the record of 18 league crowns.

something of importance that year,” admits Condo. “If Manchester United were to win the Champions League with a goal from Ronaldo, he’ll be a leading candidate. But if Manchester United finish third in the Premier League and only reach the last eight of the Champions League, I will never vote for him – even if he scores 100 goals.”

Ronaldo is acutely aware of that fact. It’s not enough to just score – he needs only 14 goals to match the highest Premier League tally for a player over the age of 35, posted

by Chelsea’s Gianfranco Zola in 2002-03. He has to help United win trophies again, and he’ll do everything in his power to make that happen; to reverse the power shift since he left Manchester in 2009.

“When United lost a player like Cristiano and a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson, it was huge,” says Louis Saha. “Ronaldo symbolised the club’s attacking mentality. Sir Alex had always said he wanted people with courage, not someone who only brings goals when we were already 2-0 up. We needed them to perform when the team was struggling.

Cristiano did that.

“Sometimes over recent years at United, I wasn’t seeing enough character, enough reaction that players were really gutted when they missed opportunities. No one was telling them, ‘You need to do much better,’ like Roy Keane, Gary Neville or Rio Ferdinand used to.

Cristiano will do that – you need goalscorers, but you also need leaders.

“He’s still one of the best players in world football. Yes, he’s 36, but he’s the best finisher by far – he’s been top scorer in Italy. I don’t think Juventus’ style was that creative – he’ll have more chances in England.

“At the end of the season, he wants to be the best player with the most trophies. They have signed him to win the Premier League.

If he could win the title back for Manchester United, it would be amazing for him. That’s what he’s looking for – he’s obsessed with winning. I can only see one outcome here.”

Time will tell whether Saha is right. Ronaldo brought an end to one era of Pep Guardiola dominance during his time at Real Madrid.

Having snubbed the Catalan’s advances this summer, now he aims to do it again, with the team of his heart.

Manchester United were the club that took Cristiano Ronaldo to the top. If he can take them back there, his legacy will be complete.

MORE On FOURFOURTWO.COM • Year Zero: How Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2006-07 Manchester United season turned him into the player we know (by Andrew Murray) • Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey to 100 Portugal goals – and the all-time international record (by Chris Flanagan) • Quiz: Can you name the 25 highest-scoring active international men’s players?

• Cristiano Ronaldo documentary: Relentless – a FourFourTwo Films exclusive

FourFourTwo October 2021 35

L Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t the only man back at his old club and chasing Premier League glory – Romelu Lukaku has rejoined Chelsea a different player to when he departed in 2014, largely thanks to a title-winning spell at Inter Words Matt Barker 36 October 2021 FourFourTwo

R

omelu Lukaku was nine years old when the Brazilian Ronaldo left Inter in 2002 – but the sight of Il Fenomeno bearing down on hapless defenders remained with the Belgian in his formative years.

So, when newly installed Nerazzurri coach Antonio Conte came calling in the summer of 2019, the forward immediately wanted in.

It felt like destiny.

Conte had tried to sign Lukaku at Juventus five years earlier, and the Turin giants were in direct competition with Inter for a second time: offering Paulo Dybala as part of a swap deal and keen to see how the talisman would team up with Cristiano Ronaldo. Inter’s first bid had been turned down, but Manchester United encouraged them to give it another go. Eventually, an €80 million fee was agreed.

Lukaku didn’t waste time trying to woo his new fanbase with swooning talk of the club, its traditions and history. All to be expected, of course, but the striker delivered his patter with a conviction that went way beyond the usual PR guff. The Interisti responded in kind, rallying around their latest signing as a player who just got what the club meant – someone to genuinely believe in, rather than an expensive cast-off who hadn’t quite fulfilled his promise at Old Trafford.

ROMELU LUKAKU Lukaku thrived on the attention, too. Conte gave him former captain Mauro Icardi’s No.9 jersey (the Argentine frontman soon joined Paris Saint-Germain) and they commenced a mutually beneficial working relationship: both coach and player motivated each other, and noticed plenty of common ground when it came to understanding the driven mindset of champions.

In England, much has been made about the 28-year-old’s slimmed-down body shape.

In reality, it’s his mental transformation as much as a physical one which could prove more telling back at Chelsea. Settling in at Inter, Lukaku found himself at a club where people would truly listen to him – and he loved it. Exhorting team-mates on the pitch and in the press to work harder, he became Conte’s representative on the other side of the white line; a focal point for an altogether more intense unit.

The Belgian repaid the former Blues boss with 64 goals in 95 games over two seasons, beating Ronaldo’s haul of 50 in 77 wearing an Inter shirt. ‘Grande Lu-La’ even reached that target in seven games fewer.

Unsurprisingly with that in mind, he hit the ground running. Lukaku bagged on his debut in Inter’s 4-0 home win against Lecce, then netted from the penalty spot as Conte’s men dispatched Cagliari. The locals in Sardinia had singled him out for abuse from the get-go – par for the course with a headline signing – but things turned progressively uglier. By the time Lukaku converted that winning penalty, he was greeted with a sustained, nauseating soundtrack of racist chanting – not only from the home curva but all sides of the ground, bar the away support.

Later that evening, the Nerazzurri’s new marksman called on football authorities and social networks alike to do something beyond the usual hand-wringing. “This is 2019,” he said on Instagram. “Instead of going forward, we’re going backwards.” Coming a year after Moise Kean had suffered similar abuse at the same stadium while playing for Juve, it was a powerful statement from a player unafraid to speak out in a country where any hint of non-footballing opinion is often treated with discomfort at best.

Inter finished one point behind champions Juventus in Lukaku’s opening season and lost the Europa League final 3-2 to Sevilla, after he had become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo to score in six consecutive European knockout games. Close, but no cigar.

Both he and Conte were desperate to step things up seriously. Hindsight being the great thing it is, perhaps there was an underlying sense that they wouldn’t get many better opportunities to do so than in 2020-21.

They would have been quite right, as well. Inter set off at a ferocious pace in Serie A and barely let up, except for a few hiccups midway through.

Lukaku formed a hugely profitable partnership with Lautaro Martinez, who rejected moves to Spain so that he could continue playing with his exceptional accomplice. The Belgian became adept at little lay-offs with his

LUKAKU TOPPED IL FENOMENO ’S HAUL OF 50 GOALS IN 77 GAMES FOR INTER, EVEN REACHING THE TARGET IN SEVEN GAMES FEWER Top to bottom Handbags with Zlatan; Big Rom and Conte were an ideal match; back in Blue and better than ever

back to goal (Arsenal didn’t get that memo when he faced them recently), shrugging off defenders and bringing team-mates into play. It was something Conte had been very keen to exploit, and the coach’s belief and enthusiasm made Lukaku a more complete striker. Suddenly, there was movement with purpose, speed, power and awareness.

Inter embarrassingly came bottom of their Champions League group after two draws with Shakhtar Donetsk – thus failing to even slip into the Europa League – but proved they weren’t a side to be pushed around.

No one proved it better than Lukaku. During a Coppa Italia quarter-final against city rivals Milan in January, the striker wasn’t in the best of moods after missing an earlier opportunity.

When furious words were exchanged amid an altercation with famous wallflower Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Swede let loose with a volley of abuse that included telling his adversary to “go do your voodoo s**t” and “call your mother”. An apoplectic Lukaku responded by calling Ibra a “little bitch”. Ibrahimovic was later sent off in Inter’s 2-1 win and insisted afterwards that their dust-up was nothing personal, but the former United colleagues continue to make indirect digs at each other on social media.

Not that it knocked the Belgian off his stride. In early May, with four games still to play, a 2-0 success at Crotone and results elsewhere sealed Inter’s first championship since Jose Mourinho’s tripletta 11 years ago, finally putting an end to Juve’s scudetto streak stretching back to 2011-12.

However, a month later Conte had moved on, hinting at deeper problems with the club’s unpredictable finances despite an estimated €23.4m windfall from a fresh television rights agreement. Lukaku, who had publicly called on his manager to stay put, may well have been swayed in his decision to follow him out of the departure door.

Whatever the thinking, fans have reacted angrily by echoing the bitter exit of Lukaku’s icon Ronaldo some two decades earlier. Time has healed the fallout between Il Fenomeno and the vexed Nerazzurri faithful, but a mural of the Belgian outside San Siro was defaced prior to his west London return, with the word traditore (traitor) writ large. It proved among the most popular (and polite) profanities used for the Brazilian throughout his spells at Real Madrid and Milan.

Lukaku, while lacking the graceful menace of his predecessor, could have continued to eclipse Ronaldo. Certainly, Inter fans in the late ’90s would have gladly traded their 1998 UEFA Cup triumph for a scudetto – especially if it came at Juve’s expense.

It’s exactly why those Nerazzurri supporters are feeling betrayed. A moment has passed, one in which Lukaku played such a vital role, and the opportunity for a new era of glory has seemingly been snatched away. The coming months will doubtlessly reveal more painful truths about Inter’s financial wellbeing, but they will be no consolation for those watching their former star use his San Siro learnings to another team’s benefit.

In the meantime, there’s just one truth that matters for Romelu Lukaku. His Italian job is over; redemption at Stamford Bridge awaits.

FourFourTwo October 2021 37

How we did it…

The perfect ground does not exist. Pubs and good patter can be traded off against handy road access or proximity to a station, while one fan’s trash is another’s beloved treasure (it’s called ‘charm’ – Ed.). But some things grab us all: that feeling as you stroll towards a historical behemoth; the sense of calm in a unique beauty spot; a special atmosphere unmatched elsewhere. It’s all subjective, of course – but we’ve had a go at running down our favourites anyway. Bicker afterwards...

100

PLOUGH LANE AFC WIMBLEDON Capacity 9,215 Opened 2020

Wimbledon’s new ground may have opened less than 12 months ago, but there’s more than 100 years of history at Plough Lane, the club’s spiritual home since 1912. The Dons left the old ground in 1991 – this one was built 200 yards away and is much smarter.

BEST FEATURE Not situated in Milton Keynes or Kingston. Which is nice.

From Anfield to Oakwell, via Craven Cottage and Cae Clyd, FFT ranks the finest homes by their matchday experience.

We’re convinced there’ll be absolutely no arguing about it...

Words Gary Parkinson, Chris Flanagan, Nige Tassell, Mark White, Rich Jolly, Joe Brewin, Gregg Davies, Kenny Millar, James Andrew

99

RECREATION GROUND ALDERSHOT TOWN Capacity 7,100 Opened 1927

The Shots’ ground is situated in a public park, with a distinctive downhill stroll through woodland required to access the away end of this traditional lower-league favourite.

BEST FEATURE Fans are segregated in the barrel-roofed East Bank terrace behind one of the goals, which often makes for a great atmosphere. Don’t forget your drum...

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

HISTORY

AWAY END

w

98 96 MKM STADIUM HULL CITY Capacity 25,400 Opened 2002

A statement of ambition, rising above the surrounding houses, shops and parks on the skyline of the city. Hull waited a century for top-flight football – it was no coincidence they got it in their new ground.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Phil Brown belting out a verse of the Beach Boys’ Sloop John B to celebrate Premier League survival in 2009.

Fans with a taste for time travel have often made pilgrimages to Sandygate. Located on Sheffield’s western fringes, it hosted its first match as far back as the mid-19th century, making it the world’s oldest football stadium.

DID YOU KNOW? Sandygate was the final home ground of one Christopher Roland Waddle, who coached Hallam’s Sunday team.

97 95 Capacity 10,841 Opened 1901

Edgeley Park is a relic of English football – but to traditionalists, it still carries certain charms of bygone years. The town centre is nearby, making for a solid non-league away.

BEST FEATURE The Railway End: a former terrace converted to an uncovered seating area, it’s generally only used for the biggest matches these days. Good, scruffy fun.

Capacity 4,000 Opened 1952

Tucked on the north-westerly edge of the Peak District, Seel Park is accompanied by some of the best views in non-league. It’s been modernised in recent years and now features various viewing points: standing terraces, seats… and even a garden bench.

BEST FEATURE Its own beer garden serving local brew – a nice touch on matchdays.

SANDYGATE

HALLAM FC Capacity 700 Opened 1860

EDGELEY PARK STOCKPORT COUNTY

SEEL PARK MOSSLEY

WHAM STADIUM

ACCRINGTON STANLEY Capacity 5,450 Opened 1968

Seamlessly and stylishly improved as Stanley rose up the divisions, while managing to keep its homely character. There are nice views of nearby hills, but wherever you’re sat or stood it’s pleasingly near the pitch to feel involved.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Accrington discovered a pair of false teeth lost by a fan during their 2018 win over AFC Wimbledon.

93

MAES TEGID BALA TOWN

Capacity 3,000 Opened 1950

Is it possible to look at Maes Tegid without a complete feeling of peace? With the rolling hills of Snowdonia for company, it’s one of the most pleasant grounds on these shores.

DID YOU KNOW? Bala have played seven seasons’ worth of European qualifiers – but never at home. UEFA regulations mean they have to use Rhyl’s Belle Vue instead. Boooo.

FourFourTwo October 2021 39

tsaL ynnaD erutciP

94

LOCATION

100 GREATEST GROUnDS

100 GREATEST GROUnDS

90 88 VICARAGE ROAD

WATFORD Capacity 21,577 Opened 1922

tsaL ynnaD erutciP

92

There’s nowhere to park, but this is another terrific crucible for night football. Pre-match entertainment comes via away team drivers trying to reverse their luxury coaches down the narrow lane to the players’ entrance.

DID YOU KNOW? Vicarage Road doubled as the home ground of Dunmore United in ’80s ITV kids caper Murphy’s Mob.

THE SAFFRONS

PENYDARREN PARK

MERTHYR TOWN Capacity 4,500 Opened 1908

This rustic, hilltop gem occupies the site of a Roman military settlement – and while showing its age in places, it recently benefited from development work costing £3 million.

DID YOU KNOW? Merthyr stunned Atalanta 2-1 here in the first round of the 1987-88 European Cup Winners’ Cup, making for one of Welsh football’s most memorable nights.

EASTBOURNE TOWN Capacity 3,000 Opened 1884

Home to Sussex’s oldest club, Eastbourne’s base is tucked neatly on the edge of town behind stone walls and cricket sight screens.

It’s a leafy cracker, spied upon by the clock tower of Eastbourne’s heritage museum.

DID YOU KNOW? Since 1947, fires have destroyed two of its cricket pavilions, one grandstand and the main turnstile. Cursed.

91 89 87 HIGHBURY FLEETWOOD TOWN

CAPPIELOW

GREENOCK MORTON Capacity 11,589 Opened 1879

Capacity 5,327 Opened 1939

Named after the nearby Highbury Avenue rather than Arsenal’s old ground, Fleetw brightened up their home as they near EFL. There’s an arcing main stand and seating area opposite, which still sits direc in front of the rickety old stand it replaced.

BEST FEATURE Every time Fleetwood scor they play the theme to Captain Pugwash.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

An unashamed throwback full of character.

Upgrades haven’t been a priority for a club that has survived tough times, meaning the 142-year-old Cappielow sits rough and ready by the docks whose famous, hulking Titan Crane dominates the sky. Cartsdyke station is a short five-minute walk away.

BEST FEATURE Curious three-tier dugouts.

HISTORY

AWAY END

THE FOOTBALL PITCH

ERISKAY AFC Population 143 (at last count)

OK, so it’s more ‘pitch’ than ‘ground’… but just look at it. Locals on this Outer Hebrides island have their beach, community hall, pub, shop… and this. So what if it’s uneven, on a slope and completely exposed?

DID YOU KNOW? In 2015, FIFA picked it as one of the eight most remarkable places to play football. You can see why.

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THEGREATWELLESLEY YARMOUTH Capacity 3,600 Opened 1888

The main reason to visit one of the UK’s most easterly grounds isn’t to observe its 10th-tier Eastern Counties League side’s prowess – it’s to gaze upon, and sit within, the grandeur of its Victorian grandstand.

Built in 1892, it’s the oldest in the country.

BEST FEATURE What else? That grandstand was given Grade II-listed status in 2002.

84 82 THE VALLEY

CHARLTON ATHLETIC Capacity 27,111 Opened 1919

Evocative name, evocative place. Older fans will recall the repurposed chalkpit’s post-war glory years – or The Who’s record-breakingly loud gig. The Valley was triumphantly rebuilt in 1992 after a seven-year hiatus, ended by Addicks fans’ organisation and grit.

BEST FEATURE When the DJ strikes up The Skids’ Into The Valley, even stone hearts stir.

It’s a slog for most fans, but worth it thanks to a lopsided mixture of seated stands and terraced paddocks. Crammed with character.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Magno Vieira’s daft free-kick winner against Halifax in 2005: quickly taken after keeper Ian Dunbavin mistakenly thought the ref was calling him over, but was then penalised for handball.

BEVEREE

HAMPTON & RICHMOND Capacity 3,500 Opened 1959

The splendour of Hampton Court Palace may only be a mile and a half down the road, but you’ll find none of that pomp and pageantry at the Bev: a cosy ramshackle hodgepodge hidden in leafy suburbia.

DID YOU KNOW? Last season’s Women’s Champions League finalists Chelsea called it home for several years in the mid-noughties.

Capacity 9,052 Opened 1899

Take your big coat: Grimsby’s Cleethorpes home is hard by the North Sea. Roughly half of the 1939 away end is restricted view, but the 1961 Pontoon End makes a fine racket.

You can watch the weather closing in from the two-tiered Young’s Stand.

BEST FEATURE Those gargantuan black and white floodlights: some 128ft tall.

85 83 81 BRUNTON PARK

CARLISLE UNITED Capacity 17,949 Opened 1909

BLUNDELL PARK GRIMSBY TOWN

ABBEY STADIUM

CAMBRIDGE UNITED Capacity 8,127 Opened 1932

The nearby Barnwell Lake offers a pretty accompaniment to one of England’s most distinct grounds. The North Terrace is a gritty throwback, but the nostalgic ought to like it.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Notorious ex-manager John Beck moved the opposition dugout near the corner flag to prevent them getting a good view of the action. That’s the spirit.

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ST JAMES PARK

EXETER CITY Capacity 8,696 Opened 1904

Framed by elegant houses, and packed in by roads and the railway, the Grecians’ home combines the throwback of a big open terrace with modern features – including 2018’s £3.4m Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Michael Jackson visited in 2002 with magician David Blaine and his friend Uri Geller, then Exeter’s joint-chairman.

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GAYFIELD PARK

ARBROATH Capacity 6,600 Opened 1880

Wrap up warm... and bring your appetite.

Arbroath is famous for its ‘smokies’, a local delicacy made from haddock. The fish is salted overnight before being tied in pairs to dry, then hung in a special barrel. Mmm...

DID YOU KNOW? Gayfield is believed to be the closest ground to the sea in Europe, so beware a howling wind from the North Sea.

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LIBERTY STADIUM

CARDIFF CITY STADIUM

SWANSEA CITY Capacity 21,088 Opened 2005

CARDIFF CITY/WALES Capacity 33,280 Opened 2009

The Liberty sways when Swansea are on top.

Tucked away in picturesque surroundings, the Swans’ sphere is somewhat identikit – but it’s enjoyed classic moments and some notable scalps since opening back in 2005.

WEIRDEST MOMENT An elderly lady giving two fingers to protestors at a 2014 UKIP rally.

Still less aggro than when Cardiff visit, mind.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

Despite having the dullest of names, Cardiff’s stronghold – built on a site adjacent to the old Ninian Park – is terrifically noisy when filled with passionate Bluebirds. But it takes on an extra dimension when homeboy Gareth Bale leads out the national side here.

DID YOU KNOW? Jay Bothroyd scored its first goal, in a pre-season clash with Chasetown.

HISTORY

AWAY END

ASHTON GATE BRISTOL CITY

Capacity 27,000 Opened 1887

Situated in front of rolling Bristolian hills and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Ashton Gate is a sleeping giant. Its 27,000-capacity is rarely full but the acoustics are excellent inside it – great for amplifying dedicated chants about drinking cider.

WEIRDEST FEATURE When you realise at full-time: yes, that is The Wurzels...

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75 73 TWERTON PARK

VITALITY STADIUM

BATH CITY Capacity 3,528 Opened 1909

BOURNEMOUTH Capacity 11,364 Opened 1910

If you like character, you’ll probably adore Twerton Park, with its combination of open terraces, main stand in a faded shade of green and tree-lined backdrop. They really don’t build ’em like this any more.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Bath offered Twerton’s naming rights in a £50 raffle in 2012, netting £8,350. Luckily, charity The Mayday Trust won.

Dean Court was rebuilt two decades ago and has seen Bournemouth from bottom to top.

With fans so close to the action, it’s played a huge part in their speedy ascent.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Twenty minutes of serenading new signings Juan Iturbe and Benik Afobe back in January 2016, set to La Bamba and split into two choral sections.

74 72 BALMOOR STADIUM PETERHEAD

RIVERSIDE

Capacity 4,000 Opened 1997

MIDDLESBROUGH Capacity 35,742 Opened 1995

Balmoor’s a great away day, but best take your car – the nearest station is 32 miles away. Fish pie is a staple in this notorious port town, though fans had better huddle up: that North Sea wind is a bit nippy. Brrr!

DID YOU KNOW? Midfielder Simon Ferry has become an attraction in his own right through his YouTube channel, Open Goal.

Its site is a nod to Middlesbrough’s industrial past. Perhaps the ground looks best at night, the lights reflecting in the nearby water – and it certainly shone brightest in the evenings of Boro’s run to the 2006 UEFA Cup Final.

BEST FEATURE The gates from former home Ayresome Park, flanked by statues of Boro greats Wilf Mannion and George Hardwick.

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MEMORIAL STADIUM

BRISTOL ROVERS Capacity 12,300 Opened 1921

Many grounds don’t have a single memorable stand. The Memorial has two. The blue East Stand rises high above the rest of the ground, while the lighter West Stand looks more like a cricket pavilion. In a good way...

DID YOU KNOW? It’s built on Buffalo Bill’s Field, where William Cody – a legend of the Wild West – once staged a show.

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CALEDONIAN STADIUM

INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE

Capacity 7,512 Opened 1996

It’s a long old poke for pitiful pub options, but… that view. Caley’s stadium lies on the banks of the picturesque Moray Firth, well known for its dolphins, while the away end offers a glimpse of the Kessock Bridge.

DID YOU KNOW? The stadium doubled up as a drive-in cinema during the pandemic – Braveheart, Grease and Toy Story got airings.

NEW MANOR GROUND ILKESTON TOWN Capacity 3,029 Opened 1991

The New Manor Ground is undergoing a £2m revamp, making it one of the plushest outside the EFL... while keeping its lovely Clock Tower.

DID YOU KNOW? The first Ilkeston Town folded in 2010, to be followed by Ilkeston FC and now... er, Ilkeston Town. Try to keep up.

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LOFTUS ROAD QPR

CRABBLE

DOVER ATHLETIC Capacity 5,745 Opened 1931

Capacity 18,181 Opened 1904

Carved into the side of a hill, its idyllic ‘upper pitch’ setting offers attractive views of the village River below... once you’ve finally got your breath back after a hike to the gates.

DID YOU KNOW? The adjoining ‘lower pitch’, now used by Dover Rugby Club, hosted more than 100 first-class cricket matches for Kent between 1907 and 1976.

The BBC’s former default home for football filming is so tight it’s claustrophobic, with four steep stands shoulder to shoulder and looming close over the pitch. The single-tier Ellerslie Road is small but vociferous, while the two-tier Loft end sucks the ball in.

BEST FEATURE It’s now officially named after the Kiyan Prince charity. Good on ’em.

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BROADHURST PARK FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER Capacity 4,700 Opened 2015

After a long-term ground-share with Bury, FC United moved into their own gaff six years ago. Outside it looks like a new-build tertiary college, but inside it’s a brilliantly atmospheric crucible aided by Old Trafford-esque pens.

DID YOU KNOW? The first match here was against Benfica B, on the anniversary of the 1968 European Cup Final.

TURF MOOR BURNLEY

Capacity 21,944 Opened 1883

Travel back in time to a stadium that’s even older than the Football League, boxed in by terraced houses and with views of industrial chimneys and Pennine hills. The noise can be a reminder of earlier eras, too.

DID YOU KNOW? The cameras were banned by dictatorial ex-chairman Bob Lord, who thought TV coverage was bad for football.

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SELHURST PARK CRYSTAL PALACE Capacity 25,486 Opened 1924

Nobody would claim Selhurst is a beauty – even those who threaten its ageing rafters with songs and drumbeats every fortnight.

Certainly not the away fans in the 1969 Arthur Wait Stand, which is far from fabulous at 50. But the heady atmosphere contributes to a stirringly different type of matchday.

BEST FEATURE England’s best tifosi.

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ATMOSPHERE

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HISTORY

AWAY END

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PRINCES PARK DARTFORD Capacity 4,100 Opened 2006

100 GREATEST GROUnDS CLAGGAN PARK FORT WILLIAM Capacity 1,800 Opened 1985

The Highland Football League side play in the shadow of one of Ben Nevis’ foothills, with the peak itself – almost invariably capped with snow – visible beyond in all of its cloud-scraping glory.

DID YOU KNOW? This was once the home of future Premier League star John McGinlay.

Modern? Yes. Dull and conventional? Nope.

This is one of Britain’s most eco-friendly grounds, featuring solar panels, a water recycling system, grassy ‘living roof’ and timber beams. Surely the gold standard for non-league ground design these days.

BEST FEATURE Dartford’s towering Oak Man (below) is always lending his support.

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PRIDERBYDECOUNTY PARK

Capacity 33,597 Opened 1997

One of the most stylish and classy of the modern stadia, aided by the black and white colours. The bust of Steve Bloomer next to the dugouts is a nice nod to Derby’s history.

DID YOU KNOW? The first goal and first competitive goal at Pride Park were both scored by Italians – Vincenzo Montella and Stefano Eranio, respectively.

62 61 ST ANDREW’S

BIRMINGHAM CITY Capacity 29,409 Opened 1906

A ground to suit the club. Shinier and newer stadia have more pretensions of grandeur, but St Andrew’s lies at the heart of a proud community; that working-class fanbase can produce a rousing atmosphere.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Former boss Barry Fry urinated on all four corner flags to lift a gypsy curse on the venue. Or that was his excuse...

OAKWELL BARNSLEY

Capacity 23,287 Opened 1888

Beware those sharp-toothed winds at this classic cathedral of South Yorkshire football – and keep your eyes peeled for the club’s former poet-in-residence, broadcaster Ian McMillan, waxing lyrical in the tea queue.

DID YOU KNOW? In 2008, Manchester City played a home UEFA Cup tie at Oakwell as their new pitch wasn’t ready.

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CAUSEWAY LANE

MATLOCK TOWN Capacity 2,400 Opened 1913

With trees framing the appropriately named Twigg Stand, this picturesque ground lies on the edge of the Peak District. The scenery extends to the club: even the Gladiators’ logo looks unique and appealing.

BEST FEATURE The views of Riber Castle, the 19th-century stately home, on a hill which overlooks the town and ground.

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53 52 THE NEW LAWN

FOREST GREEN ROVERS Capacity 5,147 Opened 2006

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No other league ground is situated at the top of such a lung-sappingly steep hill. Those with tickets for the main stand can enjoy the fine fare of the all-vegan restaurant... along with views of the local cattle.

WEIRDEST FEATURE The dressing rooms are situated in what looks like a toilet block in the far corner of the pitch.

BELLSLEA PARK FRASERBURGH

RECREATI ON PARK ALLOA ATHLETIC Capacity 3,100 Opened 1895

Alloa are widely regarded as one of the best part-time clubs in Scotland – extending to the maintenance of their tidy stadium. The 3G surface isn’t for everybody’s liking, but those glorious views of the Ochil Hills from the Railway End wash all concerns away.

BEST FEATURE The full experience isn’t done until you’ve tried Alloa’s famous pie in a roll.

Capacity 3,000 Opened 1909

In the north-eastern corner of Aberdeenshire, Fraserburgh is one of the biggest shellfish ports in Europe. It also takes great pride in its team, whose cracking ground is overlooked

by Fraserburgh South Kirk.

DID YOU KNOW? In January 2018, they became the first Highland League side to appear live on Sky when hosting Rangers.

56 55 54 MEADOW LANE

HOME PARK

GLEBE PARK BRECHIN CITY

The ‘Theatre of Greens’ was heavily bombed during the Second World War, but still has its lovely 1930s art-deco façade to complement plenty of far more modern facilities.

DID YOU KNOW? Manchester United faced Saint-Etienne in the Cup Winners’ Cup here back in 1977 – it had to be staged more than 200km from Old Trafford after rioting.

Brechin have fallen on hard times down in the Highland League, but their ground remains one of the most distinctive in Scotland due to the unmistakable hedge that borders the length of one flank.

WEIRDEST FEATURE Glebe Park is now the permanent home of a Mel Gibson Braveheart statue originally carved 25 years ago. Sure.

NOTTS COUNTY Capacity 19,841 Opened 1910

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE Capacity 16,388 Opened 1893

A wonderful location, near the city centre and just across the river Trent from Forest, which serves as a reminder of County’s past.

Meadow Lane’s size shows that they really shouldn’t be a non-league club right now.

DID YOU KNOW? County used to play at Trent Bridge – though they had to find other venues when Notts were playing cricket.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

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HISTORY

AWAY END

Capacity 4,123 Opened 1919

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100 GREATEST GROUnDS BRENTFORD COMMUNITY BRENTFORD Capacity 17,250 Opened 2020

Sadly gone are the pubs on every corner, but the buzz of the Bees’ new hive remains. It’s fresh with an atmosphere of old – as fans proved when they practically took their new sloped roof off against Arsenal in August.

BEST FEATURE Just how impressively 17,000 seats have been squeezed into a tiny square of London. The design keeps all the sound in.

KENILWORTH ROAD LUTON TOWN Capacity 10,356 Opened 1905

That row of ground-level executive boxes along one touchline has always been a weird anomaly, but there are few more colourful places to watch a midweek game than in this tight, distinctly old-school stadium.

BEST FEATURE The quirky entrance to the Oak Stand, which takes away supporters up and over neighbouring back gardens.

49 48 47 ST MARY’S

SOUTHAMPTON Capacity 32,384 Opened 2001

An enclosed bowl gives it a complete feel, and the symmetry makes it the opposite of their cramped old Dell. The façade has plenty of glass... and plenty of class.

WEIRDEST MOMENT The statue of club legend Ted Bates was removed after a few days in 2007 – because it looked more like former Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric.

UNIVERSITY OF BOLTON

BOLTON WANDERERS Capacity 28,018 Opened 1997

Supercharging the Huddersfield template, its roomy two-tier stands offer fine comfort beneath those yearning floodlights. By the motorway, served by trains and surrounded by shopping, it’s maybe the country’s finest ‘new’ stadium for those who count most.

BEST FEATURE The legroom, which is so often forgotten in the race to milk wallets.

EDGAR STREET HEREFORD

Capacity 4,913 Opened 1900 (est.)

Little has changed since Ronnie, Ricky & Co sparked parka-clad pitch invasions in 1972.

To many, that’s part of the appeal in visiting an old classic with its towering floodlights – among the first to be installed in England.

BEST FEATURE The Bulls’ mascot – yep, an actual one – is paraded around the ground before high-profile games.

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CAE CLYD

BLAENAU FFESTINIOG Capacity 550 Opened 1956

We’d imagine the locals were fairly chuffed when their old rubbish tip was transformed into one of Wales’ greatest-looking grounds in the mid-50s. Set in the heart of Snowdonia, it’s now a delicious sprawl of hillsides, housing and greenery. Phwoar indeed.

DID YOU KNOW? Wales’ slate landscape – including Blaenau Ffestiniog – has became the UK’s 33rd UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DUMBARTON STADIUM

DUMBARTON Capacity 2,020 Opened 2000

A scenic favourite, Dumbarton’s ground sits under Castle Rock. It’s a shame the seats in their one stand face away from the landmark, but it makes for a pretty picture nonetheless.

Only a five-minute walk from the station, too.

BEST FEATURE The dugouts – the coaching staff get to enjoy that view, at least...

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STADIUM OF LIGHT SUNDERLAND Capacity 49,000 Opened 1997

Spectacularly overlooking the River Wear, this giant arena shouldn’t be hosting League One football – it’s previously staged England matches during more electric days.

BEST FEATURE The deafening pre-match rendition of Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights, later nicked for The Apprentice. Attempts to replace it with ’90s trance didn’t go well.

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BET365 STADIUM

DEEPDALE PRESTON NORTH END

STOKE CITY Capacity 30,089 Opened 1997

Capacity 23,404 Opened 1875

Yes, it sits on top of a big hill and every third match seems to be played in some sort of hurricane, but it hasn’t stopped the noise being among Britain’s best over time. Stoke fans have broken decibel records – they were officially as loud as a jumbo jet taking off.

DID YOU KNOW? Stanley Matthews’ ashes were buried beneath the centre circle in 2000.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

Though drenched in history and brilliantly named, Deepdale needed an update. It got one, superbly modelled on Sampdoria’s Luigi Ferraris. The faces of Tom Finney, Bill Shankly and Alan Kelly (ask a local) gaze on from single-tier stands affording ace views – not least from the Invincibles Pavilion.

BEST FEATURE The ‘Splash’ Finney statue.

HISTORY

AWAY END

EARLS ORCHARD

RICHMOND TOWN Capacity 500 Opened 1940 (est.)

Voted England’s most scenic non-league ground in 2019... and it’s easy to see why.

By the River Swale in the Yorkshire Dales and beneath the shadow of trees, it’s unique – though Richmond are moving for a 5G pitch.

BEST FEATURE The imposing Richmond Castle, which dates back almost 1,000 years to Norman times, towers over the location.

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100 GREATEST GROUnDS CWM NANT-Y-GROES

ABERTILLERY BLUEBIRDS Capacity N/A Opened 1989

This might look like a scene from The Sound of Music, but no – behold the beauty of Welsh village Six Bells and its stunning ground of third-tier Abertillery. Drainage problems had forced them to play on a 3G pitch elsewhere until this year, when local grafters improved the pitch to ensure a return home. Lovely.

BEST FEATURE A conifer valley overhead – that’s quite nice, isn’t it?

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JOHN SMITH’S STADIUM HUDDERSFIELD TOWN Capacity 24,329 Opened 1994

Leeds Road was the archetypal mid-century English ground; this new place pointed to the future. All arcs and fan-led architecture, the new stadium opened with just the two sides; the ends followed in due course. Few grounds get voted the RIBA’s Building of the Year.

BEST FEATURE The roof-supporting ‘banana trusses’ give this ground its look.

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PITTODRIE ABERDEEN

Capacity 20,866 Opened 1899

There’s no shortage of folks pleased to hear that a proposed stadium move has stalled.

The distinctive old floodlights and granite façade of the Merkland Stand stand out, while the club have also done a great job of revamping their vibrant Red Shed area.

DID YOU KNOW? Pittodrie was the first stadium to feature a dugout, in the 1920s.

37 36 MILL ROAD

ARUNDEL Capacity 2,200 Opened 1889 (est.)

A view that belongs on a picture postcard, with greenery and history. The Mullets – a nickname that sadly has nothing to do with 1980s footballers – have quite a sight.

BEST FEATURE The glorious Arundel Castle, built by an ally of William the Conqueror, home to the Dukes of Norfolk for 400 years and stylishly revamped in the 19th century.

ETIMANCHESTER HAD STADIUM CITY Capacity 55,017 Opened 2003

The proof that an athletics stadium can be transformed for football. Some outstanding facilities and terrific football have made the Etihad a byword for big games, although a struggle to fill it for smaller ones doesn’t always lend itself to a raucous atmosphere.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Hull boss Phil Brown’s half-time team talk on the pitch in 2008.

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BLOOMFIELD ROAD

BLACKPOOL Capacity 16,616 Opened 1899

Capacity 6,541 Opened 1929

OK, so it’s a trek – but worthwhile to a lovely part of Scotland. Dingwall’s station couldn’t be handier and also boasts a welcoming pub, The Mallard, whether you’re looking to celebrate or commiserate. Victoria Park’s haggis and venison pie is worth the trip itself.

DID YOU KNOW? Victoria Park has a greater capacity than the population of Dingwall.

Blackpool’s home is a tangerine butterfly from a very ugly caterpillar. That the rotting Kop, dingy Scratching Shed, low-slung main stand and shallow South Stand have slowly been replaced is all the more remarkable given the club’s sorry ownership affairs.

BEST FEATURE The statue of the universally loved Jimmy Armfield.

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VICTORI A PARK ROSS COUNTY

HUISH PARK

YEOVIL TOWN Capacity 9,565 Opened 1990

It doesn’t have the famous slope of the old Huish, indelibly associated with an FA Cup shock of Sunderland in 1949, but the elegant, distinctive Tamburino Stand and open terrace makes it the model for many lower grounds.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Four Yeovil fans invaded the pitch in 2018 and tried to escape over the away end – but got trapped on a roof.

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BLANDY PARK GARW SBGC Capacity N/A Opened 1920

What is it about Wales and rubbish tips? It’s a minor miracle this pitch in the village of Pontycyme, South Wales, even exists. Once a coal waste dumping ground, it was rescued by local miners who somehow forged a flat piece of land in terrain that’s anything but.

BEST FEATURE A two-storey cottage that also serves as the dressing rooms. Obviously.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

HISTORY

AWAY END

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AMEX STADIUM BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION Capacity 31,780 Opened 2011

100 GREATEST GROUnDS HAMPDEN PARK

SCOTLAND Capacity 51,866 Opened 1903

Some of the views are poor and the stands too far from the pitch, but Hampden remains iconic. If you need any convincing, dig out the footage of Leigh Griffiths scoring a second free-kick against England in 2017.

DID YOU KNOW? Andy Robertson worked in the office when he was a Queen’s Park player.

Home is sweeter for absence, and Brighton slept rough longer than most. After 14 years of sofa surfing, Falmer opened a new era. It’s well-equipped and modern, to the point that ticket holders get free public transport – not, admittedly, useful for car-driving away fans.

BEST FEATURE The hawks that, without irony, scare away seagulls.

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THE DEN

MILLWALL Capacity 20,146 Opened 1993

The oldest of the ‘new’ all-seater stadiums built following the Taylor Report – and also the closest to central London. There’s a great atmosphere for the big games… particularly when West Ham or Leeds are in town.

DID YOU KNOW? The Den also doubled up as the home ground for Sky One’s fictional team Harchester United in Dream Team.

30 29 THE ENCLOSED GROUND

WHITEHAWK Capacity 2,000 Opened 1954

tsaL ynnaD erutciP

Sunk into East Sussex’s South Downs, the Brighton-based ground is delightful. It’s also sometimes visited by an actual hawk in club regalia for special occasions.

BEST FEATURE Cheapskates rejoice: you can watch games for free if you fancy trekking up the hill, with some glorious views thrown in for good measure.

MOLINEUX

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Capacity 32,050 Opened 1889

Handily located near the city centre, this old gold gem has been expanded since a major overhaul during the 1990s. The atmosphere is usually pretty decent.

WEIRDEST MOMENT A controlled explosion was carried out on a suspect package by the bomb squad before an England U21 game in 1996 – it turned out to be a cheese sandwich.

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KING POWER STADIUM

LEICESTER CITY Capacity 32,261 Opened 2002

Moulded from the same bowl that popped out St Mary’s a year earlier, this Filbert Street replacement was eventually sprinkled with magic dust to create a party atmosphere.

Its 8,000-seat expansion plan looks superb.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Leicester fans created a minor earthquake celebrating Leo Ulloa’s late winner against Norwich in March 2016.

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BRADFORD CITY Capacity 25,136 Opened 1886

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Doggedly clinging to a Pennine slope, Valley Parade wears its cantilever tech proudly, like a Yorkshire version of the Pompidou.

Its mismatched stands – the main one ends abruptly to accommodate the street that names the stadium – create a unique ground.

BEST FEATURE The players emerging from what looks like a non-league changing hut.

ADAMS PARK WYCOMBE WANDERERS

FRATTON PARK

PORTSMOUTH Capacity 19,700 Opened 1899

Maritime and military, Portsmouth is very English; Fratton is ferociously traditional.

Behind the mock-Tudor entrance is a bastion of Archibald Leitch stands, old terraces (now seated) and vociferous support. This ain’t sanitised, and arguably all the better for it.

BEST FEATURE The disused old floodlight relocated to the car park as a keepsake.

Capacity 10,137 Opened 1990

Although the approach is through an ugly industrial estate, the ground is flanked on its remaining three sides by open countryside and woodland. If the on-field action gets too dull, simply gaze skywards to watch the resident red kites circle overhead.

DID YOU KNOW? Adams Park’s first match saw Wycombe boss Martin O’Neill up against former club Forest – and boss Brian Clough.

24 23 HILLSBOROUGH

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY Capacity 39,732 Opened 1899

Only the bang-central Villa Park has hosted more FA Cup semi-finals. Hillsborough boasts history-defining stands: the 1915 main one with its clock face and finial; the 1961 North Stand with England’s first full cantilever roof; the huge Kop symbolising the terrace era; and the haunting Leppings Lane that ended it.

BEST FEATURE The North’s graceful curves.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

CITY GROUND

NOTTINGHAM FOREST Capacity 30,445 Opened 1898

Meadow Lane is nearer the city centre, but Forest’s Trentside home was the centre of Europe for two seasons. Brian Clough’s glory built the stand that bears his name; history hangs heavy around a ground still awaiting a comparable hero that may never come.

BEST FEATURE The Bridgford End’s bent roof, which keeps nearby houses in sunlight.

HISTORY

AWAY END

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CHAMPION HILL

DULWICH HAMLET Capacity 3,000 Opened 1992

The local manor of these south London cult favourites recently evaded the developers’ wrecking ball. Mix with a band of tame ultras known as The Rabble… and keep an eye out for ex-player and new director Peter Crouch.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Champion Hill was the location for a terraces-cleaning challenge in the 2015 series of The Apprentice.

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100 GREATEST GROUnDS EASTER ROAD HIBERNIAN

Capacity 20,421 Opened 1893

Embedded in one of Europe’s most densely populated areas, you’re treated to views of Arthur’s Seat at one end and Leith Docks from the other. Sunshine On Leith sounds sensational from the single-tier East Stand.

DID YOU KNOW? In lockdown, cardboard cutout fans included celebrity Hibee Andy Murray and more than 30 kangaroos – on behalf of Hibs’ Australian supporters club.

GOODI SON PARK EVERTON Capacity 39,414 Opened 1892

Everton’s home drips history, from its classic stands with archetypal Leitch cross-braced balconies to St Luke’s Church popping its head from behind the jumbotron. Sadly but inevitably, the Toffees are leaving for a swish new dockside home – so soak it all up now.

BEST FEATURE Those Leitch cross-braces are bygone beauties.

17 16 15 CARROW ROAD NORWICH CITY Capacity 27,359 Opened 1935

Chuffed at having built a new ground in 82 days, officials called it the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. But the riverside ground does have tradition (On The Ball City is football’s oldest song) and good views from the South Stand (named after a bloke called South).

BEST FEATURE The rotating phone screen thing. Quirky is good.

ELLAND ROAD

LEEDS UNITED Capacity 37,890 Opened 1897

Four stands named after legends (Charles, Charlton, Hunter and Revie) frame a bearpit in which Marcelo Bielsa’s busy bees delight the locals and terrify visitors – just as it was in Don Revie’s heyday. A loud, proud ground.

WEIRDEST MOMENT In 1971, Revie became convinced the ground was cursed so hired a ‘gypsy witch’ to perform a cleansing spell.

THE HAWTHORNS

WEST BROMWICH ALBION Capacity 26,850 Opened 1900

The English league’s highest stadium. Once they’d cleared the bushes, they made a fine ground which has retained its history despite necessary reinventions down the decades (including repurposing the old Handsworth Stand to cover the Brummie Road end).

BEST FEATURE Their throstle in the corner.

Who doesn’t love an enormous avian effigy?

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100 GREATEST GROUnDS

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THELEWESDRIPPING PAN Capacity 3,000 Opened 1885

EMI RATES STADIUM ARSENAL Capacity 60,704 Opened 2006

It took years, but the bold ‘new’ bowl feels like home now. The views and surface are immaculate, while time has allowed it to create a better atmosphere for big games.

Those who mock have never seen it rock.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Brazil claiming the Emirates as their second home, having played eight fixtures at Arsenal’s stadium.

A 15-minute train ride east out of Brighton, The Dripping Pan is set on a salt marsh once panned by local monks (hence its name).

Its steep, pitch-length grass bank gives it a fabulous amphitheatre feel, while craft beers and gourmet burgers seal the deal.

DID YOU KNOW? The Day Today’s Patrick Marber was part of the consortium that bought now-fan-owned Lewes.

10

WEMBLEY

ENGLAND Capacity 90,000 Opened 2007

Like the Emirates, Wembley didn’t feel much like home for England... until Euro 2020. For the first time, a raucous atmosphere finally matched its incredible architecture.

BEST FEATURE The arch replaced those iconic Twin Towers, but it’s more than just a landmark – it supports the roof structure.

13 12 BRAMALL LANE SHEFFIELD UNITED Capacity 32,050 Opened 1855

Opened as a cricket ground, football began at Bramall Lane in 1862. It offers no frills, but with fans in close proximity to the pitch and a fine atmosphere more often than not, this is the true essence of English football.

WEIRDEST MOMENT 2002’s Battle of Bramall Lane: three red cards, various punch-ups and an abandonment with just eight minutes left.

BEAUTY

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

STAMFORD BRIDGE

CHELSEA Capacity 40,267 Opened 1877

The ground Fulham rejected is a fascinating document of near-bankruptcy (the East Stand), echoes of hooliganism (the Shed End) and reminders of unheralded heroes (the Spackman and Speedie entrances).

WEIRDEST MOMENT In the ’80s, owner Ken Bates fought hooliganism with electric fences.

The council wouldn’t let him switch them on.

HISTORY

AWAY END

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TYNECASTLE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN Capacity 20,099 Opened 1886

Ask Scottish supporters to name their best away day, and the chances are most opt for Tynecastle. It’s a belting ground – the crowd are almost on top of the players, while steep stands keep the noise in.

DID YOU KNOW? An ambitious overhaul of the main stand was delayed when the club forgot to order seats for it. No, really.

100 GREATEST GROUnDS

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STNEWCASTLE JAMES’UNITED PARK Capacity 52,305 Opened 1892

The cathedral on the hill, visible from the city centre, is a highlight of the Newcastle skyline.

The huge Milburn and Leaves stands feel like something out of the Camp Nou. It’s a sign of what United could – and should – be.

WEIRDEST MOMENT In 2005, Magpies duo Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer were both sent off for fighting… each other.

07

06 05 VILLA PARK

ASTON VILLA Capacity 42,749 Opened 1897

From the statue of Football League founder William McGregor, to the magnificent Holte End, it oozes history. The spiritual home of the FA Cup semi-final is opposite a stately home, its grandness mirrored.

DID YOU KNOW? England have only played home games at two grounds – Villa Park and Anfield – in all of the 1800s, 1900s and 2000s.

OLD TRAFFORD MANCHESTER UNITED Capacity 74,140 Opened 1910

Bobby Charlton wasn’t wrong dubbing it the Theatre of Dreams. England’s first holistically planned stadium was reborn in the cantilever era and again post-Taylor Report. Magnificent.

WEIRDEST MOMENT Technically, it hosted the lowest Football League crowd: just 13, for Stockport-Leicester in 1921 – but many more stayed behind after United’s preceding game.

TOTTENHAM STADIUM

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR Capacity 62,850 Opened 2019

Tottenham’s billion-quid arena features the biggest Kop in Europe and NFL capability, with a dividing pull-out pitch. It’s the most technologically advanced stadium in the world, geared towards noise and comfort.

BEST FEATURE An in-house brewery, making it the biggest pub in London. Surely next up, a sandwich bar called ‘The Deli Alley’. Guys?

04

CRAVEN COTTAGE FULHAM Capacity 19,359 Opened 1896

London’s oldest ground is an away fans’ delight. Its famous cottage doubles up as the changing rooms, while the turnstiles for all four stands are uniquely on the same road. Its poor acoustics are a shame.

DID YOU KNOW? The Riverside Stand is undergoing expansion redevelopment for 2022... complete with a rooftop pool.

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100 GREATEST GROUnDS

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Capacity 53,394 Opened 1884

Everton’s exit over a rent squabble rendered Anfield available; it’s now one of the world’s most storied stadiums (especially on Those Midweek European Nights). The colossal Kop popularised witty chanting, and the stands around it have been raised to meet sky-high expectations on Merseyside.

WEIRDEST MOMENT In July 1987, a 15x20ft section of the Kop collapsed into the Victorian sewer below.

CELTIC PARK

CELTIC Capacity 60,411 Opened 1892

The greats have lined up to rave about the electric atmosphere generated in Glasgow’s East End. Rangers boss Steven Gerrard might think differently now, but he once said, “For an opposition player it’s quite incredible. I’ve not seen a better atmosphere.”

BEST FEATURE The redeveloped Celtic Way includes a statue of legendary ex-boss Jock Stein. His famous “football without the fans is nothing” line could hardly ring truer here.

BEAUTY

ANFIELD LIVERPOOL

ATMOSPHERE

LOCATION

HISTORY

AWAY END

100 GREATEST GROUnDS IBROX

RANGERS Capacity 50,817 Opened 1899

If you’re looking for the best atmosphere in British football, Glasgow is the place.

For its vibrancy, passion and intensity, on and off the pitch, nothing on these shores compares to the matchday experience at an Old Firm fixture. Few games in the world can equal it – arguably only Boca Juniors versus River Plate.

Big European nights at Ibrox and Celtic Park are pretty special too, as various legends like Lionel Messi and Gigi Buffon have attested over the years. There’s very little to choose between the two grounds, and FFT does its best to maintain neutrality on all Rangers vs Celtic matters – but by the sheer nature of a comprehensive list like this, there has to be a number one (inevitably dooming us to a deluge of angry letters).

Ibrox narrowly sneaks into top spot, even though its capacity is smaller by around 10,000. Fans are close to the pitch on all sides of the ground, with good views from more or less anywhere. Three sides of the stadium are aesthetically smart, modern two-tiered affairs, while the main stand provides the nod to history – and not only because it’s named after iconic gaffer Bill Struth (incredibly, in charge from 1920-54).

Designed by legendary architect Archibald Leitch, the three-tiered stand is a Category B listed building with an impressive red brick façade that backs straight on to the main road, plus its plush interior which includes a famous marble staircase leading up to the boardroom and trophy room.

Just about within walking distance of the city centre, the local area is exuberant on matchday. Inside the ground it’s even more raucous – they don’t call it The Ibrox Roar for no reason.

Whichever of the two Glasgow cauldrons you choose, visit for a big game if you can – you may not see anything like it elsewhere.

DID YOU KNOW? Ibrox holds the record attendance for any league match in Britain: 118,567 people saw Rangers face Celtic in 1939, months before the outbreak of war.

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AC MILAn After 10 years without a scudetto and seven out of the Champions League, the Rossoneri are back in Europe’s elite club competition – and they mean business. FFT goes inside Milanello to meet the key figures ushering in a bold new era Words Daniele Verri

58 October 2021 FourFourTwo

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THEREBIRTH AC MILAn

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AC MILAn latan Ibrahimovic stands tall in the Paris sunshine, as a throng of black-suited goons clear the way for him like an untouchable deity. The Eiffel Tower looms large in the background, doing its best to remind the city’s new star who the real boss in town is.

It’s futile, of course. In July 2012, the spotlight is on one totem of power: Paris Saint-Germain’s €20 million arrival, recruited to deliver them a first Ligue 1 title since 1994.

It’s a new dawn in the French capital; a new dawn for football full stop.

But where there’s new life, there’s death – and in July 2012, Associazione Calcio Milan are dying. Zlatan is the final major departure of a wounding summer at San Siro, following Thiago Silva (also to PSG) and a host of icons out the exit door: Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi… all gone in one fell swoop. Alexandre Pato will join them six months later.

Milan supporters don’t know it yet, but their days scaling the top of Italian football have already been over for quite some time. Even competing in the Champions League will be a distant pipe dream, lost amid season upon season of chaos and failure. San Siro’s trophy room will become nothing more than a dusty hall of ghosts.

For a heavyweight known around the world as Il Diavolo (‘the Devil’), which dominated on both domestic and European fronts over two famous eras between 1987 and 2007, these years out in the wilderness must have really felt like hell.

Thankfully for Milan, nothing lasts forever – not even unbridled torment. They may have gone 10 years without celebrating an Italian title, burned through eight bosses and diced with danger at boardroom level, but the club finally have reasons to cheer once more.

Financially stable, back in the Champions League for the first time since 2013-14 and bidding to take advantage of an Inter outfit shorn of manager Antonio Conte plus stars Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, a missing sense of continuity has been restored for last season’s Serie A runners-up – their first finish above fifth since 2013.

After seven bleak years, the Rossoneri are where their history demands them to be, but it’s been an arduous climb that has often left them gasping for air.

HO LI SMOKES

Football has changed markedly since Milan’s last European Cup victory. While several rivals have gone global with their ownership, most Italian sides have missed out on the limitless resources that Arabic, Russian or American investors tend to bring.

Although Silvio Berlusconi’s reign officially ended in 2017, the Champions League final triumph against Liverpool in Athens a decade earlier remains the last memorable moment of his 31-year presidency.

In 2008-09, the club clinched Champions League qualification on the final matchday

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“HE WAS COMPLETELY UnKnOWn In CHInA. ALL THAT WAS LEFT In HIS OFFICES WERE PIZZA BOXES” in Florence; coach Carlo Ancelotti and icon Kaka departed days later, bringing a glorious cycle to an end. The city supremacy at that point was in no doubt: Inter had already won the previous four league titles, and in 2010 went on to land their unprecedented Treble under Jose Mourinho. It was a power shift of devastating proportions.

Despite a final scudetto for Berlusconi and new coach Massimiliano Allegri the following season, Milan entered a clear downscaling process. They threw away the 2011-12 title to Juventus, blowing a four-point lead with nine games to go, then bid farewell to that clutch of legends and sold Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. In the ensuing years, young managers like Seedorf, Inzaghi and Cristian Brocchi all had to settle for mediocre results – and short lifespans in the dugout.

It was a matter of age and money. Gone were the glory days when Milan could afford the world’s best players. In the final years of Berlusconi’s presidency, the club were losing €60-70 million a year without even factoring in player acquisitions. The Rossoneri were like a sports car, eye-wateringly expensive just to keep running. It proved too much even for Italy’s former Prime Minister.

So in April 2017, hours ahead of a derby at San Siro, a new club owner and president was officially presented: Chinese firm Sino-Europe Sports, headed by investor Li Yonghong, who secured a €740m deal to take charge. It was to prove ominous.

Above Owner Li Yonghong went all in, but his big gamble backfired

“The new owners took control with a couple of risky ideas,” explains Gazzetta dello Sport writer Stefano Cantalupi. “On one side, they wanted to build a strong team which would qualify for the Champions League as well as generate profits. On the other, they wanted to take advantage of Milan’s brand and large fanbase in China – a huge market which was underexploited by the Rossoneri at that time.”

With Juventus deeply rooted into a period of dominance, it looked like a bright new era: Milan splashed almost €200m on signings including Andre Silva (€38m), Andrea Conti (€24m) and, most emphatically, Leonardo Bonucci (€42m) from Juve. It turned out to be anything but: Milan came a distant sixth in 2017-18 – 31 points off the Bianconeri – and qualified for the Europa League only. It was a financial disaster.

“Basically they spent cash they didn’t have, speculating on anticipated future revenues which didn’t materialise,” Cantalupi tells FFT. “The Financial Fair Play rules were based on three-year cycles; Milan’s Chinese owners believed they could generate the necessary money to stay at the end of their cycle, within the parameters set by UEFA. It was a massive gamble. They went all in and it didn’t pay off.”

Li found himself in over his head. Project Redblack, a company controlled by American hedge fund Elliott Management Corporation, had loaned him €303m to buy Milan in 2017 – but as he defaulted on a €32m repayment, his time was quickly up. Just 453 days after the announcement, one of the most negative and unpredictable spells in Rossoneri history came to a speedy conclusion. In July 2018, EMC took charge at San Siro.

“During that period, one of our colleagues at Gazzetta went to China to investigate who Li Yonghong really was,” continues Cantalupi.

“First of all, he visited his company’s offices and found them empty, pizza boxes lying on

AC MILAn the floor. He had the chance to talk to various local businessmen and found out that Li was completely unknown in the Chinese sport and financial sectors.”

For a club that had been under such stable – and successful – management for 30 years, it was unthinkable.

TREBLE DUTCH

It was a world away from what started in March 1986, when media tycoon Berlusconi bought the club and kick-started his dynasty alongside Adriano Galliani and Ariedo Braida.

The real revolution began a year later, when against all logic he handed the managerial reins to a relative unknown who’d impressed him in a game against Parma.

Arrigo Sacchi’s impact on the Rossoneri – and indeed, the history of football – would be colossal. That summer, he asked for Carlo Ancelotti from Roma, PSV’s Ruud Gullit and Ajax frontman Marco van Basten. That team – one that had been in Serie B as recently as 1984 and finished fifth in its previous season – would finish 1987-88 by overtaking Diego Maradona’s Napoli to the chequered flag and winning the title.

Frank Rijkaard joined in 1988 and, buoyed by their trio of mercurial Dutchmen, Milan went on to win consecutive European Cups – the first of which was arguably the high point for that clockwork team. On May 24, 1989, at a Camp Nou packed with almost 100,000 spectators, Sacchi’s charges bludgeoned Steaua Bucharest 4-0 with a performance for the ages.

Below Milan’s mercurial Dutch trio dominated Europe in 1988

Nobody was in any doubt that Milan were Europe’s dominant force; their players ruled the Ballon d’Or top three in consecutive years – Van Basten won it in 1988 ahead of Gullit and Rijkaard, before the delicate but lethal ‘Swan of Utrecht’ repeated his feat 12 months later ahead of Franco Baresi and Rijkaard.

“That period between 1988 and 1995 was just fantastic,” Baresi, now Milan’s honorary vice-president, tells FFT. “It was so intense – we won several league titles and played so many finals, but if I really had to choose one moment, I’d go for the first European Cup in Barcelona [against Steaua] which came after 20 years of wait.

“The most peculiar thing about that period was the way we won matches and trophies, and the amount of emotions we would pass on to our supporters. That’s what made the difference – and also what people still remind us about to this day.”

Milan won 29 trophies during Berlusconi’s colourful reign, including eight league titles, five European Cups/Champions Leagues and three Intercontinental Cups/Club World Cups.

The Rossoneri became the most successful club in the world and exported a new idea of Italian football: that suddenly a team could win games and be spectacular. It was almost heresy in the land of entrenched catenaccio and counter-attacking.

“Silvio was our trump card; he changed the direction of our club after several poor years,” adds Baresi. “He was ambitious and visionary, and for 30 years he made Milan the best club around. His goal was to win trophies but also touch the hearts of our fans.”

↓ THE GAFFER STEFANO PIOLI

Despite coming second in Serie A, last season was far from easy because you caught COVID – how did it affect you?

My assistants really helped me out a lot actually, so I have to say a special thanks to Daniele Bonera. Technology was a big support as well – we were connected the whole time and I ended up not missing a single training session.

You re-signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Milan. How important has he been for you since his return, and what kind of relationship do you have with him?

He’s an example for everyone in anything he does. He gets upset even if he makes one wrong pass during a training drill.

He always expects the maximum, from himself as well as his team-mates. I’ve got a very sincere relationship with him – we respect each other’s role and that has remained a constant so far. He’s an extremely professional guy.

What are you hoping for from your side this season? Is this the closest Serie A has been for some time, with multiple teams fighting at the top?

We are Milan and can’t set ourselves any limits. It’ll be hard – I’m expecting seven teams to fight for the top four spots, and they’ll all be highly motivated to achieve that goal. But hurdles are only too high for those who don’t have ambitions. We’ll work hard, give everything and in the end we’ll see how far we’ve gone.

Milan are in the Champions League for the time since 2014. How important is it for the club?

Oh, it’s essential: for our history, for the economical aspect and for the quality of the teams who participate in it. We’ll try to surprise a few this season.

When you think of the Rossoneri, what memories from the past come to mind?

What does Milan signify to you?

I played against Milan so many times as a player, with Arrigo Sacchi in the dugout and the three Dutch guys, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta... all of those superb players on the pitch. They were such a fantastic team who played innovative football.

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AC MILAn As exciting as it had been, however, that period came to a painful conclusion in France.

Sacchi’s epic era was crushed on a sombre evening in March 1991, when the lights quite literally went out in Marseille.

Milan were facing l’OM in their European Cup quarter-final second leg – trailing 1-0 on the night, 2-1 on aggregate – when floodlight failure at the Stade Velodrome forced the game’s suspension. The referee insisted that play continue after the lights were repaired, but CEO Galliani was having none of it – the Rossoneri refused to re-enter the field. That decision resulted in a 3-0 defeat by default, elimination and a one-year suspension from European competition. Sacchi left to become Italy boss at the end of the season.

Once again, Berlusconi went rogue with the choice of replacement, handing former youth team coach Fabio Capello his first senior job.

Criticised for his lack of experience, Capello proved the detractors wrong by displaying independence, a fine tactical understanding and the necessary man-management skills to lead a team of winners.

If Sacchi’s team went down in history for what they did in Europe, Capello’s dominated domestically and lifted four league titles in the following five years. He built a team that was less spectacular but perhaps more solid and effective than Sacchi’s – while Arsenal’s 49-match unbeaten run is rightfully hailed, Capello’s Rossoneri used their European ban to go without defeat for 58 league matches from May 1991 to March 1993. At one stage, goalkeeper Sebastiano Rossi didn’t concede a single goal for 929 minutes.

At first, Capello took advantage of the three Dutch masters and one of the best defensive lines in history: Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Mauro

Below Fabio defied the detractors as Milan ruled Serie A and won the 1994 Champions League

Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta. As time went by, he brought in talents like Jean-Pierre Papin, George Weah, Roberto Baggio, Dejan Savicevic, Marcel Desailly and Zvonimir Boban to name but a few.

Although less successful in terms of titles, Milan reached three consecutive Champions League finals during the mid-90s. While the Rossoneri lost the 1993 showpiece against Marseille in Munich and the 1995 finale to Louis van Gaal’s young Ajax side in Vienna, they earned some immortal recognition in 1994. Against all odds in Athens, Capello’s team thrashed Johan Cruyff’s star-studded Barcelona ‘Dream Team’ 4-0 to cap off the most triumphant campaign in Milan history, ending with a legendary double.

Capello departed San Siro after winning the 1995-96 Serie A title to join Real Madrid – but after a decade of absolute supremacy, a five-year transitional spell was set to start.

Uruguayan ex-schoolteacher Oscar Tabarez couldn’t quite live up to expectations having impressed at Cagliari; Cesare Maldini, club legend and father of Paolo, had his chance too; Sacchi and Capello both came back for second, less prosperous stints. Unexpectedly, it was Alberto Zaccheroni who led Milan to a 16th title in 1998-99 – after bringing Oliver Bierhoff and Thomas Helveg with him from Udinese – but it was almost out of the blue.

Thankfully for the Rossoneri, though, there was nothing unexpected about their next great era. Life at the top would come to feel very normal once more.

STORMY NIGHTS

You might say that Carlo Ancelotti had left his previous job under something of a cloud – but it’s not like he was ever onto a winner in charge of Juventus.

Before his opening game as Old Lady boss, against Reggina in August 1999, the former Italy midfielder was met with a banner that read, “A pig can’t coach. Go away, Ancelotti.”

Succeeding the iconic Marcello Lippi at Stadio delle Alpi was difficult enough without having played for two of Juve’s major rivals in Roma and Milan, meaning Bianconeri supporters were hardly filled with joy when the former Parma coach was appointed.

Sadly for Ancelotti, results didn’t turn the tide: after collapsing in 1999-2000 to hand Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Lazio the title, Juve couldn’t stop Roma clinching Serie A’s crown on the final day a year later. Ancelotti didn’t even make it to the end of that last match, as his dismissal was announced at half-time on a doomed day for his Turin giants.

But Milan was very different for the affable tactician. Potless since Zaccheroni’s title in 1999, their incoming coach inherited a side in need of fresh life upon grabbing the reins from Fatih Terim in November 2001.

After taking them back into the Champions League and to the UEFA Cup semi-finals in his first season, King Carlo went one better in 2002-03 by hauling Milan back to the top of Europe – all at Juventus’ expense in a nervy penalty shootout at Old Trafford. Victory in Manchester led to the arrival of Brazilian star

AC MILAn

CAPELLO’S SIDE WERE nOT AS SPECTACULAR, BUT THEY WERE MORE SOLID AnD EFFECTIVE THAn SACCHI’S TEAM Kaka, who swapped Sao Paulo for San Siro and immediately inspired the club to Serie A glory, finishing 11 points clear of Roma.

“Ancelotti brought a tactical revolution at Milan,” Paolo Menicucci, who started covering Milan as UEFA reporter in 2002-03, tells FFT. “If Capello used the imposing Marcel Desailly in front of the defensive line, then Ancelotti went for a diminutive fantasista like Andrea Pirlo for that role instead. Many doubted that Milan could really play him in a midfield with other artists like Clarence Seedorf, Rui Costa and Rivaldo, but Ancelotti was right. Milan had plenty of quality but also enough solidity to overcome Inter in two tense Champions League semi-final clashes, and then Juventus in the final.”

That side endured one of the most painful and stunning moments in club history, too.

Leading 3-0 at half-time against Liverpool in a rain-soaked 2005 Istanbul final, Ancelotti’s team somehow conceded three goals in six madcap minutes at the start of the second half and eventually lost on penalties.

“I honestly think that, with the exception of those infamous six minutes, Milan played a great final and deserved to win it,” claims Menicucci. “I’ve covered three Milan finals, and they probably lost the one they played the best in. I remember in the press box at half-time, colleagues were discussing how many more goals they would score in the second half. A Liverpool comeback wasn’t even in the discussion. I’ve talked about that game with a few players afterwards, and they still can’t believe how the final got away from them. They all stress that they weren’t celebrating at half-time, as many reported, but they can’t explain what happened in that blackout.”

As people like to say in Milan, after the storm always comes calm – and after Istanbul came Athens in 2007.

The Rossoneri exacted revenge on the Reds in Greece’s capital two years later thanks to a brace by Inzaghi.

“I don’t think Milan played as well as they did in Istanbul, but revenge was the only thing that mattered,” remembers Menicucci. “The semi-final second leg against Manchester United was one of the best games I’ve ever experienced in a football ground. There was a big storm in Milan that night, but you could hardly hear the thunder with the noise that the

Rossoneri fans were making in San Siro. After losing the first leg 3-2 with a stoppage-time strike from Wayne Rooney, they annihilated them in the second with an incredible display [a 3-0 romp]. Nobody could stop them from getting revenge against Liverpool.”

That season had been particularly difficult.

The Calciopoli scandal had exploded in May 2006, just before the World Cup in Germany.

Investigations and recorded telephone calls showed how club officials and members of refereeing authorities had jointly decided to favour some clubs and manipulate referees’ appointments. The scandal affected Lazio, Fiorentina, Reggina and Juventus, who were stripped of two titles and demoted to Serie B. Milan didn’t escape either, getting hit with a 30-point deduction for the 2005-06 season and an eight-point docking for the following one. Even with the huge punishment in the former, however, they still finished third and started their 2006-07 European campaign with a Champions League play-off against Red Star Belgrade.

The rest, as they say, is history. Milan have clung on to that 2007 crown ever since – but 14 years on, there’s finally real hope that they have something new to hang on to.

REMOTE WORKING

Below The brave appointment of Pioli is paying off

Zlatan Ibrahimovic stands tall beneath the cloudy Milan sky, fist raised high, as a throng of supporters do the same back at him. This is not July 2012, the Swedish hero is now 38 – but somehow, this is an unlikely new dawn for Associazione Calcio Milan.

The Rossoneri sit 11th in the league, having sacked boss Marco Giampaolo almost three months earlier, and were shellacked 5-0 at Atalanta five days earlier under latest coach Stefano Pioli… but change is coming. By the close of a doomed season they will have lost only two of their last 21 league matches to finish sixth, with Ibrahimovic hitting 11 goals in all competitions.

Milan had been brave to hire Pioli in October 2019. The boyhood Inter fan had managed the Nerazzurri during their troubled 2016-17 campaign, only to meet his end six months later following 10 defeats in 27 games. The Parma native had done a stellar job steering Lazio into the Champions League play-offs prior to that, but a subsequent stint at the helm of Fiorentina hadn’t gone much better.

Bravery can also be rewarding, however: the Rossoneri’s project gradually picked up pace under their new boss, and Zlatan’s return to the pitch in January 2020 gave the fans something to believe in.

Then the world changed. On March 9, Italy was officially locked down, a day after Milan had lost 2-1 to Genoa at a ghostly San Siro. Pioli made the most of the inevitable break in play to pull his group together.

“During lockdown there was a spark between me and the players,” the Milan supremo tells FFT now. “We would meet online to get to know each other better. We spoke a lot about our lives, our families, and

↓ THE LEGEND FRANCO BARESI

What does it mean to be back at Milan as honorary vice-president?

To me it means a sense of continuity and belonging. It’s also a recognition for what I did as a player, so I feel very honoured to represent Milan in this role too and be able to boost the club’s global reputation.

You played with Paolo Maldini – what’s he like as a technical director?

I’ve known him since he was young and we played together for years. He’s taken on the job with great enthusiasm, and his expertise will help Milan get back to the level that we experienced together.

How have you seen Milan change?

I’ve been at Milan my whole life and have seen it all! We’ve endured some difficult periods and the transition after Silvio Berlusconi’s exit hasn’t helped. Continuity is key to develop as a club and that’s why we’re doing well now. We have a solid ownership in Elliott, who brought a vision and great values shared by everybody.

What can we expect from Milan this season? Can they rival the top clubs?

We need to play with the same will, grit and solidity as last year. We expect to repeat last season’s performances and do well in the Champions League, which gives a lot of visibility and prestige. We’re definitely curious to measure ourselves up against clubs who might be one step ahead of us at this moment. We’ve been steadily growing over the last few years.

Competition is fierce in football and now more clubs invest horrendous amounts of money. What you need is knowledge, work ethic and the capacity to make the most of opportunities to keep developing.

San Siro only has a few years left before it gets demolished. How sad will it be when that happens?

San Siro will always exist as a monument to the city, and to the achievements of both Milan and Inter. However, you need to move on and we all know how crucial a modern stadium is. Fans live through their team not only on matchdays but the whole week, so we’re reviewing this aspect, which could allow us to compete with clubs that are ahead economically.

FourFourTwo October 2021 63

AC MILAn

↑ THE STOPPER FIKAYO TOMORI How did you hear about Milan’s interest in you last season, and what were your initial thoughts? Surprised?

When I first heard that they wanted me, I was very happy. My agent told me that Paolo Maldini had got in touch and asked if I’d be interested, and of course I was – I wasn’t surprised, I was more flattered!

I was excited to come.

What’s it like to be part of this exciting new era at Milan?

Everyone knows that Milan were and still are a massive club with massive history – they’ve won seven European Cup and Champions League titles before, which is the second-most of any team in history.

Now I think there’s a rebuild going on – we’ve got a young squad but also plenty of experienced players who’ve won titles and played in the Champions League. It’s been a while since Milan have been there, so for us to be back and me being part of the team is huge. The atmosphere is excellent and everyone is looking forward to showing what we can do this season.

What has the manager said he wants from you? What’s he like?

He wants me to be aggressive and helps me in my positioning, and tells me what he wants from me on the ball. He’s been really good. He tries to speak English to me when he can, but now my Italian is improving which helps! [FFT: So… how are those lessons going?] Actually pretty well – I understand basically everything now.

Some words can be more challenging, but the next stage is trying to speak like I do in my own language...

64 October 2021 FourFourTwo

“PIOLI HAS nOW GIVEn THE TEAM A CLEAR IDEnTITY. PLAYERS ARE COnFIDEnT, RELAXED AnD UnITED” obviously also about football. Coronavirus somehow brought us closer and made us feel like a big family.”

After going three months without a game, Milan ground out a 0-0 Coppa Italia semi-final draw against Juventus, who edged through on away goals. But a week later they roared back with a 4-1 win at Lecce, even without an injured Ibrahimovic.

“Pioli admitted that playing behind closed doors was an advantage at first, especially for those players who had endured a difficult season and would be booed by the fans at San Siro,” explains Italian football writer Luca Ferrato. “That was the case for players who are now pivotal in Pioli’s side, such as Davide Calabria and Franck Kessie.”

Good results, the undeniable development of several players and Rossoneri fans’ revived enthusiasm made for a situation that nobody had expected. From being down and out in the gutter, Milan were refreshed and looking to the future. Later that month, after a fine second half of the season and 2-1 victory at Sassuolo with three games remaining, Pioli’s two-year contract extension was unusually confirmed live on television.

Top left Giroud hit the ground running Above Real Madrid loanee Diaz shows off his dancing feet

“To begin with, no one – not even the club – expected Pioli to achieve such results,” says Ferrato. “His contract extension surprised the players as well; no one knew anything before that. Zlatan got told of it by a reporter during another interview and asked for confirmation once the cameras were switched off.”

“From a technical point of view, Pioli has given the team a clear identity,” adds Baresi.

“The players are more confident, relaxed and united. Milan are aiming to be a top team in Italy again – and in Europe, too.”

Time was very much a healer for the former Fiorentina defender and manager, who says the unforeseen mid-season breather allowed for calm planning.

“The players and I have been growing up together from all points of view,” he tells FFT. “We got to know each other on personal and professional levels. Building a team is much like building a house: you start by laying the foundations, so I tried to transfer my ideas from the beginning, taking one step at a time without a revolution. From the first moments, this squad has proved incredibly reactive and attentive [to me].”

It’s too early to say right now and unfair to compare their teams, but Pioli’s appointment is reminiscent of Ancelotti’s in a number of ways. Both took over after difficult years and had a massive impact; both built true bonds with their players. Now, only time will tell if Pioli can be anywhere near as successful as his celebrated colleague.

But it’s not just the coach whose presence has been felt. “Our new American owners

AC MILAn

← THE PLAYER BRAHIM DIAZ What’s the atmosphere like at Milan these days, inside the club and within the team?

They’re happy days for us right now.

We’re a tight-knit group of players; it’s fun with the boys and we spend time together off the pitch. On it we fight for one another and that’s the strength of our team. We’re in the same boat; we play together, we win together, we lose together. We want to carry on like this. Our team is a mix of experienced players and young talents, and I’m delighted to be here.

Talking about experience: what’s it like to play alongside a legend like Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

He’s such a quality player. He makes the difference every time he plays, he’s won everywhere he’s been and it’s important for us to have him here right now. To have him in your team pushes you to play at your very best, too – he knows what he wants and motivates the team to get there. But he’s also very funny; he jokes all the time with me and I really admire that side of his character.

BEATEN BLACK AND RED

have brought back a sense of continuity and stability,” enthuses Baresi. “We missed that completely in the last few years and that’s key in any club’s development.”

Fresh directors have been installed. Former Arsenal chief Ivan Gazidis – sadly diagnosed with throat cancer in the summer – performs the same role he had in north London, while the beloved Paolo Maldini became technical director in June 2019.

Between them, they had tough decisions to make. Although Milan had qualified for the Europa League in 2019, they jointly decided with UEFA to withdraw – as a consequence of Li Yonghong’s unbridled spending, a place in Europe would have brought a ban anyway for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.

“The Elliott Fund has been particularly keen on stabilising Milan’s finances from the off,” says journalist Ferrato. “Nevertheless, they have made some important investments to improve the team, like Zlatan and prospects like Ismael Bennacer and Rafael Leao. On the other side, the wage demands of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu were deemed unacceptable, so both players left at the end of their deals. Milan are also active on the new stadium front. This is a massive asset nowadays if you want to develop – or possibly sell – any modern club.”

Currently, plans to replace San Siro – owned by the city of Milan since 1935 – with a 60,000 stadium are on hold, due to Inter’s financial uncertainty. Both clubs want their new arena for the 2024-25 season, meaning their iconic home will eventually be demolished.

But in the directors’ offices, in the dugout and on the pitch, stability is the key word at Casa Milan these days. Since Pioli arrived, the team has honed its 4-2-3-1 system with a settled side mixing youth and experience.

Donnarumma and Calhanoglu may have gone, but in their places have arrived Lille’s title-winning goalkeeper Mike Maignan (26) and Sandro Tonali (21). Centre-back Fikayo Tomori’s impressive loan spell from Chelsea was made permanent for €28.5m in June, with the 23-year-old joined by his evergreen Blues team-mate Olivier Giroud.

Last season’s second-place finish behind Inter was unexpected to many, but Milan’s 2020-21 campaign merely consolidated what the team had shown the year before, after lockdown. The Rossoneri sat top of the table until February, and a 2-0 defeat at Spezia. If Ibrahimovic couldn’t play, Ante Rebic would step up and chip in; if 22-year-old attacker Rafael Leao didn’t impress, then Norwegian striker Jens Petter Hauge might – exactly as he’d done weeks before at San Siro with his old club Bodo/Glimt. If Calhanoglu needed a rest, Real Madrid loanee Brahim Diaz would guarantee as much quality – as he showed with the opening goal in May’s corking 3-0 victory at Juventus.

“That goal was important for me and for everyone too,” insists the Spaniard, whose loan period from the Bernabeu was extended by another two years this summer. “I could help the team and that was the main thing.

It was a big result on our way to Champions League qualification, but it was really special for all the fans too – now we’re finally back where the club belong.”

Milan went unbeaten across 27 consecutive Serie A games from March 2020 to January 2021, and let their supporters dream of a title which had been missing for a decade. In the end they had to settle for second spot, but it was a good start – not least with Champions League football sealed after seven long years.

The Rossoneri are facing Liverpool again in the group stage, and the future looks bright.

What are realistic goals for both the Rossoneri and you personally this campaign?

Our target is to win every match we play and to be as close as possible to the top, like we did last year – it’s as simple as that. We have to keep in mind at all times that we’re a great team and that we have what it takes to win any game. At the end of the season we’ll see how far we’ve gone.

As far as I’m concerned, I just want to help the team as much as I can by scoring goals and providing assists.

Something has shifted this summer, but the project’s continuity feels secure.

“It’s a special time to wear a Milan shirt,” ex-Manchester City prospect Diaz tells FFT. “The atmosphere at the club is amazing. Our supporters give everything to us and we try to repay them by giving everything on the pitch.

The club has a glorious history; we’re back in the Champions League and play in a football cathedral like San Siro. This is a great chance to welcome our fans back there.”

Pioli knows the road ahead isn’t necessarily straightforward, though. “Serie A is a hugely competitive league – Juve and Inter still have that extra something,” he warns. “But we’ll give everything to do our best. We want to compete and think we can win every game.

“Milan is the top for me. At Milanello you breathe the club, the history, the passion. It’s a supreme training centre which motivates players to give everything. Milan are working with determination and passion to lay the foundations for a successful future, in Italy and in Europe. We still need a bit of time – it’s not easy to build or rebuild a club in just a few days – but I’m sure we can be optimistic as we’re on the right track.”

Cristiano has fled Italy, flanked by Conte and Lukaku stage left. Milan may yet need a little longer to reclaim their crown, but the Rossoneri can see that something is stirring – Il Diavolo have reawakened.

MORE On FOURFOURTWO.COM • Milan ’88: the inside story of Arrigo Sacchi’s all-conquering kings (by Matt Barker) • The making of Zlatan Ibrahimovic – friends and foes reveal the rise behind the legend (by Andrew Murray) • Quiz: Can you name Carlo Ancelotti’s top appearance-makers at clubs he’s managed since 2000?

• How Silvio Berlusconi’s reign as Milan owner shaped modern football (by Matt Barker)

FourFourTwo October 2021 65

IT’S HARD WHEn YOU’RE nOT GETTInG A CHAnCE. I LOVE BEInG AROUnD FOOTBALL AnD I DOn’T WAnT TO LOSE THAT Sol Campbell was a serial winner as a player, but successive jobs in the bleakest of circumstances at Macclesfield and Southend have only led him to closed doors. The former defender tells FFT of his struggle to shine in the dugout – and why he isn’t going to give up Words Chris Flanagan

66 October 2021 FourFourTwo

S

ol Campbell had been a manager for six months when the profession first reduced him to tears. The day before, he’d stood on the touchline as his Macclesfield Town side met Cambridge United on the final day of the League Two season at Moss Rose, attempting to avoid relegation from the Football League. The game nearly hadn’t happened at all. Players had threatened to walk out over unpaid wages, with off-field problems taking the club to the brink of implosion.

Ten minutes after half-time against the U’s, Macclesfield were bound for non-league.

Trailing 1-0, Campbell & Co looked like being consigned to the drop by relegation rivals Notts County – the club where he’d spent an ill-fated one-match spell a decade earlier.

But then everything turned. Just as Notts County were letting a lead slip at Swindon, Elliott Durrell levelled for Macclesfield. Having taken over a side that had been five points

adrift at the foot of the table in November 2018, then faced a litany of problems in his bid to turn the tanker, Campbell had saved the Silkmen from relegation. He managed to hold it together at full-time, but the emotion came pouring out 24 hours later.

“The day afterwards, me and my missus both burst out crying with the emotions of it all,” he tells FourFourTwo, remembering that unlikely afternoon in May 2019. “That job really stripped me down – I must have lost so much weight with the stress. There was so much going on behind the scenes that was out of my control, but I had to deal with and negotiate it. There were times when players were going on strike and we had a match in a couple of days. Emotionally, it took so much out of me, but the pure love of football just about kept me going.

“It was my first job in management and everybody was saying, ‘They’re going down, they’re finished, they’re gone, they’re dead, they’re not going to recover, they’ve been

SOL CAMPBELL

SOL CAMPBELL buried and concreted over, they won’t get out of it’. But I still had a little chisel and was chiselling my way out. I said, ‘Come on lads, keep chiselling away and we’ll get out of it – we can see a bit of daylight, a bit more, a bit more...I can see the sun now, so let’s break through’. That’s what we did.”

MAN OF STEEL

After a glittering playing career that earned him 73 England caps and the captaincy on three occasions, some might have wondered what Campbell was doing in a League Two relegation battle in the first place. The former Arsenal stopper could have lived a stress-free retirement after bringing his playing days to an end in 2012, but he’d known for a while that he wanted to be a manager.

“It started creeping in when I was about 30,” he says. “When I was captain, I always liked all the responsibility. I love organising,

preparing, the tactical side. You needed to be tactical on the pitch and think outside the box. The manager would give you a remit but sometimes you had to feel the game – if the opposition were doing something slightly different, you’d tweak things.”

Campbell learned from several successful managers during his playing career – among them Sven-Goran Eriksson, Harry Redknapp and most notably Arsene Wenger, for whom he won two Premier League titles. When he outlines his own philosophy, he’s describing the qualities of Wenger’s Invincibles team of 2003-04, with himself at centre-back.

“I love watching the ball move quickly and decisively,” he explains. “A midfield that has energy and can play football: skilful guys but gritty, with character too. I like guys who can put in a tackle. A team where the goals can come from everywhere – midfielders, wingers, centre-halves chipping in. Then, of course, a really solid backline.

“PLAYERS WEREn’T BEInG PAID – I HAD TO GET THEM TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHInG WOULD BE OK” “The top clubs can build that side in maybe two years – the lower you go, it might take longer, but it’s still possible. I always played in teams that played good football, even at Tottenham. I know that feeling when a team suddenly clicks together. It can’t be too slick, though – you need some ruggedness as well.

A steely attitude.”

Campbell took his Pro Licence course with the Welsh FA and has travelled extensively to glean information and knowledge from coaches. “I went to Sampdoria two or three times, via a friend of mine at Gazzetta dello

SOL CAMPBELL Sport, and I went to Milan,” he says. “I studied at Ajax for my coaching course – Frank de Boer was the manager, and Dennis Bergkamp and Jaap Stam were there. I asked questions to everybody, from the physio to the kit man to the manager, and Marc Overmars, who’s the sporting director. I jotted down training methods, ideas, how they look at the game – I loved the way Ajax worked.

“I went to Feyenoord when Giovanni van Bronckhorst was there, and I watched Patrick Vieira in New York. Edu also helped me out and I went to see Germany vs Brazil in Berlin, watch Brazil’s training session and take notes.

I enjoy doing that – speaking to people and getting a good picture.”

His initial moves into coaching were as an assistant – first with the Trinidad and Tobago national team, then when he was invited to help England’s under-21 squad. “That was a 10-day tour, Denmark and Italy away, Aidy Boothroyd was manager and I learned a lot

Right Macc were beset by off-pitch problems during Campbell’s tenure Below Sol learned from the very best in a glorious career, including Wenger Bottom He joined Spurs’ enemies as “I wanted to win”

[with England],” says Campbell. “[Trinidad coach] Dennis Lawrence was on the course with me at the Welsh FA. He asked if I’d like to help him during qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and I said, ‘I’d love to’.

“That was a fantastic experience. We took on Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica, and it was nice to see how Central America plays football. To top it all off, we played the USA and knocked them out of the World Cup. It’s amazing how people try to look down on you as a country – the USA has a population of over 300 million, Trinidad and Tobago a lot less [circa 1.4m], and they disrespected our team. They only needed to draw the game.

Christian Pulisic scored, but we came back to beat them 2-1 and Panama qualified instead.

They must have lost about a billion dollars that day by not qualifying for the World Cup!” Getting a managerial job in his own right proved more challenging than Campbell had hoped – Oxford, Grimsby and Oldham were among the clubs who overlooked him before Macclesfield offered him a chance. He admits that he wasn’t aware of the club’s financial problems, but they quickly became apparent under owner Amar Alkadhi.

“I didn’t know anything about that side of things,” he says. “I knew they were bottom of the league, but I was looking for my first job. The main thing I said was that I wanted to watch training with the entire squad before I decided. When I watched them, I thought, ‘They’ve got a bit about them’. I knew I could work with them – that session took me from a ‘maybe’ to ‘do you know what? I’m going to take this on’.”

The Silkmen had only been promoted out of the National League a few months earlier, but had won just two of their first 19 league matches and been pummelled 8-0 by West Ham in the League Cup. Yet Campbell’s first nine matches brought four victories. “I had to turn around the mentality, to give them the belief they could win games,” he says.

But the off-field issues were starting to rear their head, with players going unpaid. “It was hard, extremely hard,” he concedes. “I had to

work with passion, with heart, and be honest with the lads. Players weren’t being paid and I had to get them to believe that it would be OK, that we could override those difficulties, win some matches, eventually get paid and not go down. I said, ‘We’ve got pride about us, come on guys’.”

Campbell was able to haul his team out of the relegation zone, then to safety after that dramatic final game of the campaign, when players eventually opted not to boycott for the sake of the club’s fans – even though they believed a strike might be their best chance of receiving their wages.

The former England international stayed on that summer, reluctant to give up his first job in management, but the troubles behind the scenes weren’t getting any better. After guiding Macclesfield to a 3-0 victory against Leyton Orient and a League Cup triumph at Blackpool in early August 2019, he left the Silkmen by mutual consent.

“It was untenable – in the end my hands were tied, I couldn’t do anything and I hadn’t been paid for six months,” laments Campbell.

“I was due a lot of bonuses, and so were the players, but they weren’t forthcoming. I was trying to build a team and do things in the proper way, but if someone at the top wants to do their own thing, it’s difficult.

“The sporting director did well, we got a lot of loans and frees in, and that helped us to stay up because it allowed me to change the team. But everything else was incredibly hard work. When I kept them up, I hoped it would be easier. I thought, ‘Hey, back me, I want to do good things here’. But it never changed.”

Just a year later, Macclesfield were thrown out of the Football League and quickly went into liquidation. “It was so sad, and it didn’t have to be that way,” says Campbell. “It was a well-supported club – it didn’t need to drop out of the league. It didn’t have to fold.”

Given the context of everything he battled against, Campbell believes his achievement to keep Macclesfield up in 2018-19 has been underestimated. “I don’t think people realise, that was a phenomenal job,” he says. “With shoestrings... with nothing.”

THE IMPOSSIBLE JOB, PT.II

Three months later, Campbell was back in management at League One side Southend United. Again, he was taking over a club that was deep in relegation trouble, hired after Henrik Larsson had opted against taking the job. The Shrimpers had won only five points from their opening 13 league matches, and when he watched from the stands after his appointment was announced, they lost 7-1 at home to Doncaster. “I thought, ‘I’ve got a big job on my hands’,” he remembers with a hint of understatement. “It was an even harder job than Macclesfield.”

Campbell had leapt straight out of a frying pan and into a fire. Again, financial problems soon began to blight his work. “Southend was a bigger club than Macclesfield and I thought I could get some loan players in, but when it came to January, I couldn’t do that because of an embargo,” he recalls.

FourFourTwo October 2021 69

SOL CAMPBELL “That wasn’t laid out to me when I agreed to take the job, and it meant I wasn’t able to change the dynamics of the team. I called in a few favours to send a couple of our loan players back, and thought I had five berths to fill – I’d organised a good wage structure for top players, but then I couldn’t bring them in. Then our best players started getting sold and it got really difficult.”

By early February, Campbell had presided over a run of only three defeats in 10 games, even if five of those matches ended in draws.

He’d added old team-mates Andy Cole and Hermann Hreidarsson to his coaching staff, just like he’d done at Macclesfield. However, rocked by the disastrous mid-season transfer window, Southend lost six matches in a row.

Campbell insists he hadn’t given up hope of avoiding relegation, but when the pandemic hit, his team were 16 points from safety with nine games to go.

Relegation was finally confirmed on points per game, and once again the former Three Lions defender departed unhappily by mutual consent. Without him, the Shrimpers’ slide continued, as last term they were relegated from the Football League for the first time in more than a century.

Does Campbell regret taking the Southend post, rather than waiting for a more stable club? “There were no offers,” the 47-year-old says of that three-month spell after leaving Macclesfield. “I didn’t know the full extent of

Below Sol took over at Southend, but he soon realised he’d gone out of a frying pan and into a fire

“THE SAD REALITY IS THAT I MAY nEVER GET A CLUB AGAIn – BUT I’LL KEEP PUSHInG. I’M A TRIER”

what was happening at Southend and I took people at face value. I’m an honourable guy and maybe I was a little naive. I want to be the manager of your football club – there’s no need for you to hide things. Can we do this?

Can we do that?

“Maybe next time, I’ll just have to say that and not feel embarrassed about asking those kinds of things, because now I know they’re important. They really impacted my ability to change the side and bring the level of quality up. It tied my hands. Now I know the direct link, that you need to be asking those crucial questions beforehand.”

Off-field problems brought a speedy end to Campbell’s time in the lower leagues during his playing career, too, at Notts County. The Magpies brought in Sven-Goran Eriksson and targeted the Premier League, only for things to soon fall apart. Convicted fraudster Russell King had been involved in a takeover of the

SOL CAMPBELL

THE SOUTHEnD CURSE Sol Campbell isn’t the only ex-England captain to have endured a miserable time at Southend – Bobby Moore never managed again after an unhappy spell in charge of the Shrimpers.

The 1966 World Cup winner began his managerial career with non-league Oxford City, then in Hong Kong at Eastern AA, before heading for Roots Hall in February 1984.

Moore sadly couldn’t stop Southend suffering relegation from the third tier at the end of that campaign, and then

things almost got even worse.

Like with Campbell, financial worries were an issue as the Shrimpers came 20th in the Fourth Division in 1984-85, narrowly avoiding one of the spots that meant applying for Football League re-election.

A takeover stabilised their fortunes the following season, but Moore fell out with the owner and decided to knock management on the head.

Instead, the West Ham hero later became sports editor of David Sullivan’s newly created Sunday Sport.

fourth-tier club and was later the subject of a Panorama investigation. Campbell walked out of Meadow Lane after a month.

“Some important people who’d left the FA started contacting me,” he reflects. “They cottoned on quickly that the situation wasn’t good and were asking me, ‘Are you absolutely sure about this?’ It changed my attitude and I started asking questions.”

After the immense stress of Macclesfield and Southend, Campbell could be forgiven for not wanting to go back into management, but that’s not the case at all. His frustration has been finding himself back at square one in recent months. Despite the circumstances of his Southend tenure, results at Roots Hall lowered his stock and he’s had a number of knock-backs from job applications.

“I’ve applied for England Under-21s, Bristol Rovers, Bristol City, I had a chat with Swansea, MK Dons, Doncaster, Ipswich, Preston – the list just goes on over the course of a couple of years in recent times,” he says.

“Please God, I get an opportunity at a club that has a stable way of thinking, wants to win, does the things right and believes in me.

They might have chosen all sorts of people and it’s not worked out, and think, ‘Let’s see what this guy’s about’, or ‘Let’s interview Sol and see if we’re missing something’. If you want to learn about a person, speak to them.

“I’m open to going abroad as well, and if a manager said, ‘Sol, would you come in and work with me’, I’d look at that too – I nearly helped Thierry Henry with the defence when he was managing in Canada, but then there were the travel restrictions with quarantining and it didn’t work out. But ultimately I want to be a number one. Ideally I’d love a team here. I know football inside-out, I’ve played at the highest level – I know that doesn’t mean everything, but it means something.

I can pass my knowledge on. I need a better environment, a foundation where I’m not constantly putting fires out every day, where I can concentrate on the team.

“I know how to build a team and manage players. You’ve got to manage egos, and I’m good at that. In football, 50 or 60 per cent is managing players to get the best out of them.

I’m calm when I need to be calm, vocal when I need to be vocal – whatever the situation needs. The most important thing is to never lose your concentration.”

MEGAPHONE MAN

Despite the setbacks, Campbell has never lost sight of his dream to become a top manager.

It’s a determination that stood him in good stead throughout his playing career. “It was about believing in yourself when everyone doubts you – every player goes through that,” he says. “I could go all the way back to when I was 11 or 12, thinking, ‘Am I good enough?’

Then towards the end of my career, I moved to Portsmouth and people said, ‘Has Sol still got it?’ But we won the FA Cup.” His experiences toughened him up – not least the furore that surrounded his transfer from Tottenham to arch enemies Arsenal in 2001. “I was tough already by that point, but

what it did do was make me razor sharp,” he explains. “I just concentrated on winning, on preparing myself each week. The Arsenal side I went to was full of unbelievable players and I wanted to win.”

Campbell went to six major competitions with the Three Lions, making the team of the tournament in 2002 and 2004. Asked what he regards as his highlight at international level, though, he points to without doubt his two most agonising moments. “It would have been scoring against Portugal or Argentina,” he sighs, recalling the controversial decisions that ruled out match-winning goals in the knockout stages at Euro 2004 and the 1998 World Cup. They’re decisions that irk him to this day. “Big time, they really do,” he says.

“If we’d had VAR, that’s two goals.”

If just one of those goals had been allowed, would such a heroic moment have helped to change the perception of him with some in England? “I don’t think so – I think I did well for my country anyway,” insists Campbell.

“I represented my country at six tournaments – I’d like to see any player do that. I reckon that’s pretty good.”

There’s exasperation, then, that he’s found it so hard to convince chairmen to give him the role he craves at managerial level. Even attempts to get out and about again have proved challenging – he’s worked informally with QPR’s under-23s, where Les Ferdinand is director of football, but some clubs have been reluctant to let him do something as basic as watch training.

“I’ve been knocking on doors to go to other clubs, but it’s difficult with the restrictions,” he says. “I could stay in the corner, watching with a megaphone saying, ‘What about this?

What about that?!” he jokes, briefly seeing the funny side of his predicament.

“It’s tough, though, when you’re not getting an opportunity and you’re getting overlooked.

I love being around football and I don’t want to lose that. But when you’re on the sidelines, it does test that love and commitment – it’s not easy to carry on when you’re not getting interviews, and sometimes I don’t know why.

Forget who I am and what I’ve done, just see if I can fit into your club.

“The sad reality is I might never get a club again. I really don’t know. Maybe I need some divine help from God, but I’ll keep pushing – I’m a trier, and I’ll keep trying. I’ll visit clubs and I’ll keep my knowledge up. If it happens, I’ll be prepared.”

MORE On FOURFOURTWO.COM • Was Sol Campbell’s switch to Arsenal the greatest Premier League transfer of all time? (by Mark White) • Sol Campbell: One-on-One – “I’d gladly give away scoring that goal if it meant winning the Champions League final” • England-Portugal referee Urs Meier’s Euro 2004 hell: “I woke up to find 16,000 emails in my inbox. They were all in English – death threats and insults”

FourFourTwo October 2021 71

FEREnC PUSKAS

FERENC PUSKAS

Hungary visit Wembley in October, 68 years after Ferenc Puskas orchestrated a 6-3 win under the Twin Towers.

FFT gained access to the Galloping Major’s personal diaries, and a 10-part philosophy that led him to greatness Words Paul Simpson 72 October 2021 FourFourTwo

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FEREnC PUSKAS

“W FEREnC PUSKAS

ithout playmakers, there is no modern football” was the last of 10 commandments that Ferenc Puskas jotted down in his sumptuous Madrid apartment. Football theory wasn’t really his thing but, recognising that a professional lifestyle was essential if he was to resurrect his playing career in Spain, he cut down on smoking, drinking and sausages, and had time on his hands. Reflecting on the game that defined his life – and making several false starts at penning an autobiography – gave him something constructive to do if he wasn’t playing or training.

His many notebooks, letters, journals and memorabilia now live in the Puskas Academy in Felcsut, not far from Budapest, curated by his biographer, Gyorgy Szollosi. The posters and pennants Puskas collected resemble the pageantry of a bygone age, yet it isn’t the pomp and circumstance of souvenirs that’s most moving. It’s his handwriting.

The meticulous care with which he charted his goals and appearances for Real Madrid – year by year, competition by competition – reveals that, as much as the Hungarian liked to take a detached view of his own success, such details mattered to him.

The commandments were documented in handwriting so neat and tidy, it was as if Puskas was doing homework back at school in Kispest, now a suburb of Budapest, where he grew up in the 1930s and ’40s. His earliest memories, he once said, were of the roar of the crowd from the nearby stadium coming through the windows on matchdays.

Puskas had always held strong beliefs on the game. As a boy kicking around a ball of rags with Jozsef Bozsik, who would later make history with him playing for Honved and Hungary, Puskas used to grimace as his friend juggled the ball in the air. “Football isn’t a circus,” he scolded. “The ball is always faster than the player.”

As young footballers, the friends had been fascinated – and occasionally bored rigid – by the intricate theorising of Gusztav Sebes, the great Hungarian coach and architect of a ‘Golden Squad’ which routed England 6-3 at Wembley and then 7-1 in Budapest, and which should have won the 1954 World Cup. Yet, if you accept Johan Cruyff’s claim that the Dutch ‘won’ the 1974 tournament because everyone still talks about that great team, then Hungary also ‘won’ in 1954. Their dazzling technique, movement and freedom of thought would inspire Rinus Michels to build the great Ajax and Netherlands sides of the early ’70s.

Puskas was 31 when Santiago Bernabeu persuaded him to join Real Madrid in 1958.

Haunted by the destruction of Honved and the Hungarian Golden Squad, missing his family and friends, and probably fearing that he might never recapture his former glories, he was in a reflective mood.

74 October 2021 FourFourTwo

“I’M AT LEAST 16 KILOS OVERWEIGHT,” PUSKAS PROTESTED. “THAT’S YOUR PROBLEM,” SAID BERnABEU In RESPOnSE

His first commandment of football was actually a declaration of love. “In my opinion, football is the king of sports,” he declared.

“A good player is a good leader – the person who passionately loves and fantastically respects his sport.” Later he would add, “As long as there are young people in the world, football will be on top. If it’s played well, it can move millions. Football is like wine – there are some years that are vintage, and some that are not.”

His next two commandments concerned both lifestyle and fitness. His conclusion that, “The basis of studying high-level football is being young, and living a healthy life in body and spirit” was followed by, “The source of all power, speed and strength is the physical condition. Without this, modern football does not exist.”

Puskas had learned these truths the hard way. After a lengthy debate with chairman Bernabeu about the wisdom of signing for Los Blancos, he threw up his arms in despair and said, “Listen, this is all very well, but have you looked at me? I’m at least 16 kilos overweight.” The Real supremo responded, “That’s not my problem. It’s yours.”

The Hungarian was paid the equivalent of £725,000 in today’s money for a four-year

Above Opening a sausage factory in Madrid is the kind of thing retired players don’t do any more

deal, with wages and bonuses on top. As his agent put it, “It wasn’t much to pay for a fit Puskas, but wasn’t bad for a fat one.”

So, out went the sausages and in came the seafood. He retained some indulgences – friends who went to the movies with him noticed he had a seemingly unlimited supply of peanuts in his pockets – and he was never what you might call svelte, but the forward’s self-discipline helped him to win the respect of such a hypercritical judge as Alfredo Di Stefano. Puskas reinvented his game, taking fewer touches for greater impact, and in doing so became the first and only player to score four goals in a European Cup final – in 1960’s 7-3 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden Park.

Such self-restraint didn’t come easy. In one letter home, he lamented that, “There is no

FEREnC PUSKAS place I can find gypsy music in Madrid – only Spanish music. If I want to hear gypsy music being played, I have to go to a bar that opens at 11.30pm, and it’s too late. I have to train the next day.”

He once lambasted coaches who turned training sessions into PE lessons, arguing, “Not every player needs this tough physical training.” But he kept sufficiently fit to play his last European Cup game aged 38: a 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock in November 1965.

Puskas’ fourth commandment harked back to his afternoons spent playing with Bozsik and a rag ball. “Technical skill,” he explained, “should be perfected when you’re very young.

You must always practice, because the only players who have self-confidence are those who have power over the ball.”

His own power over the ball – exquisitely exhibited in the dragback that deceived Billy Wright for Hungary’s third goal at Wembley in 1953 – was inspirational. In his foreword to Szollosi’s biography of the maestro, Sir Alex Ferguson remembers, “You have to think of the impact that had on a 12-year-old kid like myself in Glasgow. After the game, I was out in the garden practising that pullback and banging the ball into the net. That was a real revolution in our minds.”

Puskas could – and did – win matches on his own, but the long hours being taught by Sebes had paid dividends. As he said in his fifth commandment, “Tactical preparedness empowers the team to play conscious and intelligent football. Good tactics and playing well are half the victory.”

Yet tactical preparedness wasn’t just about managers. With players such as Puskas and Di Stefano, Luis del Sol in attack and Jose Santamaria in defence, the all-conquering Real Madrid side had no shortage of coaches on the pitch who could make tactical calls when necessary. They were lucky in 1960 that they had a coach, Miguel Munoz, who gave them the freedom to do so – possibly because he had lifted the European Cup three times himself as a Madrid player.

In the 1960 final, Eintracht Frankfurt were befuddled by Di Stefano’s willingness to drop deep while Puskas darted forward. Once Real Madrid had found their footing, the German champions struggled to keep their 3-2-2-3 shape, and their reliance on man-marking left them horribly exposed as Di Stefano, Del Sol, Puskas and winger Paco Gento made the most of their licence to rampage in the final third. Puskas further added to the confusion by regularly letting Del Sol spearhead attacks while he sat back to link up with Gento and Di Stefano. The Hungarian hit a second-half hat-trick to take his evening’s tally to four, as Madrid’s opponents, outnumbered in midfield and frequently at the back, conceded seven goals within 52 minutes.

Playing alongside a genius in Di Stefano, it’s no wonder Puskas would insist that “without playmakers, there is no modern football.”

This unforgettable match was the definitive proof of his 10th law.

That European Cup showpiece underlined Puskas’ sixth commandment: “The unity of

the players and management is necessary to achieve good results. That’s why the right atmosphere and spiritual preparedness of players is so important.” As a player, Puskas was relatively fortunate with his managers.

His quality was soon spotted by Sebes and it was, for the most part, cherished at Madrid, especially by Bernabeu and Munoz.

But he had his run-ins with Luis Carniglia, his first coach at Los Blancos. The Argentine came over to Puskas on the morning of the 1959 European Cup Final and informed him that he wouldn’t be playing because he was injured. Puskas had no idea what Carniglia was on about. However, given the autocratic state of industrial relations in the game at

Left Di Stefano and Puskas celebrate a hat-trick apiece in 1960, making up half of all hat-tricks scored in European Cup or Champions League finals – ever Below Wright and Puskas at Wembley, moments before the English game changed for good

that time, he knew better than to argue. He watched from the stands as Real beat Reims 2-0 in a dull Stuttgart affair.

Afterwards, Bernabeu asked Puskas why he didn’t play. As he disclosed what the coach had said, the chairman listened in silence. On the first day of training for the new campaign, Bernabeu wrote a note to Carniglia, thanking him for all his hard work but adding that his contract would not be renewed. The players were neither consulted nor notified about his dismissal, finding out days later through the grapevine. The sacking may have appeared rash and unreasonable, but without it, that season might not have ended with Hampden Park hosting perhaps the greatest European Cup final in history.

Puskas returned to the importance of team spirit in his seventh commandment, stating, “The main values of a football team are unity, playing for a goal and having a nice style of play.” That style had let the Golden Squad down just once – in the 1954 World Cup Final, on a soggy pitch at Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium, when they lost 3-2 to West Germany. While the Mighty Magyars complained that English referee Bill Ling was wrong to disallow Puskas’

FEREnC PUSKAS late equaliser, goalkeeper Gyula Grosics said the result showed “a deep self-conceit in the team that had never revealed itself before”.

Leading 2-0 after just eight minutes against a side they had annihilated 8-3 in the group stage a fortnight earlier, Hungary played as if the Jules Rimet trophy was already in the bag.

It could also be true that Hungary’s players were distracted by talk of whether Puskas, still nursing a crocked ankle from the previous clash with West Germany, would be fit. Brian Glanville captured the melodrama well in The Story of the World Cup. “The great question was whether Puskas would play in the final,” wrote Granville. “He would, said the experts.

He wouldn’t. There was no chance; there was a 50-50 chance; a specialist had said so. The ankle was better; it wouldn’t recover in time.

Electrical treatment had failed; the Germans’ underwater massage had been rejected.”

The political recriminations at home which followed that unexpected 3-2 defeat – with the team effectively condemned as traitors – helped to persuade Puskas to stay in exile, in the west, after Soviet tanks rolled in to crush the 1956 Hungarian Uprising.

JOHAn CRUYFF CLAIMED THE DUTCH ‘WOn’ In ’74, BECAUSE WE STILL TALK ABOUT THEM. IF SO, THEn HUnGARY ‘WOn’ In 1954

Below 1954: The Miracle of Bern for West Germany was a total disaster for Hungary

Puskas, technically an officer in the army – hence his Galloping Major nickname – could have been tried, jailed and shot as a deserter if he had returned home. With his mother still living in Budapest, however, and occasionally getting threatening phone calls from officials demanding that she pay rent on her son’s vacant apartment, he took care not to anger the authorities any further. As he explained in a letter to Berci Benyak, his old barber in Budapest, “Don’t be afraid that I’ll write about politics – that’s not my job. I have one politic: that is football.” He added, in a semi-serious postscript, “And how I can get a lot of money.

I think there is no more beautiful politics.”

With that in mind, Puskas chose to ignore the Communist regime’s charges that he was a “fat, drunken smuggler”. As Hungarian writer Peter Esterhazy noted in novel Not Art, “Puskas knew there was a world beyond the pitch, but pretended he didn’t. On the pitch, he understood the meaning of dignity, of infinity, of death. In life he played the starring version of ‘Ferenc Puskas the legend’ – not the heroic but the human version, the always facetious friend who can be trusted to take care of everyone.”

That cynical detachment served him well in exile. Given the code name ‘Vandor’ by the Hungarian secret service, he had up to nine agents tracking him. One of them, who was obliged to monitor him at a casino in the German spa resort of Baden-Baden, proved to be such a bad gambler that Puskas felt sorry for him and ended up giving him some cash to help cover his losses. In the secret police

dossier on the player, opened after the fall of Communism, is a report from the agent saying, “I received a lot of money from him and found it a bit uncomfortable.”

Such incidents, while farcical in retrospect, encouraged Puskas to focus on football, even if his willingness to sign autographs for any Hungarians he met on his travels indicated how he adored and missed his homeland.

Puskas’ next two commandments concerned a footballer’s education.

Though his dictum that, “We have to study all of the time, and the more we learn from experience, the better the decisions we can make” might sound clichéd and self-evident, his ninth commandment illustrated his point more deeply: “The gaining of knowledge is not a question of talent. You have to decide you are willing to learn; if you have done that, you will be able to prepare yourself properly to play 90 minutes.”

To achieve a “nice style of play”, Puskas said in his final point, you absolutely had to have a playmaker. With that position filled, “You can create a team that works like a machine, scores many goals and wins a lot of games.”

Puskas never quite achieved that goal as a coach. He was at his most sardonic when recalling his globetrotting managerial career.

Running Saudi Arabia’s national team from 1975 to 1977 was about “much money and nothing else”, and coaching Al-Masry in Egypt from 1979 to 1982 reinforced his conviction that “it was much easier being a player than a coach.” His greatest success came in 1971, when he led Panathinaikos to the European Cup final at Wembley where, ironically, he lost to the Ajax team that Michels designed after studying the methods of Hungary and Real Madrid. No Greek club has reached the showpiece in the 50 years since.

It’s clear from his journals that in the late 1950s, Puskas had no idea how long he would remain in exile. He couldn’t have envisaged that it would be 35 years before he felt able to visit Hungary. He returned in 1992 to live in Budapest with his wife, Erzebet.

In later years, the sight of him out walking would stop traffic. He had become a national monument. After his death in 2006, aged 79, the Galloping Major was entombed in one – St Stephen’s Basilica, which also houses the right hand of the eponymous king of Hungary.

Talking to Rogan Taylor in his ’90s Budapest apartment, Puskas said, “As I look back, I see my life has a single thread.” That thread got tangled in politics, but as his private writings so eloquently revealed, he was, at heart, “just a man who loves football”.

MORE On FOURFOURTWO.COM • Euros legends: How Ferenc Puskas came to lend his name to a FIFA award • FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Footballers Ever: No.9, Ferenc Puskas • The story of Hungary’s 10-0 shellacking of El Salvador in 1982 (by Martin Mazur)

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BETWEEn THE LInES

THE DOCTOR WANTED ME TO SLEEP FOR A FEW HOURS, BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO. I THOUGHT,‘IF I GO TO SLEEP, I MIGHT NEVER WAKE UP’ Steve Cotterill was a fit 50-something enjoying life in his new role as manager of Shrewsbury – until coronavirus took its grip and left him fighting for survival.

Having mercifully won that war, he relives the ordeal with FFT in his own words Interview Chris Evans

BETWEEn THE LInES

y the time I was 38, I’d lost all of my family. My dad died when I was 11, at which point my grandfather became like my father. I lost him when I was 26. My mother passed away 18 years ago, making my grandmother the last to go three months later. She died of a broken heart – people don’t often see their daughters go before them. I saw two of the four on their deathbeds, so I understand a little more about what dying is about.

Or at least I thought I did. Until you experience getting what might have been close to death yourself, you can never know what it’s like.

I knew I was ill with coronavirus, but it was only when I was back home and recovering months after that I truly understood what happened.

When I returned to hospital, my specialist told me, ‘I don’t think you realise how bad you were’. I asked her to spell it out. ‘Death,’ she said.

I’ve always tried to look after myself as much as I could, and I’d say that I was pretty fit for a 57-year-old. I exercise regularly and go to the gym, try to eat the right things, and alcohol has never been a big part of my life. If I’m in the right company I’ll enjoy an occasional beer or glass of wine, but I’d never walk into a pub unless I’ve gone out for a meal or something.

Before catching coronavirus, I hardly ever even got coughs or colds.

I’ve been incredibly lucky in that sense, although I think you could say the bad time I’ve had has balanced that out.

I’d been out of work when the pandemic first hit, but was still going to watch matches when I could. It was tougher trying to do that, as you could only go to places where you knew the clubs or people there, and you needed to be tested before getting access to the ground. But then I got the manager’s job at Shrewsbury in November 2020.

When I arrived, I had absolutely no fear of catching coronavirus – no fear whatsoever. If you’d have said to me, ‘I’ll bet you £10,000 that you’re going to catch COVID’, I’d have said, ‘I’ll tell you what, let’s make it £100,000’. I’ve never been someone who regularly has something wrong with them.

I was very careful, too – I’m the kind of bloke who’s sceptical about public toilets and uses a tissue or my sleeve to make sure I don’t touch the door handle on the way out. It had become a running joke around here actually – while the government advice had been to wash your

80 October 2021 FourFourTwo

hands for 20 seconds, the lads were saying I used to wash my hands every 20 seconds instead. That’s how careful I was being, and I was predominantly like that anyway.

I’m fairly sure I picked up COVID in that first month when nobody was being tested in the Football League, which was crazy. Lower down the pyramid, players weren’t getting tested unless they had symptoms – looking back it’s amazing, really. We had a couple of lads who tested positive, then I did as well, and in total we had about 17 or 18 people who went down with it.

How long were they playing with those symptoms? How long were they playing while positive? I thought it was a bit of a joke, to be honest – a joke decision to let the season continue without more precautions being taken. If they’re testing everyone, then fine: carry on the season.

Were we saying that the lads in the lower leagues weren’t valued as much as the ones higher up? We understand that in terms of football monetary terms, but what about the human side of it?

When I got to Shrewsbury, I thought there was a lot to do. There was possibly something like 18 hours of work a day, of thinking about the football club, so my energy levels were dipping. But you keep getting yourself back up for it because you know you’ve got games. You start up here, then your energy levels drop, then you go back up for a game and might not quite reach the level you were at previously. Before you know where you’re at, you’ve got half a tank of diesel.

I first started feeling the impact of COVID during a training session one Friday, ahead of a game against Crewe which had been called off.

I just remember feeling extremely tired, then I endured the night from hell – my bedsheets in the hotel I was staying at were drenched in the early hours, so the following day I got tested and it came back positive.

I began to feel particularly rough after about four or five days, then it became even worse as time went on.

After isolating at the hotel for 10 days, I went home and didn’t get better. I was being more or less force-fed and was force-drinking, while the coughing was just unbelievable. I was coughing to the point where

BETWEEn THE LInES Clockwise from left Cotterill took the Shrews job in November 2020; the squad show solidarity for their stricken manager; back bellowing at home to Ipswich after his discharge

I thought I was going to pass out. My old doctor at Bristol City came round the house to see me and said, ‘You’re probably going to end up in hospital. See how you are tonight and we’ll check your blood stats tomorrow’. My blood oxygen was down the next day, so I was going in.

Normally a person is living off 20 per cent oxygen, but when I got to hospital I needed 91 per cent. When that flashed up, I knew I was in a bad way. I stayed in a holding room for a while before I went up to the ward, where I had a PICC line inserted in my arm. It was like having a mini operation in your room. They put the line in to take blood from me every day, and I was also on a drip to hydrate me. I was on that for three weeks, because I was so dehydrated and they couldn’t find any veins. My arms were badly bruised, as you can only inject them so many times before the veins start to go away for a while – they need to rehabilitate. I looked like an apple in an orchard that had been on the floor for about a month.

They later put a PICC line directly to my heart, which was worrying.

I thought, ‘Why do you want to get there?’ But during the procedure one of my lungs got punctured, which meant that when I was taking oxygen down into my lungs, it was leaking back out. Imagine putting a pinprick in the top of a balloon neck – every time you blow into the balloon, it’s going to leak back out. So of course, my lungs were never reaching proper inflation size and the capacity couldn’t get any bigger.

“nORMALLY A PERSOn IS LIVInG OFF 20 PER CEnT OXYGEn – WHEn I GOT TO HOSPITAL I nEEDED 91 PER CEnT”

What happens is that the air doesn’t come back out of your nose and mouth – it stays in your body, so I had all this air in my chest and neck. My neck was really swollen, so everything became more difficult as it had a choking effect: you can’t eat properly, drinking is harder and breathing becomes harder. So not only did I have the COVID I initially went into hospital with, I had a punctured lung and emphysema, too.

One thing led to another, and soon I was admitted to intensive care.

While in there, I had what’s called a tocilizumab injection, which cost about £500 per bottle. I required six of them to help lower my immune system, as they needed to give me double the impact of the steroids to work on the COVID. I eventually came out of intensive care but wasn’t getting any better.

I went back downstairs into the ward I was in, but one night woke up at about 4am with chest pains. That could be anything from bad wind to a heart attack, but I was taken to intensive care again. When I got back there, the doctor wanted me to go to sleep for a few hours – but I didn’t want to because I thought to myself, ‘If I go to sleep, I might never wake up’. If I was going to die, I wanted to be awake so I knew it was happening. It might sound weird, but I didn’t want to be asleep.

I kept thinking, ‘I’m not going to die now, I love my family too much’.

I didn’t want my daughters growing up without a dad like I did. I also thought about some of my close mates, who even now still rely on me to a certain degree for advice. I thought about how I’ve had to fight for quite a few things in my life and how I’ve also fought for other people.

There were things I’d have told them about what they can achieve, so it was time to take a bit of my own medicine and make sure there was enough fight left in me.

Fortunately, I managed to come through it and get out of intensive care again. I had a huge three-day hit of steroids – I was on 60 a day rather than five to seven, which was the recommended dose. I needed to have a three-day hit of an intravenous drip. Thanks to my specialist, Katrina Curtis, that was key to me getting better.

Everyone thinks the Shrewsbury job would have been a distraction during that time, but it was my motivation. It gave me something to do and a sense of purpose. I arrived just over a month before I became poorly, but ended up making some fantastic relationships in a short period – with the staff, players, board and supporters. And I thought, they all need me.

That was a great focus because I had a very young staff – certainly my assistant manager, Aaron Wilbraham, and David Longwell, who’d

FourFourTwo October 2021 81

BETWEEn THE LInES

“PEOPLE THInK THE SHREWSBURY JOB WOULD HAVE PROVED A DISTRACTIOn, BUT IT GAVE ME A SEnSE OF PURPOSE” joined from Shrewsbury’s academy. Everyone performed brilliantly in my absence. There were only a couple of games when I couldn’t get some sort of message to them when I was in hospital, and that was while I was in intensive care – it just wasn’t possible to converse with anyone in those moments. As soon as I was back on the ward, I was on the phone with Aaron.

I couldn’t always talk for long as I was on oxygen, but throughout my time in hospital, I never slept well due to my steroid dose being so high. I might be tired at 9pm but that was the fatigue time, so I’d

Below Wilbraham and Longwell held the fort admirably; the gaffer is on the up and doing what he does best again

wake up at 2am and be sat there, completely wide awake. I used to do all of my preparation until about 5am, send it by WhatsApp to Aaron, then he’d wake up to half a dozen pages of what to do in training that day. Aaron would get up, read it while he was having his breakfast and then give me a call when he jumped in the car. We’d talk through page one, two and so forth.

It was difficult, though. I had a few training clips I could look at, but the trouble was that they were too far away for me to see. By the time I’d zoomed in to check who made that pass or who did that one thing in training, the play had moved on – it was a waste of time. The Wi-Fi was useless in the hospital, so I was using my phone to watch games in bed using 4G. I felt awful only talking to Aaron most of the time, but I didn’t have the air in me to have conversations with everyone – though I did speak to the players in the dressing room using a Bluetooth speaker once.

As I got better, I was finally able to visit the training ground and see everyone face to face for the first time in four months, and I felt well enough to sit in the stands to watch our game against Oxford in May. Through the summer, apart from doing transfer work and meetings, I was going to the gym. I’d try to arrange those meetings around days I wasn’t at the gym – because as challenging as it was, that physical work was really important for me. It meant I knew that when I came back to the job, I’d be strong enough to do it. If I hadn’t improved my fitness, I wouldn’t have been strong enough to coach.

When I returned, a pre-season friendly against Telford was the first game back in front of our supporters. The minute I walked out in front of them gave me goosebumps and brought hairs up on the back of my neck. The love I received from them all was massive.

I’d already said to the players before the game that I wanted to get a relationship going with the fans this year, and do something they’d enjoy. Celebrating with them afterwards was part of that, but I didn’t want to go out there and it to become about me. I wanted the players to enjoy the love our supporters had for me, and for them to love the lads equally as well. We ended up doing three cheers as we’d won the match, but it was simply to get some connection going with our fans.

Doing that only for myself wouldn’t have felt right for me and would have been a bit embarrassing, so I wanted the players to be there too.

That night coming back at Telford was one to remember. I think about it with such fondness.

The start of the season, in regards to my rehabilitation, was a good time for me – it was Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday, but results didn’t go great. That made it tougher, but health-wise for me it won’t get any tougher than what I went through. After being in a scenario where you’ve been fighting for your life, you know you can fight your way through that sort of thing. My life has always been about football, and the minute kick-off time comes I’m ready for it.

Am I back to normal? No, but I’m OK and my strength is much better.

I’ve not suffered from anything else that some have post-COVID – it’s just breathing every now and then that catches you out. We had one match in the League Cup when I was rough. COVID makes you feel like you’re asthmatic – or that’s what the doctors and nurses have told me.

I felt slightly short of breath, so had to take a backwards step and let my coaches do most of the yelling on the touchline. The next morning, I was as clear as anything.

The way I see it is like when you’re trying to beat your time running a particular distance – you know that if you stick at it, you’ll improve.

You know you’ll get fitter and stronger. I think it’s the same with this.

There are lots of people who have had this awful illness worse than me and didn’t come out the other side, and I’m so sorry for them and their families. I’m very thankful that I’m still here to tell my tale.

MORE On FOURFOURTWO.COM • Joe Thompson: “Cancer felt like a snake wrapping around my neck...

I was determined to win” (by Alec Fenn) • Michael Appleton: “Alex Ferguson had a right pop at me, and rightly so. I hadn’t done due diligence before taking jobs” (by Joe Brewin) • Tony Adams’ demons: “The sweats, hallucinations, terrors, voices... this is not normal” (by Leo Moynihan)

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

THE

nD nDS

EFL • nOn-LEAGUE • SCOTLAnD InTERVIEW

JOHn COLEMAn

In 20 years as manager of Accrington, he’s called himself Ken Barlow and moved the club up four divisions – so is a tilt at the Championship next?

Interview Chris Flanagan On Christmas Day this year, you’ll have reached 20 years in charge of Accrington Stanley, over two spells.

How proud will you be?

Christmas Day? Ah, I didn’t know that!

It is an achievement, not just for me but for my assistant Jimmy Bell. It’s been a match made in heaven – we left once [to join Rochdale in 2012] and I have my regrets about that, but if I hadn’t done, I wouldn’t be the manager I am now. It gave me a new perspective. I spent a year out of football after Rochdale, which made me realise how much I needed it.

You joined Accrington in 1999, after they’d fallen to the seventh tier.

Could you have imagined you’d take the club as far as League One? No, it was just brilliant to get to the Conference. A good friend of mine

84 October 2021 FourFourTwo

who’d played for Accrington before, Paul Burns, told me the fans would come out of the woodwork if we did well – and they did, as we went from 300 to 3,000. They were desperate for success – in our first season, we were the biggest payers in the UniBond First Division and didn’t start particularly well. The pressure was intense, we were bottom four at Christmas, then went on an unbeaten run and won the league, which was unbelievable. I still class that as our best achievement.

Stanley hadn’t been in the Football League since the club went bust in 1966. Did that seem out of reach?

It was the Holy Grail – I remember our chairman Eric Whalley with tears in his eyes when we won at Woking to reach the Football League in 2006. Later on, I was in a doctor’s surgery and this old chap came up to me and said, “I’ve been waiting for this for 40-odd years.”

That’s when you realise what you can do for other people.

How tough a decision was it to take the Rochdale job, after nearly 13 years in charge? You said you felt a bit like Ken Barlow – potentially spending too long at the same club...

Yeah, you felt as though if you didn’t make a break then, you were never going to progress. The club had been on its knees and I was having to tell players we were going to get paid, when I was doubting myself whether that was going to happen. Having to tell players things I didn’t believe went against what I’m about as manager –

“ACCRInGTOn IS SO SPECIAL. WE’VE BEEn TO MAnY WEDDInGS AnD FUnERALS HERE” I’m about empathy and trust. The club got some compensation for me and Jimmy, which helped dramatically. I’m not saying that it saved the club, but it definitely helped.

After spells with Rochdale, Southport and Sligo, you returned to Accrington in 2014. Did it feel strange managing other clubs?

At Accrington everyone I’d brought in was going to respond to me because

they’d come in to respond to me. Then all of a sudden at another club, you’re having to deal with strangers and getting them to buy into your way of thinking. That wasn’t easy, I won’t deny that. Keeping Southport up was one of our biggest achievements. They were dead and buried when we took over, then Sligo was an unbelievable experience, playing in Europe. If it hadn’t been for the pull of Accrington, I don’t think I would have left Sligo.

What is it about you and Accrington that work so well together?

It’s a special town in our hearts – I’ve lost count of the amount of weddings and funerals we’ve been to. You get to know the fans, and it becomes more like a vocation than a job. Eric Whalley was an unbelievable chairman and I didn’t think we could ever better that,

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

but Andy Holt has been absolutely fantastic for us since he came in.

In 2018, you won promotion from League Two. After play-off heartache during your first spell, did you have unfinished business?

I genuinely think we’ve got one more promotion, to the Championship, in us.

If we did that it would be a fairytale, because we’ve got no right to do it. It’s not as if we’ve been bankrolled, like some non-league teams. We did have a good wage bill in the UniBond First Division, but nothing like other clubs since then. We keep defying the odds, and that’s what makes this club so special. We had a decent start this season, and we want to build on that.

You went up from League Two with Luton, Wycombe and Coventry, who all later reached the Championship...

Yeah, it can be done. They’ve all had more money to spend than us, but it’s not always about money.

How satisfying has it been to beat some bigger League One clubs, like a 7-1 win against Bolton in 2019?

We’ve had some smashing days, but we believe we’re in League One in our own right. I don’t want to see big clubs suffer, and we’ve seen it with the likes of Ipswich, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday being in our league – but when they play against us, they know they’re going to be in a game.

What’s the secret to the club’s nearconstant improvement under you?

I value all the players so much. Joey Barton asked for some tips when he took over at Fleetwood and I told him, “Listen, you’re only as good as your players.” You’ve got to treat them right – that’s one of our strengths – but we have brought quality in. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

Has the key been the sheer amount of matches you watch?

I travelled three and a half hours to watch a match at Brackley recently – without putting your own eyes on it, speaking to people and spending a lot of time on it, you don’t find these little gems that you tend to unearth.

You’re still only 58. Will you stay at Accrington for the rest of your career now? How long will that be?

I’m hoping for another 10 years – I’d like to get to 1,000 league matches.

I’ve got a great relationship with the chairman – I’ve spoken to him straight away about any approaches. While we’re happy with each other, I just don’t think there’s any need to change.

There may be a chance to earn more money elsewhere, but happiness is a lot more valuable than money.

PROGRAMMES: A DEATH OF EFL nEWS

The humble programme has been a matchday staple for decades, but ruthless cost-cutting in the EFL is threatening their very existence. Collectors, beware...

Football-starved fans are flooding back to familiar stadiums this season – but for some, part of their matchday routine is no more.

That’s because the death knell is starting to toll for the humble football programme, after decades of being a pre-match staple for supporters across the country.

Within the EFL, Derby canned their programme last year and appear to have started a trend, with Blackburn, Bristol City and Reading all pulling printed versions of theirs at the start of this campaign.

Previously, it had been mandatory for clubs at all levels to produce a programme for every home game, but that rule was quietly overturned in 2018. It’s only now that clubs are starting to take advantage.

That’s particularly bad news for a slew of loyal programme hunters left empty-handed and dealing with the realisation that their collections have reached an abrupt end.

“It was a shock,” explains collector John Holden, who has thousands of Blackburn programmes dating back to the 1930s. “I thought surely they could keep it going, but they said, ‘No, we’re not bothering’.

“We played West Brom recently, and a fan came up to me and asked, ‘Where are the programmes?’ I told him that we weren’t doing them any more. He couldn’t believe it. He said, ‘Blackburn Rovers? A second-tier side, founder members of the Football League? You’re not a tinpot club’.”

Holden’s passion for programmes began when he attended matches with his dad as a child, but those memories are being lost for fans of belt-tightening clubs.

“You’re not telling me second-tier clubs aren’t able to produce printed programmes,” says the 52-year-old.

“It would appear that teams such as Blackburn, Derby and Reading are watching the pennies. Money is tight and their main source of expenditure are players’ wages, but how can they get around that? If they don’t pay the wages, they don’t get the players – it’s a Catch-22. So they’re cutting costs on the little things instead.

“How much will they actually lose on the programme? Blackburn say that it’s not commercially viable and we’re currently losing money on the programme, but how much can it be?

There’ll be a minimum print run, but it doesn’t have to be massive.”

Print costs aren’t the only reason for the cull, though, with Reading citing “the time, effort and expense” of producing a publication for every home fixture as justification for stopping completely. And while Blackburn, Bristol City and a few others are still producing a digital version for each game, there is no like-for-like equivalent produced at Derby or Reading, with monthly magazines mooted as alternatives.

The writing is on the wall. Stoke have also decided to call time on their ‘traditional’ programme at the start of 2021-22, replacing it with a new freemium matchday magazine instead. Swansea, meanwhile, will no longer be selling their programme at games either, but are offering fans the chance to take out season-long subscriptions for printed copies.

Holden says it’s a stay of execution.

“This is just the beginning,” he sighs. “Two or three years down the line, it’ll be the norm that there isn’t a programme – it’ll be more unusual that there is one. It’s sad but what can you do? Life changes.”

Now, if only the same fate would befall half-and-half scarves…

Chris Evans

BEST&WORST BOLTOn WAnDERERS

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

Writer and long-time Trotter Gary Parkinson regales tales of Jay-Jay, John McGinlay and wine bar bouffants

XI

say our days are numbered” – have never been as heartfelt.

W: “Your town’s a s**thole, I wanna go home.” I don’t – I’m watching a game – and with respect, Bolton’s hardly Bali.

BEST: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Gary Cahill, Gudni Bergsson, Bruno N’Gotty, Ricardo Gardner, Fernando Hierro, Kevin Nolan, Jay-Jay Okocha [right], Youri Djorkaeff, Nicolas Anelka, El Hadji Diouf.

WORST: Ben Amos, Toto Nsiala, Gerald Cid, Jonathan Grounds, Dean Moxey, Mario Espartero, John Gregory, Liam Trotter, Roger Walker, Robert Fleck, Nigel Jemson.

GOAL

B: Either of two from late 2010: Johan Elmander’s snake-hipped humiliation of the entire Wolves defence, or the Blackpool-bamboozling eight-man move finished by Mark Davies’ leveller.

W: Jody Morris for Chelsea in May 1998 that confirmed relegation. Even Blues fans, knowing a draw would relegate Everton, were willing us to equalise.

PLAYER

B: Okocha’s brilliance and infectious joy belies the bitter losers’ idea of Sam Allardyce’s side as dour long-ballers.

W: Many have drowned through lack of ability but worse was the half-arsed former top-flighter John Gregory (yes, later a manager), who did nothing for a struggling team but stand, point and be suntanned.

MOMEnT

MAnAGER SEASOn

B: 1996-97: style, guile, 100 goals and 98 points – second-tier

B: Anfield, 1993: David Lee toasts Mike Marsh and crosses for John McGinlay to put our third-tier side 1-0 up right in front of us. The start of a magic ride.

W: Watching court action online to see if our club would survive the day.

champions at a romp.

W: Second-tier relegation in 2018-19 amid financial ruination and existential fear. From New Year we lost 17 of 22 matches – and defaulted on a 23rd.

B: The 1995 First Division Play-off Final against Reading [above]. From 2-0 and a penalty down to a four-striker attack clawing out a 4-3 win to reach the top flight after 15 years’ absence.

W: The following season, being beaten 6-0 at home by a local rival with a crop of kids. I forget their name.

B: Kevin Davies [right] on a freebie. A mate of mine described him as a washed-up burger boy. He ate his words.

W: There could be no better symbol of how we threw money at chasing

GAME

86 October 2021 FourFourTwo

SIGnInG

a Premier return than re-signing Zat Knight on ludicrous wages, curiously against no competition whatsoever.

nICKnAME

B: The Lion of Vienna: the immortal Nat Lofthouse, who represented Wanderers as a fan, player, captain, trainer, scout, coach, manager, president and legend.

W: Eidur Gudjohnsen’s calmness and nationality condemned him to a life of being called ‘The Iceman’; his compatriot Gudni Bergsson is still known to many as ‘Gundi’.

CHAnT

B: I’ve spent decades singing, “Who’s that coming up the hill?”, but its defiant central lyrics – “They all laugh at us, they all mock at us, they all

B: Perhaps ungrateful but Big Sam is edged out by Bruce Rioch, whose reign was so short, pure and unforgettable.

W: Dougie Freedman, who wanted to “control the game without possession”, was even worse than the professional misanthrope Gary Megson.

HAIRCUT

B: The curly frightwig of Ivan Campo, whose name is still sung every week.

W: Dave Sutton’s blond bouffant was very mid-80s wine-bar – but with its owner injured, it was bouncing on the away end celebrating Robbie Savage’s (nope, not him) promotion goal.

HARD MAn

B: Kevin Davies would survive a nuclear winter, and I’d happily live under his new world order.

W: Kostas Konstantinidis celebrated Duncan Ferguson’s red card for an off-the-ball elbow on him by promptly picking up two yellows in a minute to level the sides up.

BOY’S A BIT SPECI A L TAHITH CHOnG

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

THE UnLIKELY LADS

EL DONCASTER HADJI(2011-12) DIOUF

BIRMINGHAM CITY

LOWDOWN Ex-Feyenoord prodigy Chong joined Manchester United as a 17-year-old, before collecting the English club’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2017-18.

The slender and skilful winger made a handful of outings for the senior team prior to being sent out on loan to Werder Bremen, Club Brugge and now Championship side Birmingham.

HIGHLIGHT An impressive cameo in United’s win at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 in March 2019. Chong replaced Andreas Pereira late on, showcasing finesse and balance in a famous 3-1 victory.

THEY SAID “We’re pleased with the progress he’s made since stepping up from the academy,” said gaffer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the Dutchman signed a new two-year deal in 2020.

“Tahith has great potential. Given his age, ability and work ethic, we can see he has a bright future at United.”

WHAT’S NEXT? Talented but in need of beefing up, he needs a big year in the rough-and-tumble of the second tier. A standout loan at St Andrew’s previously helped Jesse Lingard earn a first-team place at Old Trafford.

WHO ARE YA? | ROMULUS

COULD BE Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. They will have vengeance, in this life or the next.

ACTUALLY Midland League Premier outfit named after the founder and first king of Rome, hailing from... er, Birmingham? Their Latin motto reads ‘I am certain’, but no one knows what about (not least why they’re labelled so). Still, alumni include Dean Sturridge and Darius Vassell. Conquerors.

CREDENTIALS The hot-headed attacker shot to prominence at the 2002 World Cup, where he starred in Senegal’s historic run to the last eight. Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier had already snapped him up beforehand – but just as quickly wished he hadn’t. Diouf netted only three league goals in a bleak debut campaign overshadowed by a police investigation, after he spat at a Celtic fan in a UEFA Cup clash.

English football’s new villain later turned out for Bolton, Sunderland, Blackburn and Rangers, where his misdemeanours included spitting at an 11-year-old Middlesbrough fan, spitting at Portsmouth’s Arjan de Zeeuw, abusing a ball boy at Everton and taunting QPR’s Jamie Mackie after a leg break. Classy...

HOW’D IT GO? Willing to turn the other cheek (and not just shelter from spittle), Donny signed Diouf in 2011. The stroppy forward scored six goals in 23 games, but couldn’t prevent relegation to League One and moved on. “A likeable rogue” was the closest manager Dean Saunders got to giving him praise.

THEN WHAT? Diouf vowed to lead Leeds back to the Premier League.

He left after they came 15th in the Championship in 2013-14, missing several matches due to injury and a trip to attend Nelson Mandela’s funeral. Diouf finished his career at Malaysian outfit Sabah, where he was stripped of the captaincy after admiring club rivals JDT. Obviously.

FourFourTwo October 2021 87

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

WHA T’ S OCCURRIn G

IAn HOLLOWAY

With the life of a modern manager so all-encompassing, the role of player-manager has died a gradual death.

But no wonder, insists FFT’s columnist – doing that job himself with Bristol Rovers almost cost him very dearly...

A

s I write this, there are no player-managers in the EFL this season. We see the odd one pop up, usually towards the end of a campaign, but in reality I think they’re gone forever.

It was hard enough when I did it for three seasons at Bristol Rovers from 1996. Now, the stresses and strains of a modern manager make it impossible. There’s nowhere near enough time to train yourself to the level you need to be and do all the other off-field planning, scouting, squad building and board meetings.

You end up a physical and mental wreck. It nearly killed me actually, and almost wiped my relationship out. It’s so constant that it’s crazy.

Being brutally honest, the only successful player-manager I can ever remember was Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. When I spoke to him about it once, he said, “I didn’t do it. They just told me to go and train.

I sat in meetings where we picked the team and they kept putting me in it.” He said he’d named himself as a substitute 17 times one season as he felt so embarrassed.

Kenny also advised me that it was the people around you who really mattered – he had Joe Fagan and experienced blokes who knew what they were doing. Fortunately, I had two mates – the goalkeeper coach and physio, Phil Kite, and my assistant/striker Gary Penrice.

We were all doing two jobs at the time because of the club we were at. They didn’t try to save money at Liverpool like that, let me tell you...

Rovers could pay me one lot of money for two jobs. They knew how fit I still was, so at 33 they gave me a four-year contract on a player’s deal – I couldn’t turn that down. QPR offered me two years on better money, but I took the career-changing deal as I felt that was the right thing to do. What they didn’t realise was that they couldn’t sack me on that contract!

But it still caused all sorts of issues, as I was so entwined with the job. I thought it was my whole identity. It was really difficult for my wife and kids because I lived and breathed it every second of every day. To be honest, I had no experience so it

would take over my moods – hence me going to anger management in the end. It’s so tough, but you learn as you go along.

My first act as manager was losing our best goalscorer, Marcus Stewart.

We were at risk of losing him for free, so I came up with this hare-brained scheme that I’d get a local garage to sponsor the new car he wanted. If he signed a form that said he’d turned down his contract, we could get a fee for him. If he’d gone for free, it would have killed us – we’d have gone bust.

So I got this car with a ribbon around it, on a deal with the garage that we’d buy it for Marcus if we sold him. He couldn’t believe it. He signed the bit of paper saying he wanted to go and I got a big hug from the chairman – we sold Marcus to the team that had just beaten us in the play-off final, Huddersfield, and got £1.2 million.

Wrestling with my identity was the hardest part of being player-manager.

I still wanted to be one of the lads but realised very quickly that I couldn’t, because I had to be the one who was making decisions. I had their respect but knew I could lose it easily. On the pitch I was ‘Ollie’ and didn’t want to be called ‘gaffer’ – how could they say, “Come on gaffer, that’s rubbish” if I’d messed up? It doesn’t work. Gary and Phil told me to pick myself a lot, but I found it really embarrassing being 36, trying to tell young lads they were going to be good enough and then playing myself ahead of them.

The job was a baptism of fire, but it taught me loads about how not to do things.

The crucial thing as a manager is taking responsibility, and I found it to be a greater responsibility when I wasn’t playing. I could make a difference on the pitch, but not being out there forced me to entrust others. I finished playing after the 1998-99 season aged 36, even though I could still carry myself physically. But that wasn’t the point – I needed to get to grips with the mental challenge of management.

Today, I just don’t know how anyone would be able to pull it all off. Maybe there will be someone so exceptional on the pitch that they can – but I think those days are over. Long live the player-manager…

“WRESTLInG WITH MY IDEnTITY WAS THE HARD PART. I STILL WAnTED TO BE OnE OF THE LADS BUT COULDn’T – I WAS THE OnE MAKInG DECISIOnS”

88 October 2021 FourFourTwo

AROUnD THE GROUnDS

BIGGLESWADE: BIG PROBLEMS nOn-LEAGUE nEWS

An unpopular FA decision has riled United’s suffering chairman, Guillem Balagué

“I’ve never woken up before at 4am, sweating and kicking the mattress.

It’s just so frustrating. I thought we were doing things the right way – but then this.”

Guillem Balagué has had a summer he won’t forget. As one of the world’s pre-eminent football journalists, in August he was at the Parc des Princes, enjoying a personal audience with Paris Saint-Germain’s new recruit: one Lionel Andres Messi. It was his other life, as the chairman of non-league side Biggleswade United, that caused the night terrors.

At the end of the curtailed 2020-21 campaign, United received notice that they were being shunted sideways in the football pyramid, swapping the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League for an equivalent division in the United Counties League.

Despite its name, the Spartan South Midlands exclusively includes teams from north-west London, central Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, where Biggleswade is located. Its catchment is a tight one.

The United Counties Premier South, on the other hand, spreads itself somewhat wider, from Leicestershire down to the edge of the Cotswolds.

United put their appeal to the FA. While this was being heard, and with the prospect of additional travel to away matches, many players simply opted to leave – the entire first-team squad bar one, in fact.

In the wake of a failed appeal, the club has had to field a senior team consisting of raw youngsters plucked from their under-23 and teen sides.

The consequence has been a series of shellackings: Biggleswade lost their opening six August fixtures heavily, with a 7-3 loss being the narrowest defeat. Rooted to the bottom of their new league with a -37 goal difference after six games, the situation was in sharp contrast to six months earlier; United were three points clear atop the Spartan South Midlands Premier after 14 matches when last term was abandoned in February.

“Because we’d appealed, it created more uncertainty,” admits Balagué.

“Our coach Cristian Colas was telling the players, ‘Look, we just don’t know which league it’s going to be’, so we let them do whatever they wanted.

We probably got it wrong by opening the door for them that way, but what else could we do? We didn’t want to deceive them. Now we’re paying for it.

BIGGLESWADE WERE TOP OF OnE LEAGUE; nOW THEY ARE BOTTOM OF AnOTHER

“Yes, there’s more travelling in the United Counties, but in practice it’s two long trips out of every 10 games.

I think it’s more of a psychological barrier than a real one. Players want security, I understand that, but you can’t travel for an extra 45 minutes?

Still, we’ve got to look at ourselves – what is it that we haven’t done well enough to convince them to stay?”

In order to arrest the awful results and avoid relegation, the philosophy that has underpinned the first team since Balagué joined seven years ago – one based on exclusively selecting homegrown players who have been coached through their system – has had to be jettisoned.

“Forget training, forget homegrown, forget all that – for the men’s team, at least,” sighs Balagué. “Right now, Cristian is going to have to spend his time ringing players and managers.

That’s his job for the next month. We have to create a team, but I’m sure we can find 18 players who can help.

“I hope that by November, results start improving and we manage to get the 10 or 12 victories that keep us in the division – that’s our target.”

Fancy it, Leo? Nige Tassell

CLAIMS TO FAME PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

1NAMING FIGHTS

Plymouth are the only team in Britain with ‘Argyle’ in their name – and no one knows why. The most popular theory is that the Pilgrims took their moniker from a street (Argyle Terrace), but others include a pub (the Argyle Tavern) and army regiment (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). Either way, it’s unique and has been in use since Argyle Football Club were formed in 1886.

2HOME COMFORTS

Home Park was the smallest venue picked as part of England’s unsuccessful 2018 World Cup bid.

The 18,600-capacity stadium was selected alongside Wembley, Old Trafford and St James’ Park in the doomed offering. Had Russia not prevailed, Pilgrims could have seen the ground’s size hiked to 46,000 – a bit much for League One, maybe?

3BIG IN EUROPE

Then again, Argyle have played before 100,000 people... in Poland.

In 1963, they went behind the Iron Curtain to feature as a sideshow act for the 16th International Cycle Race for Peace in Warsaw – a game that was stopped several times so that a motorbike could cross the pitch to indicate when cyclists were going to do laps of the ground. You wouldn’t get that down in Devon.

4PLYMOUTH > PELE

Argyle may not have produced many World Cup winners, but they have welcomed them. Plymouth even got one over on Jules Rimet hogger Pele when Santos visited the south coast for a friendly in 1973. He scored a penalty in front of a 37,639 crowd, but the hosts won 3-2. Just like watching Brazil.

detinU edawselggiB erutciP

5GO (SOUTH) WEST

Plymouth are both the most westerly and southerly Football League side. There’s no greater gap between two professional English clubs than Argyle and Newcastle; separated by 336 bird miles, or seven hours by car. That’s one cup draw no one (or everyone) wants.

FourFourTwo October 2021 89

FFT GRABS A WORD WITH...

MARIANS PAHARS • IAN HARTE • QUINTON FORTUNE • JOSE BOSINGWA

TEAMS Pardaugava Skonto-Metals Skonto Southampton Anorthosis Famagusta Jurmala Latvia

MARIAnS PAHARS

“LATVIA’S COUnSEL THAnKED ME FOR PUTTInG US On THE MAP – I FELT LIKE An AMBASSADOR”

Southampton’s cult hero on injury woes, nutmegging Jaap Stam and why he’d even play centre-back for Glenn Hoddle Interview Mark Sanderson

You signed for Southampton in 1999. How proud were you to become the first Latvian to play in the Premier League?

I understood what it meant when I went to the Latvian embassy in London to collect my visa. The counsel thanked me for introducing our country to the English people. I felt like an ambassador for Latvia. When I arrived from Skonto I couldn’t speak English, but I’d watch Match of the Day every week, see the league table and knew we had to start picking up points. I needed to be at my best and results needed to be positive, otherwise, I could not eat or sleep.

It took Saints several months to register that elusive first league win at St Mary’s in 2001. What was it like going from The Dell to a bigger, modern stadium?

Playing those first matches at St Mary’s feels like yesterday. Finally, we had good toilets in the dressing room! I loved The Dell, though.

So many great Southampton players of the past had left their blood and sweat out there – that history helped to make it special. The playing surface at St Mary’s was superb and we could have many more fans at games, but at the same time, there’s no place like home.

So, for me it was not comfortable to play at St Mary’s to begin with.

You scored 45 goals for Saints – which was your favourite and why?

I scored one against Derby at The Dell with my left foot from outside the penalty area.

I watched it go straight in the top corner and was thinking, ‘How is this possible?’ I usually didn’t have enough power to generate that kind of strike!

We thought you’d choose your goal at Old Trafford in 1999, where you nutmegged Jaap Stam before smashing home against the then English and European champions.

Maybe for fans this was my best Saints goal, but I knew my abilities better than anyone.

My style of play was about quick turns, then running into the penalty area to shoot, which I could do. So scoring goals from long range was much more difficult for me than the one I got against United.

Southampton changed managers no fewer than nine times during your seven years at the club – which got the best out of you?

I think I played my best football under Glenn Hoddle. I remember him saying I was going to play on the wing. I was the top scorer and playing upfront, so I told him I didn’t like playing there. He said, “You’re one of the best three players at the club, but the other two can’t play out wide.

Do I have to leave one of my three best players out so you can play upfront?” I thought, ‘Wow, he thinks I’m one of our best players?’ From there, he could have picked me at centre-back.

You doubted you were one of Saints’ best players?

I was always in doubt – if I did something 10 times I’d still think I could do it better.

If I scored two goals in a game I wouldn’t be happy, asking myself why I didn’t score a hat-trick. This is just my character. When Hoddle said I was one of the squad’s three best players, I didn’t really believe him but it made me feel great.

Unfortunately, your injuries coincided with Southampton and Latvia’s biggest games – when did those problems begin?

Near the end of 2002, Latvia had a Euro 2004 qualifier against San Marino, which we won 1-0 with a very late own goal. Without it we wouldn’t have made the play-offs. I suffered a bad injury in that game and was never the same again as a fully fit starter.

Ankle surgery meant you missed the 2003 FA Cup Final defeat to Arsenal. Did you at least get to go to the Millennium Stadium and watch the game?

No, I watched the game at home on TV with my leg in plaster resting on the coffee table!

My big moments for club and country came within a year of each other, and I was injured for both. That’s destiny, though. What else can you say?

Later in 2003, you helped Latvia to defeat Turkey and reach Euro 2004, the nation’s first major tournament. Weeks later, you scored a wonder goal in a 3-0 derby victory against Portsmouth. Were you back to your best by that point?

No, I felt pain all the time. I appreciated the Latvia coach giving me the chance to be part of that special moment in Turkey. Then, after a year out, there was a little bit left in me to score in the south coast derby. But the pain in my hernia, ankle and groin continued. It still affects me now. It was the same at the Euros.

I came on in all three group games, but just wasn’t fit. It was a tough tournament for me.

I wanted to pack my stuff and leave, but the manager asked me to stay on, for the players and the supporters.

You left Saints at the end of the 2005-06 campaign. You weren’t in the squad for the last game of the season, but still received a standing ovation at St Mary’s. How did that come about?

I was in my suit watching the game from the directors’ box. I waited until the players had finished their lap of honour, then went down onto the pitch to say my own goodbye to the fans. I knew it was a special moment. When you score goals you get lots of attention, but when you’re out you can get forgotten about very quickly. Luckily for me, the Saints fans hadn’t forgotten.

Your goals mean you’ll always be popular with Saints fans – how special was that bond?

I scored some vital goals for the club, which helped, but it didn’t always matter if you scored; Southampton supporters appreciated hard work. I wasn’t the best player and can’t compare myself to Matt Le Tissier – he was the best player I ever saw live – so I knew I had to compensate with work rate.

That’s why I believe fans took to me.

I remember Francis Benali’s eyes on a matchday – they looked like they had fire in them, so you could tell he was ready to put everything into the game. That’s what I tried to do for Saints.

FourFourTwo October 2021 91

IAn HARTE

“AFTER A FEW BEERS, ROY SAID HE WAS GOInG TO F**KInG SMASH ME – I SOBERED UP AnD WEnT TO BED” Ireland’s cultured left-back recalls European nights with Leeds, the Saigon Spat and why he’s better than Becks Interview Mark White

You’re best known for being a key member of an iconic Leeds team around the turn of the millennium. Tell us how good that side was at its peak.

Oh, it was unbelievable. Mostly it was a group of lads who had come up from the academy, who were really hungry to go out and do the best they possibly could. And then there were

TEAMS Leeds Levante Sunderland Blackpool Carlisle Reading Bournemouth Republic of Ireland

a few additions, such as Olivier Dacourt – he was massive in midfield – and Mark Viduka had joined too. It was amazing to go in every day and there was a fantastic togetherness which showed on the pitch, especially when we played the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

You scored against Arsenal at Highbury three seasons in a row, and helped to hand the league to United in 2002-03 by curling home a free-kick…

I did, yeah. David Seaman had a few choice words at the end of the third game. He came up to me and said, “Will you ever stop f**king scoring past me?!” I loved it at Highbury to be honest – the pitch was like a carpet and the fans were right on top of you. That third time when we took the league from Arsenal, we’d have done anything to stop United winning it – but we needed the points ourselves or we might have been relegated.

Just a couple of seasons before that, Leeds were playing Champions League football.

What are your memories of those days?

The [2000-01 second group phase] draw was at about 11am and we were on the training pitch. David O’Leary came out and we were dying to hear who we’d got. We ended up going from one group of death – Barcelona, Milan and Besiktas – to another with Real Madrid, Lazio and Anderlecht. It was brilliant to play Barcelona in the first group stage. As you go down to the pitch, there’s a chapel on the right-hand side. We all went in there to say a prayer, but I’m guessing it didn’t work as we got smashed 4-0! That was a reality check. We thought if we went out there and overly respected Barça or any other side, the

journey would be over quickly. So we dusted ourselves off and went on a really good run.

There were rumours at the time that you could have joined Barça or Milan. Was that ever close or just paper talk?

Normally when there’s paper talk these days, they’re just rumours. But back then, honestly, I remember my agent saying, “There’s some interest from a team in Italy.” I was flattered, but I was happy at Leeds. I came through at the age of 15 so was never looking to leave – I was fine where I was.

When you eventually did leave Leeds in 2004, Levante was a left-field move. How did that come about?

I never wanted to leave Leeds. I had a couple of years left on my contract at the time; I was in Marbella and my agent rang, saying, “How would you like to play in Spain next season?”

I wasn’t really interested, but asked who for and he said Levante. I said, “Who are they?!”

Obviously people know Valencia, but not as many have heard of Levante, which is in the same city. My agent said we should go and have a look anyway. I saw the stadium, met the president, visited the training ground and it looked nice. Valencia is a beautiful place.

Leeds were in a financial mess – something like £100 million in debt, and they needed to get players off the wage bill. Kevin Blackwell was the manager and they were bringing in another left-back to replace me. I was much better, but Kevin said I wouldn’t be playing.

I was like, “But I know I’m the best here.” He said I wouldn’t get picked as they wanted me out, and I probably wouldn’t play for Ireland either. I understand they have to get people off the wage bill, but I think they could have handled it better.

Roy Keane brought you back to England when he was Sunderland manager. What’s your relationship like with him?

I was at Levante for three seasons and then signed with Sunderland for one year. I didn’t play much but it was just one of those things.

I respected Roy as a player, but as a manager he could have done things differently. When we both played for Ireland, we’d sometimes have a drink. After one night out, we got back to the hotel – Leeds were playing Manchester United on the Saturday. Roy turns to me and says, “You’re a top lad, but I’ll f**king smash you at the weekend!” I sobered up and went straight to bed. I love Roy though, I’ve got so much respect for him.

What was it like for the rest of the players after Keane left the Ireland squad at the 2002 World Cup? Firstly, it was amazing to get there. We flew from Ireland to Tokyo, then went to the small island of Saipan to acclimatise. I understand Mick McCarthy’s point of view and Roy’s point of view. Mick had been out to see the camp, but in the space of three or four weeks the people hadn’t cut the grass. That’s not Mick’s fault. All the kit had gone missing from the connecting flight – that’s out of Mick’s control too. He’s not on the ground to check all the

cases off the plane. Then Mick was upset that those issues got leaked to the press. He called a meeting, we had a chat and Roy decided he was going home. But I respect both of them – I love Mick because he gave me the chance with Ireland, and I respect Roy very much. It was just a frustrating situation: a lot of senior players usually sided with Mick, but I kept an open mind. I knew it wasn’t Mick’s fault, but I understand Roy. He was the captain and the leader, and he expected certain standards.

TEAMS Mallorca Atletico Madrid Manchester United Bolton Brescia Tubize Doncaster South Africa

Did anyone ever try to take the ball off you when a free-kick was given?

Many tried! I’d mostly say, “No chance” – the ball was mine. Growing up, I watched Roberto Carlos and thought, ‘What a left-back! How good is he at free-kicks?’ David Beckham was unbelievable too. People never check, but I’d like to see the stats of how many they took compared to me. I reckon my numbers are near the top. I mean, Becks might have had 200 more free-kicks than me and scored 20 – I might have had 70 and scored 15. Likewise, John Terry is the highest-scoring defender in the Premier League, but he’s got about 250 games on me and I’m only 13 goals off him!

Was your set-piece skill part of the reason why Brian McDermott took you to Reading?

Yeah. It was transfer deadline day and Gylfi Sigurdsson had left Reading. Brian was the manager and said, “I need someone who can take a good free-kick.” So sure enough, they got me for £70,000 and I loved it. Great club, nice part of the world and I was selected in the Championship Team of the Season twice.

We even got promoted!

Was there ever a chance of you going back to Leeds, since you didn’t want to leave in the first place?

There was in 2008, after I left Sunderland and became a free agent. Gary McAllister was the manager of Leeds back then and they would have loved to sign me, but they needed to get more bodies out the door before a deal could happen. In the end, it didn’t work out. I went to Blackpool with Simon Grayson for a season and then on to Carlisle. I enjoyed it at Carlisle – I got 18 goals one year, playing at left-back!

You finished your career at Bournemouth.

Where does Eddie Howe rank in terms of the managers you’ve worked with?

Eddie’s attention to detail was unbelievable – he was one of the best managers I’ve worked under. Did I know quite how big he was going to become? To be honest, not really. But he must have been at the training ground from 7am-6pm every day – he grafted. He signed Callum Wilson from Coventry for a couple of million quid, which looked like a lot of money at the time, but look at what he’s gone on to achieve since. There was a great togetherness that Eddie fostered with his players - Simon Francis, Steve Cook and Charlie Daniels had all come up together and we played exciting football. In my final season, we did well to pip Watford to the Championship title on the last day. I had options to play on, but I wanted to end my career on a high.

QUInTOn FORTUnE

“THE MOST TALEnTED PLAYER I’VE EVER SEEn? nO, nOT ROnALDO OR ROOnEY, IT WAS RAVEL MORRISOn”

The South African lined up alongside stars galore at Manchester United, having moved to Europe following the end of apartheid Interview Chris Flanagan

You were in Tottenham’s youth system as a teenager. How did the move come about?

I came over at 14, in 1991. South Africa was changing and I’d played for Western Province, in one of the first multi-racial teams – it was amazing. That’s how it should always have been, but because of the law in our country, we hadn’t been able to play with each other before. We played in a provincial tournament and won – I had my first white coach and he asked if I’d like to go to England. My parents said yes, Terry Venables gave me a trial and then Spurs said, “Yeah, we want to sign you.”

What was it like adapting to a new nation?

It was the most incredible adventure that any kid from the African continent could have, let

alone one from Cape Town. It was a different planet – the weather, the food, the language, and my first language is Afrikaans so I had to learn English. But I played football every day, and that kept any homesickness off my mind.

I got a great education at Spurs. Gary Lineker was in the first team and Sol Campbell was in the youth team, so I got to play a couple of games with him. Venables was brilliant with me. I’ll always be very grateful for the way he looked after me.

Why did you leave Spurs in 1995?

The guy who brought me to England was my guardian, so when he decided to leave I kind of had to follow him. But I wanted to stay at Spurs. I actually went to Chelsea, which was

FourFourTwo October 2021 93

a terrific experience with Glenn Hoddle, and they wanted to sign me, but I couldn’t stay in the country because of work permit reasons.

I went home for a year and feared my career was finished, but by God’s grace I got another opportunity at Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone played for Atletico during your time there. Was he fiery in training?

I tried to avoid him! [Laughs] He was a feisty character, like his team today. They fight for everything, and that was Simeone. He could play, though. We must not forget that he was a very good player, but he had the other side as well. It was the same as Roy Keane – they could play, but also looked after themselves.

How did you end up at Manchester United?

It was a miracle. I still don’t understand how that happened. I remember being in Madrid watching the 1999 Champions League Final with my agent, then afterwards he said there was interest from United. I couldn’t believe it.

I said, “Why would the European champions be interested in a kid from Atletico Madrid?”

But I went to The Cliff, trained for a couple of weeks and Sir Alex Ferguson said, “We want to sign you.” It was crazy. I was going to play with guys I’d had pictures of up on my wall.

Who was the best player?

I used to say Keane or Paul Scholes, but when I look back now it’s impossible to choose one.

Ryan Giggs was unbelievable as a player and a professional. Then you had David Beckham – when I talk to kids now, I speak about the work ethic you have to put in. We did a bleep test at the beginning of pre-season, and only Beckham and Dwight Yorke could complete it – you had to be super fit. There was also Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Andy Cole and Ruud van Nistelrooy, then Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney came in and took it to another level.

What made Keane and Scholes so special?

Scholes was a magician, a genius, and Roy drove the players every single day. We were never allowed to lower our standards during training – we practised like we were fighting relegation. Training was just like a match, so Saturdays were easier because you weren’t having to take on Scholes, Giggs or Beckham.

Was Ronaldo the best youngster you came across at United?

It’s hard to say. Rooney was fantastic when he arrived, and there was another incredible talent who hasn’t progressed as he should have done: Ravel Morrison. He was the most naturally talented player I’ve ever seen, but he didn’t make the next step like Ronaldo and Rooney. Talent-wise, Ravel was close to them.

How hard was it for you to get game time – did frustration ever set in?

I could never complain, as one week I’d see Solskjaer score three or four goals, and the next he was on the bench! I had to work hard and be patient, then I finally got my first start at home to Bradford on a freezing Boxing Day. The pitch was muddy, but I didn’t think about the weather. I was playing for United at Old Trafford – it was beyond my wildest dreams.

You didn’t get a Premier League winner’s medal in 2000 or 2001 because you hadn’t played enough. Was that painful, and what did it mean when you finally received one in 2003 after the club requested it?

I was gutted in the first two seasons. It’s all changed now – if you play one or two games you get a medal. When your team-mates are lifting the trophy, you’re stood there thinking, ‘I wish I had a medal’. It was hard, but I told myself, ‘Keep working’. There were chances to go elsewhere, but I wanted to prove myself.

Eventually, I got my medal and was grateful for it. That was a reward for the effort I put in.

Was your brief spell at Bolton beneficial?

I had a great time with Sam Allardyce – he’s a brilliant manager. I understood why Bolton were so good, because for years United found it tough against Kevin Davies and high balls.

I realised there was a method to it. In terms of sports science, Sam was so far ahead. He had an amazing way of man-managing his players, and how he’d motivate the likes of El-Hadji Diouf to give it his all. I’d like to have stayed longer, but injuries kept following me.

You were in the first South Africa team to reach a World Cup. How proud were you?

How can I describe it? I was at home in Cape Town in 1990, watching my first World Cup. Cameroon scored the winner in the opening match against Argentina, then I went to the football pitch with my friends and pretended to be Maradona, Klinsmann, Baggio, Schillaci.

Eight years later I was playing at a World Cup – never in a million years did I believe I’d be there. After everything our country had been through, I stood in the tunnel before our first group game thinking, ‘This is beyond dreams’.

You’ve moved into coaching, with Cardiff, Manchester United and currently Reading.

Have you enjoyed it?

I love it – coaching is the best thing besides playing. I really enjoy helping young players to improve and sharing all the experiences in my career – what I went through at United, the guys I played with, how they acted and trained – trying to make them better players and better human beings.

94 October 2021 FourFourTwo

JOSE BOSInGWA

“I DOn’T REGRET MY SUSPEnSIOn FOR InSULTInG THE REF AGAInST BARÇA. I’D DO IT AGAIn – IT WAS An InJUSTICE”

The former Chelsea full-back chats Le Sulk, Mourinho and Champions League triumph Interview Marcus Alves

How did your move from Porto to Chelsea in 2008 come about?

It happened so quickly. Back then, I worked with [agent] Jorge Mendes and was about to move to another English club. But then, out of nowhere, Jorge said Chelsea had asked about me and would come to Porto to meet us. The following day, I signed a pre-agreement with them and was packing my things to undergo a medical in London. Everything was more or less sorted in 48 hours. I was very happy with the negotiations, as I was joining a club who had players I knew from Porto. That made the adaptation process much easier.

Why did you decide to leave Portugal?

I felt that my cycle at Porto had come to an end – I’d spent five years there, performing especially well in the last three and winning loads of titles. I needed fresh motivation and the Premier League had what I was looking for – it was perfect.

What kind of atmosphere did you find at Stamford Bridge?

It was obviously slightly different. We spent more time together in Porto’s dressing room; it wasn’t the same at Chelsea. The Cobham training ground was huge, so players would arrive and do their own thing – one headed to the physio, while another went to the gym or ate breakfast. But we were all friends and got on well. I hung out with the Portuguese players, like Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and Deco, but also the French ones. Nicolas Anelka was the one who surprised me most.

Why was that?

You hear many stories about Anelka, but the guy I knew was the opposite of that image.

Despite not speaking much, he was very nice and helped me. I remember when I first met Nicolas. We’d reported for pre-season on the same morning and were staying at the same hotel. When I arrived, he was standing in the check-in line and I introduced myself, but he said he already knew me. He was so humble.

I’ve never seen an act of rebellion from him.

What was it like under Luiz Felipe Scolari?

[Laughs] The Big Daddy. I loved him. We had already worked together in the Portuguese national team. One of his main strengths was his communication, but he couldn’t actually speak English that well.

And what about Andre Villas-Boas?

I met him in two different phases of his life: first when he was still young and didn’t work directly on the pitch, but in Porto’s scouting department; then at Chelsea as head coach.

He was so intense, demanding a lot from his players in training. We started the [2011-12] season well, but then at some point things weren’t working any more.

You were banned for criticising referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea’s infamous Champions League semi-final second leg defeat to Barcelona in 2009. Any regrets?

I’d do it again, as I felt it was a tremendous injustice. I have no clue about who chose the officials, but the reality is that you can’t opt for a Norwegian one who’d refereed seven or eight games in his country to take charge of a Champions League semi-final with so much at stake! Among other things, we should have been given three or four penalties that night – I never felt so wronged in my entire career.

Three years later, you won the Champions League with Chelsea – Didier Drogba said you were the mastermind behind the title?

[Laughs] That was because of the semi-final at Barcelona. I’d come on for Gary Cahill who was injured, then John Terry got sent off – if it’s already tough to face Barcelona with 11 men, try 10! We had no centre-backs left on the bench, so Roberto Di Matteo wanted to bring on John Obi Mikel because he was tall and strong. I said, “Don’t do that.” You know why? Mikel was stronger than me, but not as agile and would struggle against Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez. I told the gaffer that I’d play next to Branislav Ivanovic in the centre, with Ramires at right-back. Things went well – we drew 2-2 and went through to the final.

What are your memories of the final?

We had everything against us. Ramires, our best player that season, was suspended, and Raul Meireles, Terry and Ivanovic couldn’t play either. We went into the game with a pair of centre-backs who’d been sidelined for some

TEAMS Boavista Freamunde (loan) Porto Chelsea QPR Trabzonspor Portugal

time, in David Luiz and Cahill. Bayern Munich were playing at home and got the dressing room they always used. But we did our jobs in the end and took the trophy back to London.

Why did you sign for QPR after that?

I was waiting for a situation and turned down some offers from other clubs. Ultimately, the situation I was expecting didn’t materialise and I was left with few options. I’d just won the Champions League and was a free agent when QPR called. To be honest, I didn’t want to go, but Jorge Mendes insisted that I speak to them. I was settled in English football and didn’t want to leave London, so said yes. But things didn’t go as expected and it was a bad season for everyone.

What was Jose Mourinho like to work for when Porto won the Champions League?

The Jose I know is so different from the one shown in the media. He was much younger in 2004, but super nice and very close to the players, always joking around. He’s a superb coach, really special. Whenever we travelled across the country in Porto’s double-decker coach, no manager was allowed on the upper floor – it was the players’ sacred area and you needed permission from captain Jorge Costa to enter. On our way back from matches, we drank beer and played card games. Jose was one of the first coaches to hang out with us.

You won the Champions League twice – did they both mean as much to you?

I was only 21 when I did it with Porto. That’s my club; I was always a fan of them, so it was special. It felt almost like touching the sky. It was special at Chelsea as well, because that was their first ever Champions League trophy.

I’ll be forever in history, the first right-back to win it with them. Beating Bayern in their own stadium was incredible – we celebrated a lot.

I couldn’t enjoy it in the same way with Porto because I was heading to Portugal’s under-21 camp the following day.

How was your time in Turkish football?

When I joined Trabzonspor, I didn’t know the league – only the three big clubs, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, because I’d faced them with Porto. It was a massive surprise for me. They had quality, were very competitive and the fans were fantastic. After everything I went through at QPR, I rediscovered the joy of playing. It was a unique experience for me and one that I’ll never forget.

What are your plans for the future?

One day, I’ll be back in football. It has given me everything I have and was part of my life for 20 years. I don’t know how to do anything else. I’m not desperate for it to happen right now, though. I’m enjoying my independence and freedom a little bit.

FourFourTwo October 2021 95

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MY PERFECT XI LUIS BOA MORTE The former Fulham winger crams an all-star cast of footballing legends into his finest line-up, combining Cottagers with Cristiano – and a surprise dugout pick...

GK

EDWIN VAN DER SAR

CB

RB

CB CM

CM

PATRICK VIEIRA

LUIS FIGO

aM

DENNIS BERGKAMP

rF

CF

CRISTIANO RONALDO

LB

LF

THIERRY HENRY

NICOLAS ANELKA

THE GAFFER

THE SUBS

01

AVRAM GRANT “First and foremost, a great guy. He’s a humble and reliable man, but also an intelligent coach who is very helpful to his players. Working with Avram at West Ham was a superb experience.”

EDWIN VAN DER SAR “You won’t find many goalkeepers with his talent – it was a pleasure playing alongside him at Fulham. Besides his great technique to stop goals, Edwin was brilliant at organising the team from his privileged position on the pitch. He was calm – which is a vital attribute, especially for a keeper – and had a fabulous ability to play with both feet.”

LUIS FIGO “OK, you’re probably aware of his many skills, so I’ll start by saying that he’s a wonderful human being; a very cool, generous guy. I’m a huge fan of his and feel honoured to have played with him. When it comes to football, Figo had a terrific career, twisting defenders inside out, year after year... and there was nothing they could do. He was unstoppable.”

MIGUEL “My old Portugal team-mate made fantastic contributions from wide positions. Miguel was a dedicated player with mobility, speed and offensive skills. He had the quality to deliver passes to the right places at the right times.”

DENNIS BERGKAMP “Sometimes it seems impossible to get past a defence and you need a different player to find a way. So here we go. Bergkamp had the killer vision to pick out the right pass, not to mention his unbelievable football technique.

Is that all? Well, not exactly: he had goals in his feet, too. He could hit the back of the net himself without any trouble.”

JORGE ANDRADE “There are so many things to highlight here.

Andrade was really comfortable on the ball and capable of building play from the back.

But he was tough, strong and very aggressive when defending. Aerial duels were never an issue for him.”

FERNANDO COUTO “We’ve got a proper leader here – Couto was another expert defender. He was aggressive to recover the ball and full of energy. It felt like there was no room for errors in his game because he was such a reliable centre-back.

Fernando had great potential to help out in set-piece situations at both ends of the field.”

ASHLEY COLE “Is it getting too obvious that I value technique? My left-back is a gifted footballer who was assured on the ball. Cole had special abilities with his left foot – he could put the ball anywhere he wanted and worked extremely hard defensively.”

PATRICK VIEIRA “If things aren’t looking good for our team, no problem – we can count on Patrick! What a clever player. He’d boss the defensive system, but then join in attacking plays as well. He could also score amazing 35-yard screamers. Not bad for a holding midfielder, is it?”

CRISTIANO RONALDO “Any team needs goals, so we’ve got a goal machine in ours. Cristiano is one of the best players in history for a reason – or for many reasons, actually. He’s a positive player who knows what he wants and how to accomplish every mission – he’s been like that since his early days and still has the appetite for more.

Lots of pace, focus and incredible strength.”

NICOLAS ANELKA “Everybody expects goals from their striker – fair enough. But they weren’t a problem for our No.9. Goals expected, goals delivered.

That’s what Anelka [left] did season after season for many clubs throughout his career – he could do the job easily.

Furthermore, he had speed, power and quality to help his team-mates in difficult moments, like holding the ball up when needed or taking part in the build-up of attacks.”

THIERRY HENRY “Pace, technique, goals, entertainment: all in one player. You usually find some of these attributes in one forward and different qualities in another. However, Henry wanted every element to himself.

He was a classic, elegant footballer... the whole package.”

Felipe Rocha

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