Modern Players Are More Fragile

Sir Alex Ferguson admits today's fragile footballers make his life difficult.

"It's a different player character we've got today. The players are more fragile than players of 25 years ago. They are more cocooned today by their agents or the press they receive at times."

"They are less likely to hold their hands up and say they're at fault for things. If you go back 30 years ago you had a player who had a certain pride and responsibility in their own performance. They were less protected so they could come in and say 'Hands up, it was my fault, blah, blah, blah.' And that was good."

"But today they are very protected. They are more fragile than ever. That's a lot to do with the type of people who protect them, like agents or even to a degree, the press who protect the stars, whereas years ago they didn't have that protection."

"A thing that has gone for managers is the old way we would negotiate. If I wanted to buy a player from Harry I would phone him up, or he would phone me up. Those days have gone. Now it's all conducted by agents phoning the chairman or chief executive. It happens. I don't get phone calls from agents as such, nonetheless they conduct most transfers. It's not right. I've had to handle that, it's the new way."

"We had a young boy who got into the England Under-21s and his agent phoned up the next day and said, 'I think it's time we sat down for a new contract for the boy'. In his mind he thought that demanded a new contract. I said, 'Let's see how he plays for Manchester United'. That's the way the world is now."

Sir Alex also acknowledges that the intensity of media coverage today has changed how the game is reported on, watched and controlled.

"The press today have a very difficult job. They are trying to compete against Sky television, against the internet. Some of them are in an impossible situation. They have editors who demand they have to have copy that sells the newspaper. They are under unbelievable pressure."

He thinks the mindset of the modern fan has changed dramatically as well.

"There's a book called United Unlimited and there's a fantastic photograph in it of Manchester United v Leeds United back in the Sixties and there's absolute mayhem in the middle of the pitch. The players are fighting and scratching. Denis Law having lumps pulled off him. Jack Charlton there. In the background there's not a bit of emotion in the fans."

"See the culture of the fans today. They are over the fence, screaming and bawling. It's a different time. You can understand why chairmen react quickly and get rid of their manager."