Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United side were renowned for scoring late goals, with the Red Devils often netting crucial strikes in stoppage time
Sir Alex Ferguson looking at his watch
'Fergie Time' was a hallmark of the Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
Former Manchester United assistant Rene Meulensteen has explained the secrets behind 'Fergie Time' - a hallmark he helped cultivate. Having worked alongside Sir Alex Ferguson as his assistant from 2007 to 2013, Meulensteen had a front-row seat for United's notorious last-gasp heroics.
During Sir Alex's remarkable 26-year tenure, the Red Devils developed a iconic knack for scoring crucial goals in the dying minutes of games, leading former coach Steve McLaren to quip they didn't lose; they simply ran out of time. And according to Meulensteen, who helped guide United to four Premier League crowns and three Champions League final appearances, it was a case of practice makes perfect.
On the High Performance Podcast, Meulensteen revealed: "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?".
Delving further into the intense preparation, he added: "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.
"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 minute, how can we maximise it? We ensured that they kept their patience and had a clear head to provide the quality needed."
Rene Meulensteeen and Sir Alex Ferguson during training
Meulensteen and Ferguson celebrating
One of the most iconic Fergie Time moments came in 2009, as Michael Owen netted in the sixth minute of stoppage time to win the Manchester derby 4-3, moments after United had conceded an equaliser. Meulensteen says that one of Ferguson's most devoted disciples was the key to 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 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.
Michael Owen celebrating his goal against Man City
"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.
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