Access Interviews
Who is saying What, Why, When and Where

Headline:

Let's strike gold in Abu Derby, says City great

Synopsis:

Summerbee aims to have the last laugh over guffawing Ferguson today and reveals why he thinks Ronaldo will never be the Best.

Even though he only returned from Manchester City's Uefa Cup tie away to Schalke in the early hours of Friday, Mike Summerbee looked extremely well for his 65 years as he walked into the city-centre hotel. It comes as a shock to realise that he made his first-team debut for Swindon Town as long ago as 1959; yet, unlike so many of that generation from an era of brutal tackling and cold-sponge physiotherapy, he receives little or no gyp from old footballing war wounds. Perhaps it was the combination of an excellent City performance in Germany – the 2-0 win qualifying them for the knockout stage with two matches still to play – and the prospect of today's derby that added a spring to his step.

Outside, the Manchester Evening News billboards were trumpeting "City no threat to us says Fergie". The previous day, United's manager could barely resist a Govan guffaw when it was put to him that Manchester's other team were now serious rivals to the Premier League champions. Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, had taken the opportunity to emphasise who the "kings of Manchester" were; not the team, he suggested, mired in mid-table, for all theirnew-found millions. ...

Publish date:

30 November 2008

Author:

Steve Tongue

Source:

Independent on Sunday

Media:

Access Interview