Rene Meulensteen served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United for six years and has lifted the lid on how the Red Devils actually trained for 'Fergie Time'
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Sir Alex Ferguson looking at his watch
'Fergie Time' was one of the hallmarks of the Sir Alex Ferguson era at Man United
(Image: Getty Images)
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has lifted the lid on the secrets behind 'Fergie Time'.
Having been an integral part of Sir Alex Ferguson's coaching team at Old Trafford from 2007 to 2013, following stints as an academy and reserves coach, Meulensteen had a front row seat for United's notorious late-game prowess.
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The team's knack for scoring in the dying minutes was almost a hallmark of Ferguson's era, leading to the term 'Fergie Time' – a reference to late goals that seemed to define United's indomitable spirit during his reign. Yet, according to Meulensteen, this wasn't just luck – it was cultivated on the training ground with specific sessions aimed at preparing the team for trailing situations.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Meulensteen explained: "People talk about 'Fergie Time', and people say how is it possible? We did a lot of training sessions on that. I called it game scenario play.
"One team had to hold on, they were 1-0 up. We, as an opposition team, have got 10 minutes on the clock plus added time. Probably 14. So what do we change tactically?
"We might go with four up front. What does it mean for the backline? We pushed the full-backs on, moved the wingers inside. All that stuff. It was all about having a positive mindset and how many balls can we get in the box.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Rene Meulensteen
Rene Meulensteen served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United during a golden period for the club
"Within 14 or 15 minutes you would say at least seven. Of that seven we need to be scoring one or two goals. We need to score two goals because they are leading 1-0. But we need to win this game.
"That time was running on an actual clock. The players could see that there was only eight minutes left, six minutes left, it's still 1-0. How many balls can we get in the box? Three? Four?
"It's all about making sure that the players understood that the time pressure wasn't a situation where they thought they were running out of time. No, we've still got six minutes, how can we maximise it? We ensured that they kept their patience and had a clear head to provide the quality needed."
One of the most iconic Fergie Time moments came in 2009 when Michael Owen netted in the sixth minute of stoppage time to win the Manchester derby 4-3, despite United conceding an equaliser moments before.
Meulensteen claims that one of Ferguson's most loyal disciples was instrumental in the dramatic late strike. "A lot of times you have more time than you think. But the fact we had players of the ilk of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, they would never panic," the Dutchman said.
Michael Owen celebrating after scoring the winner against Man City in 2009
Michael Owen netted one of United's most iconic 'Fergie Time' goals
"The goal Michael Owen scored against Manchester City in the dying minutes of the game, we were chasing it, we were putting on the pressure. The ball got put into the box and got cleared.
"It could only fall for two players, Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs. Anybody else would've taken it down or had a shot. Nobody would've done what Giggs did, he passed it sideways to Michael Owen's feet, he took a touch and finished it.
"It's a matter of having players with that quality. But generally with all the players they need to know that there's a time pressure, but they have to maker that time work for us. So it's not a negative thing. We've still got time. Even with one minute. That's still 60 seconds, how long does it take to get a ball in the box? That was the thinking."
Other iconic Fergie Time goals include Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last gasp winner in the 1999 Champions League final, Steve Bruce's title-clinching goal against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993, and Federico Macheda's stunner against Aston Villa in 2009.