Sir Alex Ferguson taught Sir Dave Brailsford brutal lesson… and it could mean bad news for a handful of Man Utd players
SIR ALEX FERGUSON taught Sir Dave Brailsford a brutal lesson which could impact Manchester United.
The former British Cycling performance director is set to join the board at Old Trafford following Ineos’ takeover of football operations.
United confirmed a deal with Sir Jim Ratcliffe for a 25 per cent stake in the club on Christmas Eve.
Jean Claude Blanc will also join the board, with Brailsford set to be Ratcliffe’s right-hand man at the club.
The 59-year-old previously worked for British Cycling and Team Sky, before Ineos’ takeover, overseeing Olympic and Tour de France success.
It was during that time that he was taught by Ferguson to “get rid of people who aren’t working in the same direction”, according to cycling journalist Daniel Friebe.
He told Sky Sports: “I remember talking about conversations he’d had with Sir Alex Ferguson.
“This is going back maybe 10, 15 years. I think one of the things that Ferguson used to say that Dave definitely retained was: ‘Get rid of the disruptive influences, get rid of people who aren’t working in the same direction as you’.
“Dave, as far as I could see, really assimilated that. And that was one of the pillars of the team’s success, knowing when to get rid of people, knowing when people were not on the same page as you.
“Speaking with physios, mechanics, that is something that happened at Team Sky.
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“They wouldn’t necessarily do anything egregiously wrong, but Dave would get to a point and think, ‘This person is not for us anymore,’ and out they would go.”
Brailsford was spotted sitting next to Ferguson during United’s defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend.
The legendary Red Devils boss is often seen supporting his old club in the stands.
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe and Brailsford both met with Erik ten Hag and his players at Carrington this week as Ineos’ deal edges closer to being finalised.