Football: Fiery Fergie cost Utd titles

Hardline manager Alex Ferguson. Photo / AP

Alex Ferguson believes his no-nonsense approach to enforcing team discipline may have prevented even more English Premier League silverware finding its way to Old Trafford during his 27 years in charge of Manchester United.

Ferguson won 13 league titles in charge of the Red Devils but his tenure was also marked by some high-profile bust-ups with senior players such as Paul Ince, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who all left the club before the Scot.

"People will give a manager plenty of opportunities to crack the whip so it's best to pick and choose your moments," Ferguson wrote in his new book, Leading, due out later this month.

"You don't have to dish out a punishment very often before everyone gets the message.

"I place discipline above all else and it might have cost us several titles. But if I had to repeat things, I'd do it precisely the same," added Ferguson, who before his time with United enjoyed domestic and European success with Scottish club Aberdeen. Ferguson had a major falling out with Ince during the 1994-95 season, when United failed to win the title, labelling him a "bottler" and a "big-time Charlie".

Stam exited during another trophyless season, in 2001-02, after angering Ferguson with comments in the Dutch defender's autobiography. Stam alleged that Ferguson made an illegal approach to sign him when he was at PSV Eindhoven.

Ferguson sold Stam - the linchpin of his defence for the previous three years. United were runners-up to Chelsea in 2005-06, when Keane and van Nistelrooy got on the wrong side of the manager.

Keane was shown the door when he infuriated Ferguson by giving an interview where he criticised his team-mates on United's own television channel.

Meanwhile, van Nistelrooy started just five more United games after the League Cup final, when he swore at Ferguson after he told him he would not be bringing him off the bench for the final in Cardiff.

• The coach of European minnows San Marino hit out at England manager Roy Hodgson after he joked his country's cricketers were good enough to play against them.

San Marino, who are ranked 193rd in the world and have never won a competitive match, were due to tackle England in Serravalle overnight (NZT).

"We deserve respect," said San Marino coach Pierangelo Manzarini.

- AAP