June 2004. And Ferdinand is in one other United dressing room listening to a speech showcasing one other quintessential Ferguson character trait.
There aren’t any tears this time, nonetheless.
Relatively than dropping his head and delivering the hairdryer, this time Ferguson was displaying his bullish facet.
An unwavering perception that he might, and would, rebuild the Reds – even within the face of the self-titled Particular One.
“When Jose Mourinho got here in to Chelsea in the summertime of 2004 there have been rumours that I and varied different gamers may be leaving,” Ferdinand remembers.
“However he was like, ‘hear, we will construct this workforce and you are going to be one of many principal components of it’.
“He was like, ‘simply stick with me’. And he is most likely the one supervisor at the moment on the planet that I’d have listened to love that.
“He stated, ‘simply belief me. I do not get issues improper usually when it is soccer. Stick with me and we’ll get this proper’.
“I used to be similar to, ‘I am there. I am behind you, I consider in you.'”
Additionally on board in June of that summer time had been two males who had been to have a huge effect on that 2008 Champions League triumph.
The primary is a headline identify.
A once-in-a-generation English expertise sizzling off the again of a breakthrough Euro 2004.
A younger ahead by the identify of Wayne Rooney whose switch garnered headlines and newspaper column inches galore.
The second was an unheralded second coming. The return of Carlos Queiroz to the United fold as Ferguson’s assistant supervisor following an unsuccessful spell at Actual Madrid.
Mourinho’s arrival within the Premier League, regardless of the Portuguese’s “Particular One” proclamations, wasn’t all about him.
It was a part of, and the beginning of, a wider internationalisation of the Premier League.
This was, partly, outlined by the likes of Chelsea proprietor Roman Abramovich bringing an inflow of cash, and the resultant hike in switch charges and wages. But it surely additionally noticed the Premier League – and its managers – needing to embrace the worldwide recreation.
Rooney was a precocious English expertise from Croxteth in Liverpool who did his speaking on the pitch. His impression, as soon as he’d recovered from his damaged foot on the Euros, was rapid.
In your face, within the targets and within the headlines.
Queiroz was the Portuguese assistant supervisor who spoke a handful of languages and, in time, would show to be an important bridge between Ferguson’s east-end Glasgow roots and an more and more cosmopolitan squad.
“On the time I got here to the membership, the Premier League and Man United was not that worldwide,” former Serbia defender Nemanja Vidic instructed BBC Sport’s new documentary ‘Sir Alex’.
“Carlos was so sensible,” ex-England midfielder Michael Carrick, one other of Fergie’s signings throughout the pre-Moscow rebuild in 2006, added.
“He would take the teaching just about day-after-day actually, and lead the week and perhaps a bit bit extra on the tactical facet. He was fairly dry at occasions, however targeted and good at what he did. And he balanced off the boss significantly properly.”
Prioritising velocity – particularly in assault – was key for Ferguson as, step-by-step, the rebuild on the street to Moscow began to take form.
“Wayne and Cristiano had a large impression, for certain,” Queiroz says. “It was a part of that change that we had to herald extra velocity to cut back the response time for our opponents. Little question, these two youngsters, they modified utterly the setting of that membership.
“Sir Alex and I at all times used to suppose we might be the primary individuals at coaching. However, when these youngsters Cristiano and Wayne arrived on the membership, they had been there earlier than us.”
Rooney and Ronaldo had been a part of Ferguson’s reward for reinvention that additionally included recruitment, with a selected temporary: to bridge a spot between the Premier League and European soccer.
“Sir Alex stated to me “I am searching for somebody who can convey me extra details about European soccer,” Queiroz stated.
“Somebody who can talk in numerous languages as a result of in these days Manchester United began to have Spanish gamers, French gamers and so on.
“My expertise to speak in these languages had been good after which additionally we had the shift from Sunday to Tuesday.
“English soccer and tradition on Sunday – I assault, you assault. Then on Tuesday in European soccer it’s typically, wait and see. It is very important create traps. To attend, and catch opponents of their weaknesses.
“In England it was ‘I do my finest, you do your finest, and we’ll see’. However while you play Italians, while you play Spanish groups, it was not the identical strategy.
“When Sir Alex and I had been having these discussions it was a case of retaining the stability contained in the altering room to play within the English type on the weekend after which three days later in Europe, change our strategy.
“When Sir Alex introduced me in to Manchester United, one of many first conversations we had… I nonetheless keep in mind his phrases. He stated to me: ‘Carlos, it’s a must to perceive, you’re right here to assist me win one other Champions League.'”
