Sir Alex Ferguson was in no doubt when asked who the ‘dirtiest player’ in the Premier League was.
The former Manchester United boss retired from football in 2013 after reclaiming the Premier League title from local rivals Manchester City in his final act as manager.
Sir Alex managed across 27 seasons at Old Trafford and won 13 league titles making him the most decorated manager in English football history.
During his time at United, Ferguson was never afraid to give his opinion, and in 2008 he made it very clear who he thought the dirtiest player in the country was.
Speaking ahead of a clash with Bolton Wanderers, Ferguson was asked whether striker Kevin Davies’ reputation as the league’s dirtiest was deserved, which he agreed.
Sir Alex claims it’s impossible to defend Davies
It came a week after Davies was heavily scrutinised for a tackle on Arsenal’s Gael Clichy.
“Gary Megson came out and defended Kevin Davies. But it’s hard to defend him when he makes tackles like he did last week,” Fergie said in his press conference at the time.
When asked if the Bolton striker had got the ball, he replied: “Not with his left foot he didn’t.”
Kevin Davies vs Man United in 2008 (credit: getty)
Davies had committed the most fouls in the Premier League in the previous two seasons, with Ferguson receiving a two-match ban for his enraged reaction to a challenge by the Bolton man a year earlier.
The United boss continued to claim the art of tackling was in danger of being lost, with players more concerned about leaving a mark on their opponent.
“Tackling should be an art,” the Scott continued.
“That should not be lost to the game. But the issue referees have to deal with is the speed of tackling today, which has increased.
“When players go charging in and there’s a slight error of judgment, they can end up being bad tackles,” he added.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United, Premier League, Bolton Wanderers, Football
