Patrice Evra

More questions answered by Evra!

Thursday 18 November 2021 12:00

The second part of Patrice Evra's recent Q&A session with Manchester United supporters is now available to view and read in full.

Pat explains who the toughest - or, to be more exact 'most annoying' - opponent he faced during his career was, and also gives us a flavour of Sir Alex Ferguson's famous hairdryer treatment.

There's also reaction to scoring arguably his most famous United goal, as well as his best Cristiano Ronaldo impression!

You've got to watch it below...

Fans' Q&A: Part two with 'Uncle Pat' Video

Fans' Q&A: Part two with 'Uncle Pat'

The second half of Patrice's brilliant interview is available to view now...

Who was the best player you played against? (Noah)
“The best player I played against it was Patrice. I was my worst enemy, because I never feared anyone. I was just like when I wasn’t in a good day, I knew anyone could beat me, but most of the time I was in a good day. The toughest one? It’s not the toughest one but the most annoying one was James Milner. People always expect me to say another one but James Milner the reason was because he was always defending more than myself. I’m someone, I’m an attacking defender so he frustrated me so much because he was following me everywhere. Even if I was going in the toilet, he was going to follow me. I would say the most annoying is James Milner.”

I just wanted to know how you and Cristiano became friends? (Vinnie)
“We became friends because I speak Portuguese and it’s because of our work ethic. We like to work really hard and give everything. We also played on the left-hand side together so that connection was natural. To be fair, if he wasn’t a friend, I wouldn’t pass him any balls! We'd better be friends when we are playing together. That work ethic and the funny side, banter. Cristiano loves banter and I do too, so all of that.”

Give us your best siuuuuu? (Junayd)
“Junayd… SIUUUUUUUU! I even do it better than Cristiano! Don’t be jealous Cristiano, it’s just me.”

In the 2007/08 season you won the Premier League and the Champions League, so which was your favourite moment? (Sharon)
“Everyone thinks that 2007/08 is my favourite season, but it’s not. My favourite moment at United was my first game against Manchester City when I got subbed after 45 minutes and Sir Alex Ferguson was like: ‘now you sit next to me and you learn English football.’ Nobody warned me about that, even my Italian football agent. I remember we went home and he said: ‘Patrice I’m so sorry for bringing you to Manchester United. It was one of the biggest mistakes. We should have stayed in Monte Carlo in the sun and the football is so difficult here.’ So yeah, I enjoyed my first six months because they were tough and, without those six months, I don’t think I’d have become the player I am.”

Patrice names 'most annoying' opponent

 Article

The player Evra identified has featured for some of United's biggest rivals!

Who was your idol in football? (John)
“I didn’t have any idols in football, I liked Romario but my mum is my idol in life. Like I say, it’s not being arrogant or over-confident but I was playing football because I loved playing football.”

Can you please tell me the main reason for your argument with Nemanja Vidic? (Leon)
“Leon! You’re a curious little guy! We didn’t agree on something after a game against Liverpool and we had a little fight. People have to understand that this team was like a family but we don’t mess around. When someone is not doing a good job, we’re going to fight. At the end, all we wanted was to win. After that, we didn’t speak for three months but we played on the same side. We didn’t speak but we won games. After that, Ferguson had had enough and he said: ‘Ferdinand you have to switch sides with Vidic’. Rio was actually playing on the left side! But we’re still friends, everything’s OK.”

Fans' Q&A: Part one with Patrice Evra Video

Fans' Q&A: Part one with Patrice Evra

Fans' Q&A: Patrice Evra talks best friends, captaining United, Cristiano Ronaldo's dream meal and more...

Did you ever receive the hairdryer treatment from Sir Alex? (Jamie)
“Yes and in a funny way! It’s a story. I think people have enough of hearing that story. We were playing Tottenham and winning 2-0 and I was playing the best game in my life. So we came off at half-time, I came in the dressing room, I was smiling and everyone was like: ‘Patrice you’re on fire!’ The boss, when he doesn’t speak for three or four minutes it means someone’s going to be in trouble. Then he looked at me in the eyes and said: ‘Patrice are you OK? I said ‘yes I’m OK’. He said: ‘are you tired?’ I looked around thinking it was a prank and I say: ‘yes I’m OK’. He said: ‘why did you pass the ball back to van der Sar?’ I said: ‘I didn’t have any solution to play forward.’ ‘If you pass the ball again to Edwin, you’re going to watch the rest of the game next to me! This is one of the worst games since you’ve signed for United!’ I remember I stood up and we were like face to face and he was shouting. I didn’t do him justice! Everyone was in shock and there was a lot of F-words coming and I was angry so after that, we get back on the pitch. Second half, we won the game 4-0 and everyone after the game was saying: ‘well done Patrice’. I was angry, I had a shower and went home. The next day, I went to his office – ‘who is it? Patrice, how are you, son?’ I asked him what happened yesterday.

‘Patrice, you were one of the best players on the pitch, but because Cristiano was doing skills and flicks, one of your other team-mates was not respecting Tottenham… when you score one goal, you have to score the second goal, the third goal’. I look at him and was like: ‘boss, this is a close one, you know? Give me a sign next time!’ He said: ‘Get out of my office!’ Ferguson wanted to send a message to the rest of the team and he knew I could take the fire. That’s the kind of relationship I had with him. That was a special hairdryer, so boss don’t do that to me again.”

What’s the best goal you’ve ever seen, playing for Manchester United? (Vinnie)
“It’s between the free-kick of Cristiano Ronaldo against Portsmouth or the volley of Wayne Rooney against Manchester City. It’s a tough one, eh? I will go for the volley of Wayne.”

The goal against Bayern Munich, what was going through your head when the ball came to you… (Jaydan)
“It’s the full story of that game, that goal. The day before the game, we went to the site of the Munich Air Crash. I had some little prayers over there, it was an emotional day. Get back to my room, I never pray for playing a good game. I pray for my friend, my enemy, my family. I just said ‘play a good game and I want the Busby Babes to be proud of me’. And when I scored that goal I always say to people I didn’t score that goal, the Busby Babes did. So I always dedicate that goal to the Busby Babes. Unfortunately we didn’t win that game, so I was really sad and I forgot my goal but now when I see it I’m like what a goal! Now I can enjoy the goal!”

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