JUST WHEN YOU THINK you’re on top of the world, winning over 26 major honours in recent years – including the much coveted trebble, someone takes a swipe.
That swipe came from Sports Illustrated, the popular US sports magazine, who say that Manchester United’s trebble-winning team of 1999 is one of the most disliked sports teams of all time. United came in number 10 in the survey, the only soccer team to make the list of 25 and Sports Illustrated even gave special mention to Ireland’s own Roy Keane.
The magazine claims the manner of United’s victory on that famous night in Barcelona merely intensified the feeling of disdain, coming as it did with two goals in stoppage time against a dominant Bayern Munich.
But are United really worthy of such an ‘honour’? Others on the list include the 1976 German women’s Olympic swim team, who won 11 of their 13 races, before they were later found guilty of doping offences. Also joinging United on the list, are the New York Mets baseball team of 1986 – nicknamed ‘the scum bunch’.
No doubt ABU’s (Anything But United) everywhere will be delighted.