During that match, you have been substituted and you expressed your frustration by a kicking a water bottle. Do you regret that action?
I knew straight away after the match that I have been wrong to react like this. I apologise to Dick Advocaat. At that time, he said, "it is okay with me". But the scene had been filmed. He then had the obligation to call me later to explain that he could not select me for the next match. He had to do something in respect to the other players and the supporters. And I understood it very well.
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"...the most important thing is that we qualify for the Euro 2004..." |
But this suspension proves once again that between van Nistelrooy and the national team, it is not exactly a perfect love story.
It is true. Back in Holland, everyone claims that my most successful time with national team was under Frank Rijkaard, before I have been injured with my knee (before the Euro 2000). However, I scored only once out of my 10 first matches. Whereas after my injury I scored 10 times in 16 selections. We can explain that by the exigency of my country mates since I play for Manchester United.
Your partnership with Kluivert in attack isn't really working. You are supposed to playing at your peak, but this never worked. Will it be necessary to change now?
We are both out and out strikers. Kluivert is not a playmaker or a creator of spaces. He plays to score, just like me. At the end of the match against Moldavia (5-0) which I was suspended, Dick Advocaat declared: "Kluivert - van Nistelrooy, it is over!". It will be either him or me. Even van der Vaart, or Makaay.
Who will it be then? Kluivert or you?
It will be Kluivert. I have no doubts at all, even though Advocaat hasn't said a word yet. I don't like to say it but I feel I'll be on the bench against Scotland again. But ok, the most important thing is that we qualify for the Euro 2004 in Portugal.
Last August-September, you missed 3 penalties consecutively after having scored 19 in a row for United. How did you feel during that period?
Not very good...You may have guessed it. After the first miss at the Community Shield against Arsenal, I worked hard during trainings. Then when I missed the second, I worked even harder on penalties during trainings. But still I missed the third. Then, I stopped working so hard on penalties and I said to myself: "Eh, Ruud, you still can hit the ball properly! ". And so I put the next one into the net.
On September 21, the match against Arsenal which you missed a penalty, you were attacked by some of the Arsenal players. Everyone saw the images. While returning back to the dressing room, how did you feel?
I felt really down to have missed the penalty. The penalty would have given us the win and put us back in the driver's seat. The rest did not affect me.
That evening, it was said that you had to be pulled to go out for dinner with your agent and your brother.
I felt really bad. I was so annoyed with myself to have missed the penalty. When the referee blew the final whistle, I was haunted by that image. I wanted to leave the ground and return back to the dressing room. I felt someone had jostled me but I went on my way. I realized what happened at the end of the match only when I got back home and watched the TV. I did not believe my eyes.
Seriously, you did not know what had happened when you were on the pitch?
I felt that someone pushed me in the back. But I did not bother. The only thing on my mind was the missed penalty. I did not notice about the behaviour of my opponents.
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"I realized what happened at the end of the match only when I got back home and watched the TV. I did not believe my eyes." |
Were you hurt by the accusations made by Arsene Wenger after the match, naming you a cheater?
Alex Ferguson declared at once that he was very disappointed with the accusations. He said never in his career had he heard such things said by a manager. I was affected by the Arsene Wenger's accusations as it didn't translate the truth.
Do you think that, you are the 'hostage' of the rivalry between two clubs and especially between the two managers who do not appreciate each other?
I do not know why they do not like each other, but I do not have anything to do with it. And I still can't understand why Wenger was so harsh with me.
So you plead "not guilty"?
The images on television say it all. I do not have anything else to add.
Half an hour after the match, there was an incident between Patrick Vieira and you outside the dressing room. Are you still mad at him that he refused to talk to you then and tried to have a fight instead?
I can understand that he didn't want to have a discussion with me after the match. He had just got a red card and was feeling down. But I wanted to erase the incident between us and to tell him: 'The match is over, I missed a penalty, etc'. If I had cheated or faked injury to get him sent off, do you really believe I would want to meet him after the match? Never. I would not have been able to stand his glance. But I have to respect his annoyance. I myself hardly cope with my missed penalty. The following day, I was still in a rather bad mood and was not very nice with people around me. Anyway, it is only sport. I hope when we meet again, everything will be forgotten. For me, it is the case. What he said to me during the heat of the moment does not count anymore. Football is too great and our life too exceptional to get mad with that.
You do not have an Internet site to communicate. And we do not know a lot about you.
I saw the site of Zinedine Zidane. I like the way he manages it. It is modest. It is not "big-bang" or flashy. I know him a little. I saw him once in a match organized for the benefit of UNICEF in Portugal. He is just like what I imagined him of, quiet and humble. He is a simple man. He has been at the top for many years, he is the best player in the world and he has never changed. He does not have a regular column in the press and he is not like a "popstar". I really respect him as player and a man. He is role model for me.
You have the same girlfriend for 8 years and you did not change agents since your debuts. Have you ever thought of changing other things like furniture or cars?
(He laughs) Not only do I not change girlfriend, I can tell you that I will marry her next year(long silence). I change my car from time to time. When I arrived in Manchester, I bought myself a Mercedes CL 55, my dream car. I will never sell it away. Even in 20 years time, it will still be in my garage. I will look at it with pleasure. You never sell your dreams…
