‘Why did you do that?’
Alex Ferguson was a big believer in the mental side of things and was fascinated by the psyche of his players, just as much as he was by their footballing ability.
The Manchester United legend managed the club to success after success, and produced some of the greatest players to ever play the game in his regime.
Robbie Brady played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo early in his career.
One story, from the book How to think like Sir Alex Ferguson, perfectly encapsulates the sort of mentality that the Scotsman wanted his players to have.
“I was standing in the canteen queue for my lunch,” said a young Robbie Brady, the Irish footballer who played for Manchester United for six years from the age of 16.
[caption id="attachment_252118" align="alignnone" width="681"]
Robert Brady of Manchester United (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)“Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese player who was since described by Alex Ferguson as the ‘best player I have ever managed,’ had emerged from the shower, and sauntered towards the same queue.
“‘I thought I was being polite,’ Brady recalls. ‘I invited him to join the queue in front of me, and thought no more of it.’
“As he left the canteen he was surprised to be beckoned over by the clearly agitated manager. ‘Why did you do that?’ Ferguson asked. “‘What?’ Asked the nonplus Brady. ‘Let Cristiano into the queue ahead of you?’
[caption id="attachment_252119" align="alignnone" width="1024"](Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
‘I tried to explain that I thought I was being polite,’ laughs Brady, adding what he thought was an obvious caveat.
“‘It is Ronaldo, the best player in the world.’ Ferguson stopped him in his tracks. ‘I want you to think you’re better than him. I want you to believe that you can take his place in the team. I don’t want you to be subservient to him, don’t do it again.’
