LOUIS SAHA
CLUBS
1997-2000 Metz
1999 Newcastle (loan)
2000-04 Fulham
2004-08 Manchester United
2008-12 Everton
2012 Tottenham
2012-13 Sunderland
2013 Lazio
COUNTRY
2004-12 France
If you want to see celebrities, hang around with Louis Saha.
The former Manchester United and Everton striker has suggested meeting FFT at a plush private members’ club in London’s Soho district, and American actress Rose McGowan is chatting with friends at the next table. When we head out to the street for some pictures, our photo shoot is momentarily gatecrashed by a true A-lister: former Crystal Palace striker and manager Dougie Freedman, who walks past obliviously while talking on his Bluetooth headset. Get out of the way, Freedman!
Saha lives down in the south of France these days, but he has made a brief trip back to England as part of his work with AxisStars, the firm he founded after his retirement. It offers advice and services to current and former players, who talk together on a private app.
“We’re not a sports agency,” says the 41-year-old. “We’re just trying to build a safe environment for people if they ever need some advice. There have been too many horrific stories about people who have gone into bankruptcy after playing football. I help to connect them with partners they can trust. It could be agents, lawyers, experts on nutrition or performance – anything. I was lucky to live my dream as a professional, so now I want to help my community and give back what I learned.”
Saha learned plenty during his time as a footballer, and he is ready to talk about a career that spanned six Premier League clubs. The key lesson he picked up? Don’t miss a sitter when your boss is Alex Ferguson…
You went to the famous Clairefontaine academy when you were young. What was that experience like?
Damon Mattiazzo, via Instagram
I really enjoyed it. Training with Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka, I would think, ‘Whoa, those guys are unbelievable and I’m mixing with them’. It helped me to realise that maybe I had the potential to become a professional.
Nicolas was the best talent I ever saw. I’m sure he’ll recognise that I don’t feel he worked as hard as maybe Cristiano Ronaldo or guys like that. He could have been the best player ever – I really rated him. He was just incredible. Thierry was the same, but he got to the point where he managed to fulfil his potential.
Is it true that you scored with the first touch of your senior career, for Metz?
Rhona Wilson, Cheadle
Yeah, I did! It was my birthday too, so it was a special day – all my family were there. I knew maybe
