Finally picked up my ticket to China this afternoon. And got the OK from my boss, so its all systems go, Saturday night...
Off to more heavenly pastures is Brian Clough, one of English football's larger than life characters. He was probably the best manager NOT to manage the national side, probably due to some of his abrasive comments. Some of his finest:
- On Eric Cantona's infamous kung fu kick at a fan: 'I'd have cut his balls off.'
- On how he rated himself: 'I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one.'
- On dealing with Roy Keane: 'I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn't have hit him very hard.'
- On dealing with a player who disagrees: 'We talk about it for 20 minutes and then we decide I was right.'
- Referring to Sir Alex Ferguson's failure to win two successive European Cups (which he won in 1979 and 1980): 'For all his horses, knighthoods and championships, he hasn't got two of what I've got. And I don't mean balls!'