Unveiled: Manchester United Legend Shares How to Win Back Sir Alex Ferguson’s Favor
During his time at Old Trafford, Lee Sharpe became nearly as well-known for his off-field antics as he was for his ability to glide past opposing fullbacks.
The former Manchester United winger, who netted 36 goals in 265 appearances from 1988 to 1996, was famed for embracing the nightlife in Manchester so much that manager Alex Ferguson would deploy spies to keep tabs on him.
Sharpe frequently found himself sidelined due to conflicts with his manager. Now, he shares with FFT the secret to winning Ferguson back during rough patches, revealing there was only one reliable method to achieve this.
“Hard graft is the key,” according to ex-Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe
“Unfortunately, the answer is hard graft,” Sharpe reveals to FFT on behalf of William Hill. “Purely hard graft – that was the secret. Work hard in training, put in the effort during games, and simply aim to elevate your performance.”
However, that was easier said than done, especially considering how demanding Ferguson could be.
“I encountered struggles with form and injuries throughout my early career at Old Trafford, and the manager was not the kind to provide comforting words,” Sharpe recalls. “If you had a poor game or misbehaved off the pitch, he was blunt about how terrible your performance was. You had to withstand that and find a way to improve. There were challenging times, but hard work and persistence are what it takes to regain a manager’s favor.”
So, how did Sharpe manage to impress Ferguson with his performances? “You’d track back to support your fullback, put in the effort to assist your midfielder,” he clarifies. “For me, as a winger, it was all about pushing the ball down the line and challenging your marker in a foot race, even if it was just to win a throw-in to energize the crowd.
“It’s all about boosting that bit of confidence. You might not succeed in every battle, but you have to make it difficult for your fullback, deliver a cross, score a goal, and work to regain the manager’s approval.”
Currently, Manchester United’s new manager, Ruben Amorim, faces his own challenges with his unpredictable wingers, as Marcus Rashford and Alejandro were recently benched for the Manchester derby due to behavioral issues. The manager noted that neither player had shown sufficient effort on and off the field since his appointment in November, emphasizing the need for both to put in the hard work to reclaim their positions in his preferred starting eleven.
If Sharpe’s experiences serve as any indication, then hard work seems to be the most effective route back into the manager’s good graces.