Yesterday’s effort (AU time) from Chelsea’s goal keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refusing to be subbed off by manager Maurizio Sarri will go down as one of the great coach-player spats in history. Scores were 0-0 when Sarri decided that Kepa needed to come off for Willy Caballero but Kepa made a stand, refused to leave the field and this left Sarri and his assistant Gianfranco Zola confused and furious. The match went to penalties, Kepa failed to make a simple save off Sergio Aguero and Manchester City ended up winning 4-3. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a list of 10 player-coach dust ups from over the years.
Robbie Farrah and Jason Taylor
Farrah’s relationship with Taylor was testy at the best of times but when the Wests Tigers favorite son was given the boot from the first grade side by then-coach Jason Taylor, Farrah was given a hero’s exit from the iconic Leichhardt Oval and fans started to chant calling for Taylor to be sacked during an Intrust Super Cup match.
Farrah managed to keep quiet for the first few days from his sacking but opened up after his appearance in 2nd grade telling the media “Our biggest problem is our defence. When JT came to the club … he said publicly that in the past we’ve been an attacking club, and I find it ironic now that he’s talking about lack of cohesion in attack when we’ve got the second worst defence in the comp.
I think the attack is the least of our problems and I think I’m the least of our problems in attack as well.” Taylor was a no-show to the Intrust Super Cup Match but a healthy crowd of 2500 turned up to Leichardt out of spite for Taylor and support for Farrah. Jason Taylor was sacked as Wests Tigers coach early in the 2017 season and Farah returned to the Tigers midway last year.
Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor won’t confirm why he’s given permission for Robbie Farrah to look at other clubs pic.twitter.com/CWr7mtWKB4
— Triple M Sydney (@TripleMSydney) August 26, 2015
Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli
Like a firey love affair, the relationship between Mario Balotelli and Roberto Mancini was one full of “passionate” acts. The two of them have been at it for years dating back to 2007 at Inter Millan, pairing up again at Manchester City and as national coach of Italy. Along with EPL and FA Cup success, Mancini and Balotelli have also enjoyed dust-ups at training sessions and reacting badly to be subbed off in a friendly against the USA in 2011. But it seems the two just can’t get enough of each other.
Shane Warne and John Buchanan
Paula Abdul once claimed that “Opposites Attract” but in the case of Shane Warne and former Australian Cricket Coach John Buchanan that wasn’t to be the case. When Buchanan was hired as Australian coach in 1999 he brought a new sense of professionalism and data to the Aussie team and Warnie was having none of that. Buck Buchanan wanted to teach the players about life, not just Cricket.
Warne just wanted to get Wickets, knock back a few tins, have a dart and enjoy the nightlife.
The two didn’t get along but managed to get results in arguably Australia’s greatest era of international Cricket.
Derek Kickett and Kevin Sheedy
In their 1993 premiership year, Derek Kickett had played every single game for Essendon – except for when he was dropped for the Grand Final against Carlton due to poor form. Kickett left the Bombers after ’93 and headed to the Sydney Swans.
When playing against Essendon for the first time, Kickett publicly declared that “I hate his guts” when speaking about his former coach. Both Kickett and Sheedy didn’t speak to each other for another 25 years until they decided to bury the hatchet on one of the longest feuds in Australian Rules Football.
EXCLUSIVE: Derek Kickett talks to Kevin Sheedy on @marngrook ‘s #SirDougNichollsRound show! #ReconciliationWeek #marngrook @EssendonFC @AFLcomau @NITV @SBSSport @SBS #DonTheSash pic.twitter.com/3N9kGPuYEv
— Marngrook Footy Show (@marngrook) May 30, 2018
David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson
While it wasn’t a public outburst, Becks and Fergie had their differences.
During their time at Manchester United, Sir Alex considered Beck’s highly public and high profile relationship with Posh Spice to be a distraction from Football and the team.
This called friction in the relationship causing Ferguson to sell Beckham as their relationship was untenable after he kicked a shoe in an argument between the two. The shoe hit Beckham above his eye, resulting in stitches.
Carlos Tevez and Roberto Mancini
Another testy relationship yet again featuring Roberto Mancini, this time with Carlos Tevez at Manchester City.
The two had numerous tiffs over their time together but the stand out was during a Champions League match against Bayern Munich when Tevez refused to be subbed off.
Mancini was visibly furious during the game and declared that for as long he was running the show at City,
Tevez would never play again and tried to convince the owners that this was a good idea. Tevez played at City for the next 18 months before leaving in 2013.
Joe Torre and A-Rod
The New York Yankees have had their fair share of feuds over the years but one of the standouts is the one between former manager Joe Tore and Alex Rodriguez. Baseball fans could sense the tension between the two but the details came to a light when Torre’s book “The Yankee Years” was published in 2009.
The former skipper got stuck into A-Rod for being “…selfish and not being able to step up his play during the post-season.” The book also detailed that his Yankee teammates called Rodriguez “A-Fraud” when speaking about him behind his back.
Shane Zantuck and Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi will be remembered for many things, but Shane Zantuck will be remembered for only one – standing up to Ron Barassi after copping a spray at three-quarter time.
Back in 1984, Demons legend, Robbie Flower had to intervene to stop Zantuck having a full-on blue with Ronald Dale.
There are a lot of theories as to how this occurred but the basic gist was Barassi was giving one of his all-time sprays and none of the Melbourne players wanted to look him in the eye, except for Zantuck.
Zantuck wanted to give one back to Barassi, insults were hurled but Robbie Flower prevented it from going all the way. It remains a highlight from the iconic footy documentary “Electrifying 80s”
Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup when Roy Keane was captain of Ireland, he publicly declared his unhappiness with the preparations the team was making in the lead up to the tournament.
This resulted in a falling out with then manager Mick McCarthy and Keane was sent home where it was reported he abused the coach, saying he never rated him as a player or a person.
PJ Carlesimo and Latrell Sprewell
Back in 1997, During Golden State Warriors practice in Oakland, then coach PJ Carlesimo got stuck into two-time All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell for his lazy passes. Sprewell snapped and told Carlesimo that he’d kill them. Carlesimo didn’t back down, Sprewell choked him and teammates had to step in.
After that, Sprewell went back to the locker room, punched Carlesimo and dragged him on the ground. It resulted in Latrell Sprewell receiving a 10 game suspension and being sidelined without pay for the rest of the NBA Season.