Barthez Is Evidently Confused

We all remember Fabien Barthez, don't we? Signed from Monaco in 2000, he was hailed as the true heir of Peter Schmeichel, after one season of horror from Taibi and Bosnich.

However, despite a good debut season, Barthez was found out horribly in the next two, with low points as the home defeat to Deportivo La Coruna or the dismal loss at Highbury. He was sold in 2004 when it became clear that even Roy Carroll was ahead of him.

He's now given an interview to L'Equipe in which he talked about his exit from the club.

"The Americans took the reins, even the goalkeeper was American," Barthez told L`Equipe.

"Me, at this moment, I wasn`t playing at my best level. I have always enjoyed life and I enjoyed everything at the same time."

Fabien, really, the Glazers took over in May 2005. You were but a mere memory for United fans at that time. The first-choice goalkeeper was not American at that time: it was a Northern Irish, Roy Carroll who turned to be even more incompetent that Barthez.

But why does he blame the Glazers? They could be blamed for a number of things but they were not around when Barthez lost his number one spot. Tim Howard's nationality mattered little in 2003 when for a few months he looked like a solid, reliable goalkeeper - something that Barthez wasn't. And, as we later found out, neither was Tim. But that's a different story.