Ferdinand: Ferguson inspirational for Man Utd Champions League triumph
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand recalled this week Sir Alex Ferguson's pre-match talk for the 2008 Champions League triumph over Chelsea.
Speaking at a fundraising event at Old Trafford, the United skipper recalled Ferguson's inspirational speech that helped them beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow.
"I'll never forget it," said Ferdinand. "Before the game he just plonked his chair in the middle of the room and started a random conversation totally unrelated to football.
"But it just settled everybody's nerves and before we knew it his talk switched to words of pure inspiration, reminding all the players, whatever you do in life, to achieve your goals. And, of course, it worked. We won the game.
"I was in awe the first time I met Sir Alex and whenever you get new players at the club it's the same. When Michael Owen signed, he told me how he just sat there listening to the gaffer in amazement. That's why he's so successful."
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun May 13th | |||
| West Bromwich Albion | Arsenal | 2 - 3 | 14:00 |
| Everton | Newcastle United | 3 - 1 | 14:00 |
| Sunderland | Manchester United | - 1 | 14:00 |
| Wigan Athletic | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 - 2 | 14:00 |
| Manchester City | Queens Park Rangers | 3 - 2 | 14:00 |
| Swansea City | Liverpool | 14:00 | |
| Norwich City | Aston Villa | 14:00 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Fulham | 14:00 | |
| Chelsea | Blackburn Rovers | 2 - 1 | 14:00 |
| Stoke City | Bolton Wanderers | 2 - 2 | 14:00 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 64 | 89 |
| Manchester United | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 56 | 89 |
| Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 70 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 69 |
| Newcastle United | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 65 |
| Chelsea | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 64 |
| Everton | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 56 |
| Liverpool | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
| Fulham | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | -3 | 52 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | -7 | 47 |
| Swansea City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -7 | 47 |
| Norwich City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -14 | 47 |
| Sunderland | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | -1 | 45 |
| Stoke City | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | -17 | 45 |
| Wigan Athletic | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -20 | 43 |
| Aston Villa | 38 | 7 | 17 | 14 | -16 | 38 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | -23 | 37 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | -31 | 36 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | -30 | 31 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 38 | 5 | 10 | 23 | -42 | 25 |
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Comments (10)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/mobile/bbc_sport/football/features/737/73726/story...?
Check dis too ha ha ha http://m.goal.com/goal_news.php?a=810409&PHPSESSID=4d1566da2b6c9ef1d8a20...
I too, would neva ever 4get dat day. I could have commited suicide had utd lost. John Terry, he scofed his shot widEee! Ha ha ha ha. Dat year all Fergies speech were inspirational. Whatever he said, i believed it whole heartedly. Check dis http://news.bbc.co.uk/mobile/bbc_sport/football/teams/m/man_utd/737/7371...?
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