Whether it was his famous ‘hair-dryer’ treatment or his tactical genius Sir Alex Ferguson had that little special something that set him apart from everyone else, and in a candid interview, Harry Redknapp has revealed what the legend’s special ingredient was.
Throughout their careers, the two gaffers met in many an iconic battle. But make no bones about it, the Englishman had a great deal of respect for his Scottish rival.
While most coaches focus on keeping their big-name players in line, so many forget about spreading your teachings to the entire club. And that principle extends beyond the first team, to the reserves and even the academy.
During an appearance on Reece Mennie’s podcast, he opened up on the 2X Champions League winner’s relationship with the youngsters
Read: Harry Redknapp reveals the greatest player he ever managed (sporf.com)
Harry Redknapp talks Sir Alex Ferguson
It turns out the two bosses had a very similar approach.
Redknapp revealed: “I went to every youth game when I was a manager. Every Saturday morning when I managed West Ham, I’d go to Chadwell Heath and watch the kids play for an hour, watch the first half and 15 minutes of the second half, then jump in my car to Upton Park to the first team game. Never missed a game, that’s how it was. Most managers now wouldn’t even turn up to watch a youth game. They wouldn’t even stop and look at the kids when they’re training.”
He continued: “But back in those days, I would go to Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson would know every player, every 12-year-old. ‘We’ve got an 11-year-old kid here; he’s fantastic – Ravel Morrison’. He was like I was; he knew every kid.
“Joe Cole – I would go and watch him for the under 12s every Sunday morning over at Chadwell Heath. I’d go every Sunday, watch Rio come through, Frank, Jermain Defoe, Carrick – I watched them all play as kids.”
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