It was the collective effort of Manchester United as a team rather than individual brilliance that Sir Alex Ferguson always emphasized as being crucial to the consistent success achieved. No player was bigger than the club and if they thought that was the case they'd be shown the Old Trafford exit door.
Ferguson once gave an interesting insight into his methods of team selection by explaining that "the essence of the team is to understand and trust each other and to trust me." There wasn't a single player who didn't trust the iconic Scot during his 26 seasons in the dugout, but some players built a rapport that went above and beyond.
The 13-time Premier League title-winning manager was big on player professionalism and not letting their fame get to their heads and cause a distraction. He never usually settled on a permanent starting lineup, but he could always rely on one player because they posessed the football-first mentality he desired.
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Ferguson chopped and changed his United side throughout his time in charge and wasn't afraid to put big names such as Wayne Rooney on the bench. He knew how to handle superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona but was helped along the way to unrivalled success by workhorses who never disappointed.
That was how the former Aberdeen coach described Denis Irwin, a player who never let him down both on and off the pitch. He wrote in his autobiography titled, 'Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography':
"Honestly, I would say Denis Irwin would be the one certainty to get in the team. We always called him Eight Out of Ten Denis. So quick and nimble: quick-brained. Never let you down. There was never any bad publicity with him."
Irwin spent 12 years at United and was part of Ferguson's side that won the treble in 1999, playing in the astonishing 2-1 comeback win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. His consistency saw him become a fan favourite and an undisputed starter.
The legendary former Irish full-back very rarely had a bad game and Ferguson couldn't speak more highly of him:
"At Highbury in one game, he had a bad pass back in the last minute and [Dennis] Bergkamp came in and scored. After the game, the press said: ‘You must be disappointed in that pass back.’ I said: ‘Well, one mistake in 10 years isn‘t bad.’ He was an unbelievable player."
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Irwin joined United from Oldham Athletic in the summer of 1990 for a mere £625,000 and grew into a sensationally versatile defender who could play at right and left-back. He made 529 appearances, scoring 33 goals and providing 25 assists, a key cog in the machine that mustered up seven Premier League titles during his time at the Theatre of Dreams.
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It's no secret that a significant part of Ferguson's successful managerial career came down to his man-management. He created a family environment at both Aberdeen and United where players knew who was in charge and wanted to make their gaffer proud.
Every time Cristiano Ronaldo encounters the Scot it's as though he's been reunited with his footballing father. Their moment of embrace after the former Red Devils forward won the European Championship with Portugal was heartwarming and just as memorable as the trophy win itself.
Irwin perfectly described the influence Ferguson had on his troops during an interview with The Irish Times in 2013:
"He’s the most honest manager I’ve ever worked under. There were no grey areas with him. You know what you can and can’t do on and off the field."
Irwin added:
"He’s very understanding as well. For all the psychologists involved nowadays, he’s the best of them all. He understands, as he needs to, that football is a tough game with different personalities within that game. You have to deal with that accordingly and, as a man manager, I’ve never come across anyone better. It was a true joy to work under him."
This mindset was crucial for Ferguson's players, including Irwin, who developed into a world-class full-back who still doesn't get the recognition he perhaps deserves. He wouldnt be too fussed though as this was the character that his former manager relished working with, caring more about the team than the individual.