'Sir Alex called me Big Time Charlie – this is the truth about our relationship'

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Sir Alex Ferguson has delivered many scathing interviews and comments, but few came close to what he had in store for one of his ex-Manchester United players
Sir Alex Ferguson's barbs were notorious for their sting and their ability to stick – just ask former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince. Back in April 1998, ahead of a Premier League showdown with Liverpool, Sir Alex was dishing out his tactical wisdom.
His focus sharpened on the Reds star and ex-United ace Ince, who had made the switch from Inter Milan the previous summer. Ferguson's voice rose, not quite to the decibel-shattering heights of his infamous hairdryer rants, but enough to command undivided attention.
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It was during this team talk, famously captured by cameras for the Granada documentary 'The Alex Ferguson Story', that he unleashed an iconic put-down of the ex-England international.
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"If he tries to bully you he will f***ing enjoy it. Don't ever let him bully you. Right," bellowed the Scot, his words immortalised by the lens. "You just make sure you are ready for him. That's all you need to worry about. He's a f***ing big-time Charlie."
Those four words encapsulated Ferguson's disdain for oversized egos within the squad. By 2008, the legendary manager expressed regret over those remarks, labelling them a "mistake" and vowing to keep cameras away from his motivational speeches henceforth.
In a candid chat with the Manchester Evening News, Ince, while representing bet365, agreed with his former manager and now close friend. He said: "Am I a big time Charlie? Probably, yeah. I played for the biggest clubs in the world. You've got to have that kind of arrogance, not to the extent people don't like you.
"But you've got to have some kind of big-time mindset to play for the biggest clubs in the world. In a way, he was right, but it's nothing that was ever going to affect me because I know how close we were."
A decade on from Fergie putting his words out there for all to see, Ince was managing Blackburn Rovers against his old boss. Reflecting on the past remarks before the game, Ferguson said: "I regret saying that. That was a mistake. We let a camera into our dressing room, which we had never done before, and it won't happen again. It wasn't a personality issue with Paul. With Paul you could not have a honeymoon all the time, because he was such a volatile character, but he never let us down."
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Revisiting the legendary manager's moment of remorse, an event rarely witnessed during or after his illustrious career, Ince said: "Listen, people seem to have the impression that me and Sir Alex Ferguson never got on.
"I used to speak to him all the time and when I was managing Blackburn Rovers, I was on the phone to him all the time. When he said it, I was playing for Liverpool and, really, I think he was trying to wind up the likes of Roy Keane and say 'Oh Ince, he's just a big time Charlie' and all this type of stuff.
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"Things like that didn't affect me. Maybe it would with players from today, but not Paul Ince back in my time. The fact that he regretted saying it was neither here nor there. The comment did not affect our friendship."
Today, the ex-United manager and the former midfielder enjoy a bond that withstands the test of time and competition. That does not mean they have stopped competing against each other, though.
"I will always go to his house and play snooker, and kick his a***, and I will always pick my phone up to ring him," Ince added with a chuckle, highlighting the strong relationship that spans over three decades.
Paul Ince was speaking on behalf of bet365, the official global partner of the UEFA Champions League. bet365 have given away more than 3000 UEFA Champions League tickets to fans this season, including the semi-finals and final. Full Terms and Conditions apply. Gamble Responsibly. Full interview can be found at bet365 News.