Sir Alex Ferguson believes young players must ‘make a sacrifice’ if they want to become top players. He provided detailed insight into the key qualities he looked for in rising stars during his legendary career at Manchester United.
The 82-year-old is an icon at Old Trafford after taking United from English strugglers to the top flight of European football during his illustrious 27-year reign at the club.
Ferguson is widely regarded as the best Premier League manager ever. He turned United into 13-time English champions, won the Champions League twice, five FA Cups and countless other major honours.
A key element of his legendary reign was Ferguson’s ability to turn young, promising talents into world-class players, as he did with the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The big Scot had to continually transform United teams during his tenure, which ultimately ended with his retirement in 2013, and has been praised for cultivating success without breaking the bank.
Now Ferguson has provided an extraordinary analysis of how he got the best out of young, emerging stars, particularly United’s famous ‘Class of 92’, which featured a young Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Giggs and David Beckham . burst onto the scene and later won the Treble.
Sir Alex Ferguson has given a fascinating insight into his legendary reign at Manchester United
During his tenure, Ferguson helped transform players like Paul Scholes (left) into world-class players
Ferguson notably transformed United’s famous ‘Class of 92’ (pictured) into serial winners
Ferguson revealed his views on how young players should be carefully guided to avoid the pitfalls of building a career as a professional footballer and explained the responsibility he had to young players in the new Sky Sports documentary Chasing the Dream.
“They would have to make a sacrifice,” Ferguson said. ‘If they want to become a top footballer, that is a privilege in many ways. Many of these young players were fortunate to have the opportunities they got while playing for a club like Manchester United.
‘Making them aware of this at a young age is a job that you really have to pay attention to, make sure they feel that responsibility.
‘I think there is a human quality that some people are destined, with their own determination and possibly their own upbringing, to follow a certain path in life. I think it’s your responsibility to lead them in the same direction I’ve been going.”
‘What I really enjoyed was coaching young children. I enjoyed it and believed in it. “I had a strong belief that this was my path, and I followed that wherever I went,” he added.
Having previously led Aberdeen to unthinkable European success before taking charge of United in 1986, Ferguson was tasked with turning around the club’s fortunes, with youth at the heart of his strategy.
In stark contrast to the club’s record fees since his retirement, the Scot preferred to largely utilize United’s youth system, which has since become one of the best in the world.
Ferguson went on to explain that some young players, such as Beckham, take longer to become a first-team player, unlike Giggs and Scholes who went on to become United greats.
Ferguson first saw United legend Ryan Giggs (left) at the age of 14
Ferguson admitted that the likes of David Beckham were “late developers” during his time in charge
He continued: “Some are late developers, like Beckham. Beckham did not join the youth team until he was eighteen. When you get a gem like Giggs or Scholes it stares you in the face.
‘With Giggs we had a steward at the club who came to me and said: ‘There’s a young boy training at Manchester City but he’s a United fan. You’ve got to get hold of him.’ We brought him straight onto the training pitch, did a practice match against Viv Anderson, and Viv shouted: “Can I kick him? Can I tackle him?” And I said, “Don’t you dare touch him! He’s only 14!”
‘Paul Scholes was an incredibly young player. You get diamonds like that. The Neville’s – always hardworking, always making a big sacrifice to be a footballer. Nicky Butt – determined young lad, who will always make it.
‘You also have a responsibility to give them the right guidance, to be strong in the path you take with them… play for Manchester United, play in front of 75,000 spectators, play in the cup final, play for your own country – this are all the stepping stones for which you guide them,” he added.
Chasing the Dream is available on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Football, and on demand from Sunday 24 November.