Tom Cleverley has offered a unique insight into what it’s like to receive Sir Alex Ferguson’s infamous hairdryer treatment.
Tom Cleverley said: “Yeah, I mean it’s crazy to think you have a genuine fear factor of one person. You want to impress someone so bad. But that’s what it was like and I experienced it [Ferguson’s ‘hairdyer’ treatment] once and I think many players will only experience it once because you learn not to do it again. It was Chelsea away, it was an FA Cup replay. I was playing on the left that day against [Cesar] Azpilicueta. I had a stinker of a first half. He basically said, and told me at half time, ‘can you get in the game and stop giving the ball away’. I said ‘well I’m playing out of position’, and that was the last time I ever answered him back. He basically said ‘your position? You’re lucky to be playing for Man United!’ He basically grilled me in front of everyone and yeah, lesson learnt, never answer the gaffer back.”
Cleverley was a product of Manchester United’s prestigious academy and after three loan spells away at Leicester, Watford and Wigan, he finally made his first-team debut in the Reds’ 3-2 2011 Community Shield win over rivals Manchester City at Wembley. While Ferguson once identified Cleverley as a potential replacement for Paul Scholes and the academy graduate went on to win the Premier League with United, the midfielder’s career at Old Trafford stuttered before he made a permanent exit to Everton in 2015. Regardless of failing to make the grade at United, the 31 year old has impressively racked up over 300 senior appearances, and now playing at newly-promoted Watford, he’s reflected on his time playing under Ferguson.
