Sir Alex Ferguson knew how to deal with young players.
The legendary Manchester United manager simply wouldn’t tolerate any indiscipline or disrespect from the younger players of his squad, which so frequently comes about following the achievement of fame and fortune.
Ferguson made a point of maintaining a sense of level-headedness in the dressing room and one of the ways he did that was by implementing an interesting rule about cars.
In a revealing interview from Wayne Rooney, the former United forward discussed what it was like working under the intimidating Scot and he explained why players younger than 25 had to drive modest cars to training.
“When Alex Ferguson was there, if you were under 25 then you couldn’t have a sports car,” Rooney said on talkSPORT.
"Sir Alex embarked on a mission!" https://t.co/2vgmVYVT2X
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) September 4, 2017
“It is little things like that to have that discipline which the older players can help with.”
Rooney went on to confirm what we already knew about Ferguson’s infamous hairdryer treatment, revealing that some players would be reduced to tears after finding themselves on the receiving end of a dressing down from the manager.
“Fergie was the best. He never complicated anything,” Rooney said.
“Nowadays sometimes there is a bit too much information and a bit too much thought going into it. Sometimes you just need a ‘we’re better than you’ moment. He had the balance right. His man management was second to none. He knew the players he could have a go at and the players to put his arm round.
“I’ve seen players in the dressing room at half time with tears running down their face because a manager has had a go at them and they can’t take it.”
Rooney went on to become United’s top scorer of all time before he left Old Trafford to rejoin boyhood club Everton in the summer but his legendary status with the Red Devils didn’t give him immunity from Fergie’s wrath.
Rooney revealed that he and fellow fan favourite Ryan Giggs were actually the most regularly victimised recipients of the hairdryer treatment.
“I’ve been there myself where Alex Ferguson has had a go at me. It gives me that lift and makes you want it more,” Rooney added.
“Me and Giggs were the two players he had a go at most but I think he knew that when he had a go we were the two who had the character to go out and improve on the performance.”
