Watford keeper Ben Foster has spoken about the best and worst players he played with – and against – in a Q&A, declaring Diego Costa the most horrible opponent he had ever faced.
The 37-year-old, who has played for four different Premier League clubs starting with Manchester United some 16 years ago, has a host of experiences when looking back at the teammates and opponents he has faced.
It was at Old Trafford that he played alongside both the worst trainer he ever encountered and the biggest hardman, while former Chelsea forward Costa is the player that stands out as his most irritating adversary.
When asked to name the player he disliked playing against the most in a Q&A, Foster replied: ‘It’s a good question and it’s Diego Costa because he was just a filthy little rat, and he would just snarl and scratch and he wouldn’t leave you alone and he wouldn’t give you a second’s breathe.
‘And do you know what, Luis Suarez was a bit like that as well. He was horrible to play against, he would kick you, he would scratch, he would do anything.
‘But just pure winners, I love those type of players. You want those types of players on your team. Animals!’
Asked to name the hardest player he played with, Foster added: ‘[I was with Roy Keane] only for a little bit and he did scare the life out of me, to be fair. He was a scary bloke.
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‘Nemanja Vidic was a bit of a sicko as well, to be fair. I’d say Nemanja. He would happily put his head on the end of someone’s boot to stop a ball going in. Yeah, sicko.’
When quizzed to name the worst trainer who still played well on matchdays, Foster replied instantly: ‘Carlos Tevez, 100%. He was a shambles in training, it did not interest him whatsoever.
‘He didn’t care, training wasn’t even a thing for him. He was awful. ‘But on a Saturday afternoon though, oh my gosh, what a player. Just that winning mentality, gave everything he had and was an unbelievable talent on the pitch on a Saturday afternoon.’
On Van der Sar, he added: ‘The guy was just the most casual bloke ever. Sometimes he’d come out for training, might only be out there for 10 minutes, he’d catch a few balls and go, “I’m going to go in now alright”. And everyone would just go, “Yeah that’s fine mate”. And he would just be the man again on Saturday afternoon, what a guy. Ran the show.’
