Ferguson's tactic to take pressure off Man Utd stars during trophy-laden spell

07 August 2023 , 06:30

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Sir Alex Ferguson and Rene Meulensteen during their time at Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)

Alex Ferguson could be a pressure cooker, as could be confirmed by referees, opposition managers and players, journalists and TV interviewers.

But according to his former first-team coach, Rene Meulensteen, he absorbed all the pressure around his job and kept it from being transferred to his staff.

He wanted to protect them and his players - although he never stopped short of reminding his players of their duty in a red shirt.

"One thing I’d noticed about Sir Alex over the years was that his drive had always remained the same. I am certain that his attitude towards the praise other teams got in comparison with United was that he was never bothered. But his attitude towards the drive he had for his own team had probably changed over the years.

"At the start, he had to rebuild so much of the club that he would have had to have been much more hands-on. By the time I was working as a first-team coach in 2007, he had established United as one of the top clubs in the world. Certainly the club with the most pressure.

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"And yet, on a day-to-day basis, I never felt any of that pressure. Not once. That was purely down to Sir Alex’s management of the players and of the staff. His own expectations and standards were probably higher than those demanded of us from the outside. But he was so relaxed and his attitude to delegation was so trusting.

Rene Meulensteen: United, Sir Alex And Me, published by Reach Sport for £18.99, is on sale August 10th from Amazon and all good book shops

Rene Meulensteen was Fergie's right-hand man (John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

"You might think that delegation would be a transfer of pressure, but that is not even remotely close to being true. It was a routine. He instilled a cultural winning mentality and we all worked together to keep that mentality. Through it all he would always ensure he got the message across – the players had an obligation to entertain the supporters."

Meulensteen started his senior coaching career in Qatar, before moving to England to work in United's academy with the Youth and then the Reserves. After a spell as boss at Brondby, the 59-year-old re-joined the Red Devils, but this time as part of Ferguson's coaching staff.

He was a first-team coach at United for six years before Ferguson retired in 2013. Meulensteen then went across to Russia to work for Anzhi Makhachkala, before enduring spells at Fulham, Maccabi Haifa, Kerala Blasters and in the Australia national set-up, where he is currently an assistant.

Rene Meulensteen: United, Sir Alex And Me, published by Reach Sport for £18.99, is on sale August 10th from Amazon and all good book shops.

Rene Meulensteen