Quotes of the Week via Sky Sports

"I am sure the fans have been upset over the last few days with everything they have heard in the media." Wayne Rooney blames the media for his massive pay hike at Manchester United.

"Whatever he gets, he deserves every single penny. Wayne is probably the best young player in the world." John Terry takes time out from counting his own cash to defend his pal.

"It was just a story that for me, from the start to the end, was completely out of interest. When I saw headlines I just turned the page." Arsene Wenger goes straight to page three.

"I thought I would either stay with Portsmouth, move to a Premier League club or go to Scotland. In between thinking about all that, there was my wedding to Amanda to organise. Somehow it all converged at a single point, the morning after my stag do. I received a phone call from an unknown number. I don't usually answer those, but I was still drunk and so I picked it up. Much to my astonishment the man on the other end was Steve Coppell." David James reveals the real reason why he joined Bristol City.

"I started smoking when I was playing. I was 25, and at the time injured. I'd never smoked in my life but I tried a cigarette one day and I've been a smoker ever since. I do like it, to relax. After dinner. When I'm watching a movie." Carlo Ancelotti admits to smoking behind the Shed End.

"I've got to play him, really, because I met him out shopping with his mum the other day. She was quite a big girl so I've got to play him. I wasn't going to mess with her, believe you me." Mrs Palacios ensures son Wilson is given a rare start by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

"There are websites that, frankly, write the most ridiculous things." Roy Hodgson logs onto skysports.com.

"If last year's situation repeats itself, I will cross those who play off my list because they will be dead to me." Following last year's humiliation at Alcorcon, Jose Mourinho threatens the ultimate sanction if his Real Madrid team flop at lowly Real Murcia in the King's Cup. They drew 0-0.


"City now will be one of the contenders because they are not at the end of an investment cycle. It looks like they are at the start of it so you have to consider them as one of the teams that will challenge. In our own way, we are at the start of a cycle. That's what is good in football: every club can work with its own rules." Arsene Wenger tips Manchester City for the top.

"Let me ask you this. If a Stoke player had done that at Old Trafford do you think he would have been sent off? Yes. Exactly." Tony Pulis fumes after Gary Neville escapes a clear red card at the Britannia.