Sir Alex Ferguson has finished his media press launch of his new autobiography in London, with the embargoed lifted quotes and passages from his latest book, which is due to be released on Thursday, can now be released.
Below is just brief highlights and extracts from the book, if anything just to gear you up for when you read the full edition of Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography.
Sir Alex Ferguson On Roy Keane:
‘I believe that Roy Keane’s behaviour pattern changed when he realised he was no longer the Roy Keane of old.
‘Acting on a conviction that some of his strengths had been stolen from him by injury and age we tried to change his job description.
‘I think he could see the truth of what we were saying to him, but to surrender to it was too damaging to his pride.
‘When we were embroiled in an argument once, Roy said to me “you’ve changed”. I replied: “Roy, I will have changed, because today is not yesterday. It’s a different work we’re in now. We have players from 20 countries in here. You say I’ve changed? I would never have survived if I hadn’t changed.”
‘He said: “You’re not the same man.” We had a real set-to. A proper argument. I told him he was out of order.
Sir Alex Ferguson On Wayne Rooney transfer from Everton:
‘It was Aug 2004 and we had just played Everton. Bill Kenwright was crying. As we studied the Everton chairman in his sorrow, he announced that he would like to make a call. Through his tears, Bill said: “I’ll need to phone my mother.”
“They’re stealing our boy, they’re stealing our boy,” he said down the line. Then he passed the phone to me. “Don’t you dare think you’re getting that boy for nothing.That boy’s worth £50m,” said a female voice.
Wonderful. “This is a trick, this,” I laughed. “Is this a game?” But it was real.’
Sir Alex Ferguson On Rooney’s (2013/14) transfer request:
‘He came in to my office the day after we won the league (2013) and asked away. He wasn’t happy with being left out for some games and subbed in others.
‘His agent Paul Stretford phoned David Gill with the same message.
‘All players are different. Some are happy to stay at the same club their whole careers; others need fresh challenges, as Van Persie felt when he joined us from Arsenal.
‘The urge to fight and flourish would not be extinguished in Wayne. I left him to discuss his future with David Moyes, hoping to see many great performances from him at Old Trafford.’
Sir Alex Ferguson On David Beckham:
‘David Beckham thought he was bigger than Sir Alex Ferguson. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Alex Ferguson or Pete the Plumber.
‘The name of the manager is irrelevant. The authority is what counts. You cannot have a player taking over a dressing room. Many tried.
‘The focus of authority at Manchester United is the manager’s office. That was the death knell for him.’
Sir Alex Ferguson On Manchester United FC:
‘Is there any club in the world that can give you more heart stopping moments than Manchester United?
‘In any set of programme notes I might have warned the supporters; if we’re losing 1-0 with 20 minutes to go, go home, or you might end up being carried out. You could finish up in Manchester Royal Infirmary.
‘I hope no one will disagree when I say: nobody was short-changed. It was never dull.’
Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography is available to order now, released in stores on Thursday 24th October 2013.
