Sport Quotes of the Year 2009
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Sport Quotes of the Year 2009
A collection of the best quotes uttered during the sporting year.
Quote machine: 'Even Jesus Christ was not liked by everyone. What hope is there for me?' said Jose Mourinho"Even Jesus Christ wasn’t liked by everyone. What hope is there for me?"
Jose Mourinho"The ball hit my hand, I will be honest."
Thierry Henry"He almost caught it and ran into the net with it."
Robbie Keane on the handball by Henry"What shocks me the most is that this player, at the end of the game, went to sit next to an Ireland player to comfort him – when he had just screwed him. If I had been an Irishman he wouldn't have lasted three seconds."
Eric Cantona on Henry"The days of me pounding the treadmill are over. As you can imagine, I was gutted to hear that."
Freddie Flintoff on the news that part of his recovery from knee surgery will include a less high-impact training regime"If you want to win the title, one thing you need is consistent consistency."
Arsene Wenger on "Match of the Day" after losing to Sunderland"Down with pneumonia. We're going down with pneumonia!"
From the rain-soaked, wind-swept Charlton fans behind the uncovered goal at Yeovil's Huish Park"You can hear the hush of expectancy buzzing around the ground."
Radio Five Live's Colin Murray before the Chelsea v Manchester United game"It's a dream come true. I'm gonna party baby – party all night long."
David Haye after being crowned world champion"It wasn't so much taming the Beast – more like playing with a tabby cat."
Haye on beating 'Beast of the East' Nikolai Valuev"Someone texted me saying he's a bit like I used to be, but more athletic, funnier and better looking."
Martin Johnson on new England second row Courtney Lawes"I'd like to play in Australia. I wanted to go when I was 16 but my mum wouldn't let me so I went to work in Woolworth's instead."
Flintoff"My secret is adapting to the country I am in. Here I eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding."
Arsène Wenger"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all my heart...I am dealing with my behaviour and personal failings behind closed doors with my family."
Tiger Woods"I probably would have to apologise to Elin [Woods's wife] and hope she uses a driver next time rather than a three-iron."
Jesper Parnevik"I want to win everything this year. I am the new [Rafael] Nadal – and I am better looking than him."
Phil Taylor after winning the Darts Players' Championship"No one is ever going to be as good as I was."
Paul Gascoigne"It's true lots of people hate me but there are even more who love me and who support me. I feel bad only when I play badly. Fortunately that happens rarely."
Cristiano Ronaldo"I did not walk for the first four years of my life. Suddenly someone kicked a ball and the first person to stand up and run was me. All of the people in the church who had been praying for me told my mum: 'Your son is walking because of football'. It is an amazing story but it is true."
Emmanuel Adebayor"I would like to see the people earning most in this country paying less tax as it is an incentive."
Bernie Ecclestone"If I had it in my power to introduce a ban on women driving cars and to withdraw all of their licences, I would do it without thinking twice. In my opinion a woman and a man are two absolutely different creatures."
Andrei Arshavin"Winning is a lot more sweet when it's been difficult before, that's for sure."
Jenson Button"We never had a horse like him and very few people have. Very few trainers get the opportunity to train a horse as spectacular as him and we were very grateful that he walked though our gate."
John Oxx on Sea The Stars"During the warming-up training before play I prayed. Not for victory, but that my hairpiece wouldn't fall off."
Andre Agassi, from his book "Open", before the French Open 1990."I always hated tennis."
Agassi"At the end of the day, I wouldn't do it because I'm married."
David Beckham on turning down an Armani ad with Angelina Jolie"One minute I was painting the lounge, the next I'm being asked to manage a Championship side. My wife will have to finish the glossing."
Ian Holloway"It's bizarre, it almost seems like it's not real. To become a knight from riding your bike, it's mad."
Sir Chris Hoy"All I got after 15 years at the club was a cup of coffee in the chief executive's office."
Matthew Hoggard on leaving Yorkshire"I want to help other clubs. I speak my mind and other chairmen should too. In fact, they can come and have lunch with me at Harrods, where I can serve them stags' testicles from my Scottish estate. We all need big balls in this business."
Mohamed FayedTed Hankey: "I've stopped drinking, so I feel healthier, look healthier and I am healthier."
Ray Stubbs: "So you're not going to the bar now, then?"
Hankey: "No – I'm off outside for a cigarette!"
The new BDO darts champion"My mum has been telling me that I'm the No 1 spinner in England for the last 10 years, so that's enough pressure for me."
Graeme Swann"I have impressed upon [the England squad] the advantages of a Mediterranean diet over ketchup and chips."
Fabio Capello"Can we play you every year?"
Lily Allen to the Australian team, post-Ashes"I lost sight of the official ball and stayed on the red one. I went for the red ball instinctively as it was the closest to me and the other went past me."
Pepe Reina on the infamous beach ball