In Conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson and Michael Mortiz (Sequoia Capital)

leadership is our topic of the hour and the Premier League and managers and players offer great examples every week you just flick through the back of the newspapers looking for topics about leadership let's start with Gary Neville who's been in the news the last few days what you make of that and Gary going to Spain well typical Gowdy has got the courage to do something with us I mean it's a big step from warning so first a Football Club to manage in Valencia but it's good there it's about the football experience and he's got that draw with England which will help him to but the most important thing is God he's got a credible determination about and he's a good decision maker he's prepared to make a decision and he's got that positive attitude and he's a winner he's an absolute winner nothing he'll do really well mm-hmm now did you talk to him at all before you went over there or yeah spoke to me came when want my house and I said be yourself you know just for your conviction which have done through your playing career I never let you down and I think that's all help him mm-hmm is it easier for him to start managing in Spain or would it have been no I think it's more difficult well first of all is your the language barrier and of course it's going to try and correct that and make sure he's taking lessons every day which is a proper step it has to do that yes the communication with the players that they were appreciate is trying because you know English people a bridge people don't necessarily buy into languages they always depend and people pitifully speak English and Association Gary's got to learn Spanish really mm-hmm well you have attempted at any point in your career to go to Spain or Qatar well had I was actually made Barcelona and many years ago when does Aberdeen the time that telev animals had recommended me when he was leaving I didn't tell you this idea stay another year so that was interesting into a wine with a way for me some years later but you know to that time Benny my imaginated is it's the no way you need to search for a job when you got club or my destinated that for me it was the final step for me there was no way I was ever going to leave that Cod it's a great club you know mm-hmm now for any manager like Gary who shows up in a new job or with all the changes around the league here what's the advice you give them about what they should do when they show up beyond having and being true to their own beliefs and conviction what is you'd guide them through the first year what would you suggest they do well remember Martin Bucer when they went to manage Oldham Athletic and they form in a Saturday morning is first first game this is event advice I said don't seek confrontation you know will come your way whatever is this true way of butter follow my captain so I think the important thing is to what I think is really poor to be consistent be who you are don't change I think people don't respond to change well when they see someone a manager bit he's changing his mind every second day or whatever I think consistency really important and I think the other thing too is as I always felt I had to give my loyalty to to mop when I first went to Manchester dated and Aberdeen without asking for anything back I think they do not that you're prepared to offer yourself to them and help in every way you possibly can and you hope that then and time you're going to get the oil to bike I think these are display important in a football club because you're dealing with emotional ties all the time does maybe all of the limb players are going to be picked in a Saturday but you could have a squad at 24 so managing emotional part is very very difficult and and it's these careful thinking mm-hmm know what are the mistakes most newly-arrived managers make beyond seeking conference you know getting the confrontation that they don't really want or they don't really need I think that one of the dangers is a and a half in square law Isis here that they want you bring players from the previous Club with them and that can be a mistake because levels are different you know the level will say crystal powers to a store is completely different if you're bringing up where it's going to be a success hostel it can be totally different right so mines just do made these mistakes are bringing players from the previous Club and Quay often doesn't work I think you've got to look at the wave oh you're opening that and the expectation of a player playing for a top club as opposed to someone from a lower division back to Gary you've known him a long time probably a quarter of a century maybe even almost thirty years as you looked at Gary as a young man and other players when did you begin to or who are the leaders that you singled out at a very young age when they were maybe in the Academy United and what would the traits Galia Galia is probably the best example because his brother phil was a far more talented footballer everyone in England wanted Phil and we took gaudy simply because he was the determined and it was a centre back at that time but you know he had something in Hungary and me that he made himself a few more he what it practiced he is it it incredible determination it made him worry yesterday and even today I mean you know there's been many articles about recently but get up at five o'clock in the morning and and you know is so is he's always searching for something when he was a player and either repeat Diane wall should press secretary he woke up at 5:00 in the morning go through all the internet what the press was saying then phone died and complained yeah and I said well what do you want me to do and I I get the backlash of that every morning he this incredible we cannot with a a quest for something you know a challenge and that is Gaddy he's an incredible human being in this and everything he touches turns to gold you know his business side of it is but I'm very well and his role with England he's done well on television he's been fantastic for sure so I think I think it will do well I think is going to be a success and the other players of his generation who perhaps aren't managers today they're ones that you think or who would you single out as real leaders of tomorrow well in terms of weeding but there were different qualities of course for that particular group of players Ryan Giggs offers a very intelligent guy a good thinker he's not as volatile as a Gary but he's got quiet resolve over them which you always feel is in control very very intelligent guy but to me Paul's goals was the best decision maker and comes up analyzing football otherwise in players he was fantastic but he's a quiet word he doesn't he doesn't want to be you don't want didn't want to be a manager that's for sure but in terms of us can open you know and say any player buying em easy way very very good that way they were very lucky because they're all talented young men the great thing about them all they all turned a good human beings you know that Beckham the Neville's and button skulls and kickers and all them they were fantastic human beings nothing that's a greater satisfaction you get from football that you depart you play in terms of development as no just an S or in a football field so they can portray themselves away from the football because the avila sponsibility waiting for a quadroon manchester native represent the country has a same responsibility they have to live up to and nothing they did a very very well let's talk about somebody else who's having leadership challenges at the moment Jose Moreno did you did you go through a period after United was a winning became a winning club where you had a really bad losing streak a really bad losing streak oh well that's a challenge I think I've been watching Josie this way and spoke to him to a couple of teams that's the first time he's been confronted with non success of ewokese whole career there's been nothing but a rise all the time so for the first time in his life is such a deal with bad publicity adversity and that's a challenge for him but there are signs is good my conscience of a bar once where I think even though there was in Saturday I mean I watch the game on Saturday they they could have won by a few goals but there was none the west and stole yes to face that publicity that that saw a negative publicity and it's never easy for the management present-day people because the media attention is huge the football today is such a big financial industry right the television deals billions the press involvement pressure and fuels from their own fans that it's a very very high risk industry today the the sort of average time a manager was there is a per year an average through the whole country there's no long no a big chain that for Josie I think all good leaders will eventually find the solution I think you'll find the solution and I think you go back to normal which is not working great at the moment but I know the guy and I know that the work is done in football I can't see us in the wall I can't see any sense of what accounts for the change between last season than this season nor well the things I've been overworked the Courtois the goalkeeper was injured in the first game that was a big loss I think John cherry the beginning of the season wasn't loved a great time there's a loss because he is without there the leader of their team and when you you wish to really influential players way that that can make a difference mm-hmm so that's overworked and maybe there's one or two players it says interesting people because well I think that United were the best they were best serve in the consistency when in that we didn't matter who the next year it mattered and there's not many teams can continue without for instance city when the week was the next where next year Chelsea over those spell another having a bad spell it's very difficult to maintain a success I can continue successful five six seven years very very difficult what was the thing that allowed you to do it where so many other people have had challenges doing that whether they're running a company or running a football club well is it's that complacency to avoid complacency that if we won in a week my first steps the next season was to remain them about many things of expectation of a responsibility that complacency is a disease all these things matter to me because I was always fearful of dropping back off the scale and fortunate we had them we were they a reasonable consistency but the most important thing about United for me was that every time we what was the week in the prima divisione we went in the next year so there was a response but the character of the team that was really important development character the football team this is important is developing the stability of the team and the character that Fillmore Cobb was very very strong very strong characters and I think that is really important so what's your advice to Roman Abramovich today don't lead the papers nothing had been a mistake but I think that Tim is psyched so many coaches in the last 10 years that I'm sure his land buyer he's got a trust he's got have confidence Josie can turn around you there's no point in psyche and when the best coaches of all time you know I mean he's won the European Cup twice is when the wages and each country's is managed he's won the big trophies so I would be able to fish from - to take that step of cycle really that would be my bad management really thought we did a rat right yeah another leader showed up for work recently Jurgen Klopp at Lou what accounts for the change do you think since he showed up I'm waiting them because one thing in 80 doing one is a Liverpool to be above it that's for sure pay is fantastic personality is got a great console herself even a noticed and yesterday's game when there was a second going across this team a qualm and smell and giggle I do it and I saw that that's classic yes class it's got a great personalities big white teeth have always shown his he's enjoying is not and is the work he did it dormant I know him quite well actually from the the coaching seminars we have and they got takes from the day actually but his them he's gonna make a difference to that club option order but it's got the personalities got to drive he's got the knowledge and it's got great presence I belong so I think think things all wake up there how do we do let's talk about a completely different leader a man that you know very well who's been coaching in England for many many years Sam Allardyce we you know we've talked about Jose Moreno and we talked about Gary how does and sam has led a whole bunch of different clubs what's his approach to leadership compared to some other fellas well the the terminology associated with Sam is a survivor he can you can survive with whatever cobby's with terms that make sure they don't get relegated but there's a bit more to some than I what what tame some brought to his clubs it was what one of the first to do this for sports science sports science and failure analysis going back to the Boland days really what he did with Bolton was quite incredible to come to Europe I always remember when we used to after the game when you went into Sam's office that ball yeah these half-a-dozen guys on video analysis either during a game of the were ready been played or watching other games she was very very strong into video analysis through the world he was well ahead of his time without respect so that has been under played in terms of analyzing his his contribution as a coach and manager and he's been very strong and because of that a video analysis and he did at the time if they we pick up players who were just creeping towards the end of the career and abroad like joke of Djokovic a coach oh he arrow campo all European Cup winners you know what'll come when as Joker was which was a what a coming up it was good in that it was the best of that and by doing that he created one a Bolton that was different from everyone ever thought they could do so he's been underrated in that respect and be is always going to be tagged with a surviving thing mm-hmm and people doing affair son fear you get pigeonholed at times you know there's a bit okay so all of these people whether Sam or Jose or Jurgen Klopp they all have to deal with the press now here with the res what's your advice about how they should have beyond not reading the newspapers how else should they think about dealing with the press and dealing with the media today well I was willing to some people without some managers with that it's as its as much you have to win to twice and Saturday you have to win your game and you have to win the press conference you have to commit a winner in the press conference and some managers feel so because maybe a lack of experience or made an emotional thing you have to gather yourself before you get to a press conference I used to rub on the face or wash my face before I went to the press conference all the time sometimes you're forced to go and meet you it to the press conference to the end of the game so but you have to really be thinking quick way yeah about how you're going to deal with it and as an important part because you're going to remember I always thought that you have to give a message to your fans because the fans are watching your press conference and that's why you have to be a winner they want to see a deal manager commit that press conference with a positive attitude a base few more Club know a beaten man and the timing time again here you see coaches come here a beaten man after one or two difficult questions about how the team is played while they watch the game cetera et cetera and that as as much as just as important as when they feel more match absolutely over that do you do some managers in in your opinion talk too much to the press or would you limit it more I think that I think there is more emphasis on the time spent with coaches and Europe and maybe maybe the fact that they used to the adjusted to fine but in the day of stole you still got to handle the press tomorrow many you have to answer I tended to figure difficult question with her answer me - I would waffle a bit to make sure I think it was really give them your not waffling now those yeah but it says a part of the game it's a very difficult part because you have a very very competitive industry in the media they've all got a job to do because you'd only compete against the internet Sky television you know instant news is very difficult for the modern day press so that becomes a more serious participation for the manager mm-hmm let's talk about a different topic a different aspect of leadership which is ownership of a club Leicester City fairly fantastic recently recent in the grand scheme of things change of ownership here they are sitting at the top talk a little bit about the advice that you've seen so many different owners good owners bad owners patient owners a lot of impatient owners so let's imagine you owned Leicester City today how would you be thinking about the future well I would be one to speak to run again and what has few years of in terms of adding to the squad because of the I was listening to Peter Schmeichel was free it was fantastic talking away says that under estimating West to say this a team with fantastic vitality speed energy and what Peter's saying at the moment West are the best team in a week without Derek but the question is how long will last have the resources have the resources to continue throughout the season for instance back in 92 when we went to fluey for first team time Ninja Tune a three season Norwich City whether we gray up to the middle of March the whole season until we beat him on their own ground and won the week so for a small club and totally as let us say they have a challenge in terms of how far can we go with his present scored can they watch the whole season was the manager Ranieri katya roni and it's same to the winners because if I were him I'd warn investment in January because this is a big opportunity he could win the week the way they have play in the moment and they have goals in their team I would and then that's know the owners problem the problem the problem the problem for the owners have they got the money and I think they have to they trust the coach and the problem was aligned with the coach saying because he's got to pick the team if he's are there more players to it he's all game himself at every type of a problem at the moment you can pick the same team because he's a limited squad and doing very well but if he wants to win the week I think he should add to it and I think that they may have a great chance does it require you know Manchester City style money to be able to develop the depth of squad at Leicester City that some of the top three or four clubs in England have org can you do it for a lot less well I think it'd be more difficult for Leicester City - to do that they wait a month city of them because one city in fairness of a bigger mystery than yeah where's the city for sure so attracting the coop too much to the city be easier than attracted a big player 2's the city you know I think Manchester City could buy anyone really at the end of the day whereas West the city to attract a top top player would be more difficult so that there was definite levels again as we were talking about here we're mm-hmm now let's assume wonderful or Leicester City wins the league this year do you think they're Prize players then stand a big risk of being picked off by one of the bigger richer club tops over there's no question with that we're now buddied when the European Cup Winners Cup it was a great small for Aberdeen anniversary it was the worst moment to because five players left within a year because they wanted to do better sells Cornish rocky went to Manchester United Monarchy went to Hamburg right there that's going to be a big decision point for the Leicester City owners that coming into the season yeah it's going to bit the decision not so much for the owners is for the players themselves mm-hmm sometimes them we have a dino and McLeish stayed forever because they won't been there you know and you may have a situation where the players will of been with West I said they don't want to move and you won't have some who want to play for Manchester and I didn't want to play for Liverpool while the want to play for Real Madrid it's natural its progress people want to achieve the most they can do right now tell me this Jamie Vardy this year's a sensation at Leicester yeah you got all these team all the teams have got so many Scouts all over the country how did she at least on the surface seem to slip through the net well of Dallin when is a pietà almost saying them mm-hmm and the West has said to come in the time we started the Halifax you know known week and just show you you know there was likely out to go by Tim Sherwood actually and a telegrapher last Monday I went on a week football hope people are under estimating it mm-hmm and that's another example which your peers said oh Regis Hawking came from nan week football and that's something is maybe has been over it I'm bad there's a great example of never given and we haven't keep keep his belief in himself and so is it certain that assails the suit modern-day football such as aggressive mmm he's quick he's getting energy and it's got gold on what he's proved that so he's got his guys it's a suited to modern-day football and particular cobalt Westar City mm-hmm different topic today in retirement what are your feelings when you go to watch a game when United is playing well I think it's great watching mine season it is a fantastic football cause there's always a there's always a romance about them but also does this great thing of United something always happens it's always a topic mm-hmm and always used to say to the players when I lost the game and enjoying the front pages today you know because it was a game of front page mm-hmm but when again back page maybe the time it's a great cop to watch it and I love but when I was injured when you go and watch from the stands do you have similar sort of maybe anxiety that you had when you were a manager before a game and all of the world when setting Liverpool but otherwise you can detach yourself from it all yeah yeah enjoy it there's no point okay I kill myself a boat although it comes going to me you gotta trust it the coop the way the handle in it that's fine no problem for me mm-hmm and talk about what it felt like coaching the UNICEF game the other week it was blowing it was great it was great because the players made a great although some of these players haven't played for a few years but having lost an ability and they did it was a desire I mean there were what all what the socks off and he they were exhausted at the end of the game was something happen please I said haven't waited for some years but you turned out for that event such great players and the Greek great careers he had for the fans it was a really great spectacle really was and David Beckham's you know fantastic it was now did you feel coaching that was there a point where you really felt it yourself I want to win this game or whatever well I don't care about the day before this is committed you think we could engineer the 3-3 draw huh I said well as long as we scored the last minute make it 4-3 very good so I think that's about all we have time for ladies and gentlemen you just heard from the greatest coach in the history of professional sports Alex Ferg thank you very much

Channel: TechCrunch

Views: 21,514

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: disrupt london 2015, stage, tc disrupt, techcrunch disrupt 2015

Id: cF2r0Vw3w6M

Length: 28min 56sec (1736 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 08 2015