In between indulging in his post-football love of poker, Sport.co.uk were fortunate enough to grab a moment with Manchester United, Tottenham and England legend Teddy Sheringham to get his take on the new England captain, John Terry and Wayne Bridge gate, his views on Dimitar Berbatov and the evergreen Ryan Giggs, and the best players he ever played with.
The Premier League title race is hotting up, you’re obviously a betting man, who is your money on?
Always with Man United, always.
A lot has been said about Wayne Rooney recently, but what do you make of his strike partner Dimitar Berbatov, it’s not quite happening for him at the moment?
I’ve not seen an awful lot of him this season, but from what I’ve seen of him on TV and that, I think he’s not really hit it off. I don’t think the Man United fans have really taken to him that much. I think they like someone that proves that they’re showing all their worth like the work that Rooney does or that Tevez used to do.
I think they like that type of player that really goes with the way they think and Berbatov is not really like that. He is more of a touch player, more of a class player. I think the players like playing with him from what I can see, but I still think he has a little bit to prove let’s put it that way. I don’t think he is the finished article at Old Trafford yet. But I must say I love the way he plays football and I can understand the way he pays football.
He looks a bit shy of confidence from the player that graced White Hart Lane. You made a similar move from Tottenham to Manchester United, how hard is it to adjust?
There is a massive difference playing for Man United than anybody else, the way I see it. The demands on your body playing for Man United, you have to win every game and that doesn’t happen at any other club. Obviously it’s beginning to happen at Chelsea and maybe a little bit at Arsenal, but for Man United you have to win every single game and if you don’t people love it. That’s puts a huge burden on you, physically and mentally.
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Teddy Sheringham during his Manchester United days.
Ryan Giggs and Pauls Scholes are still instrumental players for Sir Alex Ferguson, what are your memories of playing with them and why are they so special?
First and foremost they are both fantastic players, unbelievable players. I think Sir Alex has treated them right and although they probably don’t agree, what with being dropped and put back in, and left out at the right times, it’s probably doing their bodies the world of good what with the demands of playing every game.
Even though those two in particular will want to play all the time, they are being used in the best way, and I’m sure they could continue for a couple of years yet. The manager has seen it all before and knows they can’t keep playing week in week out. As for them as players, they are probably two of the best I have come across in all my time playing football. The both of them would be up there in my top five.
On that note, who would be the best player you ever played with?
Well Paul Gascoigne was fantastic on his day when he was playing for England.
Roy Keane was up there for his drive and commitment and will to win, a brilliant leader of men at Manchester United.
I would also put Darren Anderton up there, who was absolutely fantastic. He could do anything with a football. A very underrated one but a player who was idolised at Spurs. He could have easily fitted in to that Manchester United team that played so well.
Who is the toughest opponent you came up against?
I always used to have a tough time up against Fabio Cannavaro for Italy.
Tony Adams was always a fantastic player and I loved playing with him for England, and I knew how good he was when I played against him.
Brazil were always a tougher back four then they are often given credit for. They were always rough and ready and extremely hard to break down, but that may have been down to how good the rest of their team was, as we wouldn’t get the ball that much. They are a lot tougher then people given them credit for.
Speaking of Tony Adams, Rio Ferdinand has just been made the new England captain, what do you make of his appointment?
He is another player that has come under Sir Alex Ferguson’s wing and grown in playing ability, grown in stature and maturity, and he fully deserves to be England captain the way I see it. Again he is a proper leader who knows his stuff. He is also a fantastic player and it's a great accolade to take over the England captaincy.
Who was the most inspirational captain you played under?
Keaney (Roy Keane) would definitely be the best captain I played with at club level and Tony Adams as a leader of men for England.
A lot has been made of the captaincy recently, do you think it is overrated role?
No I don’t, not at all. I think it is a very demanding role and I think you need to have the best man in charge.
Will the John Terry scandal have any bearing on England’s World Cup?
I think it will have a bearing, but I’m not sure in what way. I’ve got to be honest I wouldn’t have sacked him, no way. We are talking about football matters. Once it all gets done and dusted and things die down you want the best man in charge going into the World Cup.
If Capello thought John Terry was his main man six months ago, you would like to think he should be the main man until the World Cup. The Terry-Bridge thing is still going to be an issue because he is still going to be playing.
You and Andy Cole famously didn’t get on at Manchester United, but it never affected you on the pitch, will the Terry and Bridge issue be a problem during a World Cup?
If they are both in the squad, it’s going to be a distraction anyway, so why not have him as captain. I really don’t understand it.
Next week it’s AC Milan against Manchester United in the Champions League, how do you see that tie going?
I would fully expect Manchester United to come out on top of that. I think it’s going to be very tough; it’s always tough going to Italy. But United are looking good at the moment and it’s a great time to be playing them for Sir Alex Ferguson. I fully expect Man United to come through that one.
The build up will be dominated by David Beckham, do you think Capello should take him to the World Cup?
I think he probably will yes, he is in the squad now and he should be in the squad. If he is playing regular football for the next few months he will go to the World Cup. I wouldn’t start him, I think Aaron Lennon has come on and looked fantastic in that position, he would be my first choice but throw Becks in the squad. Going into the last 10-15 minutes of a game needing a goal, who better to bring on then someone like him?
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Sheringham in action on England duty aganst Argentina in 2002.
Obviously Lennon has been brilliant for Spurs this season but do you think they can qualify for the Champions League?
Probably not, I see them just finishing outside those places, but I do like the way they are playing football and I think they are a fantastic team. They keep getting close but they too often fall down against teams they should be beating. If they had won games they should have done on paper this year, they would be right in there. Last night’s game for example is one they needed to take something out of, but they keep losing them and more importantly not even drawing them.
Since quitting the game you have got heavily involved with the poker scene; during your playing career was it something you were in to?
Yeah it really was. I always played cards whether it be Kaluki or Three Card Brag and then poker came in at the end of my career. I really enjoyed it with the lads and have carried on playing ever since. I didn’t play poker with the England a lot, we used to play a lot of Three Card Brag. There were always a few players right up for that, and then poker came in much later towards the end of my career.
What is it about poker that so attracts you to it; are there any parallels between the mental and competitive side of it and football?
Yeah the competitive side of it is very big actually and that is probably why I like it. It’s another way of being competitive. I play a lot of golf still and I just love playing competitive games and poker is certainly part of that now.
Have any sportsmen impressed you at the poker table or left you out of pocket?
The only one for me would be Tony Cascarino. He has played it a lot over the years and he seems to take my money on a regular basis.
Teddy was speaking to us from the PokerStars UK and Ireland Poker Tour in Manchester where he is playing from Feb 11 – 14. To find out more information or follow Teddy’s progress please visit www.pokerstars.com/ukipt