We may hate him, but fergie; ka: red nose *word censored*, al cohol, twatto, KRUSTY!
and many other unmentionables, recently offered an insight into 'How' he manages players, the team etc...and it made me wonder how his methodology compares to Arsene wengers (the manager we used to love and now (many) feel less affection for....http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... er-1496217
Private business: Fergie reveals dressing-room secrets to Harvard boffins
18 Dec 2012 22:32
Sir Alex Ferguson breaks silence on how he handles players - the evil ones, the fragile ones, the lazy ones - and why he's mellowed!
Sir Alex Ferguson last night revealed the dressing room secrets that have kept him at the top for a quarter of a century.
In an astonishing insight into Ferguson’s managerial philosophy and psychology, the Old Trafford chief spoke openly of his approach to players in the modern era.
Ferguson discussed his determination to keep his team from leaking out until the last minute, the key to ensuring there is no resentment from players who are admitted, the core values he demands and that he must address the toughest issues head-on and never second-guess himself, with the killer maxim: “Never go to bed with doubt.”
In the widest-ranging interview of the past decade, Fergie broke his code of silence to academics from the prestigious Harvard Business School in Boston.
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The Scot, who turns 71 on New Year’s Eve, even did a 40-minute stint in the classroom during a recent trip to the USA.
But his explanation of his attitude, determination and commitment to making United number one all over again shone through as he laid himself up for analysis by one of the world’s leading institutions.
Ferguson said: “Some managers are ‘pleasing managers’. They let the players play 8-a-sides or 10-a-sides - games they enjoy.
“We look at the training sessions as opportunities to learn and improve. The players may think ‘Here we go again’ but it helps to win. The message is simple: we cannot sit still at this club.
“There is no room for criticism on the training field. For a player - and for any human being - there is nothing better than hearing ‘well done’. Those are the two best words ever invented in sports. You don’t need to use superlatives.”
Ferguson, a manager since taking over at East Stirlingshire 1974, clocked up 26 years at Old Trafford last month and accepted he has had to change and adapt himself to ensure the maximum response.
“Players these days have lived more sheltered lives, so they are much more fragile now than 25 years ago,” he added.
“I was very aggressive all those years ago. I am passionate and want to win all the time.
“But today I’m more mellowed - age does that to you. And I can better handle those more fragile players now.”
Not that all players are fragile. Ferguson talked of dealing with players who “have a bit of evil in them” and appeared to have Paul Scholes in mind as he went on: “One of my players has been sent off several times.
“He will do something if he gets the chance - even in training.
“Can I take it out of him? No. Would I want to take it out of him? No. If you take the aggression out of him, he is not himself.
“So you have to accept that there is a certain flaw that is counterbalanced by all the great things he can do.”
For Ferguson, it is about trust, not fear. Although, as he conceded, you can never trust players too much. And must be prepared to remind them who is boss.
“You can’t always come in shouting and screaming,” he said. “That doesn’t work. No one likes to get criticised.
“But in the football dressing room, it’s necessary that you point out your players’ mistakes.
“I do it right after the game. I don’t wait until Monday, I do it, and it’s finished. I’m onto the next match. There is no point in criticizing a player forever.
What, no hairdryer...?
Ferguson continued: “You can’t ever lose control - not when you are dealing with thirty top professionals who are all millionaires.
“If they misbehave, we fine them, but we keep it indoors. And if anyone steps out of my control, that’s them dead.”
No room for doubt there, either, with Ferguson suggesting he was as tough with Wayne Rooney - or Cristiano Ronaldo in the past - as any of the youngsters trying to make a mark.
“When I work with the biggest talents, I tell them that hard work is a talent, too,” Ferguson added. “They need to work harder than anyone else. And if they can no longer bring the discipline that we ask for here at United, they are out.
You can't shout at millionaires.
“I am only interested in players who really want to play for United, and who, like me, are ‘bad losers’.
“You have to get the game out of your system quickly or it becomes an obsession. Win, lose, or draw. We show our face, and keep our dignity. We are Manchester United.”
And to ensure they are Manchester United, Fergie believes he must make his players trust his decisions - even if they are not happy with them.
“We never reveal the team to the players until the day of the game,” he said. “For a three o’clock game, we tell them at one o’clock and before that I speak to the players I’ve left out.
“I do it privately. It’s not easy, but I do them all myself. It is important. I have been dropped from a Cup Final in Scotland as a player at ten past two, so I know what it feels like.
“I’m not ever sure what they are thinking, but I tend to say ‘Look, I might be making a mistake here,’ - I always say that - ‘but I think this is the best team for today’.
“I try to give them a bit of confidence, telling them that it is only tactical, and that there are bigger games coming up.
“But I believe you must make quick decisions and move on. Why should I go to my bed with a doubt?”
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THE PRE- MATCH TALK:
"I once heard a coach start with 'This must be the 1000th team talk I've had with you,' and saw a player quickly responding with 'And I've slept through half of them!'
"So I like to tell different stories, and use my imagination.
"Generally, it is about our expectations, their belief in themselves, and their trust in each other.
"I remember going to see Andrea Bocelli, the opera singer. I had never been to a classical concert in my life.
"But I am watching this and thinking about the coordination and the teamwork, one starts and one stops, just fantastic. So I spoke to my players about the orchestra - how they are a perfect team."
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TACTICS:
"Tactics can change depending on whom we are playing.
"I tend to concentrate on one or two players of my opponents - the ones that are the most influential.
"Who's the guy who is taking all the free-kicks? Who's the guy who's on the ball all the time? Who's the one urging everyone on? The rest of the time I concentrate on our own team.
"On Friday we take our players through a video analysis of our opponents: their strengths, their weaknesses, their set pieces, what their team is likely to be, and so on.
"Then on Saturday, we might give them another, shorter version - just a recap of the previous day."
HALF-TIME:
"There are maybe eight minutes between you coming up through the tunnel and the referees calling you up on the pitch again, so it is vital to use the time well.
"Everything is easier when you are winning: you talk about concentrating, not getting complacent, and small things you can address.
"But when you are losing, you know that you are going to have to make an impact.
"The last few minutes of the first half I'm always thinking of what I'm going to say. I'm a little bit in a trance. I am concentrating.
"I don't believe in taking notes. I see other coaches do it, but I don't want to miss any part of the game.
"And I cannot imagine going into the dressing room, looking at my notes, and saying 'Oh in the 30th minute, that pass you took'. I don't think it's going to impress the players."
LOSING THE TITLE TO MAN CITY:
"I've still got a wee bit of anger in me, thinking of how we threw the league away last season.
"It was another day in the history of Manchester United. That's all it was. It created the drama that only United can produce.
"Who would have thought that Blackburn, bottom of the league, would beat us 3-2 at Old Trafford? Or that Everton would draw with us when we were up 4-2 with seven minutes to go?
"My motivation to the players will be that we cant let City beat us twice in a row."
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE V PREMIER LEAGUE:
"It's difficult to marry the two competitions in one season.
"We are in a country where tribalism is rife. There is strong competition between regions and top clubs, with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham based in London, two clubs here in Manchester, and Liverpool.
"That puts tremendous pressure on you to win your league. But the European Cup is the biggest trophy.
"Last season, when we went out in the group phase, I made a mistake. I was playing a lot of the young players.
"Although that had worked in the past we got careless in our games.
"It was a shock, because it was only the third time I've not qualified for the knockout stage. I decided I wouldn't be taking the risks I took in Europe last year."
ETC ETC
