A former Manchester United star has reflected on his decision to leave Old Trafford
A Manchester United squad photo for the 1999/2000 season
A former Manchester United player has reflected on his time at the club
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Former Manchester United goalkeeper Massimo Taibi still regrets leaving Old Trafford. The Italian had been a big-money signing but soon left the club as Sir Alex Ferguson searched for Peter Schmeichel’s successor.
Fresh from United’s treble-winning season, Mark Bosnich was initially promoted to number one, but an early injury saw the club dip into the transfer market. Taibi was signed for a sizeable £4.5million fee after impressing for Venezia.
He was given the daunting task of debuting against Liverpool at Anfield, helping his new team to a 3-2 win. However, this was a rare highlight for Taibi, who later made a high-profile error against Southampton as a weak Matt Le Tissier shot slipped through his legs.
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A 5-0 loss to Chelsea in October 1999 marked United’s first league defeat since December 1998 and proved to be the goalkeeper’s fourth and final game for the club. However, the shot-stopper seemingly went against Ferguson’s advice when joining Reggina on loan in January.
“I was the one who made the mistake of leaving,” Taibi told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I had a family problem in Italy and I was in a hurry to resolve it.”
Describing the decision as a regret, he said: “Yes, I had a four-year contract. I was the best player on the pitch at Liverpool, then I made that mistake [against Chelsea] I was telling you about. Ferguson advised me to learn the language and stay to play my cards right. I was wrong to be impulsive.”
In the first year of the post-Schmeichel era, Taibi was competing against Bosnich and Raimond van der Gouw for game time. Despite conceding 11 goals in four appearances, his sudden move to Reggina meant Taibi was unable to redeem himself, leaving the now 56-year-old to wonder what could have been.
Massimo Taibi
Massimo Taibi recalled his short time at Manchester United(Image: Valentina Giannettoni/LiveMedia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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United ultimately defended the Premier League title after the Italian’s departure. However, Taibi insists that he had a good rapport with Ferguson, even if he did experience the infamous ‘hairdryer treatment’ from the United boss.
“We had a good relationship, even though at half-time of that 5-0 Chelsea-Manchester United game, he gave me a dirty look that I still remember,” Taibi recalled.
"I made a mistake and conceded a goal. At half-time, he turned the locker room upside down; when he got angry, he shook the walls. He took it out on everyone, even me. He looked at me badly and said, 'Massimo, that save...' But he would have kept me on [at the club].”
Taibi joined Reggina permanently for £2.5m in July 2000. Following the club’s relegation from Serie A, he spent four years with Atalanta and also had spells at Torino and Ascoli before retiring in 2009.
Meanwhile, United continued their search for a first-choice goalkeeper, bringing in World Cup winner Fabien Barthez the following season. The France international was Ferguson’s number one for three years, winning two league titles.