Bosnich a terrible professional: Sir Alex

I think you're onto it Steven.I remember going to match at Stamford Bridge, quite a while back Derby were the visitors. Ravanelli was turning out for them, Kinkladze too (who was having a good day) both copped plenty as you'd expect. But it was Manny, Petite and Dessailly (who I thought was the stand out player on the day) that really copped it. I've never heard a group of supporters bag their side like Chelsea geez, tough crowd back then.

The flipside to it is, had Bozza toe'd the line and done as he was told by Fergie he could well have played 2 world cups as 1st choice keeper and been a part of the last 12-13 years worth of MU success.

JimmyB, I went to Nigel Winterburn's testimonial when Arsenal played Rangers back in the 90s. The Rangers fans were making a tube train on the Victoria line full of commuters bounce up and down. The Arsenal fans I was with and everyone else were just open mouthed (and terrified). Needless to say it didn't get any better closer to the ground............. Like you say, all that for a friendly!!

You're not wrong Steven. I remember going to a pre season friendly a few years back between Fulham and Celtic. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was like a scene from Braveheart or the bit in Robin Hood when the Celts turn up. Scary isn't the word. I'm not a fan of either club btw, but was living in Hammersmith at the time, as you know Fulham is a family club, who doesn't really have a crew to speak of, but that didn't stop the Celtic fans who were all paralytic from starting on virtually everyone. Needless to say all the pubs near Craven cottage were closed after the game. Not an experience I'd like to repeat anytime soon especially with my Mrs.

I honestly don't think any of them embarrassed you other than Bosnich with the cocaine but he's not the first and he won't be the last. Us Scots have been showing up in England for years and been behaving far far worse I can assure you mate!

I am sure fans of certain clubs had every right to be aggrieved. I can't imagine a Chelsea fan being too happy with Bosnich and rightly so. When I say it never bothered me it's not because I thought our players were innocent. I only cared about their national team careers. Normally I feel shame about Aussies embarrassing us overseas, but when it comes to football it seems a good performance against the Solomon islands was enough to make up for it in my eyes.

Sorry, my repsonse got truncated. I do agree with you that Lucas Neil was unfairly targetted. Yes he went for money but lots of players do. Ashley Cole has never been forgiven for his money comments either so it's not just the foreign players. Kevin Muscat, I think there were one or two particular tackles that got him a very bad rep. Again there are British players who are equally bad if not worse (Vinnie Jones anyone?) and whilst they get plenty of stick from opposition fans they're still 'one of ours' as opposed to a foreigner which is the exact same sentiment you started your comment with! I get stick here in Singapore for being foreign occassionaly, anything I do that's remotely deemed 'offside' will be put down to my being 'foreign', just goes with the territory I suppose.

I don't think it's particular to Aussies abroad mate. Us Brits tend to be equally against all foreigners! Jokes aside, I think in the UK, a huge amount of fan emphasis (certainly the guys that go to the games) is is placed on effort. So if someone's overweight as an example they'll get targetted. As an example, I used to go to Chelsea every week when Vialli signed for them. By then he was past his best and at times couldn't hit a cow's a%e with a banjo a lot of time but the crowd loved him because he never stopped running and chasing, very similar with Pierlugi Casaraghi. He was rubbish but popular. Viduka as an example is one of the classiest centre forwards of his generation but he looked lazy and he always looked a bit overweight. When he joined Celtic he claimed to be having some kind of pyschological problems brought on by stress I recall and was trying to pull out of the transfer. I can't recall the exact story but it gets into fans' minds, he doesn't want to play for us, to try hard etc. With Kewell, they loved him at Leeds but he was just permanently injured at Liverpool unless it was a Champions League final. Injuries are not necessarily a player's fault and I was a huge Kewell fan myself but I think that is a lot of the reason that those players maybe feel they were unfairly treated.

He is our twat though. A lot of Aussie players weren't popular overseas for various reasons. Strangely never bothered me. I know Viduka was seen as a guy that would only play well around contract time, Kewell wasn't well loved by Liverpool people, neither was Neil after turning them down for the Hammers money. Muscatt was once labelled the most hated man in English football. Loveable legends all of them.

Steve agreed I don't know what it is about Hiddink, maybe he's more scary and dark than Capello or Ferguson who knows, but whatever his secret is who knows, but he just gets players giving the heart and soul on the pitch for him, they give him 100%. Maybe that's the secret he demands they behave like adults, treats them as such and that's it. Where as Ferguson and Capello make it personal or play the school bully or headmaster attitude. Hiddink seems to have a simple plan, these are my tactics you stick to em 100% or your dropped(the socceroos were never out of formation and never rebeled from Hiddink's structure at 2006 unlike say Graham Arnold and slowly Holger, they didn't mess about with Pim either, Pim was Hiddink's 2nd in command at world cup 1998 and Hiddink recommended Pim to FFA) Pim for me just stuffed up Germany, and had some bad luck vs Ghana, rest was very Dutch and compact. Hiddink's teams are not known for there flair either he's a defensive coach, who like Pim only cares about winning and has played some of the most boring football in the last 20 years eg Semi VS Barcelona 2009 champions league in Barcelona he grinded a 0-0 draw out of Barca when managing chelsea, is very dull, he could of been more attacking vs italy in that 2nd half, and was maybe over cautious vs Barca on the home leg in stamford bridge. But yep Hiddink seems to trusts his players, and just goes with the flow, with out the personal antics and treats them like adults with out the headmaster school yard attitude. , maybe he is more well rounded than say Capello or Ferguson, maybe that's his secret, the bloke speaks about 5 languages, and had a girlfriend who was black african heritage, ala boris becker style. Whatever his tactics or secrets it works.

Good stuff mate and again I think you right. London's done for many a career and was a particular graveyard for many a Scottish player, 'Champagne' Charlie Nicholas and Frank McAvennie both spring to mind. It's interesting what you say about Hiddink. I was discussing him with another Chelsea fan just yesterday - he was there briefly after they tinned Scolari, it's hard to keep up I know! - and the word that kept coming up was respect. There's just something about that guy which as you say makes you want to do the right thing around him. Possibly he just trusts his players more and they respond by acting like adults.

Agree Steve, but I could be wrong it means nothing anyway it was all over so long ago in the 90's. But Bozza at Aston Villa was good and that's in Witton, West Midlands. Then Man United. The bright lights of London sure got too Bozza at Chelsea, and he couldn't handle it, and he had an ex-girlfriend at the time who was very destructive for him. No point living in hypotheticals, but for whatever reason in hindsight I reckon Bozza would have liked to of stayed at Man Unted, and was dissapointed Ferguson didn't believe in him more. Either way maybe Bozza and him didn't see eye to eye, and that's cool, but Bozza for whatever reason maybe London had to many temptations for him. But stuff in his personal life just happened, and if it didn't I don't reckon his soccer career would have stuffed up. Still there were discipline issues too as it seemed to follow him. I reckon he had some issues, but maybe not as bad as it sounds, but for a bloke like Ferguson a strict disciplinarian,any slight discretions your almost gone, 1 chance and 1 chance only type, Fabio Capello is of the same ilk, little things are scolded upon harshly some say too harsh. Hiddink of all coaches seem to have the 6th sense of getting players to never cross him, or rebel against him or complain about him, in some ways Hiddink carries more fear than Ferguson and Capello, he just demands high standards, but Hiddink apparantley doesn't get close to his players or interfere in there personal life, or care what they do in the private lives, maybe there is some secret in that, Ferguson and Capello seem to demand you swtich on 24/7. But Hiddink makes it clear he is the boss, and doesn't tolerate any crap, but many socceroos players said he was aloof,cold and distant, off the pitch and liked his space, where as Graham Arnold was more social when he was coach and approachable. Maybe there is some truth there, stay out of the players lives off the pitch, and you get better results on it. Capello and Ferguson should maybe take note from Hiddink. As I have never heard of any disipline issues or personal complaints about Hiddink coached squads. Only positives, Drogba said Hiddink was awsome manager and revitalised his career.

Like it Franko.......... You would at this point think he'd made enough money............. Guess he's missing the limelight, most of them do.

I think you're right that there's a bit of give and take in the story Johnno, and as you say once you crossed Ferguson it was over regardless of the facts. At the same time I don't think there's any question that Bosnich was far from a model pro which is a shame because he was a superb keeper. Some of the stories about him at Chelsea and the lack of professionalism were truly awful also. That kind of stuff doesn't follow you around unless there's some element of truth in it.

I like the way that Fergie is taking his retirement with as much class as he did his professional career. What a true gentleman.

I always thought Boz was a bit of twat but I actually like the guy- he is what he is.

I don't know why but im gonna side 50/50 on this one. This seems a he said she said type argument. The playing weight thing seems a bit hysterical, and some player play better with more weight rather than less. Viduka played a bit better when he was Heavier, Kewell liked to be lean. Tony Lockett in AFL played lighter 1 year, then went back to his natural weight and felt better. Ferguson seems a bit pedantic, here. If Paul Scholes and Giggs are ahead in the car park, and Bozza is stuck in car park traffic, wow big deal. Ferguson has a dark side and is known as a scary ba**tard many have said in football and not one to cross. Beckham and him had a falling out too, and him and Rooney have been testy at times too. 2 sides but maybe Bozza and Fergie just don't like each other. Both very different, Bozza is flamboyant, Ferguson is not, Bozza is more colurful than Ferguson, in personality and style. Ferguson likes the Giggs,Scholes,Roy Kean types, more it seems than the Beckhams,Yorke's, Bozza's of this World. All players who've been coached by Ferguson. Cantona it seems fell out to with Ferguson. Bozza had a great game in that world championship final, and was close to if not the best goalkeeper in the World around 1999-2000.