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Topics: Ashley Young, Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Premier League, Football
Ryan Smart
Topics: Ashley Young, Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Premier League, Football
Ashley Young has revealed that only two of his Manchester United team-mates from his time at the club didn't receive the infamous 'hairdryer treatment' from Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson, who spent almost 27 years as United boss before his retirement in 2013, was known for his dressing room outbursts to motivate players during or after a poor performance.
Even the elite players received the hairdryer from time to time, including Roy Keane, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.
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And Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't immune, with the Portugal icon blasted by Ferguson after a Champions League group stage defeat to Benfica in 2005.
Ronaldo entered the clash as a former players of Benfica's fierce rivals Sporting Lisbon, and team-mate Rio Ferdinand revealed: "The game became the Cristiano Ronaldo show. He was trying to show his skills and nothing was coming off.
"We lost, and afterwards the manager absolutely destroyed him. 'Playing by yourself? Who the hell do you think you are?'"
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Ronaldo left United to join Real Madrid in a world-record £80 million deal in 2009, with Young arriving from Aston Villa two years later.
The winger spent two years under Ferguson's management, which saw the Scot win a record-extending 18th Premier League title. United had finished as runners-up to Manchester City in the 2011/12 season.
Speaking on Monday Night Football after United lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace on Monday, Young revealed that only two players didn't receive the 'hairdryer' while he was at the club.
He explained: "He [Ferguson] knew his teams, he knew how to deal with every player - whether that was the hairdryer or putting his arm around the shoulder.
"[I just needed] an arm around the shoulder. I think there were only two players who didn't get the hairdryer - me and Darren Fletcher.
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"There might have been other players around my time. But I just knew that at those times, I didn't need telling what to do, I just needed an arm around the shoulder."
Although current boss Ten Hag has admitted that he has given the hairdryer treatment to his United squad on previous occasions, he opted to take responsibility after the 4-0 defeat at Palace on Monday.
He said: "I prepared the team in the best way I could do. It was not good enough.
"I have to take responsibility for that, but I will find energy and prepare them for Sunday's game [at home to Arsenal]."