Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits he still gets
pre-match nerves before games as the season reaches what he once
famously referred to as "squeaky bum time''.
Despite having 11 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two
Champions League crowns and a host of other trophies in his
cabinet, the 68-year-old still feels the anxiety suffered by any
other manager in the game.
Ferguson said: "You still get keyed up for games. It is part of
it. It tells you that you still care about the game. Managers are
subject to that more than anyone, that uncertainty and anxiety and
apprehension about every game simply because the result is
important."
Despite the nerves, Ferguson clearly relishes the business end
of the season. He believes the emotional buy-in to the high stakes
football is what defines his profession and that any manager who
doesn't thrive on the nerves should look for a new vocation.
"Whether you are top of the league or bottom of the league it is
what football does to you. If it wasn't that way then we are all in
the wrong job. It is the win, lose, draw situation. You aim to win.
You can't lose too many or you lose your job. There is no one in
the game directly responsible for results more than the manager. No
matter what way you look at it we are all subject to winning games
of football and if not then we are on the dole.''
Ferguson, whose side will stay top of the table if they win at
Bolton on Saturday, will be pacing up and down in the away dressing
room at the Reebok Stadium waiting for kick-off.
He added: "There is that time when the players are doing their
warm-up and you are on your own in a sense. Your staff are doing
their jobs. It is okay when you are at home because you have your
office but when you are away from home there is always that killing
time, walking about and sitting in the dressing room.''
Ferguson said the touchline clash between Manchester City boss
Roberto Mancini and Everton's David Moyes in midweek was a sign of
such tension - and he praised the managers for making amends.
"Mancini wanted to rush the game, David was happy because he was
2-0 up,'' Ferguson said. "He says he maybe kept it for a second or
two longer! The good thing is that Roberto apologised which was
good of him. I think that was big, and they had a glass of wine
after.''
Ferguson said he will be content if United arrive at the end of
the season needing victory against Stoke at Old Trafford to secure
the title. Chelsea and Arsenal are also both at home, to Wigan and
Fulham respectively.
"With the three of us at home on the last day, if we have to win
our home game I would be quite happy about that, and the other two
will be saying the same thing. I am trying to work out the run-ins
and what the eventuality is going to be and I cannot see anything
other than it possibly going to the last game, unless somebody
blows up.''
Ferguson also expressed his bemusement that Arsenal's Thomas
Vermaelen had his appeal against a sending-off rejected with no
extra punishment, while Rio Ferdinand was given an extra match ban
for a "frivolous'' appeal.
"It is so inconsistent,'' Ferguson said. "It is difficult to
analyse why Rio's was frivolous and that (Vermaelen) wasn't. I
can't answer it, only they [the FA] can answer it They don't come
out with a report do they, it's just sitting in the chambers of
their minds.''
