Former Manchester United star Nani revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson reacted after players turned up at training drunk

Sir Alex Ferguson is a legendary figure for Manchester United and the whole sport of soccer as well. He is widely known for his huge success during his long managerial tenure at the club, truly making them one of the giants of the sport.

The famed Scottish manager is also known for being very strict and professional, often rebuking players for actions on and off the pitch. He is known for enforcing strict rules in his training grounds and this was one of the reasons of the team’s vast success.

Nani revealed Sir Alex Ferguson’s reaction to drunk players

Former Manchester United player Nani decided to share a Sir Alex Ferguson story regarding a training session. He admitted that Sir Alex often lets the players do as they wish at certain times, as he recognizes the need for his players to let off some steam from time to time.

Nani revealed that players often turned up drunk during special days of the year, especially around Christmas and New Year. He said, “If I had the next day off, for example, then I could have some fun…on special days like Christmas or New Year – no one in England cares about that.”

He further said that players could be drunk in training, and the usually strict Sir Alex would let it slide, showing his excellent man management skills. “On New Year, we could even go to training drunk and the coach didn’t care about it. That’s the side of Sir Alex that knew how to deal with the players and have the perception to say, ‘this day is special, I can’t make demands’.”

It seems Sir Alex understood that everyone needs to enjoy sometimes, and he couldn’t rebuke his players for enjoying themselves during the holiday season. Nani said that due to this special consideration from the manager, the players were further spirited for the future games, as they knew they play under a manager that cares for them. Patrice Evra also shared a unique story about how Sir Alex used to raise their morale.

Nani recalled Sir Alex Ferguson’s silent treatment after a match

Nani decided to share another story of the manager, showing his tough side as well. Sir Alex Ferguson was known to give his infamous ‘hairdryer’ treatment to players who performed bad during games.

Nani revealed that the manager once asked one of them to give him a ride home after a game, which Nani accepted. He said, “One day Alex Ferguson asked us if someone could take him home after the weekend’s game against Fulham. I said to him: ‘Okay boss, I’ll take you back, no worries’.”

However, things would not go good during the game. “Then during the match, at 2-1, we got a penalty and I asked Giggs to let me take it. He accepts but I miss the penalty and Fulham equalized at 2-2 in the 88th minute.”

He then recounts how Sir Alex still took up his ride offer even after costing them the game. But in trademark fashion, he didn’t speak a single word to him. “After the match, as planned, I took Sir Alex Ferguson home but he didn’t speak to me the whole way.”

These two stories from Nani show the dual sides of the legendary manager, and shows why he was so good. Sir Alex Ferguson continues to be an example for future managers on how to deal with players, and one of the icons of the game.