Sir Alex Ferguson asked every player the same three questions before signing them for Manchester United, it has been claimed.
Ferguson is one of the most successful managers in history, having won a record 13 Premier League titles during his 27 years at Old Trafford.
The Scot’s quarter-century tenure saw him take charge of the likes of Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo, as United were transformed from a sleeping giant to a global powerhouse.
Advert
Notably, Ferguson was never one for dissent, with anyone failing to toe the line swiftly shown the exit door.
And former United star Paul Ince claimed Ferguson attempted to avoid conflict from day one, by getting the inside track on the personal life of potential signings.
Speaking on the new David Beckham Netflix documentary, Ince claimed Ferguson would ask three questions to determine whether a footballer was the right fit for United.
Ince said: “Sir Alex would buy players, not just because they were talented, he’d look at their backgrounds.
Advert
“‘Have you got a girlfriend?’ Yes, gaffer. ‘How long have you been with her?’ Two years gaffer. ‘Are you engaged?’ Getting married in 1990 gaffer.
“He liked the fact you’re going home to someone because he wanted you to be stable, not having parties every night.”
Gary Neville went into further detail on Ferguson's approach to management. The Sky Sports pundit explained: “Sir Alex Ferguson had socialist principles.
"You might be an individual but in here, we’re all equal. You’re putting the team first.
Advert
“What Sir Alex built was a team of mini-mes.”
SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Gary Neville