Smalling: United Drills Winning Mentality In To Players

Chris Smalling has hailed Manchester United’s winning mentality, claiming that having experienced players like Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand ensures that the younger players know exactly what is expected from them.

“At this club it’s always drilled in to me: ‘Make sure you’re a winner, go about off the pitch like you’re a winner.’ It helps when you have players like Giggsy and Rio who’ve won a lot. You see them side-by-side with you and that really drives you on,” said Smalling. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s the 93rd minute, Giggsy is making his jinky, mazy little runs. You could forgive him for maybe not coming out training every day, because he’s done so much in the game, but every day he’s out there. He doesn’t seem to need a rest. He’s not one of the noisiest ones in the dressing room but as we come in from the warm-up, he goes round, talks to everybody, gives them little information or says ‘good luck’. He’s very mellow. If one of the young lads might be nervous, it’s nice to see someone not getting too pumped up. When you see Ryan like that it chills you out.”