Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that whilst he still loses his temper with players, he has mellowed as he has got older. Not because of his old age but because of the changing nature of players.
“There is nothing wrong with losing your temper if it’s for the right reasons,” said Ferguson. “But I never leave it till the next day. Some managers wait till Monday but I want to let it go after the game because I’m already planning for the next one. Once I let it go, I don’t bring it up again. My strength has to be obvious for all to see. I have mellowed a great deal. The world has changed and so have players’ attitudes. I’m dealing with more fragile human beings than I used to be. They are cocooned by parents, agents, even their own image at times. They need to be seen with their tattoos and earrings. It’s a different world for me so I have had to adapt. Some players even cry now in the dressing room – Bryan Robson never used to cry.”