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‘He’s the captain and I’m proud to manage John Terry’

IAN COLE’s sports quotes this week take in the obvious Australian Open tennis and John Terry stories from the weekend, plus Owen Coyle, rugby league piercings, and women in football

“John Terry is special. He is a player in my team. He is the captain of this team and I am honoured and very proud to manage John Terry” Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager.

“Terry scores when playing away” Headline and line in copy of virutally every Sunday newspaper, following the revelations about Terry’s private life and his heading the winner at Burnley on Saturday.

“I can cry just like Roger. Shame I can’t play a bit more like him” Andy Murray feeling emotional after his defeat to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final.

“You are too good a player not to win a Grand Slam. Don’t worry about it” Federer, as gracious in victory as ever.

“I’ve spent two years encouraging Burnley fans to show that sort of passion. Tonight they called me Judas. Last year I was God. If you’re going to get Biblical, I should be Moses, since myself and my staff led them out of the wilderness” Owen Coyle, now the Bolton manager, responding to a venomous attack by the Burnley fans he deserted.

“There will be absolute equality. If the situation develops where only one driver has a mathematical chance of winning the championship, then maybe we will have a different priority” Ross Brawn, the Mercedes team principal, presenting this year’s drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher and confirming that equality is a relative commodity.

“We got a very English game, very physical, counter-attacking with their fast forwards. They want the ball and they are quick” Arsene Wenger, after more than 10 years, now understands that when you play at Aston Villa in January you get…an English game.

“That’s as ridiculous a statement as I’ve heard. He’s made a few ridiculous statements in his time, but that’s as good as any” Martin O’Neill.

“That’s it. I’m done. I can’t compete. I can’t play like I used to” John Daly, pictured left, the former Open champion, quits ” not for the first time ” after missing the cut by eight strokes at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

“Steve’s our captain until…he’s our captain” Martin Johnson, the England rugby coach, names Steve Borthwick as captain for the Six Nations, taking one game at a time.

“Karren is a good businesswoman but she doesn’t understand football. There is no possibility of West Ham being called anything other than West Ham United” David Sullivan, the West Ham chairman, puts the first lady of football in her place after her suggestion that a move to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford might be accompanied by a name change.

“Leaving St Helens was more painful than having my manhood pierced” Sean Long starts a new career at Hull FC with a hint that those Rugby League chaps are not as tough as we thought.


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