“I owe so much to Sir Alex.”
You always hear players talking about the mentality and values instilled by the club and even if a player doesn’t make it here, his education here gives him an edge at other teams.
It’s evident to see in the Premier League as ex United players are doing brilliant jobs all over the league and Sunderland is an especially good example.
Having sold Wes Brown and John O’Shea to the north east club this summer they will become part of a ex-United contingent that already included Phil Bardsley, Frazier Campbell and Kieran Richardson.
Speaking on his time at Old Trafford, Bardsley confirmed this stating his United education was the making of him as a player,
“I owe so much to Sir Alex (Ferguson).
“It’s amazing how he keeps going and going and producing great teams. He knows everything about every player at the club – from their family background to how hard you’ve been working on your weaker foot.
“He knows what restaurants and nightclubs or cinema you’ve been to. It’s incredible.
“It was a great club to play for and the senior professionals were great role models. There was always fun and games in that first-team dressing-room.
“When I was a young player there I had to go into that dressing-room and sat down in front of me would be Giggs, Beckham, Scholes and Keane.
“I had to tell a joke or do something to entertain them. My God, what an awful experience it was.
“But it was part of my character-building. It’s not all about what you can do with a football. You also have to be mentally tough.”