Alex Ferguson Football Quotations

In England, it's a rare thing to see a player smoking but, all in all, I prefer that to an alcoholic. The relationship with alcohol is a real problem in English football and, in the short term, it's much more harmful to a sportsman. It weakens the body, which becomes more susceptible to injury.

Sometimes in football you have to hold your hand up and say, yeah, they're better than us.

I've never played for a draw in my life.

You are responsible to each other because when you win a game of football, you only need eight players to perform well.

Well, football is a hard game; there's no denying it. It's a game that can bring out the worst in you, at times.

He has had a lot of problems over the years. We are all rooting for him and hope he pulls through. Everyone has their own opinion about football and their favorite players but in terms of British players, you would find it difficult to think of anyone better.

I do like to try and see myself in football players. Everybody is different and express themselves in different ways. There are different kinds of talents of course and there are many who I would never have had the talent that they have when I was a player. But I still had that determination to be successful and try my best.

I'm-A-God-Look-At-Me.

They had Jan Venegoor of...whatever you call him.

We got anxious at the end of the weekend in our urgency to try to score the winning goal. Ended up playing far too many long balls forward. That style of play doesn't suit Manchester United. We must continue to play football and enjoy the game. If we do that, eventually things will come right for us.

I understand the intensity of the supporters. I wonder how they could turn up for work on Monday morning after we lost 5-1 to Manchester City.

Evolution happens. There's no football team in the world that has stayed together for time ever more.

Liverpool can play for only five minutes and win the game, that is the way they are. They pump the ball into the box and with good set-piece delivery they keep you under pressure.

He's a novice - he should keep his opinions to Japanese football

I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn't happen again. If I could, I would have carried on playing.

As long as there are games to play its not over

As with every young player these days, Ronaldo is 18.

The lads really ran their socks into the ground.

It's a conflict of parallels.

Football management is such a pressurized thing - horse racing is a release. I'm also learning to play the piano - I'm quite determined - it's another release from the pressure of my job.

It was our worst-ever day, the worst result in my history, ever. Even as a player I don't think I ever lost 6-1.

You have to put all the criticism of this club down to jealousy. United have produced more players who have played for their country, more world-class players and more players who have won European Footballer of the Year than any other team in this country, so we must be doing something right.

If you were in a game of football always think you need maybe eight to win the game. Three can on an off day or semi off day but you always hard. And the players recognize that and they'll do that extra to make sure they get winning. The essence of the team is to understand and trust each other and to trust me.

Cole should be scoring from those distances, but I'm not going to single him out.

Funnily enough we have never had one enquiry for Paul Scholes. You know why? Because they all know he will never leave. in my time he would be in the top six or seven (best United players ever) without a doubt. His contribution and quality have been great, even without the fantastic goals he has scored. [ . . . ] He has that wonderful velvet touch on the ball. When he gets it, it goes stone dead. It is wonderful to see that amidst all the mayhem that can happen in a football match.

I always say prepare to be a coach to anybody who wants to be a coach. At 24 years of age when I left engineering to become full time in football, I made sure that I was never going back to engineering.

David Beckham is Britain's finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practices with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn't contemplate.

Football, bloody hell!

You start with what you believe in. I believe in building a football club rather than building a football team.

When an Italian tells me it's pasta on the plate, I check under the sauce to make sure.

I think Sepp Blatter is in danger...or has reached a point now, where he is being mocked within the game. Whether he's getting too old, I don't know. But things can happen to people in power. Look at some of the despots in Africa... From a position of great power, he has uttered so many ridiculous statements that he is in danger of seriously damaging his credibility.

It was the most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field. Pounding over every blade of grass, competing if he would rather die of exhaustion than lose, he inspired all around him. I felt such an honor to be associated with such a player.

I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell.

In the second half we played excellent football and could have been four or five ahead with some terrific movement and passing.

Gary has started running but it will be two weeks before he is anywhere near the football part. But Roy is nowhere near and Quinton isn't either.