Modern day footballers are a bunch of prima donnas who we have to walk on eggshells around – that’s the verdict from Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former Manchester United boss believes in his 26-year tenure he saw a dramatic change in how players acted – and had to alter how he dealt with them.
Famed for his ‘hairdryer treatment’, Sir Alex claims he was forced to tame his temper in the latter stages of his career.
“The human beings I’ve dealt with are far more fragile than the human beings of 30 years ago,” Sir Alex said.
“And I say that in a good sense because they’re coming from better conditions. I couldn’t lose my temper the way I did back then with people nowadays.
“Sometimes it’s about inspiring to make players better than they are and the best that they could have been.”
While in charge of the Red Devils the Scot won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League two UEFA Champions League titles.
However his successor David Moyes has struggled since Ferguson’s retirement and has received heavy criticism for the Red Devils below-par start to the campaign.
The champions currently sit in a disappointing ninth place in the Premier League and will have to significantly improve if they are to attain their goal of back to back titles.
Sir Alex Ferguson has told Moyes that the key to success at Old Trafford is harmony throughout the club, especially in hard times.
“Three things are very important when you are working with them [coaching staff] – work ethic, loyalty, philosophy,” said Ferguson during the 10th Uefa Coach Education Workshop in Budapest.
“You all have to be singing the same tune, no matter how bad the tune is. It’s important that your people agree with you and the way that we at United wanted to play, that was very important.”
Image courtesy of YahooUK video, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
