A player who was a permanent starter for Manchester United for years has now come clean about the injuries he silently sustained during his career that he was still retired
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has thrown some light on his post-playing career injuries and admits that he is “broken”. The French Shot stopper caught the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson with his Euro 2000 version and was brought in from Monaco for a good £ 7.8 million in an attempt to fill the gloves of the deceased Peter Schmeichel.
A great start earned Barthez compliments at Old Trafford. He insured a Premier League title in his debut season and quickly caught the affection of fans for his eccentric and risky style. Despite his sparkle, things did not go smoothly for too long.
Although he still won a top flight crown in 2003, Barthez was dropped towards Roy Carroll towards the end of that campaign after a series of bad performances, and Tim Howard was brought in to take his place in the long term, lost with Ferguson's faith in him.
After he told that United would release him, he left for Marseille halfway through the following season on a first loan agreement and played the rest of his days on the field in France for Les Olympiens and Nantes.
Barthez would retire at the age of 36, after he had won a World Cup and Champions League to go with his Euro title and Red Devils -Silver Working, although such a successful and long career did not come without his part of bumps and bruises.
Now the Frenchman has decided to stand the debilitating injuries-related trials that he and many of his co-professionals endured during their match days, even that there were many occasions that he wrongly played due to injury.
Speaking with L'Equipe, the former Red Devils keeper came clean about his injury problems and admitted: “When I get up, I feel like an old man.
“If you dive in every direction from 15 to 36 years old, you should not be surprised. But hey, I am not the only one. We are all broken.”
Barthez, now 53 years old, continued with the disintegration of a few occasions that injuries were better and he might not have had to play while he was struck. In addition, he now suffers the side effects every day.
“We are not protected in my time,” he added. “There were times when I played when I really shouldn't have done that. In Monaco I broke my cheekbone.
“I had to play again three weeks later, but they immediately put me back on the field with a protective scale. Now I have the consequences, but without regret.
“On an occasion, during a competition, I suffered a very strong blow. During the break my thigh had doubled his size. The doctor said I had to stop, but I said it felt good.
“As a result, I spent the night in the first aid; they split my thigh in two and I was gone for two months,” he concluded. “I am the one who blames.”