Quick, someone check if hell has frozen over.
Because next to making up with Roy Keane, this is the last thing we’d ever have expected from Alex Ferguson.
The former Manchester United manager has admitted that his infamous ‘hairdryer’ treatment, hard-line approach to discipline may have cost the club league titles.
Ferguson had disputes with former United players who he felt challenged his control, such as Jaap Stam, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Keane, and it usually ended with the player leaving Old Trafford.
“People will give a manager plenty of opportunities to crack the whip so it’s best to pick and choose your moments,” Ferguson writes in his new book, Leading.
“You don’t have to dish out a punishment very often before everyone gets the message.”
“I place discipline above all else and it might have cost us several titles. But if I had to repeat things I’d do it precisely the same because discipline has to come before anything else.”
Sir Alex: DisciplineThe first of our exclusive audio extracts from Sir Alex’s new book, Leading, features the former United manager reflecting on the importance of discipline…Pre-order the book (out 22 September): www.manutd.com/leading
Posted by Manchester United on Friday, 4 September 2015
Ferguson also conceded that discipline was central to his working approach, so while it may have cost United a few titles, it was also central to the Scot’s managerial success.
“Discipline was drummed into me from an early age. On school days my dad would alwas shake my leg promptly at 6am. Maybe that’s why, a couple of decades later as manager, I got into the habit of appearing for work before the milkman arrived.”
However, with Ferguson admitting he made a mistake, surely it’s only a matter of time before he and Keane are pals again?
H/T The Daily Telegraph.
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