Gudjohnsen says he's still afraid of Jaap Stam
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Chelsea and Barcelona star Eidur Gudjohnsen has quipped that Manchester United colossus Jaap Stam still gives him nightmares, more than two decades after their fierce Premier League battles.
Former Chelsea and Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has admitted that Manchester United legend Jaap Stam continues to give him nightmares, more than 20 years after their intense Premier League clashes. At a media conference for the AllStar Legends match at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the 48-year-old Icelandic player was asked if there was any opponent he feared facing in Saturday's game.
Gudjohnsen pointed directly to Stam, who had been a key member of United's treble-winning defense in 1999, and joked, "Now, I know who I'm afraid of. I was afraid of him when I first met him, when I played against him with Chelsea against Manchester United, and I'm still afraid of him now." Stam, seated nearby, responded with a deadpan remark, "Good to hear.
I'm the oldest player here, at 54 years old." Gudjohnsen added that he and team mate Michael Owen have planned to play an aggressive attacking game for the AllStar Premier Legends, acknowledging that they typically didn't focus much on defense during their earlier careers. The match will feature a star-studded AllStar World Legends team, which includes Alessandro Del Piero, Javier Saviola, Fernando Morientes, and former AC Milan goalkeeper Dida.
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