Sheringham: Loving Life At 41

Edward Paul Sheringham is, without doubt, one of the finest footballers of his generation and Vital Colchester were fortunate enough to meet him as he signed for Colchester United in 2007.

Last month, he spoke to The Times about why he`s still in the game at 41. Vital U`s picks out some of the best quotes from the piece…

“It`s rubbish, mate. I was approached to do it. My agent said, ‘Why don`t you write a book? You`re coming to the end of your career at 31`.” – Sheringham on his now ten-year-old autobiography.

“We thought we were going to have exactly the same season, but there wasn`t the same commitment. There was a lot of whingeing going on about not playing in the right position and little things like that – we got ourselves into a very sticky predicament.” – On West Ham`s demise after one good season in the top-flight and an FA Cup Final appearance under Alan Pardew.

“Pardew wanted to take me to Charlton just before the [winter transfer] deadline but he [Curbishley] wouldn`t let me go. He said, ‘If you go there and score the goals that keep them up and we go down, that won`t look good on me`. I said, ‘Well, if you are worried I will score goals, why don`t you play me?`‘ – Teddy on a life in limbo during last season`s exile at Upton Park.

“That first game at Sheffield is the reason I`m still playing,” he says. “English football isn`t all about producing glorious football. It`s about battling and digging in and looking after your mate.‘ – Sheringham describes his Colchester debut.

“Life is not about what people think. People can think what they want and talk about your girl and your lifestyle, but if you`re not happy when you shut the front door, what does it matter? You`ve got to do what makes you happy because you only get one life.” – His justification for choosing Colchester over Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

“The European Cup winner`s medal,” he says. “It`s funny, but I was going to say that [he points to the 2001 PFA Player of the Year Trophy] because it`s voted by all of the players in your profession, but it`s all about winning things as a team.” – The famous number eight on his best career medal.

Quotes found in: The Big Interview, Sunday Times, September 30th 2007

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