Retiring Ferguson admits pressuring officials

LONDON. Ahead of his final game in management, Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted to MUTV that he has made deliberate attempts to pressure officials throughout his career.Ferguson, who takes his Manchester United side to West Brom on Sunday, has long been accused of seeking to influence decisions in his side’s favour, whether by berating officials from the touchline and in the tunnel or making comments in the media.In 2012, the BBC established that “Fergie time” - the perception that his team were giving extra seconds when losing - was real, and that United were given, on average, 79 seconds extra when losing after 90 minutes. Rafa Benitez, the former Liverpool manager, famously presented his “facts” about Ferguson’s manipulation of officials in 2009.The “Fergie time” issue has been in the spotlight again in light of his retirement, and the 71-year-old - joked that he plans to give successor David Moyes his watch as a welcome present.He said: “The fourth official on Sunday against Swansea showed me the board and it said eight minutes - I said: ‘Think again’.“But that’s been a part of it too, the pressure you try and put on referees. I save mind games for opponents, though.”However, he said that his famous use of the “hairdryer” - blasting players who stepped out of line - was not one of his favoured managerial techniques. “That’s overplayed, honestly,” he said. “I’m fed up reading about it.”

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Retiring Ferguson admits pressuring officials