The Glaswegian giant has had his say on the rest of the football world. Here we take a look at those who came out well, those who came out badly, those who came out extremely badly, and those who wanted to join the Serbian army.
The Good
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fergie saw Ronaldo transform from a show pony into one of the greatest footballers in the world. Describes him as the "most gifted player I ever managed."
Scholes and Giggs
The two most dutiful soldiers of Fergie's entire reign. Declares himself "honoured to have managed them. They never once disobeyed me."
John Magnier
Might be stretching it a bit to include Magnier in this company but the businessman comes through unscathed from the book as Fergie barely touches on the Rock of Gibraltar fiasco other than to say it was a "misunderstanding" and him and Magnier are now on "good terms."
The Bad
Owen Hargreaves
Fergie confesses to a strange dislike of Hargreaves and calls him one of his worst signings. He said this of young Owen
“When I signed him there was something about him I didn’t like. The thing every good leader should have is an instinct. Mine said to me: ‘I don’t fancy this.’ When he came over to Old Trafford for the medical, I still had some indefinable doubt. He was very hail-fellow-well-met. Almost too nice.”
Stephen Gerrard
Despite admitting that he tried to sign him in 2005, does not consider Gerrard to be "a top, top player." He notes that the Liverpool man "seldom got a kick" when coming up against the United midfield of Keane and Scholes.
Mark Bosnich
Mark Bosnich, he describes, rather baldly, as a "terrible professional." The Australian's penchant for Chinese takeaways was a particular gripe.
Frank Lampard
Ferguson credits Lampard with being a great servant to Chelsea but does not consider him to be "an elite international player."
David Beckham
He wasn't exactly contrite when he kicked a boot in the direction of David Beckham's eye and still isn't now. Beckham failed to track Wiltord for Arsenal's 2nd goal and gave the manager lip when he brought it up. When the boot struck his eye, ‘Of course he rose to have a go at me and the players stopped him. “Sit down,” I said. “You’ve let your team down.”’ He then went over the ground covered in the Charlie Rose interview, saying Beckham had his head turned by fame and the girl from the Spice Girls.
The Ugly
Roy Keane
People were expecting him to give Roy Keane a volley in the book but people have been shocked quite how hard how he has gone in on his former captain. According to Ferguson, the physio would ask what sort of mood Keane was in that day ‘because it would affect whole dressing room.That was how influential he was in our daily lives’.
Rafa Benitez
The Spaniard is described as a "bitter" man who's players "didn't understand his touchline instructions." Ferguson was also disdainful of Benitez' negative tactics saying "he had more regard for defending and destroying a game than winning it. I found Liverpool hard to watch." He says of the famous "facts" rant that they had received a "tip-off" that Liverpool were going to plant a few questions at a press conference so they could stage-manage this rant. ‘The mistake he made was to turn our rivalry personal. Once you made it personal, you had no chance, because I could wait. I had success on my side.’
The Weird
Vidic and The Serbian Army
Apparently, Vidic wanted out in 2009, not during the next transfer window, he wanted to head back home and enlist in the Serbian army
”Vidic was a dour, uncompromising sod. He was a proud Serb. In 2009, he came to see me to say he might be getting called up.
“What do you mean, called up?’ I said, alarmed. ‘Kosovo. I am going,’ he said. ‘It’s my duty.’”
Pizzagate
Ferguson confirms he has no idea who threw pizza over him though Cesc Fabregas is most usually held responsible. He reprimanded Wenger for being unable to control his players, but charitably concluded that his "mind was scrambled by losing the game."
