LEADERSHIP: SIR ALEX FERGUSON



Phil won’t be the only person keen to watch a documentary about the boss, and he explained what made Sir Alex Ferguson such a special manager.



“He was there for my first two years and he was the one who brought me from Blackburn – I’m forever grateful to him for doing that,” Phil recalled.



“I had offers from other clubs. I could have gone to a host of clubs: [Manchester] City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton. He was the last person I’d spoke to and I remember walking back out with my agent and saying: ‘I want to sign for Man United.’ That was it. We hadn’t even discussed any personal terms, but I knew that was the club I wanted to sign for.



“His understanding of every player [set him apart],” he continued. “His understanding and level of communications with those players was the best I’ve ever been involved with.



“He understood everyone in terms of: ‘Do I need to give them a rest? Do I need play him? Give him an arm around the shoulder? Do I need to go full hairdryer treatment? Do I need to give him some time off?’



“He knew exactly how to handle every situation. For me, that’s what’s made him the best.



“People should watch the documentary to fully understand what a great man he was and what a wonderful manager he was, and how he adapted himself to deal with different situations on and off the pitch.



“People know he was a wonderful manager – he’s one of the greatest managers ever – but people don’t know what he was like away from the pitch with players’ families. It was very important.”