Former Argentina keeper reveals bizarre reason for snubbing Man Utd in 1999 Former Argentina goalkeeper Carlos Roa has revealed why he rejected a proposed move to Manchester United back in 1999. According to the Daily Mirror, the 50-year-old, who played for the likes of Mallorca and Albacete during his 18-year playing career, is a devout Seventh-day Adventist, and this means he believed a prediction that the world would be coming to an end around that time. Roa was seemingly being lined up by former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson to replace legendary Old Trafford No. 1 Peter Schmeichel, and his excuse for not making the move must be one of the most bizarre reasons ever that a club has ended up missing out on a signing. Speaking to the Mirror, Roa said: “At that time I was very attached to religion and bible study. It was a difficult decision to make but at the same time thoughtful – and my family agreed with me. “Certain things happened that will never be known because they are personal and I could only speak to the most intimate people. “Many things were said back then out of ignorance and I was branded a thousand bad things. “The people of the club thought that I was going to go back and that they would recover a lot of money with that transfer that was about to happen. “Today, I still think that on a ­spiritual level it was a very good decision. But in sporting terms it wasn’t – because I left football at the best moment of my career. “I could have progressed a lot, with great contracts and the ­possibility of playing in England. “People will never understand it. Back then they drove me crazy, they called me from all sides, and as much as I tried to explain my decision it was very difficult for them to understand.” Roa won 16 caps for Argentina and starred in the country’s run to the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup, where he famously saved David Batty’s penalty in a famous shootout win over England in the last-16 in Saint Etienne. Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes’ friend Francisco Ramos insists he is taking it all in his stride after the Manchester United midfielder claimed he wanted his compatriot to join him at Old Trafford. Read more… The post Former Argentina keeper reveals bizarre reason for snubbing Man Utd in 1999 appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Former Argentina goalkeeper Carlos Roa has revealed why he rejected a proposed move to Manchester United back in 1999.

According to the Daily Mirror, the 50-year-old, who played for the likes of Mallorca and Albacete during his 18-year playing career, is a devout Seventh-day Adventist, and this means he believed a prediction that the world would be coming to an end around that time.

Roa was seemingly being lined up by former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson to replace legendary Old Trafford No. 1 Peter Schmeichel, and his excuse for not making the move must be one of the most bizarre reasons ever that a club has ended up missing out on a signing.

Speaking to the Mirror, Roa said: “At that time I was very attached to religion and bible study. It was a difficult decision to make but at the same time thoughtful – and my family agreed with me.

“Certain things happened that will never be known because they are personal and I could only speak to the most intimate people.

“Many things were said back then out of ignorance and I was branded a thousand bad things.

“The people of the club thought that I was going to go back and that they would recover a lot of money with that transfer that was about to happen.

“Today, I still think that on a ­spiritual level it was a very good decision. But in sporting terms it wasn’t – because I left football at the best moment of my career.

“I could have progressed a lot, with great contracts and the ­possibility of playing in England.

“People will never understand it. Back then they drove me crazy, they called me from all sides, and as much as I tried to explain my decision it was very difficult for them to understand.”

Roa won 16 caps for Argentina and starred in the country’s run to the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup, where he famously saved David Batty’s penalty in a famous shootout win over England in the last-16 in Saint Etienne.

Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes’ friend Francisco Ramos insists he is taking it all in his stride after the Manchester United midfielder claimed he wanted his compatriot to join him at Old Trafford. Read more… 

 

 

The post Former Argentina keeper reveals bizarre reason for snubbing Man Utd in 1999 appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Robert McCarthy