Wayne Rooney has dismissed United boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s claim that he has an ankle injury which has kept him sidelined from the United line-up for the last three United games against Everton, Sunderland and Valencia.
Fergie claimed Rooney had an ankle injury which he kept from the United medical staff and needed to be rested for the three games to recover which Rooney has flatly denied.
In truth Fergie was doing Rooney a favour by dropping him after his off-field antics, which had been effecting his on-field performances since his Vice-Girl revelations became public knowledge, while also keeping him out of the away fans firing line until things had cooled down over the allegations. But Fergie has crossed Fergie by saying he has no such injury and could be on his way out of Old Trafford for his troubles. Below are ten players who have payed the price for crossing Fergie in the past.
ROY KEANE
Keane was Fergie’s eyes and ears on the field a leader and Captain but when he lashed out about poor performances, naming and shaming players in a interview to MUTV, Fergie stripped him of the captaincy and released to Celtic that season.
DAVID BECKHAM
Beckham was the Golden boy of English Soccer but in 2003 after a defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup, Fergie told Becks Ashley Cole had made him look stupid, Becks replied not as stupid as Wenger has made you look, Fergie kicked a stray boot which hit Beckham over the eye which needed stitches. Six months later Beckham was flogged to Real Madrid.
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
Van Nistelrooy was a striker who was scoring 30-plus goals a season for United. He too crossed Fergie after being left on the bench for United’s 2006 League Cup Final. He was then dropped for United’s last game of the season and stormed off a few hours before kick-off. He was sold that Summer to Real Madrid for his actions.
PETER SCHMEICHEL
Probably United’s greatest ever Keeper’s, but the pair fell out in 1994 after Schmeichel conceded 3 goals against Liverpool. The next day Fergie called him into his office and told him he had to sack him as he could not tolerate a player speaking to him like he did, Schmeichel apologised and went on to captain United in Keane’s absence to Champions League glory in 1999.
JAAP STAM
Stam was one of the best defender’s in Europe before crossing Fergie after he revealed in his Autobiography that United had tapped him up before his move to Old Trafford. The defender was flogged to Lazio that Summer.
GORDON STRACHAN
Strachan had a strained relationship with Fergie when they both were at Aberdeen, Strachan fled to Old Trafford to escape Fergie’s shouting and screaming only for Fergie to be appointed United boss a short while later. Strachan then moved to Leeds where he won the Title at the expense of United.
Paul McGrath
McGrath was singled out by Fergie as being the ringleader of United’s drink culture something Fergie vowed to rid the club of on his arrival. When both McGrath and Whiteside appeared drunk in a TV interview in 1989 both player’s were shipped out.
NORMAN WHITESIDE
Whiteside was regularly given the Fergie Hairdryer over his boozing. He and Bryan Robson were forced to walk 3 miles to their Hotel in Bahrain after been seen in a bar.Whiteside was flogged along with McGrath after appearing drunk in a TV interview.
PAUL INCE
Ince had always had a strained relationship with Fergie and after a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in 1994, Fergie called Ince a bottler and a big time Charlie. Ince was flogged to Inter Milan the following Summer.
LEE SHARPE
Sharpe arrived on the scene just before Ryan Giggs and in 1992 the pair were seen on the lash after a defeat to Nottingham Forest, Fergie went straight to Sharpe’s house to have it out with the player only to be confronted by a party in full-swing. Fergie never forgave Sharpe and the player was sold to Leeds in 1996.
So as you can see above no player is immune to the Fergie axe and several of the players above had more to give than even Rooney has so Rooney beware.
