Ex-Man Utd coach explains why ‘party animal’ Anderson was a flop and how Fergie ‘wanted to hit him with a stick’
A FORMER Manchester United coach has revealed why “party animal” Anderson never succeeded at the club and how Sir Alex Ferguson “wanted to hit him with a stick”.
Mick Clegg, who has also revealed how Fergie was good at boxing and that Roy Keane did not like Teddy Sheringham, was employed as a Power Development Trainer by the Red Devils.
It was while he was working at Old Trafford that the club splashed out to sign Brazilian midfield star Anderson from Porto after he was spotted by the manager’s brother Martin Ferguson.
He came with much promise after winning the “Golden Boy” award two years before his arrival.
But despite winning the Premier League four times and the Champions League, the South American struggled overall to make an impact at United due to injury and fitness issues.
He eventually returned to his homeland with Internacional in 2018.
READ MORE SPORT
Now Clegg, who spent four years from 2007 working with Anderson, has provided an insight into what the issues were.
He told The Athletic: “Anderson was one. You could never find a nicer person, he was popular with everyone but he was a lazy bleeder.
“He always had his excuses. I used to have a stick and I said to Alex Ferguson very early on, if he carries on, I’m going to hit him with my bleeding stick.
“Fergie couldn’t believe it. ‘Don’t you dare. He cost me a lot of money. You can’t be hitting one of my players, are you mad?’
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“Then, six weeks later, Fergie came to find me. ‘Where’s that bloody stick? Give me that stick. I want to hit him’.”
Clegg added: “Anderson was more than capable of being an absolute stormer of a player. He just needed his head knocking. He didn’t keep fit.
“He chose not to put in the work, so it’s hard to have too much sympathy for him. He was a party animal.”