Italy v England: 10 Classic Sir Alex Ferguson Quotes

Sir Alex Ferguson has never shied away from giving his opinion since taking the Old Trafford hot seat over 20 years ago and here, Goal.com takes a look at some of his finest moments.

10. “I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”
Sir Alex, speaking to the media in 1997, gets all misty-eyed over a teenage Ryan Giggs.

9. “It's getting tickly now - squeaky-bum time, I call it.”
Speaking about the title race at the end of the 2002/2003 season, Fergie coins a phrase the British media still uses. The Red Devils ended the season as champions despite behind eight points behind Arsenal in March.

8. “If he was an inch taller he'd be the best centre half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in - I'd check the milkman.”
The United boss gives his thoughts on right back Gary Neville in 1996

7. “On you go. I’m no f****** talking to you. He’s a f****** great player. Yous are f******* idiots.”
Ferguson blasts the media in 2002 for criticising his signing of Juan Sebastien Veron, despite the Argentinean making little impression after joining the Red Devils for a then British record fee of £28.1 million.

6. “They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!”
The Scot dismisses Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s linguistic talents in 2003.

5. “I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”
The Red Devil attempts to describe his feelings to the world after United score two late goals to claim the European Cup on May 26, 1999.

4.  “That lad [Filippo Inzaghi] must have been born offside.”
Sir Alex Ferguson response to the news that Filippo Inzaghi is the most offside player in the history of the game.  

3. “It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”
The Scot explains to the BBC in 2003 how a flying football boot in the United dressing room managed to hit David Beckham in the face, leaving him in need of stitches.

2. "My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that."
Sir Alex, speaking to The Guardian in 2002, endears himself to Liverpool fans the world over as he responds to Alan Hansen’s suggestion that winning the title in 2002/03 would be his greatest feat.

1. “When an Italian tells me it's pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”
Alex Ferguson, speaking before the last time Manchester United played Inter in the Champions League Quarter Final 1999.

Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, BBC News, redrants.com, redcafe.net.

Gill Clark, Goal.com

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