Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has revealed details of an argument with Sir Alex Ferguson after a Premier League game against Liverpool that led to Ferguson threatening to sack him.
The match in question took place in 1994, in which United took a 3-0 lead at Anfield through goals from Denis Irwin, Steve Bruce and Ryan Giggs.
However, Liverpool stormed back and managed to level the scores at 3-3, taking away a point.
Ferguson criticised Schmeichel for his performance in the second half after the match.
Schmeichel on Ferguson argument
Speaking on Jamie Carragher‘s ‘The Greatest Game‘ podcast, the Dane explained that he argued back, leading to a meeting in Ferguson’s office two days later.
Schmeichel said: “The only thing he [Ferguson] was saying after the game was about my goal kicks.
“I had about 700 goal kicks in the second half and I’m hitting them 80 yards but straight up to the defenders, heading it back. He was sick and tired of that.
“I just lost it a little bit. I lost my composure.
“The thing about him, and I want to stress this, you could always argue back. No matter how angry he was, you could always argue back and always defend yourself.
“But this scene was just ugly. It was a Saturday game, and we were back in Monday.
“He called me in first thing and said, ‘You know I have to sack you’?
“I was still fuming at that time, so I said, ‘Fine. So let me go.’ I was just being stupid.”
Following those events, Schmeichel apologised to his teammates in the dressing room after his manager had given them a dressing down and left – an apology which Ferguson heard.
The goalkeeper revealed that Ferguson told his agent that he was stood outside the dressing room whilst Schmeichel was delivering his apology, and subsequently changed his mind about sacking him.
Schmeichel added: “I don’t think he was ever going to sack me. He never said it to the players. He only said it to me.
“He was right and I was wrong, right from the beginning of this.”
Schmeichel’s career post-United
Schmeichel would go on to play for United for a further five years, ending his time at the club by captaining them to Champions League glory in 1999.
He moved to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, before spells in England with Aston Villa and Manchester City.
He retired in April 2003, at the age of 39.
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