Football Expertise Quotes

As a former player, I have a real appreciation for a guy like Aaron Rodgers and how much time he puts into his craft and how good he is doing it.

At Bayern, the people in charge are football men. I always appreciated that.

When I arrived at Bayern he asked me: 'How are you? Are you ready to learn how to play football?' Before, I thought the coach's job was just to set up the team. However, with Guardiola it's something different. He is addicted to football and because of that he is a phenomenon.

There are a lot of people in England with good football knowledge.

The worst thing Spurs ever did was get rid of Keith Burkinshaw. They have never replaced him.

Best player? For me, it's Paul Scholes. He'll do ridiculous things in training like say, “You see that tree over there?” - it'll be 40 yards away - “I'm going to hit it”. And he'll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best.

There are not many number fives but the best are Busquets, Tiago, Gabi... I also learn a lot from Xabi Alonso. He is also among the top.

In all the years that I've been in football - I went directly from coaching to broadcasting - I never really had a lot of experience watching it.

What I will miss the most about Guardiola? His obsession with the game and his knowledge, which makes you a better football player.

When I watch professional football, I love listening to John Madden because I know he knows what he's talking about. He's been both down in the trenches and in front of the bench as a coach. He knows the game.

In a World Cup, the girls at Lyon are probably the ones that are going to change the games, and I know them inside out.

The best player I ever played with is probably Cesc Fabregas. I only got to play with him for a year before he went back to Barcelona, but I learned so much from him - the way he knew what he was going to do with the ball before he got it and his passing - and he scored goals.

Well, I've learned a lot from Bill Belichick. I've said time and time again, before I got to New England, I thought I knew a lot about football. But I think he taught me a lot from A to Z. I still carry it to this day.

For skills and tricks, Ronaldinho was the best player I've played with.

People don't know about football. They think they know about it but they don't know much.

Jurgen Klopp is certainly a great coach. I think he has demonstrated at Dortmund that he can suit any team in the world.

As soon as Jose Mourinho was given the job, I knew that he was the right man for Manchester United.

He has an awareness of what's happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he's proving just as effective from outside the box because he's using his experience in the right way. It doesn't matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world.

I've always said that there will never be an area that I know better than football.

People wrote so negatively about me, but generally, the people who are familiar with football know my strengths and abilities.

None of us are claiming that the statistical analysts understand the game of football as well as the football coaches do, or that our analysis should take precedence over the informed opinions of experts. I'm not saying that at all.

Louis van Gaal is one of the most successful managers in the world.

Among players, coaches, people who know football, yes I feel I get recognition.

He's a novice - he should keep his opinions to Japanese football

It is very difficult to play beside Messi and whoever understands it any other way is a fool.