Sam
As two of his former clubs face off, the Bulgarian striker discusses why playing at Old Trafford was always his dream.
When Manchester United hosts Tottenham on Sunday, Dimitar Berbatov will be watching closely as two of his former clubs face off. The striker joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006, drawn to the club by then-manager Martin Jol and eager to prove himself in the Premier League.
After two successful seasons at Tottenham, where he earned a reputation as a prolific goalscorer, Berbatov made the move to Manchester United. Both Manchester clubs were interested in him at the time.
“Tottenham was a great showcase, and after a remarkable season, I started to attract interest from some of the best clubs in the world,” According to Berbatov. “I come from Bulgaria, a small country. In my mind, I had always dreamed of climbing my own mountain. The top was Manchester United.
“I knew that this train was only going to pass once in a lifetime, and I didn’t want to let it pass. It was difficult to say goodbye to Tottenham; I was aware that I was going to disappoint a lot of people, but sometimes in life you have to make decisions.”
However, Manchester City attempted to hijack his transfer to Old Trafford on the last day of the transfer market. “I told my agent: ‘F— off, we’re going to United.’ Because of the history, the prestige, the players, the manager, the shirt. I never had any doubt that Old Trafford was the right decision.”
Berbatov’s choice was quickly validated when Sir Alex Ferguson greeted him upon arrival at the airport. “I was shocked because it can be intimidating, especially for me, stepping off the plane and bam, you see Sir Alex! I was like, what do I say, how do I address him? But he was great. He took us to Carrington, and the drive was like science fiction. It was a perfect day. Exhausting, but perfect, because I had worked so hard to get there.”
During his time under Ferguson, Berbatov won six trophies with United, only missing out on the Champions League. He played alongside stars like Cristiano Ronaldo but doesn’t think he was miles ahead of the rest of the squad in terms of ability.
“It’s easy to say Ronaldo, but in truth, they were all examples,” he said. “At Manchester United, they were all captains in their position: Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Neville, Giggs, Scholes, Rooney, Tevez… The moment we stepped on the pitch, I could see the fear in our opponents’ eyes. They were big winners, with big egos. That forced me to be mentally strong because training sessions were very tough. We fought, there were tackles, sometimes we argued, but it was all for the same goal: to win.”
Berbatov’s favorite moment at United wasn’t a goal but an assist to Ronaldo after an impressive bit of skill. “Many people say that my best goal was the bicycle kick against Liverpool. I like it a lot, but the assist I gave Cristiano against West Ham sticks in my mind. It’s one of my favorites because of the improvisation.”
Reflecting on his time at Tottenham, Berbatov recalls winning the League Cup in the 2007-08 season as a highlight. “I still have a poster in my office of that cup we won against Chelsea. It was the icing on the cake,” he said. “That success at Wembley was special because we were the underdogs, but it was our moment.”
Both clubs have struggled in recent times, but Berbatov believes there’s hope. “It has been challenging to find Ferguson’s replacement. It’s important that the club finds institutional stability, where you show the rest that you have a project. I hope Jim Ratcliffe will bring consistency.”
He added that any manager at Old Trafford will be judged by results. “Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, which is prestigious. That success gave him extra time to show he is the right man, but if he can’t translate that into consistent performance, it will be hard to justify his continuation.”
Berbatov defended Marcus Rashford, who has faced criticism recently. “I firmly believe that Rashford can become a leader of this team. He’s only 26 years old and still has a lot to learn.”
Now, Berbatov is nurturing the next generation of footballers back in Bulgaria through his foundation. He recently returned to Old Trafford for a “legends” game, feeling emotional to see friends and relive memories.
“I hope that at both clubs, they remember that I always tried to entertain them,” he said with a smile. “Football is a spectacle; it’s not for suffering. I always tried to play differently, to improvise. When I did something on the pitch, I was motivated by hearing the ‘wow’ from the stands.”
Comments
Loading…