Manchester United are the most successful club in Premier League history, with Sir Alex Ferguson guiding them to 13 titles during his trophy-laden reign. The iconic Scottish manager constantly adapted to the times, rebuilding his squad to compete with new challengers in new eras.
Ferguson dealt with huge egos at Old Trafford and garnered the respect of his players through his winning mentality and motivational demeanour. He was also a strict disciplinarian; if you stepped out of line, you were often cast away. David Beckham and Roy Keane know this all too well, as the end of their United careers came after getting on the wrong side of the fiery Scotsman.
Yet, the most successful coach in British football history wasn’t always overly authoritative, and the festive period was a time he appeared to cherish—so much so that the ex-Aberdeen boss was willing to turn a blind eye to his players turning up to training after a night out.
That’s according to Nani, the former Manchester United winger who played under Ferguson at United for six years. The Portuguese ace, now playing for CF Estrela in Liga Portugal, gave an intriguing insight into how his former manager’s mood changed during the holiday season.
Nani on Ferguson’s Festive Chill
Sir Alex was no Ebenezer Scrooge
Nani once delved into life under Sir Alex. The former Red Devil touched on how the Scot understood players wanting to make the most of their downtime during Christmas or New Year. He told Tribuna Espresso (via The Daily Star):
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. On New Year, we could even go to training drunk and the coach didn’t care about it.
Sir Alex wasn’t usually one to let standards drop, and this mindset was taken on board by his players. He still understood that his troops had their own lives, and this made for less intense training sessions, which Nani alluded to:
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 was a joy, a moment of relaxation, a different kind of training – clowning around. I won’t lie, I liked nights out.
Whether Ferguson regrets his festive pullback remains to be seen, given he was such a winner. Manchester City famously beat his United side to the Premier League title on goal difference in the 2011-12 campaign. The Red Devils suffered two of their five defeats that season in the December period, losing 3-2 to Blackburn Rovers and 3-0 to Newcastle United.
That said, it was customary for opposing managers to drink wine with Ferguson after facing each other on the touchline. Their love for wine brought together the then-United gaffer and Chelsea’s former coach, Jose Mourinho, despite the pair waging war at the top of English football.
Nani partied on the pitch
The Portuguese enjoyed himself at Manchester United
Nani joined Manchester United from Sporting CP in July 2007 for around £21.5 million (€25.5 million), following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo. He claimed the Red Devils’ Portuguese connections played a role in convincing him to make the move to Old Trafford.
The pacey and agile winger quickly became a fan favourite because of his skilful playing style. He posted an impressive 40 goals and 70 assists in 216 games under Ferguson. He was part of a United side that won 12 major trophies, including four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.
| Nani’s Manchester United Career | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 230 |
| Goals | 41 |
| Assists | 70 |
| Trophies | Premier League x4, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, League Cup x2, Community Shield x4 |
Nani and Ferguson didn’t always eye-to-eye, including two years into the 112-cap Portugal international’s spell with the Red Devils. There were rumours of a bust-up leading to the Scot wielding the axe. There were also suggestions Nani broke Ferguson’s ban on his trademark backflip celebration.
Those problems dissipated, and the pair grew quite fond of one another until his former manager’s retirement in 2013. He ended his illustrious reign with a 13th Premier League title, with Nani joining him in the celebrations and perhaps a drink or two in the dressing room.
Ferguson’s retirement ultimately brought an end to Nani’s United career. A year later, he spent a season on loan back at Sporting before permanently leaving for Turkish giants Fenerbahce in a £4.25 million deal in July 2015.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt as of 05/11/2024.