How Alex Ferguson intimidated referees, players

How Alex Ferguson intimidated referees, players

Former Manchester United captain, Gary Neville, has revealed how legendary boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, used to intimidate referees and opposition players.

Ferguson was famous for his mind games: whether it was tapping his watch or making a loaded comment in a post-match interview.

Neville, who played under the Scot for the best part of two decades, has now described one of the intimidation tactics the Scot would use before games.

Speaking on the Quickly Kevin, Will He Score? podcast, he said: "He always used to stand in the tunnel before every single game, outside the dressing room, and shake every single one of our players' hands.

"But I didn't realise until I was captain that what he was doing, he was looking down the tunnel so the opposition players saw him and the referee saw him.

"It's a bit of intimidation. He was an overpowering figure. This idea of winning in the tunnel before you've even gone out on the pitch, there was an element of that with him in terms of the psychology."

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