SAF: Selling Stam Was A Mistake
Mirror: Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he made a mistake in getting rid of defensive giant Jaap Stam at Manchester United.
Ferguson sold Stam to Lazio shortly after the Dutch defender’s controversial autobiography was published in 2001.
Stam had won three Premier League winner’s medals and the Champions League during his three years at Old Trafford and was worshipped by fans as the rock of mean defence.
But when his book claimed that Ferguson had illegally “tapped him up” before buying him from PSV Eindhoven, and revealed in blunt terms details from the United dressing room, Fergie was swift to wield the axe.
Now Sir Alex has confessed that the £16.5million sale to the Rome club was a mistake “in football terms.” But he said, at the time, the offer was too good to turn down.
Everyone assumed the book was the reason behind his departure. But Ferguson maintains his only criteria were Stam’s inability to regain top form following injury, and the tempting offer from the Serie A outfit.
“At the time he had just come back from an Achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit,” he told an audience at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow.
“We got the offer from Lazio - £16.5million for a centre-back that was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
“But in playing terms it was a mistake. He is still playing for Ajax at a really good level.”
Stam went on to shine for Lazio and they sold him to AC Milan for around £7million in 2004 after he rejected a new contract. The 35-year signed a two-year deal with Ajax in 2006.
United failed to win a trophy in the 2001-02 season after losing Stam. It was meant to be Ferguson’s last in charge –but the legendary manager performed a U-turn to lead United on to more glory with a totally rebuilt team.
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Scotsman: MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he was too quick to write off defender Jaap Stam.
Ferguson sold the Dutchman to Lazio in a move viewed by many United supporters as one of his few errors during more than two decades in charge at Old Trafford.
And, while Ferguson still insists the £16.5 million offer from the Rome club was too good to refuse, he has confessed the sale of Stam was a mistake “in football terms”.
The Holland international’s exit from Old Trafford in August 2001 came shortly after his autobiography was published amid controversy. He claimed that Ferguson had illegally tapped him up before buying him from PSV Eindhoven and revealed blunt insights from the United dressing room.
Many assumed his book was the reason behind his departure. Stam had won three Premier League winner’s medals and the Champions League in his three full seasons in England.
But Ferguson maintains his only criteria were Stam’s inability to regain top form following injury, and the tempting offer from the Serie A outfit.
“At the time he had just come back from an Achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit,” the Scot, who yesterday paid a visit to see Alex McLeish’s team prepare for Saturday’s match with Lithuania, told an audience at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow.
“We got the offer from Lazio - £16.5 million for a centre-back that was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
“But in playing terms it was a mistake. He is still playing for Ajax at a really good level.”
Stam went on to shine for Lazio and they sold him to AC Milan for around £7 million in 2004 after he rejected a new contract. And the 35-year-old - who previously claimed United knew they had made a mistake in selling him - signed a two-year deal with Ajax in summer 2006.
Ironically, Lazio funded the purchase of Stam through the £28.1 million sale of Juan Sebastian Veron to United the previous month.
Veron failed to live up to his price tag at United, who replaced Stam with Laurent Blanc, the French defender who was approaching his 36th birthday.
The Red Devils failed to win a trophy in that 2001-02 season, which was meant to be Ferguson’s last in charge before he performed a U-turn on his scheduled retirement.
