Ferguson bitter with Blatter
28 Jul 2008 - 09:40:03
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out at FIFA president Sepp Blatter for suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo is being treated almost like a slave.
Blatter stated that he thought that Ronaldo should be granted his wish to quit Old Trafford to join Real Madrid, leaving Ferguson angry at the use of the word slavery by the FIFA president.
Ferguson said: "It was an unfortunate statement from someone in such a position. Slavery was abolished many years ago.
"These days footballers can earn five or six million pounds a year.
"I do not want to dignify this kind of statement with a response, but when you consider the history of slavery, it was a very unfortunate statement."
Blatter had said earlier this summer: "I think in football there is too much modern slavery, transferring players or buying players here and there and putting them somewhere.
"We are trying now to intervene in such cases. If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found."