Nobody likes living in their parents’ shadow.
For anyone pursuing a career in the same field as one of their parents it can be tough to get people to recognise you for your own work, especially when said parent is one of the greatest in the history of their profession.
Kasper Schmeichel has faced comparisons to his father Peter his whole life. The Manchester United legend won the treble in 1999 and also claimed an unlikely Euro 1992 winners’ medal.
Now 29, the younger Schmeichel probably thought that people would have gotten bored of mentioning his famous father at this stage. But even helping Leicester to the top of the Premier League isn’t enough to shut people up.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, the Danish keeper described a recent encounter with a fan ahead of Leicester’s 3-0 away win over Swansea.
“The guy said, ‘You’re doing well, you’ll never be as good as your dad, though.’
“I said, ‘Thank you, mate, cheers.’
“‘Oh, come on, I’m only having a laugh.’
“I said, ‘Well, have you had your laugh? Are you fine? Good. Can I go now?’
“‘It’s not meant like that’, the guy said.
“I said, ‘Well, explain to me, what is it then?’
“‘I was just having a laugh.’
“I said, ‘Mate, you don’t think I’ve heard that before? I’ve heard that for, what, the last 15 years. Well, you’ve had your laugh. So can I leave please?’
“It turns out like that a lot. People, I don’t know why, they can’t just come over and talk to you, they have to try and have a laugh.
“‘Great save the other day. I think your dad would have caught it, though.’
“‘Brilliant. Cheers, mate,’ I say.
But it’s not just Kasper who is sick of it, as he says his father Peter has taken offence to the comparisons too:
“I have always let it slide, let it slide, let it slide but I have reached the point in my life where I am 29-years-old, I’m a father. I think, ‘No, I’m not going to let it slide any more.’
“My dad hates it, too. And he’s ruthless. We were out for dinner a couple of weeks ago and some guy came over and shook his hand and said, ‘You’re a legend, mate. Your son’s doing well but he’ll never be as good as you.’
“My dad looked at him and said, ‘Just go. You’re going to come here and insult my son and think you’re going to get away with it?’
It’s got to a point now where if you’re going to talk to me, talk to me. Don’t come and try and have a laugh and try and half-insult me. I’m happy to talk to anybody but do it in the right manner. I’m not going to buy into it any more.”
