SIR ALEX Ferguson leaves his players "petrified and scared" with
his explosive dressing-room rants, according to Manchester United's
trio of French stars.
Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre and Patrice Evra revealed what it's
like to be on the receiving end of Fergie's infamous 'hairdryer'
treatment and claimed the United manager's mood swings are
completely unpredictable.
Fergie has cultivated a reputation as one of the most fearsome
managers in the game during his 20-year reign at Old
Trafford.
Silvestre, who joined United from Inter Milan in 1999, said: "It
took me over a year to get used to it. It is so aggressive, quick
and committed.
"Champions League football is slick but the tempo is slower, like
the French first division. "Everything is 200mph stuff in the
Premiership, non-stop. Your lungs get done in very quickly."
And Evra said: "I felt useless and not fit for anything at times.
People never stop running and tackling, and the strikers always
pressurise you.
"The fans drive you on to run. I almost feel like I am having to
learn a different job."
FERGIE'S GREATEST RANTS
Fergie famously blew his top in the dressing-room when he kicked a
boot which struck David Beckham above the eye following their 2-0
FA Cup defeat by Arsenal at Old Trafford in February 2003.
At Aberdeen, Fergie kicked a player's bag so hard a pair of
underpants landed on the poor lad's head. The boss continued with
the tirade, slammed the door on the way out, then came back in and
demanded: "You! Take those pants off your head!" 
Danish midfielder John Sivebaek got the treatment in Fergie's
fourth. Keeper Chris Turner recalled: "He gave Sivebaek such an
almighty, John just sat there bewildered, not daring to move a
muscle as the gaffer laid into him for what seemed an
eternity."