Sir Alex Ferguson's previous comments about the importance of managers have full control of the dressing room must serve as a warning to Erik ten Hag following his public fall-out with Jadon Sancho.
In a 21-word statement released on Thursday, the Red Devils confirmed that Sancho would be training away from the rest of the squad due to an ongoing ‘discipline issue.’
The announcement follows Erik ten Hag's damning comments claiming that the United winger was left out of the matchday squad for their game against Arsenal due to his poor performance in training.
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Sancho publicly denied his manager's words and has reportedly since refused to apologise to the Dutchman after the pair sat down for a meeting.
Meanwhile, former manager and Manchester United icon Ferguson's comments about "discipline" have resurfaced as tensions between Ten Hag and Sancho rise.
“If the day came that the manager of Manchester United was controlled by the players—in other words, if the players decided how the training should be, what days they should have off, what the discipline should be, and what the tactics should be—then Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know,” Ferguson told the Harvard Business Review back in 2013.
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“Before I came to United, I told myself I wasn’t going to allow anyone to be stronger than I was. Your personality has to be bigger than theirs. That is vital. There are occasions when you have to ask yourself whether certain players are affecting the dressing-room atmosphere, the performance of the team, and your control of the players and staff.
"If they are, you have to cut the cord. There is absolutely no other way. It doesn’t matter if the person is the best player in the world. The long-term view of the club is more important than any individual, and the manager has to be the most important one in the club.”
Ten Hag appears to be heeding Ferguson's advice and has stood firm in his demand for an apology, according to ESPN, with Sancho's future at Old Trafford now in major jeopardy.
Ferguson went on to discuss the danger of players gaining power in the dressing room, leaving the coach with no control.
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“Some English clubs have changed managers so many times that it creates power for the players in the dressing room. That is very dangerous,” Ferguson continued. “If the coach has no control, he will not last.
"You have to achieve a position of comprehensive control. Players must recognise that as the manager, you have the status to control events. You can complicate your life in many ways by asking, “Oh, I wonder if the players like me?” If I did my job well, the players would respect me, and that’s all you need."
He added: "I tended to act quickly when I saw a player become a negative influence. Some might say I acted impulsively, but I think it was critical that I made up my mind quickly. Why should I have gone to bed with doubts? I would wake up the next day and take the necessary steps to maintain discipline.
"It’s important to have confidence in yourself to make a decision and to move on once you have. It’s not about looking for adversity or for opportunities to prove power; it’s about having control and being authoritative when issues do arise.”
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Topics: Manchester United, Football, Sir Alex Ferguson, Erik Ten Hag, Jadon Sancho, Premier League
Joe Adams