Quotes About Players

As players, we are traveling all around the world and in a lot of airports.

Why can you not enjoy scoring and celebrating a goal for your new team with your fans? They have travelled all that way; enjoy it - simple as that. Some players choose not to, and that's fine, but it's just who I am - celebrate scoring goals. It's a great feeling.

When I left Ajax in 1999, I travelled to Liverpool and spoke to Houllier. I was shown around Anfield and also met with the chairman and a couple of the players. I thought about it, but when Juventus came to the table, I came to the conclusion that it would be a bigger challenge to play in Italy.

It's always fun catching up with the other players because so many of them were really good mates when I was playing on the main tour. The thing you miss when you give up is that camaraderie that you experienced because, for 35 weeks of the year, it really is a travelling circus.

Some sectors have a monopoly position, and football certainly does. If I am dissatisfied with my football club's facilities or the players on the pitch, I'm not about to go and purchase my season ticket from the club down the road. That loyalty should be treasured and not taken for granted.

I have a lot of respect for the careers of the players. They are with us, they are with me, and I treat them like professionals.

The Rooneys are very classy. They're very deliberate with their decision-making. Once you're part of that family, Steeler nation, they treat you with respect. You don't have a lot of rambunctious players running around.

I've always just tried to treat people with respect, build relationships with players and coaches... build a trust.

In countries like China and Indonesia, badminton is like a religion. Players get mobbed in the street. In China, it is a national sport, and Lin Dan, their star player, is treated like David Beckham.

Barcelona has always had issues with Brazilian players: Neymar, Romario, Ronaldinho, and me. We were all treated badly by the club in the end, despite all our contributions and dedication.

If we're going to be getting treated like that, why can't we treat the clubs like that? I just want to see the game and the players looked after the way they should be because the crowds don't turn up to watch David Gallop play... they turn up to watch the players play.

Some referees have to think about treating every player the same, even if it's Ronaldinho or another player from a Premiership club. It doesn't matter how good you are: you have to be treated the same.

I believe in treating players like adults - though if some of them behave like children, you have to treat them as such! - and I think there is big respect the other way from players to the manager.

There's no doubt that there is star treatment. It's discussed in the meetings. Obviously, people don't pay an enormous amount of money to sit in those courtside seats to see players like Kobe, LeBron, Shaq - all the greats - sit on the bench and be in foul trouble.

Not many players would turn down a chance to play for Real Madrid and Barcelona, as they're right at the top the tree in terms of football.

When you have experienced players, you don't tremble when it comes to playing in a hostile atmosphere or under pressure.

There's this myth that there's no loyalty in football. Well, there's tremendous loyalty and emotion and respect that go into the coaches and players you've gone into battle with. But as an owner, you have to make the decisions that are the right ones for the organization, that are the right ones that will help you win.

I have a tremendous respect to all French Federation of Football football teams, players, and supporters.

You have to commend the players who've stepped up and used their voice, who've been courageous, and when it came to Colin Kaepernick, had to sacrifice tremendously to get their point across.

We need more of our players to follow the trend and move to Europe, which is the biggest stage in world football, but we're not doing that, and that makes it difficult for us to compete with other countries.

I've got a lot of respect for a handful of coaches, and there's a lot of great stuff put out there on film. So, I always want to stay up to speed on those current trends and figure out if you can steal something that fits your players and your system. I'm certainly not afraid to steal from some of these great coaches.

Back when I was playing I enjoyed studying films, looking for new trends in the game and examining the new players who came along.

If we are going to ban players for alleged dives, its time there was a panel of ex-managers and players who put blundering referees on trial - and absolute howlers should be punished with a ban, the same as retrospective action against players.

I knew I wasn't a baseball writer. I was scared to death. I really was afraid to talk to players, and I didn't want to go into the press box because I thought I was faking it.