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Gary Neville discusses the work ethic and mindset of Sir Alex Ferguson. He describes a moment after a defeat in the 2009 Champions League final, when he drove to Carrington training ground on a Sunday morning to collect his boots for his coaching badge assessment, and saw Ferguson already in his office at half past six, four days after the loss. Neville says that no other leader he knows would be in the office on a Sunday morning at that time after such a defeat, and that this was the reason Ferguson kept winning.
He recalls the first time he felt Ferguson's influence as a young player. When Ferguson walked into a room, the room went quiet; there was a presence and an aura that hit you immediately. Neville says he was never accused of anything other than working hard from the minute he joined the club at 11 until he left at 36. He believes Ferguson kept him at the club until he was 36 not because of his ability at the end, but because of his influence and impact in the dressing room.
Neville recounts how Ferguson used personal details to motivate players. In team talks, Ferguson would mention Neville's grandparents and their hard work and sacrifice. Neville's maternal grandfather had fought in the Second World War, had been wounded, carried shrapnel in his shoulders, and had married his nan on one of his returns home. Ferguson found a way to tap into each player's personal motivations, so that no one in the dressing room would ever give in. The film about Ferguson is titled "Never Give In," and Neville says that reflects the influence he had on others through finding something in them.
Neville describes Ferguson's approach to culture, which Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra also talked about. Ferguson rarely needed to visit the dressing room because the culture was already there. Neville says the culture was built on being grounded, being proud to work hard, respecting teammates, and recognizing that the team could not achieve its goals without each other. He gives an example of Wendy, who looked after the charity balls that players signed each Thursday. When Roy Keane walked past Wendy one day, he reported the lack of respect to Ferguson, who treated the matter seriously because it was a dereliction of duty and went against the principle that everyone at the club was equal.
Neville reflects on how he applies these lessons in his own businesses. He makes a point of not walking past people without saying hello, sits among staff rather than in a separate office, and tries to ask people how they are. He acknowledges that Ferguson was better than he is at knowing staff names and families, and that Ferguson kept his own office and space, though Neville says he mixes with his teams more.
Neville concludes that the work ethic is the most important thing: work as hard as you can and never give in. Ferguson told players that he had chosen them because they had the talent, and that what he needed in return was focus, commitment, and dedication every single day. Neville says that he stayed at the club because he believed in and trusted Ferguson.