The autobiography wars continue. Ferguson on Keane, then Keane on Ferguson. Now Danny Higginbotham, who played with the former Ireland captain at Man Utd and under him at Sunderland, has lifted the lid on some pretty unconventional motivational techniques used during their time together on Wearside.
Exceptional-former-player-expects-too-much-from-a-less-talented-group is of course the general gist. Some quotes.
Before a game against Aston Villa in 2008: “Listen lads,” he said. “Basically you’re s**t. Try and enjoy the game. You’re probably going to get beat. But just enjoy being s**t. Then he just walked out. Those words have got to be insulting to any professional, no matter who they come from, and I’ll admit it served as the perfect motivation to get out there and prove him wrong. I scored after 10 minutes and we were leading at half-time. We ended up drawing."
After the reserves had lost to Man City's second string: "You’ve got to give everything. If you carry on like last night, you’ll find yourselves working at f*****g Sainsbury’s this time next year. You’ll be on the dole. Danny, all I’m f*****g hearing from you when I’m watching that game yesterday is f*****g encouragement. That’s all I’m hearing.” I thought, well, that’s not so bad. “I don’t f*****g want that. I want you to tell some of them they’re being c**ts. Tell them.”
After avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the 2007/08 season despite a 2-0 defeat to Bolton: “You’re the reason I’m driving up and down the f*****g country to find another player, you’re not f*****g good enough,” he yells at one player. “Your attitude is s**t. You’re not good enough,” he bawls at others. “Next week we’ve got our last home game, against Arsenal. You know at the end of the season when you walk around the pitch, thank the fans for their support? I’m ringing Umbro and getting you some hooded jumpers, because you’re a f*****g embarrassment, it’s a joke and this is not going to stay this way,”.
And it didn't. He was sacked halfway through the following season.