Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary former manager of Manchester United, was known for his no-nonsense approach and his ability to motivate his players. One story that exemplifies this is when he publicly humiliated two players who went out partying after a derby defeat.
The incident occurred during Robin van Persie’s first season with Manchester United. The team was 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League and were hoping to secure the title with a win against Manchester City. However, they suffered a 2-1 defeat, but still remained 12 points clear.
Most managers would not have made a big deal out of the situation, considering the team’s comfortable lead. However, Sir Alex Ferguson was furious. He called out the two players who had gone out partying after the defeat and plastered photographs of their exploits all over the dressing room walls.
Van Persie revealed in an interview with SoFoot, “The boss got really fired up. Things got extremely heated, as two of the squad had gone out after the defeat. The day after the game Sir Alex had photos put up on the dressing room wall of the two players taken during their night out.”
Ferguson didn’t hold back in front of the entire squad. He pointed at the photos and said, “Boys, if we don’t win the league, it’s because of these two a***holes who opted to go out.” He made it clear that their actions were unacceptable and could jeopardize the team’s chances of winning the title.
Van Persie respected Ferguson’s tough approach and admired his attention to detail. He said, “He’d put up photos documenting where they were, at 2am, 3am, 4am, etc., to underline just how stupid they had been.” Ferguson didn’t stop there; he warned the entire squad that if he heard of any player going out before they had won the league, they would be dropped from the team.
The manager’s message was clear: he didn’t care about a player’s reputation or past achievements. If they didn’t prioritize the team’s goals and put in the necessary effort, they would be sold. This tough stance motivated Van Persie and the rest of the squad to give their all in training and on the pitch.
Van Persie recalled, “After that speech, I had the two hardest training sessions I’ve ever had in my life.” Ferguson’s tough love approach paid off as Manchester United went on to win the title that season. The players understood that their actions had consequences and that they needed to be fully committed to the team’s success.
Despite some struggles towards the end of the season, Manchester United managed to crawl over the finish line and secure the title in Ferguson’s final weeks as manager. They won three of their last nine games under his leadership.
This incident highlights Ferguson’s ability to instill discipline and maintain high standards within his team. He knew when to be tough and when to take the pressure off. His relentless pursuit of success and his refusal to tolerate complacency made him one of the greatest managers in football history.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy at Manchester United is defined by his ability to build winning teams and extract the best from his players. His tough love approach may have been controversial at times, but it undoubtedly produced results. The story of him publicly humiliating two players serves as a reminder of the high expectations he had for his team and his unwavering commitment to success.