Sir Alex Ferguson admits his exasperation at dealing with ‘cocooned’ players
Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, believes that modern-day footballers need
to toughen up and learn to admit their mistakes after claiming that the hardest part of his
job is dealing with “fragile” and “cocooned” players.
As the son of a Govan shipbuilder and a former shop steward who once led an unofficial
walkout over pay, the notion of a hard-edged character such as Ferguson being able to
sympathise genuinely with the pampered stars of today is an intriguing if uneasy one.
It says much about his strengths as a manager that he has been able to cultivate his
approach as players have become ever more demanding over the years, but the adjustments he
has had to make are clearly ones that have not come easily to him.
Asked what the most difficult aspect of his job is these days, Ferguson said: “Today? It’s
a different player character we’ve got today, it’s a player who’s more fragile than
players 25 years ago.
“They are maybe more cocooned today by the agents or the press they receive at times. They
’re less likely to hold their hands up and say they’re at fault for things.”
Only last week Ferguson had to contend with Nani, the United winger who has failed to make
an impact at the club, complaining about how the manager was “breaking” his confidence and
making him “sadder by the day” for not starting him in the big matches.
Nani also accused Ferguson of being a “very complicated guy” and said that “he can go
from complimenting you to plain trashing you in a question of minutes” in the dressing
room.
Whether the Portugal player survives much longer at Old Trafford remains to be seen, but
although Ferguson has learnt to put an arm around the shoulders of his more sensitive
players when the need arises, it is far removed from how things used to be when football was
populated more by no-nonsense characters.
“If you go back 30 years, you had a player with a certain pride, a responsibility for their
own performance,” the United manager said. “They were less protected so they could come in
and say, ‘Hands up, it was my fault,’ and that was good.
“But today they are very protected, more fragile than ever, and that’s a lot to do with
the type of people who guide them, like agents.”
While Ferguson would like players to take more personal responsibility, there is no
disguising his contempt for the power that agents now hold.
Speaking on Tuesday at an inaugural dinner of the League Managers Association Hall of Fame
1,000 Club, which celebrated the 18 men who have managed in more than 1,000 domestic league
and cup matches, Ferguson said: “We had a young boy get in the England Under-21s. His agent
phoned up the next day and said, ‘I think it’s time we sat down for a new contract.’
“In his mind he thought that getting into the under-21s demanded a new contract. I said, ‘
Well, let’s see how he plays for Manchester United.’ But that’s the way the world is. Now
it’s all conducted by agents phoning the chairman or chief executive. They conduct most
transfers; it’s not right. I’ve had to handle that, it’s the new way.”
If Chelsea beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, United
will be eight points adrift of the Barclays Premier League leaders by the time they face
Everton at Old Trafford in the evening kick-off.
With Liverpool floundering, Ferguson believes that one of Manchester City, Tottenham
Hotspur, Aston Villa or Everton could “break into the top four” this season, but he
expects the title race to come down to a straight fight between two teams.
“The top teams are losing games and more points in the early part of the season more than
ever and that gives rise to the hope that it will be a very competitive league,” he said.
“But my experience tells me that two teams will eventually break away.” |