On-song striker Robin van Persie believes ‘conductor’ Sir Alex Ferguson struck the right chord in training to help Manchester United reach perfect harmony last season.
The Dutchman fired 30 goals as the Red Devils recorded a 20th league title and Ferguson’s last-ever trophy.
And van Persie insists Ferguson – backed up by first-team coach Rene Meulensteen – provided the x-factor with his coaching sessions.
“I loved the way Sir Alex and the coach Rene Meulensteen prepared us for matches,” van Persie told The Mirror. “They would design training sessions to suit both the team and the individual.
“It was like being a musician in an orchestra. We had a conductor and when everybody did his job the way he was expected to do it, the end product was fantastic.
“We used to train all week on a certain pattern with our attacking play.
“Every detail had to be right, but if we scored on Saturday using the things we had learned in training then the joy was incredible.”
Though he will turn 30 before United kick-off their first campaign under new boss David Moyes, the van Persie man still strives to improve.
In fact, the ex-Arsenal man makes sure to watch himself back on television each week in an effort to fine-tune his game.
“I may be 29 now, but everything I do in training is tailored so that I can become a better footballer,” he added.
“That includes watching DVDs of myself. I started doing it when I was at Arsenal.
“Steve Rowley, who is the head of scouting at the club, used to make me a DVD of all my actions from every game.
“I would collect a new one every Monday morning and I could not wait to watch it.
“It enabled me to study both my good moments and my bad moments in every game I played.
“When I was younger, that kind of attention to detail was not possible.”
Image courtesy of Sky Sports, via YouTube, with thanks.
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