Ferguson's book press conference - Beckham, Keane, Benitez, Hargreaves and England job

David Beckham

Beckham “surrendered a part of his career” by joining LA Galaxy. “He lost the chance to become an absolute top-dog player… he never attained the level of an absolute top player”

Ferguson on the influences that changed Beckham: “The big problem for me…he fell in love with Victoria and that changed everything. David was the only player I managed who chose to be famous. I felt uncomfortable with the celebrity aspect of his life.”

Beckham had to leave Manchester United because he thought he was “bigger than the manager. You cannot have a player taking over the dressing room.”

Beckham swore at Ferguson before kicking boot at his face in 2003: “He rose to have a go at me and the players stopped him.”

Roy Keane

Fergie on being frightened of Keano’s eyes… “And I’m from Glasgow”. But “the hardest part of Roy’s body is his tongue.”

Ferguson on Keane MUTV interview: “If I’d let it pass, the players would have viewed me differently… Roy absolutely overstepped his mark’

Owen Hargreaves

Hargreaves was a “disaster”: “One of the most disappointing signings of my career.”

Rooney

Rooney told Ferguson in 2010 to sign Mesut Ozil. Ferguson: “My reply was that it was none of his business who we should have gone for.”

England job

Ferguson turned down the England job twice. Once in 1999 when Glen Hoddle was sacked and again in 2000 after Kevin Keegan resigned.

Rafael Benitez

Rafael Benitez is “lucky” and his teams are dull. “The mistake he made was to turn our rivalry personal… I had success on my side. Benitez had more regard for defending and destroying a game than winning it. I found Liverpool hard to watch when he was there.”