paul nicholls
Paul Nicholls has made a conclusive admission about the state of Man Utd under Ruben Amorim
Legendary horse trainer and ally of Sir Alex Ferguson, Paul Nicholls, has compared his current situation to that of ManchesterUnited under Ruben Amorim.
The Red Devils have limped through their current campaign, with new boss Amorim unable to rally his troops, who sit a dismal 14th in the Premier League and exited the FA Cup last week at the hands of Fulham. Fingers have been pointed at a range of culprits, with some believing that the once-great club's recruitment has been a catalyst for misery and others blaming members of the present uninspiring squad.
Now, 14-time champion handler Nicholls, who trains a plethora of horses owned by Ferguson, has made a sympathetic analogy regarding his current below-par cohort of animals and United's poor transfer policy.
"I feel like I'm a little bit like Man United at the moment, a little bit. We've sort of got a squad that needs strengthening up, and we haven't had the best season. You can say the same with Man United," began Betfair ambassador Nicholls in an exclusive chat with Mirror Racing.
Nicholls was once the premier trainer in British National Hunt racing. From 2006 until 2016, he claimed all but one Champion Trainer title - winning a trio of Cheltenham Gold Cups with Kauto Star and Denman timeframe and a Grand National in 2012 with Neptune Collonges.
However, as of late, the Ditcheat supremo's squad has thinned, and, much like Amorim's United, he finds himself off the pace and with a seldom-before-experienced underwhelming crop of talent.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, right, and trainer Paul Nicholls watch their horse Rainy City compete in The St Patricks Day Derby on March 12, 2015
Nicholls and Ferguson have struck up a strong relationship
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Image:
Corbis/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
"He [Ferguson] always used to say, 'Well, no team can win the Premiership every single season,' and 'You're only as good as the players you've got.' And I think that our buying policy over the last few years hasn't been great, and the same with the football team.
"I'm always saying, like now, if we've got plenty of horses around, 'He's on the transfer list.' That's my saying, 'He's on the transfer list. That's definitely on the transfer list.' So we've got to improve that and do things to get the best players again. So that's what we're working on at the moment."
Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two Champions League trophies during his widely successful stint commanding United, seems to have seen his unquenchable thirst to win rub off on Nicholls - who admits that he isn't in the game just to take part with the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching.
"Man United's a big team of people involved in it all, and about the same as it is in a stable, really," Nicholls admitted. "And everyone's involved. Everyone puts a lot into it, so you want it done right.
"He [Ferguson] was a winner, he's a born winner, and that's what it's all about. His winning mentality shone to the fore, didn't it? My view of sport is you want to win, that's why we're doing it, you want to win.
"It's great taking part, but I'm not in it to take part. I want to win. So does my team, so does Harry Cobden, so did Alec. You've got to be a winner. Not at all costs, but you want to be a winner."
To hear more from Betfair Ambassadors Paul Nicholls and Rachael Blackmore watch them on Betfair's Racing… Only Bettor podcast Cheltenham preview special now here.
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