BREACH OF TRUST - JAAP STAM
He came at a time to United when the League title had just been snatched from the hands of Manchester United by Arsenal emerging as a force in English football. This towering centre Back stood 6ft 3” tall a frightening sight for the opposition. It was none other than the big Dutchman JAAP STAM.
He was the most expensive Dutch player at that time and the most expensive defender in history and Ferguson pounced at the opportunity in the summer of98’ to bring this CB to strengthen United’s back four for £10.6 million from PSV
Call him good, call him great, call him United’s lucky charm.
He spent a meager 3 seasons at United where United won a hat-trick of Premier League’s, one FA CUP, 1 champions league. In his first season came the historic treble of 98-99 season. United also won the Intercontinental cuplater in 99’ with Stam at the Centre of United’s success.
This was a marriage made in heaven Jaap Stam had found a new home, United had found a new Backbone.
But this marriage soon turned ugly with Jaap Stam’s autobiography ‘Head to Head’ in the market wherein he criticized his fellow team-mates and Ferguson.Ferguson was furious about this and crossing Ferguson was not something anyone would look forward to for any player at United.
The defender was sold to Lazio in 2001 after alleging in his autobiography ‘Head to Head’ that Ferguson had approached him about joining Unitedwithout the permission of his previous club, PSV Eindhoven. He also made some unflattering comments about his team-mates.
Over the years the Ferguson’s bust ups have driven a few high profile names out of United but Stam was the only one Fergie showed any regret for. These high profile bust-ups included the likes of Kanchelskis, Ince, Beckham, Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
As Stam left for Lazio in the summer of 2001 United won the Premier League only once in 5 years which saw the days of Arsenal’s Invincible’s and the arrival of a certain Portugese ‘Special One’ to Chelsea. It took United more than 5 years to find a replacement in the form of Nemanja Vidic who restored the clubs success in terms of trophies after joining United in 2006. Meanwhile Stam joined AC MILAN and was at the losing end of 2005 UCL Final to Liverpool.
Alex Ferguson has since described the decision to sell Stam: “At the time he had just come back from an achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit. We got the offer from Lazio, £16.5m for a centre-back who was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. But in playing terms it was a mistake.”
It was a deal that cost both sides dear and remains to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s only regret.
Stam recently in June 2013 returned to Old Trafford for United Legendswearing the United shirt yet again as he was on the losing side of a 2-1 scoreline against Madrid Legends.
