Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

SIR ALEX FERGUSON once brought Tomasz Kuszczak to tears after the pair had a huge bust up following a calamitous defeat in 2010.

The Scot, 82, was known to possess a fearsome temper during his outstanding managerial career with Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson's passionate management style is infamous3

Sir Alex Ferguson’s passionate management style is infamousCredit: PA
Tomasz Kuszczak knows what it's like to be in Sir Alex's firing line

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Tomasz Kuszczak knows what it’s like to be in Sir Alex’s firing lineCredit: PA:Press Association

Goalkeeper Kuszczak played 61 times for United between 2006 and 2012, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League.

He has since opened up on the time he was on the receiving end of Ferguson’s wrath.

It came after a shocking 4-0 defeat to West Ham in the 2010 League Cup quarter-final.

Charlton Cole and former Old Trafford player Jonathan Spector got two goals a piece past the No.2 shot-stopper.

But where many would have kept quiet and simply waited for the telling-off to pass, Kuszczak stood up and defended himself.

He told Ladbrokes: “There are always different stories coming out from ex-players about Sir Alex Ferguson going mad in the dressing room – and of course I’ve seen it myself on many occasions.

“My first real incident with him came after a League Cup game against West Ham.

“We lost the game 4-0, and after the game, he walked into the dressing room and just started shouting at me.

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“Every swear word you could think of, he was throwing at me. I was sitting there, calmly, thinking ‘I did nothing wrong in this game’.

“There weren’t any goals I was particularly at fault for, so I couldn’t blame myself. If I made a mistake I’d always hold my hands up, so on this occasion I couldn’t understand why he was going for me.

“He kept shouting at me and I started to get angry, so I decided to respond. I thought I’d give it back to him the same way he gave it to me.

“I stood up and started to shout at him, and then all of a sudden I see Ryan Giggs standing right behind the boss, and I look into his eyes, he’s shaking his head at me.

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“I could see he was thinking ‘don’t do it – sit down! ‘. All of a sudden I sat down, everyone in the dressing room was nervous, I was nervous, there were tears in my eyes.

“The next day I made sure I was in training before everyone else. That was easy because I didn’t sleep at all.

“I waited for Fergie to get to the training ground and I apologised to him for my behaviour. He put a hand on my shoulder and said ‘no problem’.

West Ham were rock bottom of the Premier League when Ferguson’s unbeaten Red Devils visited in late November.

Though he predictably did not select his strongest team, the starting XI still boasted the likes of Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher and current centre-back Jonny Evans.

Kuszczak, Edwin van der Sar and Ben Amos won the FIFA World Cup trophy in 2008

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Kuszczak, Edwin van der Sar and Ben Amos won the FIFA World Cup trophy in 2008Credit: Getty

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