Manager/player spat of the week: It’d be hard to top the one between Fenerbahce gaffer José Mourinho and Newcastle old boy Allan Saint-Maximin who joined the Turkish club on loan from Saudi side Al-Ahli this season.
That spell started reasonably well, but after accusing the winger of being overweight, Mourinho left him out of his squad for last week’s Europa League defeat by Rangers. At which point Saint-Maximin took to Instagram.
“It will take more than this to defeat me. When a lie takes the elevator, the truth takes the stairs. It takes longer but it always arrives in the end. If God is with us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31.”
Mourinho’s response? “I didn’t know Saint-Maximin was talented in poetry. I’m not bad in that regard either. When a player works well, works hard, trains every day, he is fit and can climb the stairs. He doesn’t need an elevator. However, if a player doesn’t train well, arrives late, is overweight, is not ready to play, he needs an elevator to go up. Because he gets tired quickly on the stairs.”
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Saint-Maximin’s response? He posted an image of him weighing himself. If it was a talking scales and it said ‘one at a time please’, Mourinho might have had a point, but the player only clocked in at 82.4kg. You’d suspect he’d manage the stairs alright.
Quote
“I’ll tell you one thing for free - that would be a miserable night out.” Damien Duff not sounding all that eager to accept Heimir Hallgrimsson’s offer of a meet-up and a pint.
By the Numbers: 100
Erling Haaland’s ‘goal involvements’ - 84 goals and 16 assists - in 94 games, overtaking Alan Shearer as the quickest to reach the mark in Premier League history. That €60 million fee? A snip.
Word of Mouth
“I really, really like Ruben. He’s a very thoughtful guy. Every time I go to the training ground, I speak to him. We sit down and have a cup of coffee and I tell him where it’s going wrong. And he tells me to **** off. I like him.” Manchester United part-owner Jim Ratcliffe on his, well, quirky relationship with Ruben Amorim.
“Ferguson won the Premier League 13 times, won the Champions League twice and then you’re handing over to a guy who has never managed big players and had never won anything. I don’t think Real Madrid would have made that choice.” Ratcliffe again, this time somewhat questioning the choice of David Moyes as Alex Ferguson’s successor.
“No, no, absolutely no, it’s no, no, no.” Southampton manager Ivan Juric on being asked if his side can avoid relegation. That should give the dressing room a lift.
Train driver targets Carragher
Train driver of the week: The one in charge of the train Jamie Carragher boarded the morning after Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.
“I was obviously a bit disappointed,” he said. “Next thing the Champions League music comes on [the tannoy] on the train. I’m thinking: ‘Why? Never heard that before.’ And then the guy starts saying: ‘When you get to Euston if you want directions to Paris . . .’.”
Turned out the driver was a chuckling Arsenal fan who had spotted Carragher getting on board. “Make sure you tell him Arsenal haven’t won anything in 20 years,” he asked an attendant to inform the culprit. Still, 1-0 to the driver.
More Word of Mouth
“If you’re a plumber, if there’s leaks you’re not going to get another job. If you’re a doctor and people are dying, you’re unlikely to kick on. But if you’re doing it for 26, 27 years, you’ve got a fair idea of what you’re doing.” Despite Spurs leaking goals and their season dying out, Ange Postecoglou insists his experience makes him the right man for the job.
“The sun here helps a lot, and the city [Seville] is better than Manchester.” Antony sounding like a man who’d quite like to stay put at Real Betis and never see Manchester again.
“I have a bit of superstition about where I sit when I watch games at home. If we’re not doing very well, I start moving around the house at breakneck speed and placing the kids in different positions in the hope that it will change our luck.” Prince William on forcing his children to play musical chairs while watching his beloved Aston Villa struggle. That’s a peculiar house.
