What Sir Alex Ferguson achieved in his 26 years in charge of Manchester United was nothing short of extraordinary.
The fiery Scot took over in 1986 and proceeded to lead the Red Devils to their most successful era, winning the Premier League 13 times and adding two Champions League trophies.
Indeed, the aftermath of his retirement in 2013 has served only to enhance his reputation. David Moyes and Louis van Gaal didn’t come close to Ferguson’s achievements.
It’s the relationships he forged with his players that many are interested in talking about. Much is made about his often heated battles with David Beckham, while Ferguson is deservedly credited as the man who steered Cristiano Ronaldo to greatness.
But even lesser names will never forget their interactions with Ferguson.
Rio Ferdinand revealed on the Clare Balding Show this week that the manager would come to a player’s room to let them know they were being dropped.
Initially annoyed, Ferdinand realised that Ferguson actually respected him after informing him that he wouldn’t play in a match against Liverpool.
Ferguson was always viewed as a tempestuous character and his tendency to deliver the hairdryer treatment always boosted that notion.
But as Ferdinand revealed when asked to name which players were most afraid of Ferguson, there were some inside the dressing room who always managed to avoid his wrath.
Ferguson would never shout at Scholes, apparently. The midfield maestro would even get congratulated when he was sent off!
“Well, Darren Fletcher was like his son, so he wasn’t. Used to go round for Sunday roasts,” Ferdinand said.
“Gary Neville was like his teacher’s pet a little bit.
“Scholesy he never, ever said anything about. Scholesy would get sent off and he said ‘well played’.
“Giggsy used to get a bit of brief every now and then because Giggsy was the most experienced one and if he shouted at Giggsy it meant he was an example to everyone else.
“You weren’t scared of the gaffer because he had a good way about him.
“It’s then when it comes to that switch of the passion and desire to be successful within a changing room, where he turns the head on you and goes ‘right’ and he goes for you.
“That’s when the fear does come into some people.”
Ferdinand would go on to reveal how Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to Ferguson telling him: ‘You’re not a one-man team.’ Click HERE to watch that.