Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson admits trying to pressurise officials and using 'mind games'

Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has admitted to MUTV that he has deliberately tried to pressure referees throughout his career.

The Old Trafford manager, who will take charge of his final game for the club against West Brom before entering retirement, has been accused of making comments about officials in an attempt to influence decisions - most notably by then Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez during his infamous 'facts' rant in 2009.

In 2012, the BBC found that so-called 'Fergie time' was real as United were given an average of 79 extra seconds when losing after 90 minutes.

Ferguson, who joked that he would present his successor David Moyes with his watch as a welcome present, revealed: "The fourth official on Sunday against Swansea showed me the board and it said eight minutes - I said: 'Think again'.

"But that's been a part of it too, the pressure you try and put on referees. I save mind games for opponents, though."

However, the departing manager played down the notion that his famed 'hairdryer' treatment was one of his preferred motivation tools.
"That's overplayed, honestly," he said. "I'm fed up reading about it."

Source: Mirror