The build up to the launch of Alex Ferguson’s book today has been pretty intense and it seems like the book is as explosive as the manager’s famed temper.
While we speculated earlier what might be in the book, that was of course tongue in cheek, and we have been getting excerpts from the Fergie bible from those fortunate to get their hands on a copy.
Fergie would have expected a whole host of questions on a wide range of topics including Wayne Rooney, Roy Keane, David Moyes, Rafa Benitez, the current plight of the team and David Moyes, but it’s doubtful he was banking of the first question from the media.
The first question at Sir Alex Ferguson’s book launch is about Chinese football. That’s what fans have been hanging on to hear about.
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) October 22, 2013
Stand-out revelation from Alex Ferguson’s autobiography: “I had a lovely painting in my office that Kieran Richardson did.”
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) October 22, 2013
Roy Keane
While we thought Wayne Rooney would come in for a tongue lashing, it is Roy Keane who perhaps gets the hairdryer treatment, whom he labels a “disgrace”. And speaking of tongues, even Fergie says he was taken aback by Roy’s behaviour at times, calling him frightening at times.
“The hardest past of Roy’s body is his tongue,” he wrote. “It was frightening to watch. And I’m from Glasgow.”
Fergie added that the famous MUTV interview was a “disgrace”, with Keane assuming managerial responsibilities and a decision was made to sell the Cork man with the Glazers’s backing.
While the two had a thawing of tensions when he visited the training ground several months later and apologised, they agreed never to speak publicly about the incident, but that Keane reneged on this in a Sunday Times interview in 2011.
Wayne Rooney
While he still remains defiant about Rooney handing in a transfer request, he also revealed that the former Everton striker urged his boss to sign Mesut Ozil after the 2010 World Cup, to which Fergie responded that it was “none of his business”.
He also said that he wasn’t the quickest learner.
Jose and his appalling wine
Fergie is keen to stress the two have a good relationship, even admitting that he went too far in his criticism of Mourinho after United had met his Porto team in the Champions League last 16 first-leg in 2003-04. The two shared a glass of wine after the shock defeat, a tradition they continued.
He added found the wine appalling at Stamford Bridge and he told Roman Abramovich so. The following week, he took delivery of a case of Tignanello from the Russian.
Arsene Wenger and Pizzagate
Fergie does acknowledge that the away from the game, they can discuss wine and he is a diligent “member of our trade”.
While they got off to a good start personally, Pizzagate changed things when Fergie was hit with the food missile and the Scot thinks that the defeat, which ended Arsenal’s 49 game unbeaten run, “scrambled Arsene’s brain”.
He mentions a soft centre that Wenger possesses, while also feeling pity for his plight during the 8-2 Old Trafford defeat. Jack Wilshere he believes is the only one “truly homegrown” player.
Celebrity Becks
There isn’t too much regret in the book, but David Beckham appears to be one of them. He was a father-like figure for Becks, but says his head was turned by the celebrity lifestyle, telling the story of how the Beckham camp tipped off dozens of photographers about one of his new haircuts.
No mention of Victoria at all, but the silence is deafening while he added there was no footballing reason for Becks joining the LA Galaxy.
Saipan
Yep, Fergie goes there and confirms that he had convinced Keane to make his peace with Mick McCarthy but Mick’s press conference scuppered that plan. Ah jaysus.
Rafa Benitez
Fergie on Benitez: ‘Mistake he made was to turn rivalry personal. Once you made it personal you had no chance … I had success on my side’
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceIndy) October 22, 2013
Fergie on Benitez: ‘So, on TV Benitez puts his glasses on & produces this sheet of paper. Facts. The facts were all wrong.’
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceIndy) October 22, 2013
Luis Suarez race row
“Liverpool wore those T-shirts supporting Suarez, which I thought was the most ridiculous thing for a club of Liverpool’s stature.
“I think Kenny [Dalglish] was falling back on the chip on the shoulder. The problem I felt was there was no Peter Robinson at Liverpool. He would never have allowed the situation to be handled like it was.
“The young directors there idolised Kenny and there was no-one to say: ‘Hey, behave yourself, this is out of order, this is Liverpool Football Club.”
Vidic
“Vidic was a dour, uncompromising sod. He was a proud Serb. In 2009, he came to see me to say he might be getting called up…
“‘What do you mean, called up?’ I said, alarmed. ‘Kosovo. I am going,’ he said. ‘It’s my duty.’ He had the eyes for it.”
On Lampard and Gerrard
“Lampard, for me, was a marvellous servant for Chelsea. But I didn’t think of him as an elite international footballer. And I’m one of the few who felt Gerrard was not a top, top player.”
We’ll keep adding more updates as we get them, so check back here…
