If there is one thing in life that I love, it is a straight talker – even if it sometimes can't put you into trouble.
There were a few famous occasions that did exactly in my management days and I am sure you know where I am going with this.
Once was when I was QPR boss and was asked why I had omitted Adel Taarabt, I could have come up with all kinds of apologies.
Instead, I said that I could not choose a player who was about the 3rd overweight and you can imagine the fall -out of it.
Then there was probably the most memorable of all at Spurs, when Darren missed a Sitter of about a garden against Portsmouth.
In the interview after that I said my missus could have done it and it all went off. The player was not happy, nor was his agent, it went crazy.
No matter how much I had a doll, I didn't mean it in a nasty way. It was a joke, a disposable commentary every guy who looked in the Boozer would have said with his friends.
In my book you have to be able to laugh at yourself – I have never been afraid of that.
Just like the times I made a replacement that turned the game for us.
If someone said it was inspired, I would tell them: “I am not so smart or I would have had it from the start … I clearly chose the wrong team!”
Although it was annoying when Bems missed, I just laughed.
And it was certainly not in my mind when I stopped in Derby a few years later.
The chairman had asked if I would help (interim manager) Darren Wassall and I had completely forgotten that Bate was there too, to be honest.
When I realized, I thought: “Oh my God, this can be embarrassing” and I am sure that a lot of Mickey took the dressing room when the other boys heard that I was going inside.
Anyway, literally within a minute after walking the training field, Darren hit this absolutely blinding 30-year volley that flew in the top corner.
I looked at him and shouted, “Hey Bally, my missus would not have scored it!”
And that was it, he burst out laughing, all the guys fell around, it was all forgotten.
Since then I have seen him often, at football help and such, and we can agree. He knew it was not intentionally meant – I told the truth just as I saw it at the time.
That is why I have no problem with what Ruben Amorim has said that Marcus Rashford is not in the Manchester United team.
He did exactly the same – said it the way he sees it.
What should he do if people ask why he does not choose a man at £ 325,000 a week? Say: “He trains great, I just went with someone else”, or claims that Rashford has flu?
He has been honest and said he is not playing because he is not training well and when he does that, he will be back in the side.
Those who pay his wages have the right to know. Tell the truth … there is too many bulls nowadays ** t.
You get managers whose teams are defeated by four or five and said: “We played well, we just had bad luck.”
B ****** s – say it is as it is, “We were nonsense and turned around.”
I tell you this, Amorim is fine in my book and I know that Sir Alex Ferguson likes him. You can't have a better man by your side than that.
He will certainly go well, certainly. He has a little life in him and will not fail due to a lack of trying.
He just wants his players to give it their best chance.
I'm sure he wants to choose Marcus. He wants someone with Pace, who can run to people and score goals and a few years ago Marcus did better than most.
If he applies himself in the training, the manager will not have a problem to keep him back in because we all know what a handful he can be – he is a real player, there is no doubt.
But until he is convinced, there is no chance.
In that case, Marcus has a problem and will probably have to go further – with a loan to Aston Villa possibly the start of the end of his time at Old Trafford.
Fair play to Amorim because he is honest. Too many managers soft players nowadays, but clearly not this guy.
And that makes him good in my book.
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