Sir Alex Ferguson made one Manchester United legend “angry” with his tactical decision, only for it to ‘fire up’ the former player and for him to prove him wrong.
The 82-year-old former Manchester United manager was well known for his roster of talented players, including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona.
Sir Alex Ferguson oversaw incredible success at Old Trafford and brought the best in class to United, with fans left in awe at his legendary teams of the past.
Considered one of the best managers of all time, the iconic Scot bowed out of United for the final time in 2013 after he secured the club’s last Premier League title.
The legendary Scotsman also led United to a continental treble in 1999, with the Red Devils becoming the first English team in history to achieve such a feat.
Despite his long-running success at United, Ferguson has remained an ever-present figure at Old Trafford after he called it time on his illustrious managerial career.
The United legend, who is a director on the club’s board, has often been spotted in the stands watching the current first team in action under manager Erik ten Hag.
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Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
Ferguson ‘fired up’ Man Utd legend
Sir Alex Ferguson brought Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Old Trafford in 1996 after he missed out on the signing of Premier League legend Alan Shearer.
Signed for a £1.5m fee at the time from Norwegian side Molde, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had a remarkable playing career at United and established himself as a cult hero.
Solskjaer often had to fight for his place in the starting XI ahead of a star-studded list of players, including Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
However, the 51-year-old Norwegian seized the opportunity when he did play and became a pivotal figure in Ferguson’s United squads of the past.
Solskjaer played a key part in United’s success under Ferguson and his heroics included his famous winner in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
The former United manager has claimed that Ferguson knew the decision to put him on the bench would make him “angry” and make Solskjaer feel fired up as a result.
“Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Scholes. I was down the pecking order, but I saw so many strikers come and go,” Solskjaer told FourFourTwo magazine.
“I just stuck up for myself, believed in myself, fought and proved that the manager should play me.
“Sir Alex knew that if he put me on the bench then I’d be angry, but also fired up and ready to give everything when I came on.
“Not every sub does that. A lot of subs are sulky and hopeless on the bench. I wasn’t, and nor was Alan Smith. We went on with the aim of proving the manager wrong.”
Man Utd legend Solskjaer accepted ‘super-sub’ status
Solskjaer, who retired from football in 2007, admitted after his playing career that he finally accepted his ‘super-sub’ reputation that he had at Old Trafford.
The United legend insisted that he put his career in the hands of Ferguson, saying that other players would not have the same mindset as him in that situation.
“Yes, I do think I had an advantage of watching the game and thinking tactically, but the big thing was that I was mentally ready to come on,” he told The Daily Mail in 2011.
“When I decided to stay at United, I put my career in the gaffer’s hands: do whatever you want with me, I’m always going to be ready. Other players don’t really have that in them.”
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